Comments on: The ABC of trekking – what is and what’s not cool https://www.501places.com/2011/04/the-abc-of-trekking-what-is-and-whats-not-cool/ Travel stories that won't change the world Sat, 30 Jun 2012 02:18:58 +0000 hourly 1 By: Kathryn Bullock https://www.501places.com/2011/04/the-abc-of-trekking-what-is-and-whats-not-cool/#comment-67881 Kathryn Bullock Sun, 09 Oct 2011 17:37:05 +0000 https://www.501places.com/?p=5168#comment-67881 Geoff - thnaks for your comments. It's good to know that Peru have been successful in implementing the weighing stations - something the IPPG have been trying to do in other countries but have not had much government support which is the key to their success. Geoff – thnaks for your comments. It’s good to know that Peru have been successful in implementing the weighing stations – something the IPPG have been trying to do in other countries but have not had much government support which is the key to their success.

]]> By: Geoff https://www.501places.com/2011/04/the-abc-of-trekking-what-is-and-whats-not-cool/#comment-67875 Geoff Sun, 09 Oct 2011 10:29:59 +0000 https://www.501places.com/?p=5168#comment-67875 Even 25kg seems quite high to be honest - in Peru, the government has set a law enforcing 20kg as the maximum, and on the Inca Trail at least they actually have two weighing stations on different days to ensure that companies are sticking to the limit. Even 25kg seems quite high to be honest – in Peru, the government has set a law enforcing 20kg as the maximum, and on the Inca Trail at least they actually have two weighing stations on different days to ensure that companies are sticking to the limit.

]]> By: Kathryn Bullock https://www.501places.com/2011/04/the-abc-of-trekking-what-is-and-whats-not-cool/#comment-67872 Kathryn Bullock Sun, 09 Oct 2011 08:19:29 +0000 https://www.501places.com/?p=5168#comment-67872 Following my recent blogs and email communication with the IPPG I wanted to update all you good people here on 501places on you can do if you think any trekking companies are flouting the legal porter regulations. I wrote to the IPPG and Jim Duff kindly agreed that IPPG will be in communication with the local Nepal Guiding Association to see if the weight limits have changed to 25kg for the Pokhara area rather than the 30kg currently set by the Nepali government. It appears that the limits are still 30kg (allowing tourists to bring 25kg and 5kg for porter belongings). The IPPG recommendation is to report any abuse of the porter weight limits to the company that you booked the trek with. The IPPG do publish incidents of porter abuse on their website. Their experience is that the big companies use a local operator who mouths the parent company’s ethical stance and then often scalp the porters. The only way round this is to complain to the parent company to pressure their local operator. Something the IPPG have been doing since 1997. Also a load may be huge but if it has down sleeping bags in it you have to be careful with the site of huge loads, they need to be weighed. The IPPG have lobbied for scales at park entrances with no result and on Kilimanjaro. The view of IPPG is that the biggest change would be to have the Maoist government change the law and enforce it. IPPG is a small, entirely voluntary NGO with no secretariat and cannot enforce anything, only shame the perpetrators and inform trekkers. It’s important to praise the companies with a good record as much as shame the ones exploiting our friends world wide. Please visit the <a href="http://www.ippg.net/guidelines/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">IPPG website</a> above if you are thinking of trekking and want to check the guidelines to ensure your travel company are behaving ethically. Hope that helps and happy trekking!! P.S Can't decide where to trek next - anyone got any views on whether Mount Kenya is better than Kilimanjaro? Some people are saying Mount Kenya is a much more scenic walk Kathryn Following my recent blogs and email communication with the IPPG I wanted to update all you good people here on 501places on you can do if you think any trekking companies are flouting the legal porter regulations. I wrote to the IPPG and Jim Duff kindly agreed that IPPG will be in communication with the local Nepal Guiding Association to see if the weight limits have changed to 25kg for the Pokhara area rather than the 30kg currently set by the Nepali government. It appears that the limits are still 30kg (allowing tourists to bring 25kg and 5kg for porter belongings).

The IPPG recommendation is to report any abuse of the porter weight limits to the company that you booked the trek with. The IPPG do publish incidents of porter abuse on their website. Their experience is that the big companies use a local operator who mouths the parent company’s ethical stance and then often scalp the porters. The only way round this is to complain to the parent company to pressure their local operator. Something the IPPG have been doing since 1997. Also a load may be huge but if it has down sleeping bags in it you have to be careful with the site of huge loads, they need to be weighed. The IPPG have lobbied for scales at park entrances with no result and on Kilimanjaro.

