The Anti Expedition

A journey through time to a sacred Himalayan valley

Bob, a young professor of outdoor education, was searching for an ethos to guide his teaching when he stumbled upon a film made in 1971. The film depicted three mountaineers who chose not to summit a Himalayan mountain out of respect for local beliefs. For Bob, it was this film, and the work of Sigmund Kvaløy (one of the three mountaineers), that spurred a lifelong passion for ‘place responsive’ outdoor adventure. In The Anti Expedition, Bob and a team of seasoned adventure guides return the 1971 film to the Sherpa community of the Rolwaling Valley. In a fascinating look at how five decades has affected both the valley and its people, they rediscover that it's not the destination that makes the journey meaningful.