Bachendri Pal to lead women over the age of 50 on a long 5-month trek in the Himalayas

The team of 10-member will embark on a journey from the foggy mountains of Arunachal Pradesh in Bomdila and on to Bhutan

India's first woman to win the world's highest mountain Mount Everest, Bachendri Pal will lead a group of ten women over the age of 50 on a five-month trip east-west to the Himalayas starting in May. The 'FIT @ 50 Women's Trans Himalayan Expedition' 21 'will kick off in the first week of May from Arunachal Pradesh and cover about 4,500 kilometers across nearly 40 mountains including 17,320 feet of Lamkhaga Pass, considered one of the most difficult. The program, organized by the Tata Steel Adventure Foundation in partnership with the Department of Youth Affairs and Sport under the announcement of FIT India is expected to end in the Karakoram range of Jammu and Kashmir in the second week of October.

"This campaign will inspire and motivate women of all ages to incorporate exercise activities into their daily lives to stay healthy," she said."During the epidemic, women's health and resilience play a vital role in families and nation-building. This journey will give hope and create a new way for the elderly, including 50 or even 60, to achieve their dreams. It will also show the empowerment of women," she added.

The group's members, from all over India, featured conferences for three Everest women, retired professionals, and home-based professionals. The 10-member team will embark on a journey from the foggy mountains of Arunachal Pradesh in Bomdila and on to Bhutan. From there, the trek will cross Bhutan, cross to Sikkim, and cover Chitrey, Kala Pokhari, and Sandakphu.

The group will then proceed to Nepal, where the route enters the Dhaulagiri range and covers the Salpa Pass, Lamajura Pass and crosses with Thorang la (17,769 ft) around the Annapurna Massif. From western Nepal, the route runs from Total to the Kumaon region in Uttarakhand in Dharchula. From here, the trek will cross the Lamkhaga Pass (17,320 ft) - one of the most difficult routes, connecting the Kinnaur district of Himachal Pradesh with the Harshil of Uttarakhand. The team will then cross to Himachal and then to Spiti across Kaza, Kibber, across Parang La (18,307 ft).

The campaign will culminate in the Leh-Ladakh region where the team will cross over to Khardungla (18,380 ft), Saser La (17,753 ft), Depsang La (17,869 ft) and finish at Karakoram Pass (18,175 ft).