Every time a new adventure trip is booked with Himalayan Circuit Team, a thought begins to grow, ‘How we can hand over these beautiful trekking trails in the same or better state to the next generation adventure community?’ Our journey started before - covid where we started to offer the dinner for traces collected during the trekking. The concept remained highly successful and has been well admired by the adventure travel community. A big thank to ATTA for awarding us the ATTA Tour Operators’ scholarships for the same concept. The sustainability of the trekking trails remained the common goal of today’s adventure travel community. Both large and small operators, upcoming brands or established brands, everyone has been united in the goal of making the trails greener and cleaner, the pathway for all future sustainable trails.
The Covid-19 Pandemic gave some rest to the trails. After the revival of the world tourism activities, we started the welcoming adventure and mountain lovers from the world in our trekking trails again. In 2024, we committed to start something new and sustainable for conserving the trails. As an easier initiative, we linked with two schools in Nuwakot District and successfully started eco-clubs in schools to involve the younger generations in the conservation effort. The Teachers and Students wholeheartedly participated in the plantation. We are so excited that these trees are growing inside the school gardens. The greener school intiative will ensure we are the carbon neutral operator in the years ahead. Having signed the Glasgow convention and also having joined the Global Initiative we are committed to the reduction of Plastics in Tourism. The Eco- Clubs model in conservation is going to be supportive and Himalayan Circuit will be supporting the students for their wholesome action of conserving the Environment.
Still, something has been missing for us. We were trying to establish a satisfying relationship between our conservation efforts and the trekking trails. We called an Immediate meeting with the trekking guides on the 1st week of August 2024. The Trekking Guide Meetup August 2024 will pave the path further. The three months, June, July, August are jobless months for our trekking guides and porters. They struggle to get paid work and have to rely on the savings they generate during the trekking season. So, we said, how it would look if they could get some days of employment during rainy season and they would go trekking but with the different purpose? The Trekking Guides said a big Yes, to this initiative. Everyone was clear, Year 2024 is going to be the commencement year. The Meeting of the trekking guides ended with the clear goals of planting at least 100 Trees in the trekking Trails by the end of August.
Himalayan Circuit Team requested the district forest office in Pokhara to join hands in the Initiative by providing us the saplings of the recommended species. The District Forest Office had a positive response for this initiative. The Team of Trekking Guide Team contacted the ward number 1 chairperson, Mr. Indra Gurung and they shared with him about Himalayan Circuit Initiative. The ward chairman was happy to hear that Initiative was to create short term employment to the trekking Guides and porters and in the long term to make the trails greener and cleaner. The ward chairman immediately allotted the place for the plantation, bringing new energy to the team.
The 28th of August, 2024 was a date to mark in the Himalayan Circuits Calendar. The team of eight trekking guides and porters started their journey on the 28th of August, 2024, it was a date to mark in the Himalayan Circuits Calendar. The team of eight trekking guides and porters started their journey in the Annapurna Region. The Destination being Khumai Danda, the newly opened trekking Trail in the Macchapucchree Village Municipality. The team had clear path, they hiked up with plants and hiked down with the collected traces. A total of 170 plants of different plants, like Rhododendron, Amla, Beel and different flowers have been planted in Khumai Danda, part of the great Macchapucchre Trail.
We, at Himalayan Circuit, will definitely be welcoming for the like-minded adventure travel community to take part in this initiative and take this mission to the new stage. Together we will not only be creating the greener and cleaner trekking trails but also supporting those mountain heros, the guides and porters for their living even during the low season of Monsoon. A Win- Win benefit for all.
Hats off to Sanu, Bijaya, Ganga, Mama, Sagar, Manita and Kanxi for their great start in the mission to conserve the trekking trails.