Kiwi hiking group brave Nepal winter on journey to Mt Everest base camp

A group of 14 New Zealanders are braving extreme cold on a winter expedition near the world’s tallest peak.

Led by experienced guide Robert Bruce, the group is retracing the steps of legendary climbers Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay with a journey to Mount Everest’s base camp.

Bruce said it was a little-known fact the trekking season in Nepal was in the middle of each year, largely in May, during much warmer months.

His trekking group, known as Got To Get Out, deliberately chose the winter season to coincide with the Christmas vacation for most Kiwis - despite average night temperatures of -20C.

At that time, thousands of trekkers snake their way upwards to explore base camp or possibly climb one of the many amazing 8000m-plus peaks in the area, he said.

“But very few dare come here in winter ... There’s hardly anyone here at all, nothing like the common photos you see of ‘traffic jams on Everest’. Most villages are shut - locals have gone to warmer places for winter and to recharge outside the peak seasons.”

The group are currently based at the village of Thukla, situated 4600m above sea level - more than 1000m higher than New Zealand’s tallest point, Mount Cook.

The beautiful but dangerous environment in Nepal. Photo / Robert Bruce

Bruce said the cold is so intense water bottles freeze overnight within the confines of rooms, windows are coated with frost each morning and squat toilets remain frozen throughout the day.

Despite the challenging conditions, this is the fifth winter trek to be led by Bruce in Nepal, with four previous journeys to the Everest base camp and one to the Annapurna Circuit.

However, the harsh conditions have taken a toll on one member of the group, who was airlifted out due to pneumonia.

Bruce said the other members of the group were coping well, though some are experiencing various effects of altitude sickness, a common occurrence in such high-altitude regions.