How Prakriti Varshney's Love For Mountains Took Her To Mount Everest

Prakriti Varshney is on a quest to climb twelve mountains in twelve countries in a year. Currently on her fourth one, she has already covered the gigantic of them all - Mount Everest. For a girl who once decided to quit her job to travel, Prakriti Varshney sure has come a long way in going after her dreams and her adventurous streak and drive to achieve every dream is inspiring in more ways than one.

Prakriti Varshney shares with SheThePeople her journey as a mountaineer, her dream of covering 12 mountains in 12 countries in a year, what fuels her adventurous ambition, and why chasing dreams matters.

Prakriti Varshney Journey

“I had always been fascinated with Mt. Everest. In school, I used to imagine being on the top of the highest peak in the world, but no one really believed it.

I started working at 19 to earn pocket money. After graduation, I found a job as a graphic designer but I wasn’t happy. I wanted creative freedom but couldn’t find that in the job. I started escaping from work by taking leaves every month to go on short trips.

Soon, I realised that mountains were my calling and quit my job to travel. I explored the Northeast and the Himalayas and then used all my savings to move to Manali.

At 25, I completed the mountaineering course and climbed Mt. Ama Dablam in Nepal. It is a technically difficult mountain to climb but I was determined. I reached the peak and saw the majestic view of Everest and my childhood dream was alive again. I knew I was going to climb Everest next!

I saw the dream but didn’t know how to achieve it. After enquiring I got to know the cost of climbing Everest was 30 lakhs! I didn’t have the money, so I started a fundraiser. I received mixed reactions, some people called me selfish, and some appreciated my hunger for my dream and I raised 11.5 lakhs.

I took a loan and my friends and family chipped in as well and soon I had the money. I reached the base camp in March 2022 and completed the climb in 65 days. Being on top of the world was an indescribable feeling.

But the story doesn’t end there. Everest gave me a taste of adventure and thrill, and I couldn’t go back to exploring waterfalls and museums. So I have come up with a new project to scale twelve mountains in twelve countries. I’ve been to Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda so far, and now my next goal is to climb Kanchenjunga, the highest peak in India. I don’t have all the funds yet but I know something will work out.

I have always been lucky, ‘kehte hain na, kisi cheez ko dil se chaho toh poori kainaat usse tumse milane ki koshish mein lag jaati hai’. This has been very fitting for my journey so far! Things have worked out for me even in the most adverse situations. I believe it's because I have faith in my dreams and I’ll continue to push hard to achieve them all!”

Narrated by Prakriti. Written and edited by Niharika, Team SheThePeople

Suggested reading: I Climbed Mt. Everest With My Dad