Sixty years after Sir Edmund Hillary reached the top of Mount Everest, three New Zealand tetraplegics have succeeded in reaching Everest base camp in the Himalayas.
Catriona Williams, Neil Cudby and Rob Creagh made the climb using hand-bikes, as part of a 1000km ride across 10 Himalayan passes, some more than 5000 metres in altitude.
The project has been a year in the planning and has involved intensive training including with the Royal New Zealand Air Force.
The three riders are accompanied by a dozen able-bodied riders from Australia, Britain and New Zealand, including a sports doctor.
A spokesperson in Wellington, Megan Speirs, says the trio were very emotional to reach the Base Camp 60 years after Sir Edmund Hillary did.
But she says their journey has not been without its challenges and there were mechanical issues with one of the bikes, which meant it had to be towed by the other two riders to cross into Everest Base Camp.
Ms Speirs says the riders also had to deal with altitude sickness.
Speaking from Nyalam in Tibet on Saturday, Ms Williams said the group was about to cycle to their final destination of the Nepalese capital Kathmandu.
They have raised $600,000 towards their goal of $1 million for spinal research.
Team member Stuart Laughton puts the wheelies through their stretches before attempting a Tibetan pass. Photo: Expedition
