Ethical Treatment of Porters and Guides
Commitment to Ethical Practices:
- Ensuring the ethical treatment of all local porters and guides is a fundamental value.
- This commitment involves providing fair wages, proper insurance, and necessary equipment.
Physical Fitness and Capability
Selection Criteria:
- Porters and helpers are selected based on their physical fitness and strength.
- They are capable of carrying bags and equipment easily throughout the trek, ensuring that clients’ belongings are handled with care and efficiency.
Language Skills
Communication:
- Most porters and helpers speak reasonable English.
- This facilitates better communication with clients, enhancing the overall trekking experience by making interactions smoother and more enjoyable.
Compensation and Insurance
Fair Compensation:
- The support team is paid well, ensuring that their hard work and dedication are rewarded appropriately.
- Providing competitive wages helps in maintaining a motivated and satisfied workforce.
Insurance:
- All members of the support team are insured.
- This provides them with financial protection and peace of mind, covering potential risks associated with trekking and mountaineering.
Equipment and Supplies
Annual Gear Renewal:
- All mountain equipment and gear provided to the support team are renewed yearly.
- This ensures that they have access to the latest and safest equipment, reducing risks and enhancing their performance.
Porter Allocation and Weight Limits
Porter Allocation:
- For every two trekkers, one porter is assigned.
- If a client is a sole trekker, a dedicated porter will be provided.
- This ratio ensures that porters are not overburdened and can manage the load efficiently.
Weight Limits:
- On lodge treks, the maximum weight limit for a porter is between 25-30kg.
- This limit is set to prevent overloading, ensuring the health and safety of the porters while maintaining their ability to provide efficient service.
Support and Care
Overall Support:
- The company ensures that porters and guides are fully supported throughout the trek.
- This includes providing them with adequate supplies, proper rest, and necessary medical attention if required.
Summary
Himalayan Adventure Treks & Tours is deeply committed to the ethical treatment and well-being of their local porters and guides. They ensure that these vital team members are physically fit, fairly compensated, insured, and equipped with the latest gear. By maintaining reasonable weight limits and providing one porter for every two trekkers (or one per sole trekker), they promote a healthy and efficient working environment. Additionally, the ability of most porters to speak reasonable English enhances communication and the overall trekking experience for clients. This comprehensive approach not only supports the welfare of the porters and guides but also contributes to delivering a high-quality, enjoyable trekking experience for clients.
Bhagwat Simkhada - Managing Director/ Owner
Bhagwat has been very keen on the explorer in the trekking and tourism sector from his school level and hence joined the industry as soon as completing his school level. Bhagwat Started working as a porter on treks from 1998 and has now become an officially professional licensed holder in the trekking and experienced tourist guide. While working in the field, Bhagwat also studied business management from Tribhuvan University. For the furtherance of his knowledge in the sector, Bhagwat successfully completed his 2-year course in Travel, Tourism, and Hospitality Management from Thames Valley University in the United Kingdom.
Sita Bhatta - Senior Office Representative/ Tour Planner
Sita Bhatta is a Senior office representative. Organize the trekking and tour in Nepal, Tibet and Bhutan. She has more than 10 years of experience in the tourism sector of Nepal and has conducted more than 1000 trips.
Parbati Dhakal - Accountant/ Office Representative
Parbati Dhakal holds the post of Accountant in our company. She is from Gorkha district and holds a Master Degree in Management. She has many years’ experience basically in travel and tourism accounting and bookkeeping.
Kedar Aryal - IT Manager
Kedar Aryal, IT Manager for Himalayan Adventure Treks & Tours Pvt. Ltd. He handles all the IT related tasks for the company. From content control to website design and maintenance, everything is managed by him.
Prakash Adhikari - Senior Trekking Guide
He is one of the experienced Senior trekking guides who hail from Langtang region of Nepal. He has been working with us for many years. He loves trekking and meeting people from different cultures. He has been to many trekking areas with trekkers and is very much familiar with various trekking regions. His service has been considered as excellent by most of our trekkers. Personally, he is very friendly, helpful and loves to share his deep knowledge about mountain among travelers to make their journey interesting and unforgettable.
Sunil Gurung - Trekking Guide
A cheerful young boy involved in tourism as a trekking guide for the last 6 years. He is very friendly and helpful and he knows a lot about trekking trails of different trekking regions in Nepal. He has assisted several international trekkers groups to make their treks successful and memorable.
Ang Gombu Sherpa - Trekking and Mountaineering Guide
Ang Gombu Sherpa has been working as a climbing and trekking guide since 2007. He has received training on basic mountaineering and rescue operation from Nepal Mountaineering Association and has attended Eco trekking workshop organized by Trekking Agencies’ Association of Nepal. He received his trekking guide license from Nepal Academy of Tourism and Hospitality Management. Among the peaks he has successfully climbed includes Makalu, Tukuche, Dhampus, Pachhermo, Island Peak, Lobuche peak, Mera peak and many others.
Surya Prasad Dhakal - Trekking Guide
Surya Dhakal has several years of experience in the field of trekking, during which he has provided excellent services as a professional guide. He possesses a deep familiarity with the nature, history, culture, traditions, and climate of the various regions where he has led trekking groups. Surya specializes in several key regions, including Dhaulagiri, Annapurna, Everest, Langtang, Kanchenjunga, and Manaslu. Known for his honesty and gentle demeanor, he ensures that every trekker under his guidance has a safe, informative, and memorable experience.
Badri Bahadur Karki - Trekking/ Tour Guide
Mr. Badri Bahadur Karki has extensive experience in the travel and tour industry, known for his remarkable physical strength, stamina, and agility. He holds licenses as both a tour guide and a trekking guide. Mr. Karki is a dynamic individual, well-suited for all types of adventurous trekking, tours, and motorbike tours. His excellent leadership qualities and communication skills allow him to adapt seamlessly to various roles and activities. Among his notable achievements are guiding treks through challenging routes such as Chola Pass, Renjo La Pass, Chum Valley, Manaslu, the Annapurna Circuit, Langtang, and Everest Base Camp, making him a versatile...
Ang Pemba Sherpa - Trekking Guide
A cheerful young man from the Solukhumbu Everest Region, he has been involved in tourism as a trekking guide for the past 8 years. Known for his honesty, friendliness, and helpful nature, he possesses extensive knowledge of the trekking trails across various regions in Nepal. He has successfully assisted numerous international trekking groups, particularly in the Khumbu Valley, ensuring their treks are memorable and enriching lifetime experiences.
Sujan Maharjan - IT Manager
Mr. Sujan Maharjan holds an MA in Tourism from Tribhuvan University in Nepal and is Aptech Certified with an Advanced Diploma in System Management (ADSM). He works as an IT Manager, where he is responsible for coordinating, planning, and leading all computer-related activities within the company. Sujan's key responsibilities include implementing computer systems and managing domain hosting to meet the organization's technological needs and ensure seamless operation.
Raj Kumar Simkhada - Senior Trekking Guide
Mr. Raj Kumar Simkhada possesses extensive experience in the field of trekking, having provided exemplary services as a professional guide for several years. Hailing from the Ruby Valley area in the Dhading district, he has a deep understanding of the history, culture, traditions, and climate of the regions he guides. Raj specializes in leading trekking groups through the Dhaulagiri, Annapurna, Everest, Langtang, Kanchenjunga, and Manaslu regions. Known for his active and sporty nature, Raj's friendliness and engaging conversations ensure that he adds value to the trekking experience, making each journey interesting and memorable.
