A group of 10 clients, four guides, 34 sherpas, one doctor and a base-camp manager from Wanaka-based Adventure Consultants is trekking through Nepal towards Mt Everest in readiness for a summit attempt next month.
The company's clients and guides are among the 236 foreigners in 22 teams heading for the base camp, as the world's highest mountain reopens for business.
In 2014, all expeditions from the Nepalese side of the mountain were cancelled following the death of 16 Nepali climbers hit by an avalanche.
And last year, all expeditions were cancelled when an avalanche triggered by a major earthquake killed 20 people on the mountain.
Adventure Consultants general manager Suze Kelly this week told the Otago Daily Times company owner Guy Cotter had returned from setting up the base camp, where the group would spend about six weeks acclimatising.
The group is led by Wanaka climber Mike Roberts, who has reached the summit of Everest seven times.
It includes two climbers each from New Zealand, Australia and the United States and one each from Peru and Britain.
The group is expected to reach base camp in about a week and, depending on the weather, a summit attempt could occur from mid-May.
Ms Kelly said last year a total of 320 foreign climbers had permits to climb Everest but this year the number would be about 250.
Adventure Consultants was still assisting Sherpa families affected by the earthquake, including house building and education.
