( CNN ) -- Climbing the world 's highest mountain is challenge enough , but for Raha Moharrak , it also meant breaking a taboo . The 27-year-old graphic designer is from Saudi Arabia , an ultra-orthodox country which only officially allowed sport to be played in private girls ' schools in May . But Moharrak , who had been raised by her parents to aim for greatness , wanted to test her limits and that also meant challenging her culture . Mountaineering seemed like the perfect pursuit but getting her father , who still maintained conservative views , to agree was going to be the first hurdle . `` I told him the idea and he was like 'you want to do what ? Ah very interesting . Why do n't you leave it until you get married ? ' '' Moharrak recalls . Fuming and determined not to give up on her dream , Moharrak then wrote her father a long email arguing her point and then waited for three agonizing days for his response . `` I was so scared of his reaction , '' she says . `` And after the three days of silence to me he sent me one line -- ' I love you . You are crazy . Go for it . ' '' Since then , Moharrak 's family has supported her every step of the way . She began climbing in November 2011 and in the space of a year , conquered eight mountains including Kilimanjaro . Everest , by the numbers . Then on May 18 this year , she stepped into the history books by becoming the first Saudi woman to climb to the summit of Mount Everest . She was also the youngest Saudi to reach the top of the world and was part of the first Arab team to make the climb . `` When I finally got there I was thinking 75 % of people die on the way down , so I was thinking celebrate but not too much because you still have to get down . '' Moharrak had trained hard for the expedition and promised herself that if she was at risk of losing fingers and toes to frostbite , she would abandon her attempt . Many doubted she would make it . `` One person actually said 'What is Barbie doing on the mountain ? ' and I said : 'Do n't let the Disney princess hair fool you . ' '' Raha Moharrak 's triumph on Everest is the latest in a growing number of milestones for women in Saudi Arabia . She follows the path of America-based Sarah Attar who became the first Saudi woman to compete in an Olympics at the London Games last year and Dubai-born Elham al Qasimi who became the first Arab woman to reach the North Pole in 2010 . `` I did not set out to be a poster child for anything , '' Raha Moharark she says . `` I saw a mountain . I wanted to climb it . '' Moharrak 's only hope is that her achievements will help change the perception that Saudi women have of themselves and cites an email she received from a young fan . `` I think she was 13 or 14 years old ... saying ' I just wanted to tell you that after hearing your story I found the courage to ask my father for a bicycle . ' I thought if that young lady had the courage to buy a bicycle today and to ride it , what is she capable of tomorrow ? '' For Moharrak , the achievement is not being the first Saudi woman to conquer Everest , but to ensure she is not the last .
Raha Moharrak , 27 , is the first Saudi woman to conquer Everest . She is also the youngest Saudi to reach the top of the world . Saudi Arabia only officially allowed sport to be played in private girls ' schools in May . Moharrak 's first challenge was convincing her conservative father to agree .