From the surf of Hot Water Beach to the snowy heights of Nepal, one Coromandel local is helping young people rise to the challenge of the peaks – and beyond.
For more than a decade, Gary Hinds has been leading groups of youth into Nepal’s Khumbu Valley, home to one of Mount Everest’s Base Camps.
What started as a trip with his niece back in 2012 has now evolved into a meaningful tradition, one that combines family, adventure, and a lesson in doing what you love.
Gary, from Whenuakite, balances a life between sea and summit, something he says he is very fortunate to do.
“I get quite a buzz out of thinking how the day before I leave or the day I leave, I normally go for a swim at Hot Water Beach, and then within two weeks, I’m actually standing at 5,500 metres, looking at the sunrise above Chomolungma, so yeah, it’s a rather large contrast,” he tells The Profile.
“Everything I do, I enjoy doing, so I’m very fortunate that way. That’s what I tell my kids – find what you enjoy doing, and do that. Don’t do what doesn’t excite you.”
Gary first began trekking in Nepal not as a guide, but as an uncle. His niece was completing her Duke of Edinburgh Award and asked if he’d accompany her on the journey. With his background working with young people, he was then welcomed back as a leader.
His treks are scheduled to fall within the April school holidays – springtime in Nepal – and Gary estimates that more than 25 youth, many of them students from Mercury Bay Area School, have already made the life-changing trip.
“We start walking at about 3,500 metres, so they’re a long way up… and it’s just about putting one foot in front of the other and trying to get them into a bit of a routine or a rhythm.
“It doesn’t matter how fast they’re moving,” Gary says, “as long as they’re taking those steps, they’ll always get to that next stop. And they can kind of take that and use that in life. Because for a lot of the students I’ve taken over the years, you can see how it’s changed them.
“It kind of opens doors by getting over there, seeing how fortunate they are, seeing a different culture, a different way of life… and it just makes them a bit more motivated.”
Not only has the experience become a rite of passage for Coromandel youth, it’s also now a family tradition in Gary’s own home. His daughter Taimania has already made the trek to Base Camp, and next year his son Taingarunui will join them.
But it’s not just about ticking Everest off a bucket list. The 19-day expedition – which includes 16 days of trekking – is built on a connection that runs deep.
Kiwis, Gary says, are especially respected in the region thanks to the legacy of Sir Edmund Hillary. The group even stays near the first hospital Sir Ed built.
The trips are open to teens and parents alike. No mountaineering experience is required, and an added reassurance is having Gary’s daughter Taimania – a registered nurse – being alongside.
Taimania, 24, works in Whitianga and was 16 when she first went to the Everest Base Camp. She says the culture in Nepal is “next level” and not easily explained.
“I’m always kind of a bit lost for words on how to explain the culture and just the vibe over there. I’ve grown up with dad going over there every year, so I’d always kind of had, I guess, a bit more of an insight to what to expect.”
For them both, it’s about encouraging people to do something different.
“Just, yeah, stepping outside your comfort zone,” Gary says, “and going to experience a different culture, and an indigenous way of life – on a rather large hill.”
DETAILS: If you or someone you know would be interested in going on a trek in 2026, contact Gary at hindzy@xtra.co.nz
BY KELLEY TANTAU
