Follow our intrepid trekkers in India from 22 March – 2 April 2025 as they embark on a once-in-a-lifetime adventure to raise money to save the world’s smallest pig, the pygmy hog.
Celebrating 100 years since the birth of Gerald Durrell, this group of incredible supporters are walking 60km from Gerald Durrell’s birthplace in West Bengal to Assam, home of the Pygmy Hog Conservation Programme.
21 March. Day 00.
The adventure begins! Our trekkers are heading to the airport and ready to board their flight to India.
22 March. Day 01.
Today the group arrived in Delhi where they will spend a night before heading out towards the mountains.
23 March. Day 02.
Leaving West Bengal, where Gerald Durrell was born, the group will travel to Pelling in the foothills of Mount Khangchendzonga, home to a late-17th-century Monastery. This will allow them to acclimatise and begin to get used to the increasing altitude.
24 March. Day 03.
Now at Yuksom, well known as the starting point of the famous Dzongri-Goecha La trek and gateway to the Kangchenjunga National Park, the trekkers are currently at an altitude of 1,750m above sea level. They’ll be easing into today’s trek gently, walking as fast as the slowest person in the group.
The group will be heading through dense rhododendron forests which will be bursting with colour, taking on some gradual climbs and descents and crossing a number of bridges.
They’ll finish at the small village of Sachen, an altitude of 2,179m.
25 March. Day 05.
The group will be making sure their shoelaces are well-fastened and that they’ve had a good night’s sleep as they’re trekking to Tsoka, a small Tibetan settlement with just a few houses.
Once they've crossed the Prek Chu river over a suspension bridge, they have a long but steady climb to Bakhim, surrounded by breathtaking views of the mountains, where they’ll be camping under the stars.
Today's trek will take them between 3.5 and 5 hours, depending on their speed, ending at around 3,000m above sea level.
26 March. Day 05.
Today will be the biggest trek as the group head to Dzrongi. Having left camp early, the trekkers will gain over 1,000m of altitude. They’ll be rewarded with incredible panoramic views of 14 towering mountain peaks that are all taller than 6,000m, including the third highest mountain in the world, Kangchenjunga, which is less than 300m smaller than Mount Everest.
So far the group have raised an incredible £42,524! Can you help them towards their fundraising target of £100,000? Donate here.
27 March. Day 06.
The trekkers will summit Dzrongi Top today, at an altitude of 4,200m. They’ll be setting off early again to catch the sunrise at the top and getting to the summit before cloud cover settles in, before making their descent back to Bakhim. We bet they’ll feel on top of the world!
28 March. Day 07.
The group are following the trails back down to Yuksom where they’ll have a well-earned shower and a celebratory meal!