Doha: "The most memorable part has to be when we reached the summit, while others were freezing, tired and craving the luxuries of home, I was there smiling and ecstatic to finally have reached the top," said Anvi Amit Joshi as she recalled her first-ever trek in Rupin Pass at the age of seven.
Now 14 years old and studying at Oryx International School in Doha, Anvi's desire to conquer new heights has only grown as tall as the mountains she aspires to reach.
Her most recent summit was this month at the highest mountain in Africa, Mount Kilimanjaro, making her one of the youngest from Qatar to do so. She has also trekked the Everest Base Camp in 2021, which she picked as her most memorable one so far.
She said: "(Everest Base Camp) has to be by far the most gorgeous trek I’ve done, and a big attraction would have to be the astounding mountain peaks including Ama Dablam, Lhotse, Nuptse, and offers a close view of the great Mt Everest."
Trekking may seem to be an uncommon hobby for a teen, but the arduous activity has paved a way for Anvi to discover herself and establish a connection with nature.
"Everything about the mountains makes me want to go back again and again," the 14-year-old said.
"Trekking has given me a new sense of self and has helped me understand my limits and allowed me to push myself beyond them.
"You get to make a real connection with not just yourself but the people around you and nature and your surroundings," she said.
Her parents expressed the same delight when Anvi's interest for trekking grew more profound since they first introduced it to her.
Amit Joshi, her father, said: "The thrill and adventure involved in trekking pull you towards mountains like the way magnets attract, and the magnetism of the mountains pulled her towards them more and more after every trek," he said.
To date, Anvi has completed a total of seven treks in three countries. She has done Rupin pass, Hemkund Sahib, and Kedarkantha in India as well as Mardi Himal, Annapurna Circuit/ Thorong La Pass and Everest Base Camp in Nepal. Her latest summit at Mount Kilimanjaro serves as her seventh trek so far.
Like every mountaineer's dream, Anvi's greatest goal is to complete Mount Everest and reach all seven summits. When asked about her plans to take on mountaineering, the teen responded with a hundred percent resolve.
"There’s nothing I’d like more than to experience the thrill of doing high-altitude treks. I’d love to push myself to my limit and go out of my comfort zone to be able to achieve great heights," she said.
"Being a mountaineer is basically my dream and I’m on my way to make it come true," Anvi told The Peninsula.
When the 14-year-old is not planning for the next trek with her family, Anvi can be seen catering to her other hobbies such as dancing, acting, going for a run and doing sports.
To stay active and in good condition, she often covers a distance of 5 to 10 kilometre run with her father "to help build endurance and improve cardiovascular fitness." She also invests time to mentally prepare herself ahead of each trek, calling it as vital as physical fitness to ensure success in the activity.
She said: "Mental preparation is just as important as physical if not more. To be able to successfully complete these treks having good willpower and self-confidence is incredibly necessary."
Anvi voiced her desire to inspire other people to take on trekking to get back in touch with nature.
"I would love to inspire other people to step out of their comfort zones and go do something they adore and try to make their dreams come true," Anvi concluded.