Bidhan Shrestha, raised in a Newar family, has always held a profound connection to the majestic Himalayas. Growing up in Machchhegaun, Kathmandu, his early years were shaped by the awe-inspiring views of the mountains from his home, fueling a lifelong passion for the outdoors.
Driven by curiosity, he explored a wide range of interests music, karate, boxing, basketball, art, and photography. Though he pursued mechanical engineering , his heart was always connected to mountains and nature. During every break, he packed his backpack and set off to explore new places.
Shrestha’s journey into exploration began after watching Into the Wild, where the freedom of nature and meeting new people fueled his love for adventure.
“I visited Ladakh in 2016 and decided I had to climb Stok Kangri. It was my first 6,000-meter mountain. The sheer freedom of being close to nature, hearing people’s stories, and the challenge of pushing myself physically and mentally became addictive,” Shrestha recalled.
This moment marked the beginning of an obsession, a passion that blended his love for adventure with his long-standing connection to photography.
Shrestha’s journey isn’t just about mountains it’s about capturing them. From the moment he picked up his father’s film camera as a child, he’d been fascinated by storytelling through visuals. Later, his self-taught skills evolved, and by the time he graduated, his desire to meld his love for mountains and filmmaking was fully realized.
Shrestha expressed that being a photographer or videographer in mountaineering is challenging. “While climbers and adventurers often receive recognition, there are very few of us behind the camera who get the same acknowledgment, even though we play a vital role in capturing and sharing their success with the world.
Fortunately, this is slowly changing, thanks to the power of social media, which is giving storytellers like us the visibility we deserve.” The mountains have taught Shrestha more than patience and persistence they’ve offered life lessons in humility.
He recounted a harrowing experience from his early mountaineering days, in 2016, when he saved an Indian climber’s life on Stok Kangri. I saw someone tumbling down a cliff. I rushed over, helped stop the bleeding from his head, and immediately called for help. Thankfully, he was rescued. That experience left a deep impact on me, reinforcing how vital it is that we look out for one another in the mountains.
That incident not only earned him recognition as one of India’s “Real Heroes” but also deepened his connection to the mountains. Despite the dangers, the mountains continue to draw him back with an irresistible pull. “It’s hard to explain,” Shrestha reflected. “The mountains remind you of how fragile life is, something we often forget in the rush of everyday life.”
As a climber from Kathmandu, Shrestha’s roots add depth to his relationship with the Himalayas. “Growing up near the mountains shaped my connection to them. Even though the Newar community doesn’t traditionally climb, I’ve always felt that pull. The high, cold air, the solitude, it feels like where I belong.”
Shrestha has experienced some of the darkest moments of his life on expeditions, including a tragic incident on the Everest Expedition in 2023 when his team lost a member. “It’s hard to accept that sometimes you do everything you can, and it’s still not enough. You’re faced with the brutal reality of nature.” Still, he finds hope in the connections and teamwork that come with mountaineering. “You can’t climb alone. You rely on others as much as they rely on you. In extreme conditions, teamwork is everything.”
Looking ahead, Shrestha’s dreams are as expansive as the peaks he climbs. With plans to scale even higher mountains and bring his unique visual storytelling to more people, his journey is far from over. “There’s still so much more to achieve,” he notes. And, as always, he’ll have his camera in hand, ready to capture every moment.
(Based on an interview with Bidhan Shrestha)
