- AddressG21b, The Pier, Pier Point Road, Cairns QLD 4870 Australia
We’re not your average trekking company, for us it is not about profits and numbers. We know that Nepal is one of the poorest countries in the world, our co-founder Som Tamang was born into a very poor family in Nepal, he knows better than anyone the hardships faced by the people and since moving to Australia has dedicated his life to giving back to the people of Nepal.
In 2008, Som founded the not for profit organisation Friends of Himalayan Children Inc. (FHC), FHC has since raised over 1 million dollars to fund the many humanitarian projects that have changed the lives of thousands of villagers in Nepal. Take on Nepal work closely with FHC to ensure positive outcomes. We invite you to come and see the projects and to volunteer in Batase village, the village that Som grew up in. This is a life changing experience and we are very proud to be transparent in all that we do.
Besides giving back through the organisation, as a company we also give back to people and communities. All of our team members come from remote villages in Nepal, we are offering young people opportunities that they could only previously dream of, the young people in remote Nepal are more often than not destined to live the same lives as their Grandparents, marry at a very young age and then live a life of subsistence farming. Many of the young village men are forced to work in the middle east where they become enslaved to large building companies. Many young women are trafficked into the brothels of India. There is very little hope for a different life for the villagers who live away from the tourist trails.
This is what sets us apart from the rest. We have a genuine care and interest in the young people of remote Nepal and want to see them succeed in life. The main employment opportunities come from the tourism industry and that was a perfect match for us. After learning English from the wonderful volunteers who have taught at Batase school, the next step was to gain professional qualifications as guides. Our team are all put through this rigorous course before going on to get their first aid certificate. This process is expensive as all our guides in training have all of their expenses met, this includes accommodation, food and training. This doesn’t matter to us as we know it is a life changing opportunity. Many of our employees are women, this is unheard of in Nepal and is providing the young women an opportunity to become educated and empowered.
Not only do we support our guides and porters, we also work closely with elite trail runners and up and coming runners. In 2017, Take on Nepal sponsored Samir Tamang to come and run in the Ultra Trail Australia event in Sydney. Our full sponsorship allowed Samir to compete against some of the best runners in the world, much to our excitement Samir placed 1st in the 50km event, he even managed to break the record.
Take on Nepal host and organise 2 trail running events each year. Any money generated from these events go straight back into the community. We believe in the power of running and introduced villagers to running after the earthquake as a means of coping with the enormous stress they were under. We have nurtured the talented young runners, supporting them to enter races throughout Nepal, there are many medals to be seen in Batase village!
When you trek with Take on Nepal, you will be trekking with an experienced and professional team. Our team in Australia will be supporting you prior to your departure, answering your questions and providing you with information. You will leave Nepal with a great feeling, knowing that you have just contributed in a positive way to the beautiful people of Nepal.
