HWTL training session Kathmandu February 2026
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The Porter Voice Collective Nonprofit Organization
Himalayan Women Trail Leaders logo
Himalayan Women Trail Leaders HWTL Initiative
✓ 501(c)(3) Nonprofit
Initiative Brief · Pilot Program 2026

Himalayan Women
Trail Leaders

A first-of-its-kind leadership training for female trekking guides in Nepal — building skills, community, and confidence on the trail. We also believe that female tourists and hikers deserve to be led by women on long distance treks. Being led by female guides should no longer be an exception to the rule. Change must happen for both guides and female tourists as a collective movement towards gender equity.

February 24–26, 2026 · Kathmandu, Nepal
At a glance
Pilot Training by the Numbers
21
women guides enrolled in pilot
26
average age of participants
3
days of intensive training
9+
districts & regions represented
30
max days guided (longest trek)
75%
have prior first aid training

Our pilot cohort represents an extraordinary cross-section of Nepal's emerging female guiding community — from 16-year-old beginners to a 44-year veteran with 25 years on the trail. Together they have guided routes spanning the Everest, Annapurna, Manaslu, Kanchenjunga, and Langtang regions.

Where they're from
Kathmandu Valley
Sindhupalchok
Solukhumbu
Gorkha
Lalitpur / Patan
Chitwan
Bajhang
Okhaldhunga
Khumjung
Experience distribution
1–2 years~45% of cohort
2–5 years~35% of cohort
5+ years~20% of cohort
HWTL pilot cohort group photo, Kathmandu February 2026

The full HWTL pilot cohort — Kathmandu, February 2026

Our leadership
The Team Behind HWTL
HWTL was founded by two women who didn't just study the problem — they walked the seven sections of the non-technical high route of the Great Himalaya Trail over 110 days.
Marinel de Jesus on the Great Himalaya Trail

Marinel de Jesus

Mingmar Dolma Sherpa at high camp in the Himalayas

Mingmar Dolma Sherpa

Marinel de Jesus, Esq.
Founder, The Porter Voice Collective · Co-Founder, HWTL

Marinel is the founder of The Porter Voice Collective and co-founder of the Himalayan Women Trail Leaders initiative. In 2024, she walked alongside Mingmar across 7 sections of the non-technical high route of the Great Himalaya Trail — Kanchenjunga, Makalu, Rolwaling, Everest, Langtang, Manaslu, and Annapurna — over 110 days, an experience that deepened her conviction that women belong on every route Nepal has to offer. She is also the founder of Equity Global Treks, an award-winning social enterprise working at the intersection of travel, equity, and community empowerment.

The Porter Voice Collective Equity Global Treks GHT 110 days · 2024
Mingmar Dolma Sherpa
Co-Founder, HWTL · Board Member, PVC

Mingmar is a record-breaking Nepali guide and co-founder of HWTL. She guided Marinel across 7 sections of the non-technical high route of the Great Himalaya Trail — Kanchenjunga, Makalu, Rolwaling, Everest, Langtang, Manaslu, and Annapurna — over 110 days in 2024, and holds a World Book of Records title for performing the highest cultural dance on land at a Himalayan peak high camp. As a board member of The Porter Voice Collective and a working guide, Mingmar brings lived expertise to every aspect of the HWTL curriculum — she has navigated the exact barriers these women face, and built a career in spite of them.

GHT 110 days · 2024 World Book of Records PVC Board Member
Our mission
Beyond Base Camp
Nepal's trekking industry generates over $600 million annually — yet the women who call these mountains home remain largely locked out of its highest-earning, most prestigious routes. The Himalayan Women Trail Leaders initiative exists to change that.
1,700kilometres

The Great Himalaya Trail

Stretching the full length of Nepal — from Kanchenjunga in the east to Humla in the far west — the Great Himalaya Trail is one of the world's most demanding and rewarding long-distance treks. It traverses glaciers, ancient trade routes, and remote valleys that few outsiders ever see. It also represents the highest-earning guiding work in Nepal — not just because of higher daily rates, but because remote expeditions run 3–4 weeks longer, dramatically increasing total income. Women are almost entirely absent from its guiding workforce.

