Aberdeen family on lockdown in Nepal make it to Mount Everest base camp after four months in the mountains

The family have spent over 100 days in the Nepalese mountains

An Aberdeen family on a round-the-world trip of a lifetime and found themselves unexpectedly locked down in Nepal have finally achieved their goal of reaching Mount Everest Base Camp - after spending four months in the mountains.

Julie and Kris Smith and their two children Erihn, nine and four-year-old Jacob left Aberdeen last June and arrived in Nepal on 6 March with a mission to make a 30-day-trek from Kathmandu to Everest Base Camp.

After beginning their journey on foot on 19 March, the family were able to walk for just five days before Nepal went into lockdown.

They spent the children's first camping trip looking down on Mount Everest base camp

Thousands of miles from home, the family who are originally from Hazlehead decided to continue their adventure rather than return to Scotland.

On their incredible journey, the family have locked down in a local sherpa’s teahouse at an altitude of almost 3000m within the Nepalese mountains waiting to continue their adventure again.

“It has been kind of ridiculous, crazy and surreal,” Julie said, “We really wanted to reach Everest base camp and we didn’t know if it would happen.

“When we went into phase one of lockdown here, we spoke with our friend who is a local Nepal guide and asked about continuing our trek, and somehow he pulled it out the hat and made it happen.”

Four-year-old Jacob and nine-year-old Erihn look over the mountains

The Smith family were able to gain permission to continue their trek despite large areas of national parks being closed and have been the only foreign trekkers in the area.

Following a BBC interview airing, locals in regions began to recognise the family as they travelled.

“Loads of people knew who we were and had heard about us,” Julie added, “While we were trekking we met some amazing people, there were people opening their teahouses for us to stay in with some even travelling to open their lodges specially for us - some were completely remote, right up by Everest base camp and people walked there to let us stay. They didn’t need to do that but they made it happen for us and it was really quite emotional.”

The family travelled at the pace of the two ‘remarkable’ children who had ‘boundless energy’.

The family remain waiting in the mountains until it is safe to return to Nepal's capital

Finally, 104 days after beginning their trek in March, the Smith family reached Mount Everest base camp on 30 June.

“It was so emotional for all of us, we camped the night before we reached base camp looking down on it and it was the kids’ first camping trip ever. That morning we had our hot tea and walked down and the weather was grey so we didn’t think the views would be that great, but when we reached base camp within about ten minutes the sky cleared.” Julie said.

While Everest base camp is usually bustling with travellers, the Smith family found themselves to be the only people there.

They believe their son Jacob, who celebrated his fourth birthday in the Nepalese mountains may be the youngest trekker to make it to Everest base camp, so could mean he is in for a world record.

Kris added: “We just sat there for two hours enjoying it, the sky clearing and having the place to ourselves - that was our reward.

“It might be like that once in the history of mankind, we had it to ourselves and no one might experience that again.”

Now, the family are waiting to endure a walk of up to six days to get a 10 hour jeep ride to Kathmandu where they will be able to rest up in the luxury of an apartment or hotel.

However, they can’t quite make the trip yet as monsoon season - which finishes in October - in the country has made it too dangerous to travel right now

“We’re in limbo right now,” Julie said, “The kids are ready to get to Kathmandu, but we’re in touch with the British embassy and the Nepali people are our best source of information. We can’t be here forever, but we’re waiting it out right now.”

Kris said: “We’ve had one hell of an adventure, even before Nepal - this wasn’t even the craziest part of our trip.

“The plan now was to go to Sri Lanka and get a tuktuk and travel, but it's all on the backburner now, we’ll see what’s open, spend some time relaxing and recovering - the beach would be nice.”

The family are continuing to document their adventure around the world from their Instagram account @clanwander