Your Life is Your Greatest Adventure

Nasuh Mahruki: ''People Should Follow Their Dreams with Enthusiasm and Passion''

Climbing and making motorcycle rides and photographic journeys in various climates of the world, Nasuh Mahruki summarizes his 50 years of life experience with the message “Your life is your greatest adventure”. A national sportsman, professional mountaineer, writer and photographer, Mahruki says, “People should follow their dreams with enthusiasm and passion,”.

A Unique Experience In The Nature

The youngest mountaineer of the world, who climbs the highest summits of the seven continents, the first Turkish climber to climb the summit of Mount Everest, a passionate racer with the title of “Snow Leopard, a traveler with motorcycle and the honorary chairman of the search and rescue team AKUT, who rushes to help disaster victims ... From Nepal to Tibet and Alaska to Africa, Nasuh Mahruki reflects various geographies of the world in extraordinary shots, and he enjoys the priceless pleasure of discovering every moment of life. The successful climber also shows the children the transforming effect of courage and sharing. We talked about the tips of reaching the summit for those who are looking for an extraordinary experience in nature, as well as the aspects, good for spirit, of adventure and escaping from the city through the nature camp arranged by him in Antalya.
 

An Escape To Nature From The City

How did the seminars “Climb Your Own Everest” start?

I climbed the Mount Everest in May 1995. After I returned, I started to give speeches, “Zirveye Dogru” (Towards the Summit). Mount Everest is a very special target. So, planning throughly an Everest climbing and achieving it are just like planning throughly a challenging goal in the business. Because, you should form a team, set a strategy and a goal to achieve success. You should prepare each process. The executives in the business world want to convey this analogy to their personnel. People also enjoy listening to someone who has achieved an extraordinary job. It is a motivating, instructive and awareness-raising course.

Your life is going at a dizzy speed with continuous new goals. As a professional climber, who climbs in seven continents, is it your passion that motivates you to achieve the impossible?

I am very goal-driven, and I lived my life forcing myself to break new records. I started mountaineering and extreme sports when I was 20. As I improved myself, I realized that my skills in this area were very competitive. After a while, I realized that I can compete with the best ones not only in Turkey, but also all over the world. This motivated me more.

As soon as I graduated from the university, I started high altitude mountaineering when I was 24. I wrote my first book “Bir Dagcinin Guncesi” (A Mountaineer’s Diary) that year. I was granted with the title “Snow Leopard” when I was 26. 25 years have passed since that time, but no one has been granted with such a title again in Turkey. I climbed to Mount Everest at the age of 27, and then wrote “Everest’te Ilk Turk” (First Turk On Everest). When I was 28, I became the youngest mountaineer in the world, who has completed seven summits. In the book “Bir Hayalin Pesinde” (In Search Of A Dream) that I wrote that year, I shared the experiences I had in the coldest geographies. At the age 29, I went to Kathmandu by motorcycle and climbed an 8 thousandmeter mountain. I shared the memories of this long journey in the book “Asya Yollari, Himalayalar ve Otesi” (Asian Roads, Himalayas and Beyond). At the age 30, I climbed another 8 thousand-meter mountain. When I was 31, I was only able to grapple with the August 17th Earthquake. At the age 35, I climbed K2, the most difficult and dangerous mountain of the world. I became a national sportsman and professional mountaineer. I wanted to present my articles compiled from newspapers to people in the book “Yeryuzu Guncesi” (Earth Diary), while I wanted to present my internal feud about age 40 with the message “Vatan Lafla Değil Eylemle Sevilir” (Motherland is Loved by Actions not by Empty Words). Today, I’m trying to share the experiences I have gained so far and convey them to the relevant ones.
 

 You are telling an extraordinary success story not only by books, but   also by the seminars you give. One of these has been held in Antalya in   recent months. Can you please tell us about it briefly?

 In new periods of age, different messages rise in my mind. When I was   50, the theme “Your Life Is Your Greatest Adventure” came out . I   participated in an organization of Industry and Business Association of   Antalya (ANSİAD) in Akra Barut Hotel as a spokesman, and talked about   this theme over my experiences. I also gave a speech on “Climb Your   Own Everest” for the managers of Akra hotels. I am trying to talk about what I gained through this perspective in the photograph exhibitions I hold and the seminars I give recently.
 

Are there any new projects in the upcoming days?

Akra Hotels organize intellectual conversations under Akra Talks. I will attend Akra Talks, where professional people from all fields are hosted and the secret of their success is shared in a conversation environment, and convey my experiences. I will hold the exhibition consisting of 60 photographs that reflect my observations on different cultures in seven continents by the theme “Your Life Is Your Greatest Adventure”.
 

One of your primary concerns in the recent years is raising green consciousness and creating awareness. Is it because of the fact that the danger of climate change approaches step by step?

The humanbeing has a great impact on the nature; but, we are now able to change this balance. We have even changed the nature of evolution. If we do not take this power under control, we will evolve towards a course, which may have very devastating consequences, such as global climate change. The new generation should be raised with this conscious and awareness. Otherwise, we have power to destroy the nature. Currently, there is a great number of existing nuclear weapons to destroy the world several times. If we do not control and limit this power and set specific codes of conduct in this respect, we may destroy both the world and ourselves.

Is the intense sensitivity you feel for nature an appreciation to what nature has offered you so far?

I have been devoted to the nature and animals since my childhood. I grew up in a house with a large yard and many animals since I was born. This lifestyle was the key factor that formed my attitude, world view and personality. It was followed by the passion for extreme sports, travels and motorcycle rides. Children should not detach from nature and grow up by loving trees and animals, taking responsibilities, taking care of and being closely acquainted with them inside life. I am trying to convey this awareness I have to new generations. It made me feel good. I think that it will make everyone to feel good.
 

Asian Roads, Himalayas and Beyond
 

Can you tell us about the content of the Leadership in Nature Camp that you started to ingrain green consciousness among children and allow them to protect the nature?

After making indoor presentations for many years, we decided to carry it to the nature two years ago. We set to work through a concept called Leadership School in Nature, and started to bring together the children with nature camps. We organize these camps in Istanbul Catalca in summer, and in Antalya in the mid-term break in winter. We are trying to improve the awareness of the children through basic nature skills such as protection of nature, the ability to act safely in natural environment, camping, tents, sleeping bags, ropes, knots, climbing, canoeing, orienteering, navigation and direction finding. Beside theoretical and practical trainings given during daytime, we make presentations in the evenings, which widen horizons. We show photographs, make presentations on personal development in accordance with the children’s world and share information about extreme sports.
 

Our Camp Dream with Children

Nature camps have become one of the favorite vacation trends of recent years. How did you decide and start it?

There is a number of nature camps organized in Turkey. Around 2 million students participate in approximately 10 thousand camps organized every year. I and my wife have long dreamed of organizing nature camps and trainings for children. We decided to make this dream come true after our children were born. Now, Barlas is five years old, and Bilge is three and half years old. We liked the camps, and it attracted great attention of the society. We have organized 25 camps until now. I can say that Barlas and Bilge grew up in these camps.