Kanchenjunga Makalu Rolwaling Nar Phu Valley Manaslu Upper Mustang Dolpo Humla → All part of the GHT
~10%of guides

A Profession That Remains Male by Default

Only an estimated 10% of licensed trekking guides in Nepal are women — and the disparity is even starker on remote, technical routes. The routes where female guides are most commonly hired are the well-trodden commercial circuits: Everest Base Camp, the Annapurna region (ABC, the Circuit, and Poon Hill), and Langtang Valley. The longer, harder, higher-paying expeditions on the Great Himalaya Trail — Kanchenjunga, Makalu, Dolpo, Nar Phu — are informally reserved for men, through hiring norms that go largely unchallenged.

What HWTL Does About It

The Himalayan Women Trail Leaders pilot is designed as a direct intervention: three intensive days of leadership training, safety certification, English and public speaking practice, and professional networking — building the skills and credentials women need to be hired, trusted, and paid fairly on Nepal's most demanding terrain. HWTL welcomes guides at every stage — from those just stepping onto the trail for the first time to seasoned professionals with years in the field. For beginners, it is a foundation of confidence, skills, and community. For experienced guides, it is a professional accelerator — opening doors to the remote, high-stakes routes that have long been out of reach.

Female guide on trail toward Himalayan peaks

The routes that await — the Great Himalaya Trail calls for women who are ready

Participant voices
In Their Own Words
Goals and challenges shared by our women guides in their own words, lightly edited for clarity.
Mingmar Dolma Sherpa co-founder HWTL presenting at training on gender pay gap in guiding at HWTL training

Mingmar Dolma Sherpa, HWTL co-founder, presents at the pilot training — she guided 7 sections of the non-technical GHT high route alongside Marinel over 110 days, and holds a World Book of Records title

"I want to improve my skills, raise the standard of guiding quality in Nepal, and be a well-trained, well-skilled mountain guide — setting a good example for others."

Mingma Sherpa · 38 yrs · 7 years experience

"I want to lead in the mountains and also inspire other females. Men sometimes approach you in the wrong way — I want to change what guiding looks like for women."

Binisha Shakya · 27 yrs · Patan

"I want to become a mountain guide and promote tourism in my village — to show the world my beautiful home and improve the lives of my community."

Sristi Tamang · 20 yrs · Sindhupalchok

"I would like to lead all-female trips across Nepal and inspire and train other female guides in the future."

Shanti Dhamala · 34 yrs · 9 years experience

Guide profiles
Meet Four of Our Guides
A closer look at four women from the pilot cohort — their backgrounds, experience, and why they joined HWTL.
Prakriti Bhat
Prakriti Bhat
24 · Bajhang / Kathmandu
2.5 yrs experience
14
max days guided
Guides EBC, ABC, Langtang, and Gosaikunda. Aspires to be a full mountain guide.
Sonam Chhutin Sherpa speaking at HWTL training
Sonam Chhutin Sherpa
27 · Khumjung, Solukhumbu
Aspiring Guide
—
pursuing license
From the heart of Khumbu. Working toward her trekking license — joined HWTL to build her foundation and connect with the guiding community.
Brik Maya Gurung
Brik Maya Gurung
21 · Gorkha / Kathmandu
2 yrs experience
14
max days guided
Freelance guide on Manaslu, Langtang, Gosaikunda, and Annapurna. Planning to continue and grow.
Mingma Sherpa
Mingma Sherpa
38 · Kathmandu
7 yrs experience
30
max days guided
8+
routes
Guides Kanchenjunga with Naga La & Lumba Sumba Pass. One of the cohort's most experienced voices.
Training background
Skills & Certifications
🏔
Wilderness First Aid
14
participants with WFA/WFR training
♀
Women Leadership Programs
8
completed prior leadership training
📜
Licensed Trekking Guides
15+
hold or are pursuing official licenses
🦸
Technical Skills
3+
with ice climbing or altitude training
Treks they've guided across Nepal
Everest Base CampAnnapurna CircuitAnnapurna Base CampManaslu CircuitKanchenjunga CircuitLangtangGosaikundaNar Phu ValleyLower DolpoDhaulagiri CircuitMakalu BarunTsum ValleyLumba Sumba PassKhopra RidgeJugal RangeMardi HimalHelambuBadimalikaTamang Heritage TrailPikey Peak
Female guides at high altitude with prayer flags and Himalayan peaks

