The Porters Who Make the Trek

There is a photograph most trekkers take, sooner or later: a porter coming up the trail behind you, a load that looks impossible balanced on a strap across his forehead, moving at a pace that does not slow on the steepest sections. You step aside. He nods. He passes.

The porter is the backbone of trekking in Nepal, and the part of the industry that is most easily mistreated. The work is hard, the pay has historically been low, and the gear — in the worst cases — has been inadequate for the altitude.

We do not run our treks that way. Our porters are employed directly, paid a fair wage above the union minimum, equipped with proper clothing and footwear, and insured for the duration of the trip. Their loads are weighed, and we keep them within the guidelines. This is not charity; it is the cost of doing the work properly.

If you trek with us, you will meet your team at the start of the trail and walk with them for the duration. You will learn their names. By the end, you will understand that the mountain belongs to them more than to anyone carrying a camera.