Meet 59-year-old Vasanthy Cheruveettil who reached Everest Base Camp through sheer will and YouTube videos

A year ago, Vasanthy Cheruveettil was emboldened to make her first solo trip to Thailand. On her return, the 59-year-old tailor from Taliparamba in Kerala’s Kannur district decided to set her sights even higher.

An avid YouTube user, Vasanthy watched videos of people trekking to Everest Base Camp, and was inspired. 

“When we were young, we learned that Everest is the highest peak to climb. But I had no clue about how to get there or the process. After I came back from Thailand, I thought about how I have to conquer the ‘dangerous’ places quickly, before I became old,” an excited Vasanthi tells HerStory.

Vasanthy understood that, to prepare to trek to Everest Base Camp, she had to become physically and mentally fit. For four months, she walked every day for 4-6 km, and since the place she lived in was hilly, the walk over uneven terrain helped her to build her stamina. 

She also watched YouTube videos for some exercises, which she felt would help her in her trek. Only in the last month did she start walking with trekking boots.

In February, she travelled to Kathmandu to catch a flight to Luka, a small mountain town just outside of Sagarmatha National Park in eastern Nepal where she would start her trek to Everest Base Camp. However, the flight was cancelled owing to inclement weather.

Wondering what to do next, she befriended a German couple who were at the airport.

“I was told that the weather could continue to be rough and there would be no flights for the next few days. I decided to travel with the couple along another route to Surke by road,” says Vasanthy. 

The German couple helped her to employ a porter from Surke, and she started her trek on February 15.

It took Vasanthy nine days to reach Everest Base Camp. 

“Initially, the weather was bearable but, a few days in, it became extremely cold. The terrain was uneven and rough. But not once did I feel I could not continue. I walked slowly, took proper breaths, especially when I reached a higher altitude. I did not face any problems walking. I walked around 4-5 hours every day,” she says.

When she reached her destination, apart from feeling on top of the world, she also felt vindicated that she was able to achieve what she had set out to do. Embracing her Kerala roots, she wrapped a kasavu saree she had carried along around herself and clicked a photo.

Vasanthy will go down the annals of history as the woman who proved that age is just a number. But, more than that, she wants to be remembered for her will to do something different. It is this attitude that has always pushed her forward in life.

She is thankful for the support of her two sons. “I financed part of the trip from my savings, my sons helped out a bit and, for the rest, I pawned my gold,” she says.

Back home, Vasanthy has resumed her sewing, and now she has many stories to tell other women.

“I tell other women in my age group that they should make this trek at least once in their lifetime. I tell them how beautiful the mountains are,” she says.

The next destination on her bucket list is the Great Wall of China, and she has already started researching it. 

Vasanthy's story is a reminder that there are no limits to where your dreams can take you.