Beyond Mount Everest: Himalayan Mountaineering & Sherpa Wisdom in Nepal

The majestic peaks of the Himalayas go beyond Mount Everest. One Planet Journey brings you an exclusive interview with Ang Tshering Lama, “The Navigation Guru of the Himalayas,” conducted by travel journalist Subhasish Chakraborty. A legendary Sherpa in Himalayan mountaineering with six Everest summits, Ang shares unparalleled insights and profound wisdom on topics ranging from indigenous culture to the essence of responsible travel in this sacred region.

The Allure of the Himalayas 

The Himalayas are an enigma. And yes, Mount Everest is here. This is the perception of the outside world – the Himalayas are evocative of the world’s highest peak (Sagarmatha in Nepalese), standing like a sentinel, all of 8848 metres above sea level. 

But how many of us have fathomed the sheer magnitude of the Himalayas, stretching for 2500 kilometres? Passing through India, Nepal, Bhutan, Pakistan and China, it’s home to some of the world’s highest summits, 110 of them above 7,300m. 

The Himalayas are sacred, held in awe and reverence by the natives. In addition, the mountain range has drawn pilgrims and mountaineers since ancient times. This rarefied zone on Planet Earth has offered humanity adventure, hand-in-hand with unprecedented dangers! 

Exclusive Insights on Himalayan Mountaineering from a Legendary Sherpa 

The native Sherpa, a mythical Himalayan tribe, renowned the world over for their abilities to survive in extremely cold climatic conditions, amaze us with their grit, endurance and resilience in surviving at these lofty heights.

On a recent trip to Nepal, I caught up with a classical mountaineer, Ang Tshering Lama, with six successful summits of Mount Everest. He’s credited with the world’s highest rescue mission and plenty of mountaineering initiatives. Ang is the quintessential Sherpa, a man of the mountains, equipped with a kind attitude, and affable humility.

We met at his Kathmandu residence and engaged in a fireside chat covering a range of issues relating to the Himalayas. This included Mount Everest expeditions, Sherpa empowerment, and Indigenous diversity. 

Ang and I grew up together, attending a Baptist missionary school in India’s remote northeastern state of Assam. Both of us share a bond of friendship that is rock solid, even if separated by a thousand miles. We keep in touch at regular intervals, and I especially appreciate learning so many facets of the Himalayas from him.

Rendezvous With Ang Tshering Lama: Himalayan Mountaineering & Mindfulness 

You left Assam and chose Nepal as your base to pursue mountaineering instead of academics. How did this transformation feel to you? 

To be honest, I was never an academically minded person. There is a peculiar societal tradition in the Indian subcontinent where parents expect their children to be doctors, engineers, and IT professionals. Because of that, I had to walk the academic path for sometime. But, the very idea of sitting in classrooms and taking lessons from teachers seemed revolting.

Once my family settled down in Kathmandu, the longing for the mountains, and the irresistible pull of the Himalayas overwhelmed me. I started off guiding trekkers to Nepal, slowly graduated towards mountaineering, and the first summit on Mount Everest represented a turnaround moment in my life. I gained tremendous confidence and never looked back since.

Having summited Everest six times, and mountaineered for 25+ years, you provided your skills and knowledge to the world’s mountaineering community. How does it feel looking back?

I never thought I would come this far as a mountaineer. However, it’s been an incredible journey, fraught with dangers at every step. Himalayan mountaineering has offered me the chance to meet so many wonderful people from across the world. They visit Nepal and engage in high-altitude adventures. Personally, it’s enriched my life through the ups and downs of the Himalayas.

You have been a crusader for Indigenous tourism in Nepal. What are the elements of such trips? 

For close to two decades now, I have witnessed tectonic changes in tourism perceptions occurring in the mindset of today’s discerning and deep travellers. This includes mountaineer colleagues from the Western world who come intending to climb some of the world’s highest peaks.

Over the years, I purposefully took them on trips to some of the most remote high-altitude villages like Mustang, Pangboche, Dingboche, and Gokyo. I let them experience the real rural Himalayas and the centuries-old indigenous folklore and traditions of the natives. 

And believe me, they love living like nomads, eating the cuisine and observing a culture that has stood the test of time and the onslaught of modernity. This is a great way to heal your body, mind and soul after an arduous expedition.

