Responsible Tourism News
Carbon Offsetting Your Flights
20 October 2011We offset the carbon emissions for every Mountain Kingdoms flight inclusive holiday, as well as staff and trek leader flights. Working with the Tourism Industry Carbon Offset Service (TICOS), the funds are allocated to a solar energy project at the Druk White Lotus School in Ladakh, a charity we have worked with for a number of years.
Since 2009 we have raised £11,500 for TICOS. The money has been used to purchase additional battery capacity and photovoltaic panels for the school, helping to provide renewable power generation and storage, to cater for the growing school. The funding ensures that the polluting diesel generator is turned off, except for emergencies.
Simien Mountains Mobile Medical Service – 2011 update
06 October 2011Last year nurse Wendy Lovett travelled to Ethiopia on our Complete Simien Mountains Trek. Inspired by the local people she met on trek Wendy has set-up the Simien Mountains Mobile Medical Service with the aim to deliver essential medical care at no cost to remote villages in the region. A qualified Ethiopian nurse with medical equipment and supplies will travel 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.
The project is now a registered Belgium charity and we are pleased to hear that it is making good progress – with it currently in the final of the Rolex Award for Enterprise. Villagers voted overwhelmingly to support the work of the mobile nurse and if possible to add a midwife or someone trained to care for pregnant women. Despite the complexity of the programme, the Mobile Medical Service should make a huge difference to the people of the Janamora region. It is hoped that the project can also deploy a second team in the Gich and Cheneck area. You can find out more about the charity here.
Marathon Fundraising Efforts
01 March 2011Two energetic Mountain Kingdoms clients have successfully run the London Marathon for the first time this year, both raising funds for charities in Nepal.
Having returned from our Annapurna Sanctuary Trek , Alison Cronk has chosen to raise funds for GAN (Global Action Nepal), whose chief focus is on educational and social improvement throughout Nepal.
Chris Brown has been inspired to raise money for The Sir Edmund Hillary Himalayan Trust Khumjung School, after returning from his trek to Mera Peak.
Mountain Kingdoms have been a long-term supporter of both GAN and Khumjung School so we are delighted that Alison and Chris have chosen these charities to support with their marathon efforts. We have set the ball rolling with a £200 donation to each. If you would like to find out more about the charities or to make a donation please visit Alison and Chris' Just Giving pages.
Carbon offsetting
25 January 2011We are working with the Tourism Industry Carbon Offset Service (TICOS) to allocate funds to a solar energy project at the Druk White Lotus School in Ladakh, a charity we have worked with for a number of years.
In 2010 Mountain Kingdoms raised over £4,600 for the school. This will be appreciated even more this year, as many of the classrooms suffered damage during the August mudslide, caused by extreme flooding. Furniture and educational supplies were lost and repair work is still on-going.
Working with 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. See our Responsible Tourism page for more details.
Responsibe Tourism speech
24 January 2011Our General Manager Steve Harbert will be speaking at a prestigious conference on Responsible Tourism on the 9th February in Pokhara, Nepal. The conference is being organised by the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) who have an important voice in tourism development in the Pacific Asia region. PATA are committed to sustainable tourism that provides long term benefits to the people and communities of this fast developing region. Steve's talk will be focusing on the issues surrounding the relationship between indigenous tourism (such as homestays and native guides), tour operators and visitors.
Bhutan trek shortlisted for award
11 January 2011We were delighted to hear that our Treasure Discoverer's - Nabji Trail Trek in Bhutan was shortlisted by AITO for its Most Sustainable Tour of the Year Award 2010. The trek follows a trail through villages in the remote and beautiful Black Mountain region of Bhutan. Each village provides a guide, porters and services for the trekking group and resources are carefully managed throughout. Fees paid by MK for use of the trail go directly to the village communities who decide how best to spend them to improve their living conditions and facilities.
The trail passes through pristine forest and rural land and is home to rare wildlife such as golden langur monkeys and hornbill birds. We believe that the trek provides a true model of sustainable tourism that benefits trekkers, villagers and the environment alike.
The Simien Mountains Mobile Medical Service
19 August 2010In January this year nurse Wendy Lovett travelled to Ethiopia on our Complete Simien Mountains Trek. Inspired by the local people she met on trek Wendy has set-up the Simien Mountains Mobile Medical Service in conjunction with the British charity Community Projects of Africa.
An Ethiopian nurse will now travel by mule to some of the remotest villages, providing much needed medical care at no cost, along with essential health education.
As part of Mountain Kingdoms commitment to Responsible Travel, we contributed £600 to this excellent project. In addition, clients will have the option of donating to The Simien Mountains Mobile Medical Service after returning from their trek.
So far Wendy has raised the initial set-up costs and a years financing of the project. For more information about this excellent project, or to make a donation, please visit the Simien Mountains Mobile Medical Service website.
Machu Picchu Luxury Lodges win eco award
11 October 2009Mountain Kingdoms Peruvian partner has won a prestigious eco award for their Luxury Lodges situated along an ancient pre-Inca trade route to Machu Picchu.
The international ‘To Do Contest for Socially Responsible Tourism’ was awarded for their involvement of local communities and the use of environmentally sound practices in developing and running the lodges.
LIFELONG LEARNING FOR TREK STAFF
14 May 2008The first of the English language courses for Nepalese trekking staff has successfully been completed in Nepal. 19 porters, assistant guides and cooks finished the 45 day intensive course and they hope that their studies will improve their chances in future to lead treks such as Everest Base Camp and Annapurna Circuit.
The English language courses have been inititated by MK to improve the career prospects of trekking staff either to become future trek leaders or work as administrators. Courses will take place in January/February each year.
MARATHON EFFORT
14 May 2008Many congratulations to our Responsible Tourism Manager, Niki Morgan, who ran the Forest of Dean half marathon in April raising the impressive sum of £400 for the New Life Centre Orphanage in Nepal. The centre is run by a former MK client and they are aiming to raise £90,000 for a new-purpose built residential centre.
MK WINS RESPONSIBLE TOURISM AWARD
16 January 2008Representatives from Mountain Kingdoms were delighted to be presented with the AITO (Association of Independent Tour Operators) 2007 Responsible Tourism award yesterday. The prestigious award, presented at the annual AITO media day, recognises our ongoing efforts to ensure that Responsible Tourism remains at the very core of everything we do as a tour operator.
Responsible Tourism Holidays Responsible Tourism Projects