This May, you can beat the swelter by trekking in Manali under the guidance of Everester Premlata Agarwal.

Premlata, an officer at Tata Steel Adventure Foundation (TSAF) who had recently shedpherded a 23-member team to the 12,247 ft Phoktey Dara in Sikkim, will be off to Manali in Himachal Pradesh for a similar exercise.

“I will be leading twin trips to Manali. One is scheduled from May 9 to 15, the other is fixed between May 15 and 22. Entries will be on first come first served basis. Seats are filling up fast,” Permlata said.

While the first expedition is for beginners, the second is meant for those who are more physically fit and will trek to an 11,000 ft snow point.

The fee for the first trip is Rs 17,500 per person while one has to fork out Rs 18,000 for registration for the second trek. Participants have to deposit Rs 5,000 for registration before their names are enrolled for the trip.

“The participants will assemble in New Delhi on their own and would be ferried by bus to Manali, from where the expedition will begin,” Premlata said, adding about 20 entries were already confirmed for the first trip.

The entries will be restricted to 38 for each expedition.

Premlata, a Padma Shri recipient who gives fitness tips to members of Beyond Fitness, a health unit run by the TSAF, said the expeditions are aimed at helping participants learn by engaging in different kinds of activities, including river rafting, rappelling, caving and rock climbing.

“These drills help in team building and boost confidence levels,” she explained.

Premlata, 57, also heads TSAF teams to Dalma hills, river rafting, and rock climbing at Tumung in East Singhbhum. A firm believer in fitness, the Everester is the first Indian woman to scale the seven highest continental peaks of the world.