Himalayan mountaineering is an integral part of the tourism phenomenon, and it has to be regenerative and purposeful. My aim is to provide a deeper connection between mountaineers and the Himalayas. When mountaineering becomes regenerative, you create something special, and for me that means peace. I make every effort to ensure that each of my guests leaves Nepal with peace and happiness. 

The Sherpa community’s contribution to the world of mountaineering is immense. What are your views regarding its future role vis-à-vis mountaineering?

The indomitable Sherpas are one of the rarest breeds of mountain tribes, blessed with uncanny knowledge of the mountains they call home – the Himalayas. No expedition is complete without the quintessential Sherpa – be it pitching tents at Base Camps, cooking food, logistics, or playing the role of a “Navigating Guru” on some of the world’s most treacherous mountain terrains.

For all their Himalayan mountaineering contributions, a typical Sherpa family still has to fight poverty and other associated evils stemming from financial strain. The need of the hour is to make the Sherpas economically self-sustaining.

In 2019, you conducted a daring Himalayan Women’s Empowerment mission by mentoring two widowed women who lost their husbands to the mountains. What prompted you to undertake such a task?

First of all, nothing comes easy in the high Himalayas. Every step in Nepal’s hinterland is challenging. More so if you are a woman! Raising children, looking after the homestead, husbands away on work, tending to the cattle, and the harvest. Life is intimidating. 

Nepalese women in villages are tolerant and humble, working within long-standing traditions. Often, you come across news of the death of a mountaineer in some faraway, inaccessible village, who might have been the sole breadwinner of his family. This results in an economic catastrophe, and the burden of rearing the family falls upon the innocent woman. 

The plight of women in rural Nepal shook me to the core. I took it upon myself to set up an example for women’s empowerment in the Himalayas through the “Two Widows Mount Everest Expedition 2019,” from the incubation stage to the actual summit. Expeditions don’t come cheap, and we needed to train the duo hard.

However, it all ended well, and both Nima Doma Sherpa and Furdiki Sherpa showed tremendous levels of endurance, positivity, and the spirit to emerge victorious. In fact, I had goosebumps until the two ladies stood atop the summit. 

I’m humbled to have been a part of this success story. The message they sent out to the world was one of Sherpa women’s emancipation. Confronted by grief, sorrow, and the pain of losing their husbands to the mountains, they faced overwhelming financial adversity. Together they summited the sacred “Chomolungma” and declared to the world that women have infinite potential and no task is beyond limits.    

Expeditions to Everest and other 8000m peaks have seen dramatic changes in technology. Pre-administered Xenon gas, hypoxic tents/geodesic domes, gourmet meals. How do you perceive this transformation?

It’s been incredible. These days, mountaineering can offer premium accommodation, private Sherpa guides and top-quality logistical support. But it carries a high price tag, between $40,000 and $200,000. 

In fact, at Angs Himalayan Adventure we used Hyperlite Mountain Gear packs on our May 2025 Everest summit. This ultralight mountain gear goes through testing at these heights, poised to be a game changer. Particularly for my fellow Sherpa guides and porters, who have done the hardest jobs on those treacherous trails.

I am delighted with the issues of safety and surveillance that modern-day technology offers. The buzz here at the Everest Base Camp right now is about the use of drones. They airlift logistics and place them exactly where the Sherpa wants them, thereby reducing the carrying burden.

Filming at summit level is now also a reality, although dangerous. One wrong step and you are gone. In fact, I was part of an immersive virtual reality documentary, The Quest, in charge of drone operations and logistical support. It offered deep insights about climbing Mount Everest, but also a surreal interpretation of Nepal’s highland lifestyle, which the outside world is unaware of. Imagine 52 days of high-octane activity. We received the Best Virtual Reality Film at the Los Angeles Film Awards.

For most mountaineers, Everest is the ultimate mission. What are your views on the Everest aura?

It is fine to be ambitious in life. But ambition shouldn’t be about show-offs. There are many who highlight their exploits as conquering Mount Everest. What mindset is this? To us Sherpas, Chomolungma is a peak of reverence, humility and compassion. We worship her as the “Mother of the World”. 

Talk of conservation and preservation of the Himalayan ecology is meaningful only when there is respect from the mountaineering community, be it culture, tradition, folklore or legends.

