Afghan Peaks is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering Afghans through mountain education, outdoor recreation, and environmental stewardship. Our mission is to develop mountain skills, promote community safety, and preserve Afghanistan's natural environment for future generations.
Afghanistan's mountains offer a unique opportunity for sustainable economic development through adventure tourism. As peace returns, the country has the potential to attract climbers, skiers, hikers, and other outdoor enthusiasts from around the world. Achieving this vision requires skilled local leadership, safe outdoor practices, and responsible stewardship of the natural environment.
Afghan Peaks works to equip Afghans with the knowledge and technical skills needed to support a safe and sustainable mountain tourism industry. We also believe that expanding access to mountain recreation can create local jobs, strengthen communities, and encourage more people to enjoy Afghanistan's extraordinary landscapes.
Mountain Safety
Mountain safety is central to our mission. Avalanches claim lives and cause injuries every year in Afghanistan, and Afghan Peaks is committed to reducing these risks through avalanche awareness, education, and professional training. In 2018, we funded a software license for the Avalanche Unit of Afghanistan's Ministry of Public Works to support weather monitoring in the Salang area and later sponsored an in-person avalanche safety training course in Kabul.
Nature Preservation
Protecting Afghanistan's mountain ecosystems is essential to their long-term value. Afghan Peaks is committed to promoting conservation and responsible outdoor practices, with preservation initiatives beginning in Bamiyan Province as planning and fundraising allow.
Supporting Afghan Communities
During the large-scale migration of Afghans in 2021 and 2022, Afghan Peaks led the Afghans Rising initiative, helping newly arrived Afghan immigrants settle into their new communities.
Founder
Samuel Dean Sidiqi
Afghan Peaks was the lead sponsor of the 11th Afghan Ski Challenge in Bamiyan in 2021 and the sole sponsor of a community ski race in 2022. Since then, we have continued expanding our mountain sports programs by distributing locally made wooden skis to children, restarting the ski school, and hosting annual Afghan Peaks Ski Races in Bamiyan. Our long-term vision is to support the construction of Afghanistan's first ski lift and help create sustainable opportunities for winter sports and mountain tourism. We also offer Afghan Peaks T-shirts to help support our programs.
In addition to skiing, Afghan Peaks proudly sponsored the first female ascent of Shah Foladi (5,140 m), Bamiyan's highest peak, in 2021. Tamana Jahan and Nazima Khairzad became the first Afghan women to summit the mountain as part of an eight-member team led by Sayed Ali Shah—an important milestone in Afghan mountaineering. More recently, Afghan Peaks also supported another successful Shah Foladi expedition, continuing its commitment to developing mountaineering and outdoor leadership in Afghanistan.
Through our support of the Bamiyan Alpine Ski Club, Afghan Peaks continues to promote athlete development, community ski events, ski training, and programs that provide local youth with opportunities to remain active in mountain sports throughout the year.
Learn more about the Bamiyan Alpine Ski Club by clicking here.
My Daddy is Climbing Denali, inspired by the difficult conversations he had with the 5-year old daughter, Jasmine, about his experience climbing Denali and addressing worries like: "My friend's dad told him you might not come back." See more…
