Monika Witkowska

Journey into the unknown

The main passion of Monika Witkowska (born in 1966) has always been traveling and related outdoor activities – primarily sailing and mountain climbing. Monika visited over 180 countries, conquered 3 eight-thousanders – Mount Everest, Manaslu and Lhotse, many high-mountains peaks (including Matterhorn, Denali, Aconcagua, Mt Blanc, Vinson Massif), sailed around Chukotka and Cape Horn and reached the Polish Arctic base by yacht as the first person in the world. She also made a difficult three-month cruise through the Northwest Passage, from Greenland to Alaska. She also conquered The Seven Summits – both in Reinhold Messner and Richard Bass versions and their modifications, including Mont Blanc, as Europe’s highest summit. For many years she belonged to the Kapituła Kolosów, and since 2012 has been a member of the Rady Kolosów.

Work with passion

Monika, a graduate of the Faculty of Management at the University of Warsaw, is a journalist by profession, thanks to which she can combine her passion for travel with work in a practical way. For several years she ran the “Tourism” supplement in Gazeta Wyborcza, she also wrote in many magazines and newspapers, including National Geographic-Traveler, Jachting, Żagle, Magazyn Góry, SkiMagazine, Rzeczpospolita, Puls Biznesu, Dziennik, Viva, Olivia, Twój Styl. She often goes on trips abroad as a pilot (the main direction are Asia, South America and Africa). She conducts numerous trainings, motivational lectures and lessons. She is also the author and co-author of several books about traveling.

Monika Witkowska considers hitchhiking as one of her favorite ways of traveling, although as she points out, she is not a loner at all. Driving a car without a predetermined route allows her to get to know the country better and establish closer contacts with local people.

Imprint

Monika Witkowska

Date and place of birth: 1966, Warsaw, Poland
Profession: journalist, writer, traveler

Achievements:

▲   She conquered 3 out of 14 eight-thousanders – Mount Everest (2013), Manaslu (2018), Lhotse (2019) and The Seven Summits – both in the version of Reinhold Messner, Richard Bass, and their modifications, taking Mont Blanc as the highest summit in Europe.

▲  In total, she traveled about 30,000 nautical miles on board small yachts and sailing ships.