On 13 March 2025, Vidya Singh stood on the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro, the highest point in Africa. She was 72.
She did not take up trekking until she was 59. By the time she set off for Kilimanjaro on 6 March 2025, she had already completed 19 high-altitude treks. Seven days later, she reached the top of the 5,895-metre mountain.
A lifetime of staying active
Trekking came late, but sport did not. Vidya captained the women’s tennis team at the University of Madras, won medals in swimming, cycled regularly and ran half-marathons. That base of fitness, built over decades, is what made the mountains possible later in life.
Her own explanation is matter-of-fact: “If you’re fit enough, climbing is not that hard.”
She is not alone
More older Indians are taking on the mountains. Justice Poonam A Bamba, who retired from the Delhi High Court in 2023, trekked more than 65 km to Everest Base Camp (5,364 m) in November 2024, aged 64. She prepared not in a gym but with daily walks, pranayama, meditation and dance.
Thinking of a trek after 60? Start here
- Get a full medical check-up, including heart and lungs, and tell your doctor about the altitude you plan to reach.
- Build up walking over months, including stairs and slopes.
- Choose an operator that has experience with older trekkers, a slow pace and days for acclimatisation.
- Go slow at altitude. Headache, breathlessness at rest or confusion are signs to stop and descend.
Source: The Better India, 6 June 2026.
