Fernando De Guama on Doha Corniche.

Doha • The flag of Qatar is set to fly at the earth’s northernmost point, the North Pole, for the first time when the intrepid adventurer Fernando De Guama sets foot there next year leading an expedition team from Qatar.

Only a handful of daring explorers have crossed the Arctic Ocean to reach the North Pole. Covering a massive 5.4m square miles, Arctic Ocean waters are permanently covered with freezing ice and De Guama is likely to encounter polar bears, extreme weather changes and deadly shifting sea ice as he braves sub-zero temperatures in his quest to reach the North Pole for Qatar.

De Guama told The Peninsula yesterday: “At present the temperature there is between -25c and -65c. Presently I am doing physical endurance training to increase my lung capacity. I exercise for long hours, burning about 6,000 calories a day. A normal person usually burns up to 1500 calories. So I am working 5 times harder.”

He is also undergoing temperature endurance exercises in water below the freezing temperature and will be going abroad for more training.

De Guama is inviting all to join his training programme to prepare for the harsh Arctic conditions.

He said the physical fitness was not all. “They should be strong psychologically also. North Pole is an all-white zone. People are not usually used to seeing one colour. So this can bring about psychological problems. The journey will involve frost bites, muscle pains and head aches. So self-confidence is also important,” he added.

De Guama will leave Doha in April 2009 for Barneo Ice Base in Norway, the starting point for the nine-day trek of 120km to the North Pole. He will ski to place the Qatari flag before returning to Doha. In total, Qatar Expedition will last three to four weeks.

“What's more important to me than the expedition and hoisting the flag is the community joining me in my daily training. They will become healthier and can improve quality of life. If I could do it you can also do it,” he said.