On the trail — where these women belong

Female guide with client at high altitude on Himalayan trek

Leading with confidence at elevation

The systemic barrier
Breaking the Glass Ceiling
at Altitude
Nepal's female trekking guides are not lacking in skill, determination, or ambition — as this cohort demonstrates powerfully. What they lack is access: to the remote routes, the agency networks, and the professional credibility that translate into sustainable, well-paid careers on the full length of the Great Himalaya Trail. Remote expeditions command higher permit requirements, longer durations, and greater logistical complexity — making them the most lucrative guiding work in Nepal.
~10%
of Nepal's licensed trekking guides are women
<5%
estimated share leading remote GHT-level expeditions
2–4×
longer duration on remote GHT routes vs. commercial treks — the key earnings multiplier
Routes where women are rarely hired
Kanchenjunga Circuit Makalu Barun Lower & Upper Dolpo Nar Phu Valley Lumba Sumba Pass Tsum Valley Humla / Limi Valley Upper Mustang Rolwaling Dhaulagiri Circuit

"The goal of HWTL is not to create a parallel women's track in trekking — it is to open the existing track fully. The Great Himalaya Trail belongs to everyone who has the skill and the will to guide it."

Challenges they face
Why This Training Matters
Women in Nepal's trekking industry face layered barriers. The guides in our cohort named them directly when applying.
⚠

Safety & Harassment

Multiple guides reported sexual harassment, unwanted approaches from male clients or co-guides, and the psychological toll of navigating unsafe situations alone — without institutional support.

⛰

Limited Access & Opportunity

"Physical challenges and limited opportunities compared to male guides." Several women noted difficulty accessing lodging, being taken less seriously, and struggling to convince family that guiding is a legitimate profession.

🗣

Language & Confidence

Several participants noted English proficiency as a barrier to serving international trekkers. HWTL directly addresses this through English conversation practice and public speaking sessions — giving women the voice and confidence to lead groups with authority both on and off the trail.

Recognition
Award-Winning Work
HWTL and its founders have been recognized by leading organizations in social entrepreneurship and women's travel for their commitment to equity, innovation, and impact.
🏆
Wanderful Award
Bessie Awards · by Wanderful

Presented by Wanderful — a global community championing women and gender-diverse people in travel — the Wanderful Award honors initiatives doing the work to support and empower women in the travel industry. Named after aviation pioneer Bessie Coleman.

2025
🚀
Launch Track Winner
Social Entrepreneurship Competition in Tourism

HWTL was selected as the Launch Track winner in this competitive social entrepreneurship program, recognizing early-stage ventures using tourism as a vehicle for positive social change.

2024
🏔
Featured Presenter
International Mountain Conference · Austria

The Porter Voice Collective was invited to present the HWTL Initiative at the International Mountain Conference in Austria — one of the world's leading forums on mountain research, policy, and sustainable development.

2024
Get in touch
Support the Movement
We welcome donors, partners, and anyone who believes Nepal's mountains should be open to all. To learn how you can support Nepal's female trekking guides, read our HWTL Program Evaluation and Future Engagement Report.
Donate to Support Gender Equity .

✉️ theportervoice@gmail.com

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The Porter Voice Collective Himalayan Women Trail Leaders
The Porter Voice Collective · Himalayan Women Trail Leaders
Pilot Training · February 24–26, 2026 · Kathmandu, Nepal · theportervoicecollective.org