Blog. Spotlight on: Rafi Bejerano.
August 19, 2026 | Author Katie Lestner
For Rafi Bejerano, turning 50 marks the perfect time to take on one of the world's most epic trekking adventures: the 18-day Annapurna Circuit in Nepal, a unique and extraordinary challenge taking place at 5,416 metres (17,769 ft) - over 200 metres higher than Everest Base Camp.
We caught up with Rafi all about his upcoming expedition, and what inspired him to undertake a challenge of such enormity, with Hospitality Action as his beneficiary.
An 18-day Annapurna Circuit in Nepal sounds like a huge but exciting endeavour. Why this challenge over others?
In October 2001, 25 years ago, I was in Nepal, in Kathmandu and Pokhara, hoping to do the trek, but I had developed Achilles Tendonitis from lots of walking and trekking around Asia, and I needed to rest.
I could not endure the long walk, so I thought to myself: I'm going to come back one day and do this trek.
That’s why this trek is interesting for me. It brings me back to that place, 25 years ago. And it makes me feel like I will accomplish something that I set out to do a long time ago.
You're doing this challenge in honour of turning 50. Why was it important to you to mark this milestone with such an epic adventure?
About a year and a half ago, I was chatting to my brother's brother-in-law, just about travel and adventure; he mentioned he wanted to do the Annapurna circuit in Nepal. And I was like, “hang on a second, I wanna do that. Let's do it.” That was almost a year and a half ago. What was required was trying to work out and balance childcare and work commitments, and to be able to take the three weeks to do the full 18-day trek.
My brother's brother-in-law turns 50 in a few weeks. I'm turning 50 at the beginning of the new year. And we both feel it is a good challenge, both mental and physical, at this time of our lives because neither of us are particularly fit. And both of us have jobs where we spend a lot of time sitting down, so a little bit of walking and leg training is definitely required.
What do you anticipate being the toughest moments and greatest highlights of the expedition?
I think there's going to be quite a few challenges and tough moments on this trip. Firstly, there’s going to be some very, very cold nights and days. I don't do cold that well. I'm talking about sleeping in little stone huts, where usually in the higher altitude part of a trek, the room is below zero degrees. Even your bottle of water by your bed will freeze overnight. I'm told I'll be sleeping in my jacket with all my thermals on in the sleeping bag and hoping for the best. I think the cold is going to be difficult.
The altitude: we're going to spend about eight or nine days over 3,000 meters, or 3,200 meters, and there's a lot of uphill. I'll be carrying a backpack, and that will definitely be a challenge. When we're walking up to the Thorong Pass, we'll be nearly 5,400 meters above sea level. That morning, we will set off at 2 am. It's a 10-hour hike up to the pass because the weather changes in the early afternoon, and we need to be up and down by lunchtime.
But potentially the biggest challenge is going to be that there's only one rest day in the 18 days. And when you get very stiff and sore, you've got to just pick up your backpack early morning in the freezing cold and head out again.
The highlights, I hope, will be an occasional warm shower, which I understand you can get at two or three guest houses along the way, if you are lucky. I'm sure the stunning scenery, all the early morning sunrises in the Himalayas, will be pretty spectacular.
When you're over the highest pass and you start to begin an eight-day descent, I really feel that that's a tipping point for satisfaction that you're over the worst and every day will get a little bit easier, going downhill and with less altitude and less cold.
Why did you choose Hospitality Action as your nominated charity for this incredible journey?
I chose Hospitality Action because apart from it being close to my heart, we have been members of the Employee Assistance Programme for at least 10 years now. I'm in favour of what the charity does. It's so needed in our industry.
As a hotel boss, I have seen a lot of people struggle in different ways, be it health, financial issues or addiction issues. All these things do have an impact on hospitality businesses, and we definitely need to shout about it.
I strongly believe that unless you're in hospitality, you don't give to hospitality. So those of us who are in the hospitality industry need to help each other out because sadly, most others will not. It's a wonderful charity, it's doing exceptionally well, and I'm all for it.
What advice would you give other people considering a challenge like this?
My advice for others is: if you want to do something, do it. Make it happen, make the time, and make sure that you live life to the maximum, that you get busy living, and that you enjoy all the opportunities that we have and make the most out of it.