Mountains of the Mind 2018

Experience the chills and thrills of mountaineering as mountain guide and photographer Gavin Lang takes the lead in sharing his dauntless mountain climbing adventures with mountain lovers in Auckland, Wellington and Wanaka next month.

Before arriving here, Gavin will first be landing to Australia to narrate the same exciting chronicles to adrenaline junkies in Perth, Melbourne and Brisbane.

Gavin has been adventuring around the world for over 20 years and has witnessed the powerful potential of the mountains in keeping our inner balance. With this perspective, he established First Light Guiding in Wanaka, NZ to provide a service that incorporates mindfulness and self-development with what is often seen as an egocentric pursuit.

Gavin, being the instinctive daredevil, also delves into the why of adventure and speaks about what excites him the most about his career. His creative spirit is abundant in his photography and videography work, shooting on the fly in often extreme and exposed places.

Sharing the stage with him will be author and international speaker Stef Sifandos. A well-respected mentor and trainer to some of Australia's top professional sporting teams, individual athletes, world champion fighters and elite special forces soldiers, he combines the best of eastern and western methodologies and philosophies into his programs.

He holds degrees in: Behavioural Science and Philosophy; a Masters degree in Environmental Science and Commerce, and has been pivotal in the creation of the 'Spirit of the Mountains' mountaineering and self-development retreat with First Light Guiding. He is also qualified in the areas of Neuro-Linguistic Programming, Hypnosis, Reiki, physical and psychological conditioning and performance coaching.

The presentations will focus on the power of nature and adventure on mental health and will include photos and footage from the mountains of the Southern Alps, Peru, Patagonia and Nepal.