May-June 2023

In May-June, Peter and I were in Nepal for events around the seventieth anniversary of the first ascent of Mt Everest. Scroll down to see more about our visit.

 

Beginning of the trip

At the beginning of our trip to Nepal, we loved our stay in Pokhara. At around 1100 metres, we enjoyed birdwatching, trekking, and the beautiful views over the Annapurna range.

I was in Lukla, Nepal, in May, where statues of Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay were unveiled as part of the celebrations of the seventieth anniversary of the first ascent of Everest on 29 May.

Sculpture of Ed Hillary in Himalaya
 

Everest 70 celebrations

I took part in moving celebrations of Everest 70 in Khumjung Nepal🇳🇵where Peter Hillary, Chair of the Himalayan Trust, and Jamling Tenzing also officiated at the opening of the Sir Edmond Hillary Visitor Centre at the school Ed built in 1961. Our trekking group from the New Zealand Himalayan Trust received wonderful hospitality from local communities and the Himalayan Trust Nepal.

The new visitor centre in Khumjung celebrates not only the first ascent of Everest by Ed Hillary and Tenzing Norgay on 29 May 1953, but also the ongoing legacy of Ed’s work with and for the Sherpa people of the Solukhumbu region where he built schools and hospitals, set up water projects, and supported reforestation and the establishment of the Sagarmatha National Park. It was a privilege to walk in his footsteps there again.

To support the ongoing work of the NZ Himalayan Trust in the region, go to their website.