Responsible Tourism
What we believe in - at Mountain Kingdoms we are committed to Responsible Tourism through policies and practices which permeate all aspects of our business, ensuring that all our holidays are undertaken in a way which is socially, environmentally and culturally sound. Responsible Tourism remains at the very core of everything we do as a tour operator.
We feel strongly that all our holidays should benefit the local communities, protect the environment by minimising pollution, and respect local traditions, religion and heritage. We tread lightly - low volume, low impact holidays are the best way of preserving the beautiful and fragile places we visit. Mountain Kingdoms has a top five-star rating for Responsible Tourism from the Association of Independent Tour Operators (AITO) and in January 2008 was presented with the prestigous annual AITO Responsible Tourism award.
Some key initiatives & organisations that we support:
We believe that Responsible Tourism is about more than just policies. It involves giving something tangible back to the communities that we visit.Northpoint School, Nepal - Since 2005, Mountain Kingdoms has been working with SHIVA Charity to support Northpoint English School, near Bhaktapur, Nepal. To date we have raised nearly £10,000 through a host of fundraising activities and client donations. These funds have been used to help with building new classrooms, a walled playground and library, and to purchase nursery class furniture and computers. The next exciting project is a training course for the Northpoint teachers.
For the latest on our fundraising efforts, and information on how to donate, visit our Responsible Tourism News page.
Porter Welfare - In conjunction with Tourism Concern, we have drawn up comprehensive guidelines for porters’ rights and working conditions which our agents are obliged to adhere to. The welfare of our local trekking staff is of great importance to us, and we try our best to ensure they have appropriate clothing, shelter and footwear on all our trips. The post-trip questionnaire we send to all clients asks for feedback on the welfare of our trekking staff, and any reported concerns are swiftly acted upon .
English lessons, Kathmandu - Mountain Kingdoms has been organising courses of English lessons for Nepali trekking staff since 2008. Good spoken & written English significantly improves their career progression to become , Sirdars (head guides) or to work in offices in later life. In January 2009, we were delighted to have this project led by two exceptionally dedicated and talented teachers – who happen to be MK clients! They spent a month in Kathmandu helping 32 Sherpas to improve their conversation and written English skills through an innovative and practical programme.
For a full list of the projects and charities we currently support please go to our Responsible Tourism Projects page or download a summary of our Responsible Tourism initiatives.
Carbon Offsetting
Working with the Tourism Industry Carbon Offset Service (TICOS) we offset the carbon emissions for every Mountain Kingdoms holiday booked by clients that includes a flight, as well as staff and trek leader flights. TICOS is an industry-wide programme supported by international agencies such as UNESCO and bodies such as AITO. We are working with TICOS to allocate funds to a solar energy project by the Druk White Lotus School in Ladakh, a charity we have worked with for a number of years.
Holidays that operate through local community projects
An increasing number of our trips are now organised in conjunction with local community projects. Trekking holidays are known for offering a great insight into everyday life and culture but these special holidays bring you as close as possible to local people and maximise the benefit your holiday will bring to their community. Click on the links below to find out more: