Everest Base Camp & Kala Pattar trek for over 50s

Planet

The Everest region is the homeland of the Sherpa people and the highest mountains on earth. As a result, it is Nepal’s most popular tourism region for trekkers. Over time, villages in the area have grown with scores of lodges, restaurants and trekking equipment shops. As a result, we have observed many other companies change over from camping to lodge/tea house trekking. However, what most people don’t realise is that these accommodations are reliant on wood from the region for heating, cooking and to generate warm showers.

We operate a series of private eco campsites that provide innumerable benefits. Firstly, we are able to continue our philosophy of offering camping treks, which is the most sustainable type of trekking. In addition, we can offer a greater level of comfort, as the construction of a permanent dining room structure replaces the traditional mess tent. We cook with kerosene or gas only, while our dining rooms are heated by a pot belly stove that is fuelled by yak dung and not wood (yak dung is a sustainable and renewable fuel source that has been widely used as a traditional practice in the Himalaya for centuries).

We are one of the founding partners of a simple but effective litter collection initiative called 10 Pieces. The aim of 10 Pieces, which is available on all our treks in Nepal, is to harness the collective power of travelers to keep wilderness trails free of litter (namely plastic and paper). Your guide will tell you more about 10 Pieces at the initial group briefing in Kathmandu. The initiative is completely voluntary, but if you choose to partake it will only take 5 minutes each trek day. We will provide you with our reusable rubbish collection bags and we will dispose of the litter responsibly, so you can leave a positive footprint in Nepal.

Our Waste Management Policy encourages our travelers to take their own reusable water bottles and reusable stuff sacks to avoid single-use plastics. We follow this same philosophy in our London office as well as on the trail: we have banned single use coffee cups and water bottles; we use recycled paper and are working towards reducing the overall amount of paper we use; and we recycle all our of plastic and paper waste.

Already in 2000 we developed the award winning Responsible Travel Guidebook, which presented our Travel Group’s comprehensive policies on sustainable travel. Over the years our Responsible Travel Guidebook has evolved to meet the ever-changing landscape of sustainable travel. In March 2018, The Thoughtful Traveler booklet was launched, which is an easy-to-read document that empowers travelers with suggestions about how they can be part of the solution and collectively make the world a better place when they travel. Everyone is encouraged to read the Thoughtful Traveler ebook before departure.

People

Mountain porters are an integral part of each trip. The entire group – travelers, guides and porters alike – are a team who share the same needs for safety in the mountain environment.

We use local Nepali guides for all our treks, so not only will you have a richer experience with someone who knows the land and culture but you will also be helping to support the prosperity of the very place you have sought out as a destination.

Our ‘Porter Welfare Code of Conduct’ ensures safe working conditions for the mountain porters we employ. In Nepal, our mountain porters receive:

• A working wage that is regulated by the Trekking Agents Association of Nepal and the Labour Union of Nepal; we pay per their guidelines, which are unionised.
• Life insurance and income protection insurance.
• Access to the same first aid care that our travelers receive, including emergency helicopter evacuation if required.
• A wind and waterproof jacket and over-trousers, 2 pairs of woollen socks, 2 pairs of leather shoes on long treks and 2 pairs of canvas shoes while on short treks, woollen gloves, a warm cap and sunglasses.
• A weight restriction of carrying no more than 30kgs.
• A porter age restriction of minimum 16 years of age and maximum 50 years of age.

In addition, we are one of the few trekking companies in Nepal to provide porters with three meals a day, prepared by our cooks, as well as lodging (or tents), sleeping mats and blankets.

We are proud that our camping treks employ many local people – a workforce of up to 25% more than a lodge trek typically provides. Our eco campsites and the operations of these help provide year-round employment and career opportunities for the Nepali people, while as a traveler you gain an invaluable insight into the local culture via the dedicated Nepali crew accompanying your trek.