The four Explorers, Will Barker, Mark Keightley, Ben Rigby and Jake Elsbury, will fly to Leh, the world's highest commercial airport on July 9 and then make their way to the Stok Kangri. It will take about six days to complete the climb which will be their first introduction to high-altitude climbing.

The team has had training in snow and ice climbing in Glencoe this winter and Ben spent six weeks last summer as part of the British Schools' Exploring Society expedition to Greenland. He is familiar with glacier crossing and climbing out from a crevasse when an ice bridge collapsed.

The Explorers will be led by Ben's uncle, Pemba Sherpa, who met Ben's aunt when she was working at an orphanage in Kathmandhu. The team will be completed by Ben's godfather Jamie Doble.

After climbing Stok Kangri they will traverse the Himalayas highest motor-able pass in two jeeps, spend time with the nomads on the high plateau and go to Amritsar to see the Golden Temple.

They will visit the Indian Pakistan border, travel to Delhi and finally Agra to visit the Taj Mahal, returning to the UK on July 29.

The Explorers are raising funds for the Royal British Legion through sponsorship. They are taking clothes and toys for Buddhist monasteries and orphanages in the mountains.

Will Barker is deputy harbour master at Littlehampton, Mark Keightley is reading Ship Studies at Southampton University, Ben and Jake Elsbury are A-level students in Chichester. To donate visit www.justgiving.com/williambarker.