Before 1949, every expedition in the Himalayan and Karakoram ranges originated in Darjeeling, India. Nestled in the lap of the mighty Kangchenjunga, the town drew mountaineers from across the world. They soon found in the hardy Sherpas, originally from Nepal, ideal load-bearers and companions. As the number of expeditions grew, so did the population of Sherpas in Darjeeling, forming an indispensable nucleus of expedition workers.

The first Sherpa to summit Everest, Tenzing Norgay lived in Darjeeling, as did Nawang Gombu, the first person to climb Everest twice. Today, Sherpas in the town continue to add to the legacy of their predecessors.

This is the exceptional story of the climbing Sherpas of Darjeeling.