The view of IPPG is that the biggest change would be to have the Maoist government change the law and enforce it. IPPG is a small, entirely voluntary NGO with no secretariat and cannot enforce anything, only shame the perpetrators and inform trekkers.

It’s important to praise the companies with a good record as much as shame the ones exploiting our friends world wide.

Please visit the IPPG website above if you are thinking of trekking and want to check the guidelines to ensure your travel company are behaving ethically.

Hope that helps and happy trekking!!

P.S Can’t decide where to trek next – anyone got any views on whether Mount Kenya is better than Kilimanjaro? Some people are saying Mount Kenya is a much more scenic walk

Kathryn

]]> By: Kathryn Bullock https://www.501places.com/2011/04/the-abc-of-trekking-what-is-and-whats-not-cool/#comment-40669 Kathryn Bullock Mon, 11 Jul 2011 11:44:18 +0000 https://www.501places.com/?p=5168#comment-40669 Hi Sarah, Thanks for your note . I have just written to the President of IPPG as I am confused as to why their weight limits for Nepal are much higher (30kg) than those set in Nepal itself which are 25kg for a camping trek and 15kg for a teatrek which are standards used by the local companies there. I shall post whatever I find out on this matter. Kathryn Hi Sarah,
Thanks for your note .

I have just written to the President of IPPG as I am confused as to why their weight limits for Nepal are much higher (30kg) than those set in Nepal itself which are 25kg for a camping trek and 15kg for a teatrek which are standards used by the local companies there.

I shall post whatever I find out on this matter.

Kathryn

]]> By: Sarah Allard https://www.501places.com/2011/04/the-abc-of-trekking-what-is-and-whats-not-cool/#comment-38798 Sarah Allard Wed, 29 Jun 2011 16:08:04 +0000 https://www.501places.com/?p=5168#comment-38798 Hi Kathryn, Thanks for such a great article, especially highlighting the conditions in which some mountain porters work in. I am the owner of Lost Earth Adventures, an independent adventure travel company that specializes in trips to Nepal and other parts of Asia. We follow the guidelines of the International Porter Protection Group (IPPG) - an organisation dedicated to the fair treatment of porters worldwide. For anyone looking to organise a trek in Nepal I would urge people to ensure that the company provides fair treatment for porters - this includes limiting the amount of weight carried on treks, providing proper insurance and equipment to porters. A reputable company will always disclose this kind of information. - Sarah Allard, Director, Lost Earth Adventures - Hi Kathryn,

Thanks for such a great article, especially highlighting the conditions in which some mountain porters work in. I am the owner of Lost Earth Adventures, an independent adventure travel company that specializes in trips to Nepal and other parts of Asia.
We follow the guidelines of the International Porter Protection Group (IPPG) – an organisation dedicated to the fair treatment of porters worldwide. For anyone looking to organise a trek in Nepal I would urge people to ensure that the company provides fair treatment for porters – this includes limiting the amount of weight carried on treks, providing proper insurance and equipment to porters. A reputable company will always disclose this kind of information.
- Sarah Allard, Director, Lost Earth Adventures -

]]> By: Kathryn Bullock https://www.501places.com/2011/04/the-abc-of-trekking-what-is-and-whats-not-cool/#comment-33568 Kathryn Bullock Tue, 24 May 2011 13:52:37 +0000 https://www.501places.com/?p=5168#comment-33568 Thank you for all your kind comments. Don't know if any of you saw the article on pages 16-17 the Sunday Times on May 22nd. It was the story of Jon Holmes having climbed the Himalayas with a picture of the porters carrying a crazy amount of weight with a joke about not trying it at home. Seemed very insensitive writing to me - they should know better! Think I'll have to write a letter to the editor. Whether they'll publish it is another matter. I'll keep you posted. Kathryn Thank you for all your kind comments. Don’t know if any of you saw the article on pages 16-17 the Sunday Times on May 22nd. It was the story of Jon Holmes having climbed the Himalayas with a picture of the porters carrying a crazy amount of weight with a joke about not trying it at home. Seemed very insensitive writing to me – they should know better! Think I’ll have to write a letter to the editor. Whether they’ll publish it is another matter. I’ll keep you posted. Kathryn

