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Nine-year-old climbs to Everest Base Camp for fundraiser

Rio standing in the Himalayan mountains. He is wearing a navy cap, holding a walking stick, and has a blue coat on.Supplied

Rio, 9, is celebrating after completing an amazing 12-day trek to Mount Everest Base Camp, in Nepal.

He made the journey with his dad Jake, who said he cried "happy tears" when they reached the end.

The pair have so far raised about £2,000 for a food bank in their home city of Derby.

The schoolboy has been congratulated by climbers others from all over the world for his amazing achievement.

Jake and Rio are standing in front of a large rock at Everest Base Camp.Supplied

Rio was inspired to climb mountains from the age of five, after watching Bear Grylls on TV, taking on different mountain ranges across the world.

Before this challenge he already conquered Yr Wyddfa - also known as Snowdon - Ben Nevis and Scafell Pike and the Yorkshire Three Peaks challenge.

In September Rio announced his plans to make the trip to Mount Everest Base Camp and back with his dad, while raising money for a food bank.

He also celebrated his ninth birthday during the trip in Nepal.

What was the journey like to Everest Base Camp?

Rio and Jake's journey got off to an unexpected start after their planned flight to Lukla Airport from Nepal's capital Kathmandu was cancelled due to bad weather, so they ended up getting a helicopter instead.

Each day the pair had to do a minimum of six hours climbing, so they would start early in the morning.

"We were up at 06:00 in the morning, had breakfast, and then it was hours of climbing until dinner," Jake explained.

Mount Everest at Base Camp has an altitude of 5,364m (17,598ft), and which means it can be harder to breathe when climbing this high up.

Rio looking over the Himalayan mountains. He has a rucksack on, with a blue jacket on and a blue cap.Supplied

Rio carried his own backpack throughout the journey, despite others offering to take it for him

As they climbed higher they struggled to breathe due to lower oxygen levels at altitude.

Jake said the hardest part of the journey was the first climb to the community of Namche Bazar - where they ascended more than 1,000 metres during the day.

They ate "munch bags", full of flapjacks, raisins, biscuits, chocolates as well as other goodies to keep them energised.

"It was basically doing the Yorkshire three peaks every day. It was like climbing Ben Nevis every single day up and down."