He 's the man who 's reached the tops of Kilimanjaro , led treks to Mount Everest and completed The Kokoda Trail . Now Sydney-based Joe Bonington is training ordinary Aussies to do exactly the same and cross these expeditions off their adventure bucket list . The 47-year-old adventure trainer shares how his father , British mountaineering legend Sir Chris Bonington , helped turn his troubled life around and experience the unforgettable feeling of achieving what he once thought was impossible . Joe Bonington ( right ) and his father , British mountaineering legend Sir Chris Bonington ( left ) , at Kala Patthar in the Himalayas in 2008 , with Mount Everest seen in the background . The Sydney-based man is training ordinary Aussies conquer the world 's toughest mountains and walking trails . Mr Bonington , who runs Joe 's Basecamp in Brookvale on Sydney 's Northern Beaches , says he saw the change in himself the moment he reached the peak of Mount Kilimanjaro , Tanzania . ' I had quite a troubled childhood - my father was quite famous at the time , ' Mr Bonington told Daily Mail Australia . ' I went off the rails a bit and got into a bit of trouble because I was sick of people asking me if I was going to follow in my father 's footsteps . ' I guess when I was young , I kind of wanted to make my own mark and also could n't really understand why my dad spent days away on these trips . ' I was always scared that he was going to get killed - like all his friends did . It was quite hard for a young kid to digest . ' At the age of 24 , he embarked on his very first expedition with the help of his father . 'That year I decided to go on my first expedition and it absolutely changed my life , ' Mr Bonington said . Joe Bonington pictured on a glacier while climbing Mount Kilimanjaro in 1992 . Mr Bonington pictured crossing a glacier on the mountain Danga II in Nepal in 2000 . Mr Bonington pictured walking across a snowfield high up on Danga II in Nepal in 2000 . ' I remember being 500m from the top of Kilimanjaro and telling my dad I needed to go up there by myself . I remember seeing my dad crying his eyes out as I went off on my own . 'When I reached the top , I just burst into tears . I just stood there crying because I finally understood why my dad did what he does . ' I learnt that yes there are risks but what you get from these experiences just outweighs everything else . 'That first experience taught me that I need to get out of my comfort zone and I 've been doing that ever since . I 'm now teaching others to do the same . ' Having completed The Kokoda Trail in 2004 , climbed to Everest base camp in 2008 and 2010 - with plans to go again next year with his clients - Mr Bonington says his most memorable adventure was in 2000 . Mr Bonington conducting training in the Blue Mountains for a group planning to walk to the Kokoda Trail . One of Joe 's clients , Shivani Uppal ( bottom right ) , on the Everest High Passes trek . 'That 's when I went up an unclimbed peak with my dad in a remote part of Nepal , ' he said . 'To stand at the top of a peak that nobody has ever stood before - and to be there with my dad - it was truly an emotional moment . ' And while Mr Bonington is all about expanding people 's horizons by training them for mountain climbing , desert marathons and long distance treks - he also hopes this helps others to 'get more out of life ' . 'What we often forget is that we live in a stunning world and we need to get out there to see it , ' he said . 'My clients are not professional athletes . They are ordinary people with extraordinary goals . Matt Crehan ( right ) who was trained by Joe Bonington in Sydney for The Kokoda Trail . Dr Gareth Andrews , who was trained by Joe , during his expedition in the North Pole . Tamzine Doherty and Nikki Gordon running the Safari New Zealand . 'They 're bored with what they 're doing every day and living controlled lives . ' Mr Bonington says his clients , who vary in ages from 20 to 60 , can train for three months up to two years . The personal trainer says witnessing how he can transform people 's perspective on their lives is simply priceless . 'For me , I love seeing the look on people 's faces when they come to understand what they 're capable of achieving , ' he said . 'Seeing people doing things that they never thought they could do and seeing their smile when they reach the end - it 's really amazing . ' I know that from these adventures they 're lives have been changed forever - like it changed mine . ' The personal trainer says he trains his clients for mountain climbing , desert marathons and long distance treks . Mr Bonington says his clients , who vary in ages from 20 to 60 , can train for three months up to two years .
Joe Bonington , 47 , has been training Aussies to complete expeditions . He embarked on his first adventure - Mount Kilimanjaro , Tanzania - in 1992 . He climbed the mountain with his father and British mountaineering legend Sir Chris Bonington . The personal trainer says this moment changed his life forever as he had previously had a trouble childhood . He says he was able to understand why his father took these risks . Now he 's hoping to encourage others to 'get out of their comfort zone ' and see the stunning world we live in .