Nine Southlanders have joined 8 other New Zealanders on the ultimate adventure, a 14-day climb to the base camp (5364m above sea level) of the world's highest peak - Mt Everest.

Six are members of Te Anau's Meskauskas family - Jason and Vicki (Mum and Dad) and Aidan, Hallum, Miller and Alice.

They will be joined by fellow Southlanders - Wilsons Vege owner Kathy Wilson, Southland Hospital ED nurse manager Barb Ellison and Orphan Aid CEO Sue van Schreven.

Te Anau's Meskauskas family have been training on Fiordland's alpine tracks in preparation for their accent to Mt Everest's base camp. Photo: Supplied

The adventure will be not only be a personal challenge but will also act as a fundraiser for locally based charity Orphans Aid International.

Orphans Aid International was started in Invercargill in 2004 by Sue van Schreven and has now gone on to feed around 2000 children a week and reach over 5000 extreme needs children around the world annually.

The charity's “What’s Your Everest” fundraiser aims to raise $150,000 for projects to feed and educate homeless children in India.

The Meskauskas', Te Anau locals since 2018, have been training all year for the event and have made countless treks to Fiordland's Luxmore hut and around the Mavora Lakes.

Vicki, the accounts manager for the charity, knows only too well what the family is fundraising for having seen first-hand the slums of India and Nepal.

The rest of the family will be taking time off work to tackle to climb - Jason works for Te Anau Earthworks while Aiden and Millar both work for Paul Young Builder.

Members of Orphan Aid International pause on the banks of India's Ganges River, before their trek to Mt Everest's base camp. Photo: Supplied

Alice, a student at Fiordland College, has also been working casually at both the Fat Duck and Annies to help pay for her trip.

The family's eldest child, Hallum will join them from Australia - where he now works.

The group remains confident of success, despite recent severe flooding in Kathmandu and washed out roads which they will have to navigate in a convoy of jeeps.

van Schreven, who now bases her charity from Queenstown, said the kind of support and dedication shown by locals was a massive help.

"It’s been a 20-year journey with many challenges over that time, and many lives changed."

"When a family pulls together like this to really help make a difference for some of the world's poorest and those in extreme need, we applaud them and are extremely thankful," she said.

All team members will be personally covering their own expenses, van Schreven said.

CLICK HERE to support the Meskauskas family.

CLICK HERE to support Barb Ellison.

CLICK HERE to support Kathy Wilson.

CLICK HERE to support Sue van Schreven.