Bachendri Pal to lead all-women expedition to Mt. Everest

New Delhi: Bachendri Pal, India's first woman to climb Mount Everest, is leading a women's expedition to the mountain's base camp at a height of 17,500 feet, Tata Steel Adventure Foundation (TSAF) announced here on Tuesday.

The team of six women will trek to Gokyo Everest base camp via the Jiri route in Nepal in about 20 days.

The journey will cover the Gokyo ridge touching 17,500 feet and two mountain passes, including Lobuche Base. Thereafter, they will arrive at the Everest base camp," a statement by TSAF, headed by Pal, said.

Two other mountaineers -- Hemant Gupta and Payo Murmu -- will continue their journey to the Everest peak -- highest in the world at 29,029 feet -- after reaching the base camp where the women contingent will conclude their campaign.

Gupta, an alumnus of Indian Institute of Technology-Bombay and employee of Tata Steel, aborted his earlier attempt at reaching the highest peak in 2015 when Nepal earthquake wreaked havoc in the region.

Murmu had successfully completed the 'Snowman Trek' in Bhutan in 2011 and also climbed Bhagirathi ll (21,400 ft) in 2014.

The expedition will commence on March 26.