Waldemar Niclevicz

From Foz do Iguaçu to the Himalayas

Waldemar Niclevicz was born in Foz do Iguaçu, in 1966 — far from the great mountains. Until age twelve he lived in his hometown, sharing outdoor life with his father. He moved to Curitiba, discovered the Serra do Mar of Paraná and began hiking and camping. At eighteen, he lived three years in Itatiaia, where he learned mountaineering technique with ropes and carabiners. In 1985 he set off on his first big adventure — a journey through Bolivia and Peru, including the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu.

He graduated in Tourism from the Federal University of Paraná (UFPR) and pursued courses in mountaineering and speleology. He worked in a backpack factory and as a guide before becoming a full-time mountaineer. The ascent of Aconcagua in 1988 was the milestone. In 1991, he became the first Brazilian to attempt Everest. On May 14, 1995, he made history: the first Brazilian ascent to the top of the world.

A career across summits

He has climbed Everest twice, K2 (the most demanding mountain on the planet), the Seven Summits and 7 of the 14 peaks above 8,000 meters. He has summited more than 300 mountains, including all 82 "Four-Thousanders of the Alps" — a feat unique among non-European mountaineers. He is also a photographer and author, with five published books. As a speaker, he has delivered more than 1,400 talks in Brazil and abroad on perseverance, leadership, strategy, risk management and teamwork.

He has been named Honorary Citizen of Curitiba, Distinguished Citizen of the State of Paraná and Distinguished Citizen of Foz do Iguaçu, among many other national and international honors. More than a mountaineer, however, he has been a defender of nature since 1986, when he became one of the first members of the SOS Atlantic Forest Foundation.

The mountaineer who came down the mountain

Today, Waldemar channels his experience and love of nature into a concrete restoration and conservation project. The Mountaineer's Nature Reserve is where the philosophy that guided him in the mountains — respect for nature's limits — turns into action: plant, protect, inspire. "I live in Curitiba, I live in the mountains, I'm happy," he often says.