A 10-year-old Bulgarian girl and her family have climbed the Caucasian highest mount Elbrus, Bulgarian Climbing and Mountaineering Federation confirmed on Tuesday earlier media reports.

Ivana Pencheva climbed 5642 meters, making it to the top of the highest mountain in Russia, accompanied by her brother Boris, aged 14 and their father Boyko Penchev, aged 56.

“The ascend to Elbrus was hard”, said Boris.

The cold weather and the steep terrain were the main obstacles that the experienced and well-prepared family team faced. At the 5400 th meter on their way to the top the children started feeling dizziness and pain. The passage took them 7 hours.

The family is preparing for the ascends every winter building an iglu in their home yard and living there or climbing the highest Bulgarian peak Musala in the Rila Mountain.

The children are well prepared to sustain cold weather and to survive in severe conditions.

Two years ago Ivana’s brother climbed for the first time the highest peak in Europe – Monblan.

The family started preparations for the ascends six years ago first climbing to the top of Bulgarian highest mountains of Rila and Pirin.

For the next year they plan to make it to the Pamir mountains in Asia or to make a bike-passage to the Alps. The father’s dream is to conquer Aconcagua - the highest peak in South America, located in the Andes.