KATHMANDU, JANUARY 25 A groundbreaking 1,830-mile expedition combining mountaineering and river kayaking aims to highlight the critical link between Himalayan glaciers and downstream freshwater ecosystems while promoting environmental stewardship across South Asia. The 'Everest to Bay of Bengal' expedition, led by veteran outdoor educators Chandra B. Ale and Nishan Adhikari, will begin with a clean ascent of Mount Everest followed by a kayak descent through the Dudh Koshi and Ganges rivers to the Bay of Bengal. The ambitious project, operating under the 'Summit to Sea' initiative by Initiative Outdoor and Angs Himalayas Adventure, seeks to demonstrate that Himalayan ecosystems serve as natural water towers sustaining nearly two billion people downstream. Environmental crisis in focus The expedition addresses urgent environmental concerns as the Himalayas warm nearly twice as fast as the global average. Glacial retreat, rising snowlines, and increased risks of glacial lake outburst floods threaten both mountaineering and freshwater security across the region. 'South Asia, home to nearly a quarter of the world's population, has access to just 4% of global renewable freshwater,' the organizers stated. Pollution from untreated sewage, industrial waste, and plastics, combined with black carbon emissions that accelerate glacier melt by over 50%, are destabilizing water security throughout the region. 'This is more than an expedition, it is a call to respect the Himalayas, to value freshwater ecosystems, and to act with responsibility and hope,' the project summary states. Beyond adventure: Education and ethics The expedition emphasizes Leave No Trace® practices throughout, addressing the growing pollution problem on Mount Everest where trash and human waste increasingly contaminate watersheds that local communities depend on for drinking water. 'Cleaning up Everest is important, but it's not enough,' organizers noted. 'True change happens when we bridge the gap between what we say we value and how we actually behave.' The project aims to inspire what expedition leaders call an 'ethic of care' that extends from mountain summits to downstream communities. Veteran leadership Chandra B. Ale, founder and director of Initiative Outdoor, has worked in outdoor education since the late 1980s. His experience includes historic first descents of Nepal's Maha Kali and Upper Seti rivers in 1999, along with international work in Japan, Canada, Norway, and the United States. He established Initiative Outdoor in 2003 to bring world-class outdoor education and leadership development to Nepal. 'Nepal's mountains and rivers are more than just adventure destinations, they are the lifeblood of our culture, our communities, and our future,' Ale said. 'If we fail to protect them now, the very essence of who we are will be lost.' Joining Ale is Ang Tshering Lama, founder of Angs Himalayas Adventure, who has summited Mount Everest five times and North America's Denali four times. In 2017, he led one of the highest altitude rescues ever recorded at 8,600 meters on Everest. He has also worked on National Geographic documentaries and guided two Everest widows to the summit in 2019. Outdoor educator and adventure photographer Nishan Adhikari, who grew up watching environmental changes transform Nepal's landscapes, rounds out the leadership team. 'This expedition is not just about climbing Everest or paddling rivers. It is about restoring balance, safeguarding ecosystems, and educating the next generation of leaders,' Adhikari said. The $100,000 project is designed to create lasting benefits beyond the expedition itself, including sustainable employment for Sherpas with fair wages, support for local businesses and schools, and training programs for Nepali guides in Leave No Trace® practices, rescue skills, and eco-tourism. The budget allocation includes $35,000 for high-altitude leadership and mountain programs, $15,000 for selective river expedition sections, $20,000 for media documentation and storytelling, and $10,000 for education and community engagement. Educational legacy Project goals include real-time global storytelling through social media and live streams, a feature-length documentary, international photo exhibitions, and a Youth Ambassador Program to train young environmental stewards. 'From the summit of Everest to the Bay of Bengal, this journey reminds us that water connects us all,' the organizers stated. 'Adventure and responsibility must walk hand in hand.' The expedition seeks to demonstrate that protecting mountain ecosystems means protecting the rivers and communities downstream, a continuous cycle linking the world's highest peaks to its seas. 'What we protect today will shape the future of generations to come,' the team stated. 'This is our nature. And protecting it will take all of us.'