59-year-old woman successfully reached Everest Base Camp on her own, having prepared for the journey by following training videos on YouTube
59-year-old woman successfully reached Everest Base Camp on her own, having prepared for the journey by following training videos on YouTube
Starting her trek from Surke in Nepal on February 15, she successfully arrived at the South Base Camp on February 23.
Vasanthi Cheruveettil, a tailor hailing from Kerala, overcame age and numerous challenges to reach Everest Base Camp solo, despite lacking formal training. To prepare, she utilized YouTube videos to grasp essential trekking skills and even learned Hindi to facilitate better communication during her journey.
Starting her trek from Surke in Nepal on February 15, she successfully arrived at the South Base Camp on February 23.
At 59 years old and from Thalipparamba in Kannur, Cheruveettil dedicated four months to training for this extraordinary accomplishment, as reported by Manorama. Her regimen included three-hour walks, practicing with trekking boots, and daily evening strolls of five to six kilometers with friends. “Even my friends were skeptical when I told them I was training for Everest,” Cheruveettil shared with Manorama, a Malayalam daily.
“I needed more time, so I walked slowly, using a stick. Every few steps, I paused to take at least five breaths to avoid shivering and exhaustion,” she explains further.
Cheruveettil encountered numerous obstacles on her journey to Everest. Her flight to Lukla was canceled because of inclement weather, but a German couple she met in Nepal helped her discover an alternative route through Surke. Along the way, she met trekkers from various countries, including a father and son duo from Thiruvananthapuram.
Cheruveettil funds her travels by running a tailoring business, with occasional support from her sons. Currently, she is focused on her next major aspiration: visiting the Great Wall of China.
This was not Cheruveettil’s inaugural solo journey. The previous year, she ventured to Thailand after her friends decided not to join her, raising doubts about a woman’s ability to travel such a considerable distance alone. Encouraged by her two sons, Vineeth and Vivek, she went ahead and arranged the trip on her own.
“I had this wish that if I reached Everest Base Camp, I wanted to click a picture wearing a set mundu (Kerala’s traditional attire). That’s why I carried one with me. It was a bit risky to climb, but I made it,” she said.
“As long as you know what’s right for you and have the determination to follow your path, everything is perfectly fine. I know there are some places that might become difficult to travel to as I grow older. So I want to do it now,” she adds.
