Crowned at Altitude: Talitha Oosthuizen Missions to Everest Base Camp
An adventurer and an advocate; from Mrs South Africa to the Himalayas
On 25 February 2026, the Mrs South Africa 2025 2nd Princess, Talitha Oosthuizen, will depart Johannesburg for Nepal, where she will begin her trek to Mount Everest Base Camp. At 5,364 metres above sea level, the South (Nepal) Base Camp sits beneath the towering peaks of the Himalayas – a place synonymous with endurance, resilience and ambition.
For Oosthuizen, however, this expedition is not just about altitude. It is about attitude and advocacy – for women, families affected by child trafficking, and the pandemic of rhino poaching.
“This journey isn’t just about reaching Everest Base Camp,” she says. “It’s about showing women that courage can transform obstacles into opportunities, and that we can use our voices and platforms to create meaningful change.”
Carrying the South African flag, Oosthuizen will trek solo as a symbol of leadership and hope, reinforcing the idea that South African women belong on the world stage – not only in beauty pageants or boardrooms, but on mountain passes and in global advocacy spaces too.
More Than a Mountain
Oosthuizen’s mission extends far beyond the Himalayas. Her Everest Base Camp expedition shines a spotlight on two urgent crises affecting Africa and the world: human trafficking and rhino poaching.
As previously highlighted in her advocacy work, Oosthuizen has been vocal about South Africa’s human trafficking crisis – particularly child trafficking – calling it one of the country’s darkest and most underreported realities. By taking this cause to an international audience, she hopes to amplify awareness and encourage stronger community engagement.
Simultaneously, she will use the journey to highlight the continued threat to South Africa’s rhino population. Rhino poaching remains one of the continent’s most devastating wildlife crimes, stripping ecosystems and communities of irreplaceable natural heritage.
By linking these causes to one of the most photographed destinations on earth, Oosthuizen is reframing adventure as activism – proving that a summit can be symbolic, and that advocacy does not require a podium, only purpose.
The Challenge of Everest Base Camp
Trekking to Everest Base Camp is no small feat.
Situated at approximately 5,364 metres above sea level on the Nepal side, Base Camp serves as the launching point for climbers attempting to summit Mount Everest. Around 30,000–40,000 trekkers attemptthe journey annually, navigating rugged terrain, icy winds and thin air.
The best trekking seasons fall between March and May (pre-monsoon) and September to November (post-monsoon), when weather conditions are more stable. Even then, temperatures can drop well below freezing, with winter lows reaching -20°C.
Trekkers face risks such as altitude sickness, hypothermia and frostbite, making careful acclimatisation essential. Accommodation is basic – tea houses and tents rather than luxury lodges – and all supplies must be transported by porters, yaks or helicopter.
From Base Camp, adventurers are rewarded with sweeping views of the Khumbu Icefall and surrounding Himalayan giants – including Nuptse and Lhotse – creating one of the most iconic panoramas in the world.
It is into this extreme and humbling landscape that Oosthuizen will step, carrying both the South African flag and a message of impact.
A Seasoned Adventurer with Purpose
While Everest Base Camp may be her most demanding challenge yet, Oosthuizen is no stranger to endurance. She has completed more than 40 hiking trails across South Africa and Namibia and has summited Mount Kilimanjaro, Africa’s highest peak.
However, she describes this expedition to Mount Everest Base Camp as her most purposeful.
As an entrepreneur, advocate and Mrs South Africa 2025 2nd Princess, Oosthuizen represents a modern interpretation of pageantry – one rooted not only in elegance, but in action. Her journey redefines what it means to wear a crown: it is not a symbol of status, but a platform for service.
A Call to Dare Boldly
Talitha Oosthuizen’s trek to Everest Base Camp is more than a physical journey from South Africa to the Himalayas. It is a statement.
It is a reminder that women can pursue bold dreams unapologetically. That leadership can be compassionate. That advocacy can travel across continents. And that sometimes, the most powerful way to raise awareness is to climb – step by step – towards something greater.
As she makes her way toward the foot of the world’s highest mountain, Oosthuizen carries with her more than gear and grit. She carries the hopes of children victimised by human trafficking, rhinos walking without their horns, and women daring to dream bigger, speak louder and stand taller – no matter the altitude.
