Responsible Tourism Projects

Responsible Tourism Project

Our Actions

We have a comprehensive section highlighting our Responsible Tourism practices and policies in our trek dossiers. These are sent to all our clients when they book their trip with us. We advise our clients how to trek sympathetically with awareness of, and sensitivity to, local customs and culture. Specifically we give information on: Visitor Impact, Preservation of local culture, Protecting the global environment, Porter Protection and Himalayan charities.

Mountain Kingdoms has committed to working with SHIVA Charity to support Northpoint English School, near Bhaktapur, Nepal.

Since 2005 Mountain Kingdoms has raised approximately £9,000 for the school through a number of fundraising activities. Many of our clients have been extremely generous in giving donations to Northpoint. The funds we have raised have enabled Northpoint to develop a new building for the school, purchase two computers, new school uniforms, a walled playground, and refurbish the nursery with new furniture and equipment. They would very much like to build an annexe and this is our fundraising goal for 2010.

If you are interested in helping, or would like to make a donation for the school, please contact our Responsible Tourism Manager, Niki Morgan.

Mountain Kingdoms is offering a course of English lessons to Nepalese trekking staff in Kathmandu. Many have not had the benefits of a good education and yet good spoken & written English would significantly improve their career progression to become sirdars (head guides), and/or to work in offices in later life. Courses began in December 2007 and several groups have successfully completed their course since then.

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 following trips to find out more:

In conjunction with Tourism Concern, we have drawn up comprehensive guidelines for porters' rights and working conditions (in Himalayan destinations) which our agents are obliged to adhere to. The welfare of porters is monitored by our clients through specific questions on our post trek questionnaires, and also by our MK Apppointed Trek Leaders (where applicable), through a feedback form.

Every year we include a section on porter's welfare and working conditions in our contracts with suppliers. The suppliers' must adhere to the contract in order to continue to do business with us.

We actively support IPPG (International Porter protection Group) who, in association with CAN (Community Action Nepal), have established a first aid post and rescue centre for porters in the Gokyo valley. The facility not only saves lives but also acts as a place to educate porters on the dangers they face in the mountains. The shelter has been so successful that IPPG and CAN are now aiming to build a second centre at Gorak Shep, close to Kala Pattar and Everest Base Camp. Mountain Kingdoms is helping to raise funds towards establishing this vital facility.

Ginette Harrison was the second British woman to climb Everest and the first woman to climb the third highest peak in the world, Kangchenjunga. She was a friend and Trek Leader for Mountain Kingdoms, and we have been closely involved in raising funds over the last few years which have gone to build a school outside Kathmandu. The school is up and running and has been a great success.

Some years ago, we organised two successful clean up treks to Everest Base Camp.

Mountain Kingdoms have teamed up with TICOS and, since 2009, an amount to carbon offset the flight element of our holidays, has been built into the flight-inclusive price of all holidays. Revenues raised by this will be given, via TICOS, to the Druk White Lotus School in Ladakh who are aiming to generate all their power requirements by solar power.

We send out a charities leaflet to all our clients after their treks. Since January 2005 we have raised several thousand pounds for our combined charities from the generous donations of our clients. Please see below for a full list of the charities we support.

We recycle our office paper, and send any unused brochures to a special recycling centre.

Responsible Tourism Charity

Why help is needed

NEPAL

Requires funds for running costs, to provide books, computers and equipment and, long term, new buildings and a science lab www.shivacharity.org.

Supports the Newlife Centre which provides a caring home for disabled children in Kathmandu. www.nepalichildrenstrust.com.

Enhances the provision of education in poor Himalayan communities by sponsoring young students and supporting their schools with grants and volunteer teachers. www.help-education.org.

Needs funds to support 13 health clinics they have established in the Solu Khumbu.

IPPG (International Porter protections Group) in association with CAN (Community Action Nepal) has established a first aid post and rescue centre for porters in the Gokyo valley. www.ippg.net.

Raises money for school projects for the people of Mustang. www.kinoe.org.

Raises money for Shiva Charity which supports a poor school near Banepa, near Kathmandu. www.shivacharity.com.

Aims to improve the education of children in Nepal and also work within a number of different areas including environmental, health and sanitation issues. www.gannepal.org.

Helps to provide financial, medical and community aid to alleviate hardship and distress among the Gurkha ex-servicemen and their families when they leave the British Army. www.gwt.org.uk.

Raises money for the Pherice Redevelopment Project, a high altitude hospital, as well as other environmental, health and education projects within the Solu Khumbu region of north east Nepal. www.emt.org.uk.

Helps to provide funds for the Pipar schools in the Annapurna region and also funds local teams of field workers and ornithologists from the WPA’s affiliate organization, Bird Conservation Nepal, in their conservation and survey work.

BHUTAN

Encourages cultural and educational links between the peoples of the Kingdom of Bhutan and the UK. www.bhutansociety.org.

TIBET

This is an educational and research trust for Tibetan and Himalyan studies.

We support various Tibetan charities including: The Tibet Foundation (www.tibet-foundation.org), The Office of Tibet (www.tibet.com), The Tibet Society (www.tibetsociety.com), and Free Tibet Campaign (www.freetibet.org).

LADAKH

Is raising much needed cash for the Druk White Lotus School near Sheh in Ladakh. www.dwls.org

SOUTH AMERICA

Needs donations to continue providing dental care to the indigenous people of the remote and rural villages of Peru. With their portable dental equipment and small teams of volunteer dentists, they treat over 3,000 patients each year

A UK-based charity dedicated to promoting sustainable development in Latin America and responsible business practices in the tourism industry. It was originally conceived and set up by members of the Latin American Travel Association and is overseen by an indpendent board of trustees. www.latafoundation.org

CAMBODIA

Set up in 2007 to help the disadvantaged.www.templegardenfoundation.com