Recently three of our participants - Jess, Nikki and Anna, who attend Nelson College for Girls, enjoyed the privilege of successfully completing the legendary 16 day Youth To Everest trek. They all found it to be an adventure of a lifetime experience.
Jess commented that it is the “best thing I have done, an incredible experience, where I made heaps of friends – I’d do it again in a heartbeat!” Nikki shared that for her, the experience was “life-changing’ and the ‘trekking in the Himalayas – spectacular!” Anna said it was “more than you expect” and she really enjoyed “learning about a different culture and how they live – amazing people!” All three 100% recommended the programme as an incredible opportunity to any prospective participants – “definitely do it”, “well worth it”, “amazing – take every opportunity”.
Youth To Everest trips are open to students aged 15 years and over, and operates each year in the April school holiday period for New Zealand secondary schools. The great bonus of the programme is that it is fully accredited by the Duke of Edinburgh's International Award and qualifies for Gold (or Silver) Adventurous Journey and Residential requirements.
A Youth to Everest trek offers a unique insight into the daily life of Sherpa people; where you get to integrate with the local communities through involvement in specific projects. This year this included the participants working in an orphanage, which had a big impact on their hearts.
The trek leadership team consists of a Group Leader and a Registered Nurse (both from New Zealand). The trek safety and management program is second to none. There is a moderate degree of difficulty, with the highest point achieved being potentially over 4,000m in altitude. The maximum number of trekkers per trip is 18.
So, why not consider taking on the Youth To Everest challenge in 2019 – it’s bound to be an adventure of a lifetime! Check out http://youthtoeverest.co.nz/ for more information.