Came for the mountains, stayed for the people: IE University students’ transformational journey to Nepal
30 October, 2025
An insider insight of how IE University students took their learning beyond the classroom… from Madrid to the Himalayas.
Every year, as a part of IE University’s commitment to experiential learning and global citizenship, second-year Bachelor in International Relations students can choose to swap city life for the Himalayas. The 2025 Transformational Leadership Journey in Nepal offered students a rare chance to learn about resilience, leadership and community in one of the most breathtaking places on Earth.
As you can imagine, this isn’t your typical educational experience. This year’s group of IE University students in Nepal came for the adventure, but left with something deeper: connection and self-discovery that transformed how they saw the world and themselves. We recently spoke with Isabel Carballal and Ari Greindl, who went on this life-changing study trip, to hear about their experience in their own words.
Lost and found in Kathmandu
For Isabel, her immersion in the study trip to Nepal began the moment she landed in Kathmandu. The differences between the capital of Nepal and Madrid were massive:
“It felt like a completely different world. I remember walking through the city not knowing how to move, where to go, or how anything worked. I was so out of my element,” she explained.
Within a day or two, however, that confusion turned to curiosity, and she began to enjoy her experience. Her favorite moment of the trip even happened not long after her arrival: riding the shuttle to the airport before the group’s flight to Lukla.
“It was super late at night, we hadn’t slept, the roads were kind of wild—but the vibes were amazing. We had music playing, everyone was excited and a bit nervous, but mostly just so ready for whatever was coming. I remember thinking,
‘This is it. We’re really doing this.’ It felt like the beginning of something really special. I was already loving it,” she shared.
Finding strength in struggle
The trek from Lukla to Everest Base Camp demanded resilience, both physical and mental. Steep climbs, unpredictable weather and thin air pushed students to their limits.
A section early on in the hike, which the group nicknamed “The Death Stairs” was particularly challenging. “I had never seen that many stairs in my life, and every step felt like it might be my last,” said Isabel. But the students kept going together, encouraging one another with good company, jokes and music. Ultimately, their teamwork helped them overcome the extreme physical challenges they were going through.
The moments you don’t see online
The group learned that not every part of an incredible journey looks glamorous. Naturally, hiking on the world’s tallest mountain means your clothes and hair won’t be picture-perfect.
Ari Greindl remembers one morning at Gorakshep, over 5,000 meters above sea level and the last stop before Everest Base Camp: “Half of us were turning blue or not feeling so good from the altitude. We weren’t looking our best.”
Isabel added, “While my clothes and hair weren’t a priority, I think that was part of the charm. No one cared and it was kind of freeing.” Ultimately, the unfiltered moments, both beautiful and not, are what really brought the group together.
A quiet moment above the clouds
Not every moment was a struggle. Some were just magic. Ari recalls the visit to Tengboche Monastery, which is surrounded by snow. The group went inside and meditated with the monks, and then came out to something spectacular.
“After we left, the sun came out, it stopped snowing and we could see Mount Everest and the other Himalayan peaks shining,” Ari said. “It was amazing and magical, and I want to carry that moment with me forever.”
The heart of the journey
As breathtaking as the Himalayas were, what stayed with the students most were the people, both within their group and the villages they visited.
“If my Nepal experience were a book, it’d be called ‘Came for the Mountains, Stayed for the People,’” said Isabel. “As stunning as the views were, it was the people, both the ones in our group and the incredible Sherpas, that made the whole experience unforgettable.”
From experiencing local culture with their Sherpas to helping each other push through exhaustion, every interaction showed the students the value of human connection.
Lessons that last a lifetime
When Isabel, Ari and the rest of the students returned to Madrid, they returned with a greater understanding of leadership, empathy and the global perspective—qualities that define the IE University experience.
The Nepal Leadership Transformational Journey proves that education doesn’t just happen in the classroom—it happens on the trail, through shared challenges and lifetime connections. From Kathmandu to Base Camp, the study trip to Nepal showed that while the summit is a great goal, the people who climb beside you make the journey truly life-changing.
