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 Sustainable Tourism from the Association of Independent Tour Operators (AITO) and is a previous winner of the prestigous annual AITO Responsible Tourism award.
We believe that Responsible Tourism is about more than just policies. It involves giving something tangible back to the communities that we visit. Here are a few examples of our recent and ongoing work:
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 over £12,000 through a host of fundraising activities and client donations. Without these funds the school would have closed long ago, instead it now benefits from new classrooms, a walled playground and library, and is able to purchase nursery class furniture and computers.
Simien Mountains Mobile Medical Service - This project was set up by one of our dedicated clients. The Simien Mountains Mobile Medical Service delivers essential medical care at no cost to remote villages in the Simien Mountains. A qualified Ethiopian nurse with medical equipment and supplies travels from village to village giving general medical care, providing health education and teaching basic first aid, as well as referring patients to specialists in the nearest hospital and providing follow up care. Mountain Kingdoms donated £600 in 2010 to help with the early running costs of this project.The project is now a registered Belgium charity and we are pleased to hear that it is making good progress. It is hoped that the project can also deploy a second team in the Gich and Cheneck area.
Ladakh Flood Relief - As a response to the devastating floods in Ladakh in August 2010, Mountain Kingdoms donated £1,000 to the flood victims through Save the Children.
The Bridge Project, Zanskar - Initiated by Mountain Kingdoms MD, Steve Berry, this unique project is raising money to build rare Zanskari bridges of interwoven twigs, with the aim of keeping ancient Zanskari traditions and culture alive. Email steve@mountainkingdoms.com for further information, or to make a donation.
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.
Carbon Offsetting
Working with the Tourism Industry Carbon Offset Service (TICOS) we offset the carbon emissions for every Mountain Kingdoms holiday that includes a flight, as well as flights for staff and trek leaders. Since 2009 we have raised £11,500 for TICOS, with money primarily being allocated to our nominated beneficiary the Druk White Lotus School in Ladakh, to install a solar energy system.
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:
For a full list of the projects and charities we currently support please go to our Responsible Tourism Projects page.