A 14-member South African hiking team, including a father-son duo and several hikers over 50, will embark on an 11 day expedition to Mount Everest Base Camp in April. The team will trek 130km, experience temperatures of -20°C and oxygen levels below 50% as they reach an altitude of 5 644m at Kala Patthar. The hikers, known as Team North: South, are from the KZN's north and south coasts as well as from Johannesburg.

They will depart for Kathmandu on Saturday and commence their climb next Tuesday from Lukla, which is 2 840m above sea level. The team will reach base camp (5 364m) on April 22 and will make their journey to Kala Patthar (5 644m) on April 23. The descent from Kala Patthar the same day, with the team finally reaching Lukla on April 25.

The team will cover a distance of 130km, endure temperatures of -20 degrees and experience below 50% oxygen levels, reaching an altitude of 5 364m during this 11 day expedition.

Team North: South was informally conceived in casual conversations from the strong bond between friends and in 2024, in preparation for the Mount Everest trek, it was recognised as a suitable identity for the team.

The team has done various hikes over the years to prepare, such as Mont Aux Sources, Gray's Pass with Champagne Castle and Monks Cowl, Tomatu hike and Thaba Ngwangwe, Rhino Peak, Organ Pipes, Giants Cup, Twins Peak and the Bell Traverse, Otter Trail, Mnweni, Kilimanjaro, coastal trails, Fish River Canyon, and hikes abroad.

The team includes the father-son duo, Sunjay and Praval Bodasing, as well as Subramoney Isipingo, Rajen Pillay, Anesh Rampurtab and Mahir Dev Maharaj.

Sunjay, 64, a retired educator from Tinley Manor Beach in Durban, said he started hiking after his friends from the Springfield College of Education motivated him, while undergoing teacher training in the early 1980s.

"Gradually, we extended it to anyone interested. Strong friendships developed. As a physical education teacher, I undertook annual hikes in the Drakensberg, the coastline and local treks with a select group of pupils from school to encourage environmental awareness and promote leadership development among youth."

He said the trek was on the team's bucket list.

“The team is adequately trained and ready. Team spirit and camaraderie is strong. Hiking is a way of pushing the body's limits without consciously realising your pain."

Sunjay said he always exposed his family to the outdoors, which was how he got his son, Praval into hiking from the age of 8.

Praval, 34, a structural engineer, said the experience would be unique socially since some members of their team were over the age of 50.

“I was privileged to join in on the hikes with my father at that tender age. As a high school teacher, he used to take his pupils on annual multi-day hikes in the Drakensberg Mountains, which I was lucky enough to attend. This sparked my passion for the outdoors and hiking. This father-son bond was a great stimulus for more adventure and I would encourage others to get into hiking to build such bonds and strengthen family and friendship unity,” said Praval.

Subramoney Isipingo, 61, of Reservoir Hills, is a supervisor in the textile automotive industry. He climbed Kilimanjaro in February 2023.

Rampurtab, 59, of Seatides, is a semi-retired fresh produce dealer.

“Having achieved the Kilimanjaro summit in February 2023 with the rest of my friends, I decided to celebrate my milestone 60th birthday at the Everest Base Camp trail.

“In training, the majority of our hikes were done in the Drakensburg Mountains, challenging many trails such as Tugela Falls Chain Ladders Amphitheatre, Sani Pass, Organ Pipes, and Rhino Peak to name a few, among other local hikes socially,” said Rampertab.

Maharaj, 27, a business owner from Richards Bay, decided to climb Mount Everest to challenge himself after completing his first Comrades Marathon in 2024.

The same sentiment was felt by Pillay, on Tongaat, who ran 15 Comrades' Marathons and played volleyball for the KZN adult team.

“I am a sports enthusiast and an ex-sports educator who loves the outdoors and the challenge that comes with hikes," said Pillay, who added that he could not wait for the adventure to begin.

“The mountain elevates one to a higher level and the serenity is out of this world. My journey to Everest is a spiritual path in search of inner peace, joy and contentment. Over the past for decades of hiking we've built our gear and equipment to adequately meet the environmental challenges of each hike. It was a long-term investment in a lifetime of adventure and improved fitness and health,” said Pillay.

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South African 'Team North: South' to embark on 11-day Mount Everest base camp trek