]]> By: Kathryn Bullock https://www.501places.com/2011/04/the-abc-of-trekking-what-is-and-whats-not-cool/#comment-33567 Kathryn Bullock Tue, 24 May 2011 13:30:44 +0000 https://www.501places.com/?p=5168#comment-33567 Dear Arveen, In answer to your questions I organised my trek with Guru at www.jomsomtreks.com. They are very helpful and their guides are very experienced. I would suggest going to see them when you get to Pokhara or emailing them beforehand. Their email is on the website. They treat their guides and porters very well and behave ethically. I will also try to reach you via Facebook as requested. Have a wonderful trek!! Dear Arveen,
In answer to your questions I organised my trek with Guru at http://www.jomsomtreks.com. They are very helpful and their guides are very experienced. I would suggest going to see them when you get to Pokhara or emailing them beforehand. Their email is on the website. They treat their guides and porters very well and behave ethically. I will also try to reach you via Facebook as requested. Have a wonderful trek!!

]]> By: Sarah https://www.501places.com/2011/04/the-abc-of-trekking-what-is-and-whats-not-cool/#comment-33478 Sarah Sun, 22 May 2011 11:44:12 +0000 https://www.501places.com/?p=5168#comment-33478 Thanks Kathryn for an insightful read. I visited Nepal last year and have indeed found my spiritual home there :) I am writing a book about Nepal and will be sure to include the same about the treatment of Porters. Incidentally, at Chitwan I found the guides there lacking in decent footware and it concerned me. I also get irritated by these people who aim to 'do' a trek and 'conquer' Mt Everest without any regard for the delicate environment or gentle spirituality which is what the coutry is really about. Thanks Kathryn for an insightful read. I visited Nepal last year and have indeed found my spiritual home there :) I am writing a book about Nepal and will be sure to include the same about the treatment of Porters. Incidentally, at Chitwan I found the guides there lacking in decent footware and it concerned me. I also get irritated by these people who aim to ‘do’ a trek and ‘conquer’ Mt Everest without any regard for the delicate environment or gentle spirituality which is what the coutry is really about.

]]> By: Kurt Mogun https://www.501places.com/2011/04/the-abc-of-trekking-what-is-and-whats-not-cool/#comment-33276 Kurt Mogun Wed, 18 May 2011 20:34:11 +0000 https://www.501places.com/?p=5168#comment-33276 Hello Kathryn, I hope you get this message : ) My name is Arveen Mogun from Mauritius and i'm heading to Kathmandu this 8th June 2011. I will be doing a summer course in Buddhist Studies for 8 weeks, then i'm planning to trek. I have not yet booked any trekking trip yet as there are too many Companies offering trekking tours via the internet, so atm i'm planning to book for the trekking trip once i reach Kathmandu. That being said, having read the above article of yours, i was simply curious, how did you organize yours, i mean, through which agency ? And yes, your page about the Annapurna Base Camp Nepal Trekking Trip 2011 is a MOST helpful to me right now. Thank You very much. If you wish to contact me, please do leave me a message on facebook(arveen kurt logan), from there i will provide you with my e-mail address, if that is ok with you. Take care, Arveen : ) Hello Kathryn,

I hope you get this message : )

My name is Arveen Mogun from Mauritius and i’m heading to Kathmandu this 8th June 2011. I will be doing a summer course in Buddhist Studies for 8 weeks, then i’m planning to trek.

I have not yet booked any trekking trip yet as there are too many Companies offering trekking tours via the internet, so atm i’m planning to book for the trekking trip once i reach Kathmandu.

That being said, having read the above article of yours, i was simply curious, how did you organize yours, i mean, through which agency ?

And yes, your page about the Annapurna Base Camp Nepal Trekking Trip 2011 is a MOST helpful to me right now. Thank You very much.

If you wish to contact me, please do leave me a message on facebook(arveen kurt logan), from there i will provide you with my e-mail address, if that is ok with you.

Take care,
Arveen : )

]]> By: Andy Jarosz https://www.501places.com/2011/04/the-abc-of-trekking-what-is-and-whats-not-cool/#comment-33044 Andy Jarosz Fri, 13 May 2011 13:54:28 +0000 https://www.501places.com/?p=5168#comment-33044 Thanks for all the comments. Like you Aaron, I didn't appreciate the extent of this issue until recently. Kathryn highlights the issue very well and I hope this helps those who are heading out on an organised trek to ask the right questions of their tour company. Thanks for all the comments. Like you Aaron, I didn’t appreciate the extent of this issue until recently. Kathryn highlights the issue very well and I hope this helps those who are heading out on an organised trek to ask the right questions of their tour company.

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