In this engaging conversation, Tejan Gurung, a former Army Commando and mountaineer, shares his journey from a military background to becoming a prominent figure in the mountaineering community. He discusses his early life, the challenges he faced in the military, and how those experiences shaped his character and leadership skills. Tejan recounts his first encounter with mountaineering, the emotional journey of climbing the 14 highest peaks in the world, and the tragedy he faced during an expedition. He emphasizes the importance of community, environmental responsibility, and his aspirations to help others achieve their climbing goals.
Born in Hong Kong, raised in Nepal, TJ moved to the UK at 10 and being inspired by his father and the Brigade of Gurkhas, he joined the Royal Engineers at 19. Later serving with the 24 Commando Regiment within the 3 Commando Brigade. With his love for his childhood home of Nepal and a desire to shine a light on the incredible culture and people of the Big Mountains, TJ returned to his homeland to climb his first 8,000m peak in 2022. He summitted Everest on May 27th followed swiftly by Lhotse on May 28th, 2022 with Nimsdai Purja.
He left the military in 2023 to pursue his love of climbing and took on the challenge to climb all 14 highest peaks in the world. He was part of the record-breaking fastest team to climb all of the Big 5 mountains in Pakistan in 26 days in 2023. His military training gave him reliance, skill and determination and earned him his nickname on the 8,000ers of the Mountain Yeti. He completed his 14 Peaks mission in 2 years, 4 months and 13 days and became the youngest British male to do so.
Tj now guides for Elite Exped: eliteexped.com
Chapters
00:00 Introduction to Tejan Gurung
01:00 Early Life and Military Journey
03:47 Life in the Army and Lessons Learned
08:56 Transitioning from Military to Mountaineering
11:48 Discovering a Passion for Climbing
15:48 First Experiences in High Altitude
19:40 Leading Expeditions and Team Dynamics
24:35 The 14 Peaks Challenge and Future Aspirations
28:45 The Journey to 14 Peaks
30:07 Facing Adversity: The Avalanche Incident
35:19 Emotional Aftermath and Reflection
36:44 Returning to the Mountain: A New Purpose
38:40 The Legacy of Anna: Climbing in Her Memory
41:53 The Challenge of Climbing Without Oxygen
45:45 Future Aspirations: The Seven Summits
47:34 Innovations in Climbing: The Fast Ascent of Everest
52:09 Influences and Mentorship in Climbing
58:06 Environmental Responsibility in Mountaineering