| Word from our Founder |
 Mukti Timilsina This was one of the hardest jobs and I often carried up to 60-kilogram loads in high-risk environments just for few dollars a day. Another challenge faced, was to find food and shelter each night. I still have vivid memories of how I used to spend the night with other porters huddled under a tree or in a cave up in high altitudes amongst mountains and in freezing conditions, whilst our leader and clients spent the night in a warm and comfortable lodge or tent with plenty of hot food. The abuse of Nepalese porters has been a global issue for some years now, with western visitors and trekking/travel companies undervaluing their labour, skills and services. After a few years working as a porter, my knowledge turned my ambitions to becoming a trekking guide. I worked with many different trekking companies during that time and I had so many negative experiences about the way that large commercial travel and trekking companies lead their tours. They misrepresented what Nepal had to offer; leaving behind rubbish, making our beautiful environment look like a rubbish dump. They took advantage of local people and business whilst bringing with them negative cultural influences. I could see that there could be so many positive things that happened if tour operators chose to do the right things which would make a big difference to local people and the environment, as well as still giving their visitors a chance to explore the Himalayas in a more natural way. Unfortunately, most companies ignore sustainable practices with their aim being only to make a big profit. I found that working for someone else didn’t give me the power to change things for the better. I had to follow the guidelines provided by the company. If I didn’t, I was out of a job. My time working with other companies was most frustrating and did not allow the chance to improve things, but I had a dream. One day I would establish a trekking company which would follow sustainable practices. I wanted to provide the best trekking experience to visitors whilst at the same time take care of our country, environment, culture and the people of the areas we travelled through. Over the next couple of years I met many trekkers that became good friends. They referred friends and other trekkers to come and travel with me as their guide, as they could see that my knowledge, experience and manner was more than just that of the average porter. I then began to work as a freelance trekking guide and with my obvious vast experience in the field of trekking; I got lots of clients directly recommended by friends from all over the world. After a long time struggling and lots of hard work, today I am proud to be the founder of the eco-friendly community based trekking company, Freedom Adventure Treks, as well as running the Eagle’s Nest Environment Centre with my network of guide and porter friends. I am proud to now be able to raise awareness of the issues about sustainable tourism in Nepal, as well as porter welfare and other issues faced by local communities, on a national and international level through media and information sessions. Over the years my network of guide and porter friends has grown into a cooperative concern and from this came the idea of creating ‘Freedom Adventure Treks’, to give clients a fully professional and registered service without losing the individual care to detail. Travelling with us is more than just a ‘been there, done that’ holiday with some photos, partying and buying a few souvenirs. It is a unique opportunity to explore and experience one of the most amazing places on earth whilst making a difference every step of the way. The mountains are our backbone: Nepali culture and tradition is our soul: the beauty of our country is our face.
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