60th Anniversary of Everest Ascent

19th July 2012

On the 29th May 1953 Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay made history as they took their final triumphant steps onto the top of the world. Since then many trekkers have followed in their footsteps and trekked to the base camp from where they made their epic climb.

Exodus is proud of its reputation in and knowledge of the Everest region and over the last 30 years we have built up a wide range of treks in the Everest region. There is something for everyone from our new Everest Explorer trip, a new relaxed three centre based trek to a tough climb to the North Col on Everest.

Of course the trek to Everest Base Camp remains a firm favourite and for many to reach Base Camp is a lifetime ambition. For those who do not have the time we have a shorter trek to Ama Dablam Base Camp and for those who have the time and want to explore the area more we have Everest Base Camp and Gokyo Lakes which includes a chance to visit the quieter Gokyo Valley with its beautiful lakes and glaciers and a crossing of the glaciated Cho La Pass. For those who want to see the whole area there is the challenging High Passes of Everest trek, a complete circuit of the Everest region including 3 high passes and 5 high view point over 5000m. If you want to summit your own peak try our Island Peak trek – as well as a stunning circular trek including a visit to Everest Base Camp there is chance to bag your very own Himalayan trekking peak. 

As well as the above treks in 2013 we will be running 3 special 60th anniversary treks.

Two of our Everest Base Camp treks are two days longer and you will have chance to spend two nights camping at Everest Base Camp as a support group and you will also meet and have dinner with Ang Phurba, the only Nepali who is still living from the 1953 expedition. Ang Phurba (known as Kancha) is the father of one of our popular Nepali leaders (Lhakpa Tenzing). Kancha is now 80 years old and he lives in Namche Bazaar with his wife. Kancha’s father was a friend of Tenzing Norgay in Darjeeling and got his son (Kancha) a job carrying wood for Tenzing. Tenzing must have been impressed with the young man and offered him a job as a High Altitude porter on the 1953 expedition. Kancha carried loads up to the South Col but never got the chance to summit. He worked on many other expeditions (including the 1963 American Everest expedition) and he worked as a trekking guide for 22 years. All the other Nepali High Altitude porters have died and Kancha is the only one left alive. You will have chance in Namche Bazaar to meet him and his wife and we will host a dinner in his honour in the lodge in Namche. Although Kancha does not speak very good English he is happy to chat and answer questions about his life.

The dates of these two special departures are 29 March- 16 April 2013 and 23rd April – 11 May 2013. Valerie Parkinson, our Himalayan expert who has been to the South Summit of Everest (8761m) in 2009 and is the first British woman to summit Manaslu without supplementary oxygen, will be leading the 29th March departure and Lhakpa Tenzing, Ang Purba’s son, will be leading the 23rd April departure.

For those who want a challenge we are running our very own 60th anniversary expedition to the North Col of Everest (7,045m). An iconic place on the Everest, the North Col is climbed from Tibet. Valerie Parkinson, our own Himalayan expert, will be leading this epic adventure. Places are limited so book early.

By Robert Dixon