Last Thursday at the Royal Geographical Society in London, we joined Himalayan Trust UK in marking 70 years since the first ascent of Kangchenjunga, the world’s third-highest mountain. It was an evening of celebration, reflection, and powerful storytelling, hosted with grace and warmth by Himalayan Trust UK trustee, Rebecca Stephens MBE, the first British woman to summit Everest. Rebecca is a patron of Explorers Against Extinction.
Rebecca opened the evening with a theme that echoed throughout: respect – for the mountain, for nature, and for the communities that call the Himalayas home.
The packed Ondaatje Theatre reflected the significance of the occasion, with a full house of eminent guests, including an appearance by Prince Edward, the Duke of Edinburgh. Also in attendance, a Nepali delegation from Kangchenjunga, reinforcing the strong links between the UK and the Himalayas. We also spotted several Everest summitters in the audience, including Holly Budge and Adriana Brownlee.
There was one man, on crutches, having just returned from the Himalayas after spending an unscheduled night in the death zone – a reminder of the dangers these mountains still present.
The evening was hosted under the stewardship of Sir Graham Wrigley, Chair of Himalayan Trust UK, who continues to champion the legacy and future of the Kangchenjunga region.
A Historic Summit
Standing tall at 8,586 m, Kangchenjunga ranks third among Earth’s giants. In late May 1955, British climbers Joe Brown and George Band led the expedition to its summit, but in deference to the mountain’s spiritual significance, revered by local communities, they famously stopped just short of the very top. That gesture of cultural respect became part of the mountain’s enduring legacy.
A moving moment during the evening came when the families of Brown and Band were asked to stand, prompting warm applause from the audience in recognition of their place in history.
A wonderful short film by John Porter, the first of two shared during the evening, relived the 1955 summit with rare expedition footage, and captured the glory of the mountain and its people. Though not currently available online, the film echoed the evening’s central theme—respect—and reminded us that “good fortune” is an essential element of mountaineering!
Mingma David Sherpa: A Force on the Mountain
The star of the evening was undoubtedly Mingma David Sherpa, who received an extended and heartfelt ovation. A living legend in the world of mountaineering, Mingma has summited Everest nine times and is now preparing for his seventh summit of K2, widely regarded as the toughest of all the 8,000ers. He was part of the team that achieved the first winter ascent of K2—an extraordinary feat in extreme conditions, and until 2024 was the youngest person to climb all 14 eight-thousanders.
A short montage of Mingma in action left the audience in quiet awe, reflecting on the three golden rules of mountaineering:
“It’s always farther than it looks, it’s always taller than it looks, and it’s always tougher than it looks.”
And that’s really saying something because the footage of Kangchenjunga, K2 and Everest made it abundantly clear just how formidable these mountains are.
Mingma is a passionate advocate for wildlife conservation and a huge fan of red pandas, a species found in the forests around Kangchenjunga, where he grew up. This was a lovely link for us at EAE, as we support red panda conservation in the region through our partnership with the Red Panda Network and their reforestation work in the PIT corridor.
Levison Wood: Tales from the Trail
Fellow EAE patron Levison Wood shared stories from his Himalayan travels, including a dramatic car crash while filming Walking the Himalayas, when his vehicle lost its brakes and plunged over 200 feet into a forested ravine in Rukum. It was the local people who carried him and his team to a village clinic, telling them: “It was the forest who saved you.”
This tied beautifully into the themes of his latest book, The Great Tree Story, which explores the history, culture, and ecological importance of forests, and their vital role in shaping both civilisation and the environment.
Levison also spoke movingly about his long-standing friendship with Binod Pariyar, which began back in 2001 when he was a young backpacker and Binod gave him shelter during a time of conflict in Nepal. Their friendship continues to this day—Binod’s son now lives in Bristol and was present at the event, adding an emotional resonance to the evening.
A Living Landscape Worth Protecting
The team from Himalayan Trust UK shared striking statistics about tourism in Nepal—Kangchenjunga receives far fewer visitors than Everest or Annapurna, despite its extraordinary biodiversity and cultural richness. This is perhaps due to its remote location and a lack of awareness, but the potential for low-impact, community-led tourism is significant.
Established in 1997, the Kangchenjunga Conservation Area (KCAP) is a haven of ecological diversity, encompassing rhododendron forests, alpine meadows, high-altitude wetlands, and glacial moraines. It supports an impressive array of species including snow leopards, red pandas, Himalayan musk deer, blue sheep, Himalayan black bears, grey foxes, and over 250 bird species.
Thanks to WWF Nepal, KCAP has been managed since 1998 under a locally led governance model, with full control transferred to local communities in 2006, a first in Nepal. The area is managed using a five-pillar framework that blends conservation, sustainable livelihoods, cultural heritage, climate resilience, and responsible ecotourism.
The Call to Action: Biosphere Reserve Status
The event also served to highlight ongoing efforts to designate Kangchenjunga as a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, a step that would enhance both local protections and international recognition. With the right support, this designation could ensure a sustainable future for the region’s people, wildlife, and ecosystems.
Why It Matters to EAE
For Explorers Against Extinction, this event encapsulated everything we stand for: exploration with purpose, respect for nature, and meaningful community partnerships.
As Kangchenjunga looks to its next 70 years, let’s continue to elevate its story—and work together to protect its future.
📍 Learn more about our red panda conservation work in Nepal at explorersagainstextinction.co.uk
