FUNDRAISING FOR HIRAYA’S EVEREST BASE CAMP (EBC) TREK

Hi there! We are Hiraya's parents, Noel and Kareen Mercado. We are raising funds for Hiraya’s journey to Everest Base Camp (EBC) in Nepal.

Hiraya is a nine-year-old boy from Sorsogon, Philippines, who enjoys trekking and hiking. At six, he climbed Bulusan Volcano, a 1,535-meter peak in his hometown, and is the youngest to have climbed this peak. He has also summited Mount Pulag, the third highest peak in the Philippines at 2,928 meters, and several mountains in his home region/province. 

In April 2026, Hiraya will attempt to trek the EBC route—one of the most popular trekking routes in the Himalayas. The trek begins in Lukla, Nepal, and winds through the Khumbu region, home to Mount Everest. The roundtrip trek covers about 130 kilometers. This route offers breathtaking views of Mount Everest and other peaks, along with the chance to visit traditional Sherpa villages and monasteries. 

While the trek is not technically challenging, one potential risk is acute mountain sickness (AMS) since EBC is at 5,364 meters. To prevent AMS, a gradual ascent is crucial to allow the body ample time to acclimatize to higher altitudes. We will allocate 15 days for the trek, including acclimatization and contingency days. A local guide will be hired for safety support, navigation, and local knowledge. 

Hiraya will trek with us. We, the parents, have previous experience in high-altitude trekking and cycling in Ladakh and Spiti Valley in India and the Annapurna Circuit in Nepal. 

We are raising PHP 106,000 (US$ 1,870) to cover Hiraya’s expenses for the trek. This is for airfare (58% of the cost), food (13%), guide (20%), and other expenses (9%): 

PHP 40,000 (US$700) - Airfare Manila-Kathmandu-Manila 
PHP 21,000 (US$ 365) - Airfare Ramechhap-Lukla-Ramechhap 
PHP 14,000 (US$ 250) - Food for 20 days at PHP 700 per day 
PHP 21,000 (US$ 375) - Guide for 15 days at PHP 1,400 per day 
PHP 10,000 (US$ 180) - Visa, insurance, and other expenses 

We, the parents, will cover our own travelling expenses. We travel light and simply—choosing independent travel, packing light, preferring public transport, and staying in lower-priced teahouses/hotels. 

We live in a small town called Irosin in the Philippines, where Hiraya is currently in Grade 3 at elementary school. The father, Noel, 55, works as an urban planner for the municipal government, while the mother, Kareen, 49, is a principal of a public elementary school. We are experienced trekkers and long-distance cyclists (see our travel blog). 

We take annual paid leave from our work for our adventure trips. For the EBC trek, we can only afford to finance expenses for two people. 

Help our young mountaineer Hiraya reach the Everest Base Camp!

"Hiraya manawari!" Hoping that all of our dreams come true!

Mt. Pulag, 2023.

Mt. Masaraga, 2024.

Mt. Maraot Banwa, 2020.

Mt. Pulog, 2024.

Mt. Cabanbanan, 2022.

Hiraya's family.

Bikepacking the Annapurna Circuit 2022

Back to the Himalayas! 

We have been craving another ride on this great mountain range since our Ladakh cycling trip last 2019. Cycling in the Himalayas has been the most intense experience we have had on the saddle. Immense landscapes, remote location, high elevation, cold climate, unfamiliar culture, majestic natural views - worthy to return to despite the physical and logistical challenges.

And so, when the COVID-19 pandemic travel restrictions were relaxed, we took vacation leave from our jobs, cashed-in our savings and year-end bonuses, packed our old mountain bikes, filled our dry bags with gears and winter clothes, took a flight to Kathmandu, Nepal, and cycled the Annapurna Circuit.

Day 11, Lower Mustang.

Bike Touring and Bikepacking Campsites in the Philippines

 A Google Map of secure campsites in the Philippines for adventure cyclists.

URL: bit.ly/BikeCampsitesPH

Disclaimer: This is a crowdsourced map. Do your research and contact the campsites in advance. 

Cebu Loop Bike Tour 2021

This is our first long bicycle tour after almost two years of COVID-19 quarantine restrictions. On November 2021, the Province of Cebu announced the loosening of travel restrictions for inter-island tourists with vaccination card as the only requirement. With that news, we immediately readied our bikes and gears and headed for Matnog port.

There is now a roro (roll-on, roll-off) ferry that services the Matnog, Sorsogon- Bogo City, Cebu route three times a week. The boat departs from Matnog (and Bogo) at midnight with travel time of ten to 12 hours. This is a welcome development for bicycle tourists from Bicol visiting Cebu and the Central Visayas - and for Cebuanos visiting Bicolandia. Bikes are free of charge - just remove the front wheel before climbing to the passenger deck.

Boljoon Church

Everesting Cycling Challenge 2021

On June 6, 2021, three young “pandemic cyclists” from our town Irosin, Sorsogon, Philippines attempted the Everesting cycling challenge and were able to finish with impressive time results. They trained hard for the event and were fully supported by the local cycling community. As we fed, hydrated, encouraged, and monitored the progress of Vicson A., brothers Airru E. and Lucky E., I silently committed to myself that I would also attempt this vertical cycling challenge. The COVID-19 pandemic was still out there, and I have nothing else better to do.

The Everesting Challenge for cycling is simple: pick any hill anywhere in the world and complete repeats of it in a single activity until you climb 8,848m – the equivalent height of Mt Everest. For the uninitiated, read more at the Everesting website and at Wikipedia. 

With Ed B, 70 years old, and completed the Half Everesting.

Samar Island Loop 2019

The more the merrier! Nineteen cyclists from Sorsogon rode the third largest island in the Philippines during the Holy Week of April 2019.  The coastal loop of Samar is 731 km from Allen to Catbalogan, to Balangiga (with stop-over San Juanico Bridge), to Borongan (skip Guiuan), to Gamay, then back to Allen. It was a light and fast 5-day ride averaging 146 km per day. Hot, plenty of climbs, dawn to dusk rides, kind Samar people, good food, scenic coastal seascapes, and good wide roads almost all the way. My first bike tour with a loaded road bike. 

A happy and noisy crowd, at Matnog port

Cycling the Indian Himalayas 2019

To eyeball the mighty Himalayas is a childhood dream of mine. To cycle its high mountain passes with its rarefied air and fluttering prayer flags, to sit still in Tibetan Buddhist stuppas and temples in its secluded valleys, to attempt to summit any of its 6,000+ meters snow-clad peaks… And why not? Let’s go!

Descent from Baralachala, photo credit to Rak Ssr (FB)