In all my expeditions to 8000m peaks, I make it a point to craft itineraries that offer visiting mountaineers a fascinating peek into native indigenous cultures. This can be ceremonies, festivals, village immersion walks, homestays with natives. All of which has resulted in forging deep connections beyond the ordinary.

Nepal is an anthropological hotspot with numerous fascinating tribes dwelling in the Nepal Himalayas, most not mentioned in tourist guides. Is Nepal ready for deep and meaningful travel?

For the past 25+ years, mountaineering in Nepal and my frequent visits to destinations like Scandinavia, Australia, New Zealand and the US, have taught me this. To succeed, intent is what matters. 

Nepal welcomes more deep travel as the surge in visitor numbers shows. At Angs Himalayan Adventure, we have carved a niche for ourselves in the experiential tourism segment, which caters to deep travellers.

We launched the Great Himalayan Trail in collaboration with Alpine Fuzzies. Here, two adventurous souls, Kristy and Mike, have undertaken a one-of- a -kind adventure of hiking across the Great Himalayan Trail, crossing over 1700km and climbing over 6100-metre passes in just over 100 days. There’s an average ascent and descent of over 135,0000 metres on the entire trip. How is that for an adventure?

You have an impressive collection of photo archives highlighting Himalayas’ indigenous diversity. Which region is your favourite and why? 

This is a tough question to answer, and in all humility, I want to stress that it isn’t fair to make a comparison among the many diverse tribes (36 in total). Each tribe is unique, blessed with its own distinct culture and heritage. The tribes in the Terai region, like the Rana Tharus and Dhimals, are poles apart from their brethren in the highlands, like the Magars, Limbu, Gurung, Rai, etc.

I am awed by the Solukhumbu district. Perhaps it is because of my frequent travels to this region and falls en route to Mount Everest. For us mountaineers, this Himalayan region is sacred. Some of the world’s greatest mountaineers call this place their home – Tenzing Norgay, Ang Dorje Sherpa, Nawang Sherpa, Pasang Lhamu Sherpa, and Apa Sherpa.

Of course, reaching Solukhumbu is tough and is a test of endurance. But once you are there, a whole new world of exploration awaits. The mystical Himalayan highlands, the mesmerising Gokyo Lake, Lobuche Peak, Ambadabalam. All gracefully ready, as if competing in a beauty pageant.

Preserving the Everest region is a colossal task, needing a global effort as it is a multidisciplinary mission involving environmental scientists, forest & agriculture experts, waste management, and more.

It’s good to witness the elevated awareness levels prevailing in the Solukhumbu region with local communities like lodge /homestay providers, tea shop owners, etc pitching in with sustainable practices. For example, using solar power, community forest management, and the 2 pm rule, making it mandatory for mountaineers to set in motion their descent by 2 pm sharp. 

Ancient wisdom, meditation and mindfulness. Nepal’s highlands are ideal for such pursuits. What are your views on the therapeutic tourism phenomenon?

Since ancient times, the Himalayas have been the abode of gods and goddesses. Even today, you will find secluded hilltop monasteries perfect for deep meditation and spiritual uplifting.

For us mountaineers, the relevance of having a mind in harmony is of great significance. We need to focus on our task, and there are numerous Death Zones where we have to combat extreme weather conditions that make you debilitated physically and mentally. 

We are fortunate to have plenty of natural healing zones where you can practice deep introspection and yoga for inner peace and contentment.

My team and I are regular visitors to Tengboche Monastery, which falls en route to Everest. The prayer wheel, bird songs and resident monks in meditative mood, are a great comfort before embarking on colossal mountain missions.

The best part of your mindful journey in the Nepal highlands is that it is effortless. Follow Mother Nature’s call and things fall in place. Walk slowly through peaceful villages, remain grounded and listen to the sounds of nature for a transformation you will cherish. 

If you combine mindfulness with Himalayan mountaineering, it’s not only transformative but also sharpens your level of awareness, which is essential in decision making at high-altitude.

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Have you been to the Himalayas? Did you climb any peaks? Let us know in the comments. Subscribe to our newsletter and benefit from travel guides, sustainable tourism and luxury travel tips, insightful interviews, and inspirational places to visit. One Planet Journey – The World’s First Deep Travel Magazine.