Namasté – the friendly Nepalese greeting that means “I bow to you” – is a phrase I found myself using often during my harrowing expedition to Island Peak in the Himalayas.

Island Peak, or Imja Tse, is nestled in Nepal’s Sagarmatha National Park high up in the Himalayas. Island Peak has earned its name as it appears to be an island in the middle of the Himalayan Range’s enormous glaciers.

It is considered to be one of the easier 6,000 meters climbs in Nepal, though “easy” is a misleading term to apply to a mountain of this height and with its type of terrain. The mountain should not be underestimated under any circumstances.

During this expedition, I was accompanied by my brother and my father – the latter joining the trek until we reached base camp. The trekking part of this expedition is something everyone can join in on if they are fit enough to hike in mountainous terrain for several hours each day.