Female Saudi Everest climber happy to change views

The first woman from Saudi Arabia to scale Mount Everest says she doesn't intend to inspire a movement, but would be happy to change people's opinions of Saudi women and Saudi women's opinions of themselves.

Raha Mobarak told reporters in Katmandu today that her next goal is to climb the highest mountains in all seven continents. She says she has already scaled five of the highest peaks.

Mobarak was among hundreds of people who reached Everest's 8,850-metre summit in recent days because of favourable weather conditions.

Women's freedoms are severely limited in Saudi Arabia. Females are not allowed to drive and cannot travel or attend school without the permission of a male guardian.