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Whether it’s their final destination, a way station on the way to the very top, or even for those just contemplating the journey, climbers through the ages have been fascinated by Everest Base Camp. Trekking and climbing to the top of Everest has been a dream of mountaineers for generations, ever since Sir Edmund Hilary managed to make it to the summit in 1953. One such mountaineer was his Sherpa, a man named Tenzing Norgay, who has since become one of the most recognisable names in climbing, and an inspiration to many who dream of conquering Everest themselves.

Early Life

Norgay’s origins are shrouded in mystery. The account he gives in his first autobiography is that he was a Sherpa born and brought up in Tengboche in northeast Nepal. More recent research, however,  has led to the alternative theory that he was born a Tibetan in Kharta Valley, Tibet, but his family were left destitute when their yaks succumbed to disease, and he was sold as a bonded servant to a Sherpa family in Nepal. It’s certainly a mystery to ponder over while nearing Everest Base Camp, trekking in this awe-inspiring area. Although his exact birth date is not known, he decided to celebrate it on the 29th May – the date of his successful ascent of Everest.

Expeditions

Tenzing Norgay got his first chance to join an Everest expedition in 1935, when he was employed by Eric Shipton, leader of the reconnaissance expedition that year. As a young 19 year old, his chance came when two of the other members of Shipton’s team failed to pass their medical exams. Although no strict medical requirements are needed for Everest Base Camp trekking holidays, ascending the summit itself required a fit and dedicated climber. Tenzing took part in three different British attempts to climb Everest from the northern Tibetan side during the 1930’s. He also participated in two other unsuccessful attempts, in 1947 and 1952, and though the 1947 expedition was thwarted by strong storms, the 1952 expedition was the first serious expedition to tackle the mountain from the southern Nepali side.

Hunt’s Expedition

In 1953, Tenzing Norgay joined an expedition organised by John Hunt, which was to be his own seventh expedition to try and reach the summit of Mount Everest. One member of the team was Edmund Hilary, who was saved from a near-fall by Tenzing securing Hilary’s rope with his ice axe. Hilary and Tenzing Norgay were directed later on in the expedition to reach the summit as a pair, and they managed to reach Everest’s peak at 11.30 am on the 29th May, 1953. Though considerably more arduous than any Everest Base Camp trekking holiday, they spent only 15 minutes at the summit, where Hilary took a famous photograph of Tenzing with his ice-axe. All the photos taken at the top of Mount Everest only featured Tenzing Norgay. When questioned about it later, Hilary stated, ‘Tenzing did not know how to operate the camera, and the top of Everest was no place to start teaching him how to use it.’

Jude Limburn Turner is the Marketing Manager for Mountain Kingdoms, an adventure tour company who have run Everest Base Camp trekking itineraries for over 20 years. They now offer treks and tours worldwide, including destinations in North and South America, Europe, Africa, and Central and South East Asia.

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