10,000 km by Bicycle to Khan Tengri – Expedition 2026

Sometimes a story, a challenge, comes not from the outside but from within our own team. Zsolt Kővári is our company's intern, and on April 1, 2026 he is embarking on a remarkable undertaking: he will cycle nearly 10,000 kilometers, from Budapest to the Tien Shan mountains, across 11 countries, and then attempt to climb the 7,010-meter Khan Tengri peak.

Khan Tengri is one of the best-known mountains of the Tien Shan, rising at the border of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and China. Its name means "Lord of the Sky," and because of its distinctive pyramid shape it is considered one of the most beautiful mountains in the world. Interestingly, the rock summit is actually 6,995 meters high, but because of the ice cap on top it officially counts as 7,010 meters — placing it among the seven-thousanders.

Khan Tengri is one of the five peaks of the so-called "Snow Leopard" challenge. This title is awarded to climbers who summit all five mountains above 7,000 meters of the former Soviet Union. Completing it carries serious prestige in the world of mountaineering, and among Hungarians only Zsolt Erőss has so far reached all five peaks.

Last year Zsolt Kővári already completed the first station by climbing the 7,134-meter Lenin Peak. This year's Khan Tengri expedition could be the second peak on the way.

When we learned of his plan, it quickly became clear that we wanted to stand beside him, since our company can connect closely to his vision and plans at several points.

The route spanning 11 countries and the thousands of kilometers of cycling reflect well the international environment in which we, too, work. Our company receives a growing number of assignments from abroad, and in our work we regularly cooperate with international partners. Globality is an everyday experience for us: demands arriving from countless countries, differing technical environments, and international standards define our activity.

In our everyday work we deal with the inspection of lifting machines, lifting accessories, personal protective equipment, and various safety-technology devices. A key area is the inspection of fall-protection PPE associated with work at height, which forms the basis of industrial rope access and rope-technique work. The recent legislative amendment has further strengthened the importance of mandatory periodic inspections: the regular, documented inspection of protective equipment used at height is now clearly a prescribed obligation that directly serves the safety of work.

Perhaps this is why we feel Zsolt's undertaking to be especially close to us. In mountaineering it is often said: we are on one rope. This is not only a technical situation but also a relationship of trust. Between two people the rope is the strongest bond — it connects, it means responsibility, and it gives safety. This is what we, too, want to provide to our partners.

Reaching a 7,010-meter peak is not only a physical challenge but a series of conscious decisions. In the background there is always preparation, the use of appropriate equipment, and awareness. This is the mindset that is decisive in our activity as well.

We support our colleague's goal financially, while becoming part of an inspiring story. Zsolt's journey leads from Europe to Asia, across several borders — fitting well with the international thinking that also characterizes our company's operation.

The project will be presented on March 26, 2026 at 6:00 p.m. at the farewell talk, where Zsolt will describe the route, the preparation, and the goals in detail. The Back to the Roots project starts on April 1, 2026 at 7:30 a.m. in Budapest, from Heroes' Square.