The Journey To Everest Base Camp

The Journey to Everest Base Camp

Traveling to Nepal to document a group of Saudi women hiking to Everest Base Camp, over 5,000 meters above sea level, was one of my earliest experiences working abroad and a long-held dream. I had always wanted to visit Nepal and hike the Himalayas, but when the opportunity finally came, I was surprised to feel strangely numb about it at first, like I had already “seen it” through social media. It wasn’t until I was standing there, breathing in the mountain air, that I truly understood how different the real experience was. No image or video could have prepared me for that awe.

The assignment began with me flying ahead to Kathmandu to meet the local expedition operator and prepare for the team’s arrival. From there, the plan was to take a flight to Lukla, one of the world’s most dangerous airports. The weather in Nepal quickly taught me a lesson in unpredictability; we were stranded at the airport and eventually split into three helicopters, flying through a storm. We landed in Lukla just after a plane crash had occurred, an event that underscored the risk and intensity of the journey.

On the trail, I spent a week hiking with the group, carrying my camera gear alongside the essential layers, water, and trail snacks. The physical weight was real, but the emotional weight came from a creative challenge: I was tasked with making a private film for the Saudi women, but also creating a separate edit that didn’t show their faces. This forced me to think differently about how to tell a story visually without relying on traditional character shots.

Moments like breaking frozen water just to brush my teeth, a bathroom spider the size of my hand, and a night of altitude sickness in Lobuche reminded me that adventure always humbles you. But more than anything, this trip reminded me why we go: not just to capture a place, but to feel it.