University student Oliver Burr, 22, and his 50-year-old dad Charles have spent the last five months on a tortuous training regime to ensure they will be in top physical condition when they fly to Katmandu on Wednesday.
From there the pair, from Wilmslow, begin a two-week trek to the base camp of Everest, the world's highest mountain at more than 29,000ft. They then plan to follow the route used by New Zealander Sir Edmund Hillary and Sherpa Tensing who, in 1953, became the first men to conquer Everest.
If he succeeds, Oliver will go into the record books as the youngest Briton to scale the mountain, while the pair would be the first British father and son team to complete the challenge.
Oliver has been climbing mountains since the age of five, and was only 13 when he scaled the Matterhorn in Switzerland.
The Burrs started training last year by climbing part-way up Cho Oyu, the world's sixth biggest mountain. Bad weather kept them from the top.
Ever since they came back to Wilmslow, they have followed a rigorous training regime to enable them to cope with the altitude and the elements. For the past 10 weeks they have been climbing mountains in the Lakes, covering on average 12 miles each time. Every week they each cycle 50 miles and run 20 miles, and swim when they can. "Dad's in good shape for a 50-year-old," said Oliver.
"I've been going to the gym in the mornings. I've been swimming, jogging, cycling and playing games of squash to keep myself fit. It's all going fairly smoothly, though we are still struggling to get all the funds together."
During his holidays away from university in Sheffield, where he is studying business, Oliver works in a McDonald's restaurant in Wilmslow. Its franchise is owned by his dad.
They have raised £35,000 towards the £40,000 cost of their expedition. They have also raised £5,000 towards the estimated £10,000 they hope to raise towards Ronald McDonald's children's charity.
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