Om Madan Garg, a six-year-old Indian-origin Singaporean, has become the youngest Singaporean to reach Everest Base Camp. The little boy’s tenacity and spirit have been lauded and recognised by the Singapore Book of Records. Om was accompanied on his journey by his father, Mayur Garg, 38, and mother, Gayatri Mahendram, 39.
The family’s 10-day adventurous journey began on September 28. The family, who travelled with the help of a guide and two porters, documented their journey in seven parts on the family’s YouTube travel channel, The Brave Tourist.
The 6-year-old appears to have trekked 65 kilometres to Nepal’s South base camp, which is said to be at a height of 5,364 metres. According to the reports, the little boy said, “I want to see the whole world,” as he moved forward on the rugged paths toward the base camp in Nepal. Om Madan Garg is in Kindergarten 2. This once-in-a-lifetime adventure took him through numerous remote villages, monasteries, Nepalese temples, and the scenic Himalayan mountains.
While completing this expedition is a flashy addition to the boy’s life, he is no stranger to backpacking trips in Vietnam. Om began his trek when he was only two and a half months old. He has already travelled to several countries, including Thailand, Vietnam, and Laos. Father Mayur, an avid mountain climber and senior business analyst by trade, decided to prepare his family for the adventure. Back in November 2021, he travelled to Everest Base Camp and thought it would be a great experience to share the scenic view with his family.
Since the idea’s inception, the family has been watching trekking videos on YouTube that have already completed the journey. Not only did they consume enough information, but they also made it a point to prioritise their health. Six months before their trip, they engaged in activities to physically prepare themselves.
These outings took the family to places like Fort Canning, which the young boy described as ‘hard.’ “Fort Canning was hard because we had to go up and down the stairs 30 times. But because it was hard when we were training, when we went to Everest Base Camp, it was easy,” he added.
The family appears to have devised a 13-day trek plan that would allow them to cover 5km per day on the dangerous trail. However, the bad weather held them back for two days, and the family had to make up for lost time by travelling further each day. Notably, the family hiked for 12 kilometres on the first day to reach the village of Benkar.
The 6-year-old became ill in the middle of the journey, but all is well that ends well. Following the completion of the expedition, the family flew to Kathmandu by helicopter. They spent $10,000 on their entire adventure (approximately Rs. 81,000).
