Students take on Everest Base Camp

During their mid-term break, a group of students and staff from the Aga Khan Academy Hyderabad took on the incredible challenge of the Everest Base Camp for the International Award for Young People (IAYP). Below, we hear from some students and a staff member about their experiences. 

"The Everest Base Camp trip was mentioned for the first time two years ago when we launched the IAYP programme at the Academy as a long-term school expedition. It was the culmination of several other shorter in-campus or outside trips, including a trip to the Indian Himalayas last year.

Finally, 23 students and four staff took an 11-day trek at altitudes ranging from 2,500 to 5,540 metres. The students who completed it walked around 143 kilometres and climbed almost 6,400 kilometres. The last day saw us walk for over 11 hours, 20 kilometres at altitudes over 5,000 metres on a challenging terrain around Khumbu Glacier.

The students performed impressively, with all of them climbing above 3,500 metres; 17 students made it around 5,000 metres, and 10 reached the Everest Base Camp. The altitude, terrain and length of the expedition make this trek a highly demanding challenge, and we are incredibly proud of all the participants and the way they performed."

Dean of Experiential Learning Vlad Gogelescu

"Trekking to the Everest Base Camp is an unforgettable experience for each and every one of us. The trek took place for 11 days and involved long hours of hiking, including steep ascents and descents, rocky terrain, and unpredictable weather conditions. Along the way, we got to experience the breathtaking views of the Himalayas and interact with the local Sherpa people and their culture. The hospitality and kindness of the Sherpa people, including our tour guides, will be commemorated. One of the most important lessons that we learnt from trekking to the Everest Base Camp was the importance of perseverance and resilience. The trek was gruelling, and the altitude was taking a toll on us, but the very first glimpse of Mt. Everest shattered the pain. It unleashed a new level of determination to finish the trek. The journey required a lot of hard work and determination, and there were moments of doubt, fear and exhaustion. However, with our teachers' push and the right mindset, we were able to overcome the challenges and achieve the goal of reaching the base camp. We realised that what we were going to witness must not be blinded by our thoughts and decided to go ahead. Waking up at 5:30 in the morning to trek is something that we did not look forward to, but the result it brought was very much worth it. Overall, trekking to the Everest Base Camp was a life-changing experience that taught us valuable lessons through the challenges we faced and how we overcame those. It was an adventure that required preparation, courage and commitment, and the result was well worth it."

Anvith Pothapu, Diploma Programme 1 student 

"If anything, I made it to base camp with sheer determination. I had convinced myself that I would make it up there if it were the last thing I did. It all started at the world's most dangerous airport – the flight from Kathmandu to Lukla was 2,860 metres above sea level, and the airport was surrounded by rocky foothills, with its limited area and short runway. The challenge started before the trip even started. The tricky Lukla weather meant our flight got cancelled after waiting for eight hours! Thankfully we caught the flight the next day, which was the most breathtaking flight I had ever been on. I'll never forget when the rustic Kathmandu city views morphed into snowy peaks amidst thick fog, frosted pines on foothills with clouds pouring into the crevices. I couldn't stop grinning when I stepped out of the aircraft. We started trekking as soon as we all made it to our tea house in Lukla and started our journey of long days filled with endless walking, heaving and sipping hot tea. At times when taking another step forward felt like a mammoth task, a side glance at our surreal views and a deep breath felt like adrenaline shots. The entire experience was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that left me with nothing but gratitude and a plethora of beautiful memories with friends, old and new."

Samhitha Paruchuri, Diploma Programme 1 student