Father and son who climbed Mount Everest on training in Hong Kong, the physical and mental challenges and passing dead bodies on the way to the top

Nearly two decades ago, John Tsang dreamed of climbing Mount Everest with his son. This year, he realised that dream as part of a 97-day expedition

They reveal where their passion for mountaineering comes from, the rigorous training needed and why it’s important to ‘challenge yourself to think positively’

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John Tsang (left) and his 18-year-old son Bob on the summit of Everest earlier this year. They talk about the physical and mental challenges they overcame to reach the summit. Photo: the Tsang family

Published: 11:15am, 2 Sep 2022Updated: 12:04pm, 2 Sep 2022

In 2003, three months before his son was born, John Tsang Chi-sing climbed Denali, the tallest mountain in North America. He looked in awe over the snow-covered peaks in the US state of Alaska, and dreamed of climbing the world’s highest mountain with his son.

That dream was realised this May when he and his 18-year-old son, Bob Tsang Long-kit, summited Mount Everest – the father’s fourth successful Everest climb and a first for Bob.

“I was overwhelmed with emotion,” says Bob. “I’ve watched a lot of documentaries about Everest and knew the entire route, but arriving at the summit and seeing it in person blew me away. And doing it with [my dad] made it a very personal expedition.”

Bob’s first taste for outdoor adventure was as a six-year-old, when his dad took him and his classmate to Japan to hike Mount Fuji. He loved it. The next year they climbed Mount Kinabalu in Malaysia.

Bob climbing Sheung Luk falls in Hong Kong. Photo: Bob Tsang Long-kit

“Mountaineering has been [dad’s] way of teaching me how to face challenges in school and daily life,” says Bob. “A lot of parents teach simple life lessons at home or in a safe environment – he likes to take me to dangerous places.”