Hari Budha Magar MBE has told GB News of his "excitement" to attempt a record-breaking challenge in Antarctica.
The record-breaking mountaineer told GB News hosts Ellie Costello and Christopher Hope he is hoping to become the first person with a double above-knee amputation to achieve the historic feat of completing the ‘Seven Summits’ challenge.
To complete the challenge, you must reach the summit of the highest mountain on all seven continents.
He has so far climbed six of the seven summits, including Mount Everest, Kilimanjaro, Mont Blanc, Denali, Aconcagua and Carstensz Pyramid.
Last on his to-do list is reaching the peak of Mount Vinson, which stands at 4,892 metres (16,050 ft) and is Antarctica’s highest mountain.
"I'm excited, but also I still need to raise lots of funds to get there," he told GB News. "I'm super excited to complete the last one, we're just one step away."
Having lost both his legs while serving the UK as a Gurkha in Afghanistan, Mr Magar explained that expenses reach three times the standard cost because he must bring two assistants for the journey.
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Hari Budha Magar told GB News of his record-breaking attempt to climb
|HARI BUDHA MAGAR / GB NEWS
He said: "I'm super proud to have served for the United Kingdom, us Gurkhas have been serving over 210 years, so we were pretty much involved all the conflicts that Great Britain has been involved in.
"It's one of the most expensive mountains, because it's so far to go, and also, I need to take two of my assistants, that means it costs, and anything is like triple for me.
"I'm slower, it takes three times longer than normal climbers, pretty much everything is logistical, I need assistance, so cost wise, I burn three times more energy than normal people, and it takes three times as long."
Revealing his struggles to adapt to his disability, Mr Magar recalled being diagnosed with severe psychological trauma and contemplated ending his life.
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Hari Budha Magar sets off on Boxing Day for the final peak of the challenge in Antarctica
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Mr Magar admitted: "I think it's all about mindset, so if we set our mind, our body will follow. I don't really enjoy it when I'm doing it, but I think it is something important to do, and my aim is to raise awareness of disability.
"Because when I lost my legs, I wasted nearly two years because I didn't know about disability. I grew up in Nepal where disabled people were not looked at or perceived very well, and I grew up in that culture, so I perceived myself that way."
He added: "The initial part was very difficult, not just adapting my life to my body and situation, but also adapting whole my family's social life to everything was really, really difficult.
"I really, really struggled to overcome it because I didn't know how to deal with my life with the disability. I was diagnosed with PTSD, and I tried to take my life."
Mr Budha Magar told GB News says he is 'excited' to complete the challenge
|GB NEWS
Telling GB News how sport and his mountaineering helped him "find his purpose", Mr Magar said: "I turned to sport, and sport gave me confidence.
"And whenever I was going around the world, whenever I looked at a snowcapped mountain, I always remember Mount Everest, this is where I grew up, so it really, really meant something, and I found my purpose."
Asked by the GB News hosts what his next challenge will be after conquering Mount Vinson, Mr Magar said: "I think it's a long way to go to Mount Vinson, so I think let's complete Mount Vinson first."
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