For so many explorers, a sense of belonging can be found in the great outdoors. Time spent in the mountains can lead to a deeper understanding of oneself, opening the mind and giving rise to a new world of possibilities.
For Amira Patel, this new world opened to her when she decided to climb England’s highest peak during a time of personal challenge. It was a decision that opened her mind to exploration and a desire to discover more about both herself and the world around her.
As her love for the outdoors began to grow, Amira founded The Wanderlust Women, a hiking and adventure group for Muslim women. The group has created a space for women from her community to feel safe and welcome in the outdoors, with a vision to normalise Muslim women exploring and inspire the community to feel confident when they are outdoors.
With her community going from strength to strength, Amira recognised a desire to push herself in a new way, embarking on a personal challenge by taking on the Annapurna base camp trek and connected with female guides and communities along the way.
“The whole expedition was a reflection of my life and its different stages. Each time there was a moment in my life where I thought I would not make it, I made it. After experiencing difficult times in my life, easier times always follow and this was also the case on this expedition. Each day when I thought I won’t make the next step or camp site, I made it.”
The North Face releases Belonging, a short film that follows Amira through her journey of self-discovery, enriched by a celebration of sisterhood. Join her on her time through the Himalayas to the basecamp supported by a female team, each day delving into more challenging conditions and demanding a powerful sense of self to make it to her finish line.
