I feel sorry that I have to write this on our website, but it’s high time we stop discussing these issues only in our closed circles. I truly hope awareness is the only way forward. Well, let me begin.
There’s been an enormous boom in the trekking industry. Unlike in the past, today almost anyone who has trekked once or twice in the Himalayas starts their own adventure travel company, often with just a few local contacts. For some, it’s a side income. For others, it’s a way to escape the monotony of corporate life. Meanwhile, the number of trekkers in our country has skyrocketed. Unlike the past, when only a select few ventured deep into the Himalayas, today everyone wants to trek.
Please don’t misunderstand me. We absolutely do not have any issues with new trekking companies or the rising number of trekkers. What concerns us is the way many operate — irresponsible, money-driven practices and unsustainable methods.
Continuing like this, I’m certain that in the near future, our next generations won’t be able to experience the Himalayas as we do today. Practically speaking, even we don’t get to experience the Himalayas the way our predecessors did. And no — I’m not just talking about global warming, forest degradation, and melting glaciers. Those are a given. What I’m talking about is the deteriorating ambience of trekking in the deep Himalayas. The unwanted noise that now echoes through once-silent valleys. DJ parties, drinking and smoking sessions, oversized campfires for fun, large unmanageable groups, litter everywhere, and cost-cutting fixed camps that ruin the beauty of high alpine meadows. I could go on!
“Mountains do not call for glamour, but rather take you away from a fake world, into reality, away from noise, into peace and silence.”
In the past, we or our elders ventured into the mountains with respect, crafted countless new routes, and taught us not only how to love but how to care for the Himalayas. Today, however, many trekkers aim to explore the Himalayas without taking responsibility for the damage they leave behind. People come, trek, and return without even remembering the names of the campsites they stayed at, let alone understanding or respecting local culture and sentiments, or cleaning up the trails and campsites they pass through. Even after multiple treks, many still don’t know how to properly pack their rucksacks or understand the finer details of trekking.
A large number of trekkers today are eager to answer the call of the mountains, but they often join large groups and trek like sheep, led by their guides. Some even take pride in doing a “solo trek” within a big group. They come with unrealistic expectations for the remote mountains. They come to socialize, make noise, party hard, spread litter, act insensitively towards local cultures, demand excessively, and do much more. They then return to their pseudo-society on the internet to share their so-called “thrilling” Himalayan adventure, seeking attention. Yet, they fail to truly understand the sport or the place they visited. I confidently say this because to truly experience the Himalayas, one must embrace silence, solitude, and rawness — values that come with a cost and sacrifice. Unfortunately, they return with more friends, and the cycle repeats.
Top Indian trekking companies have worked tirelessly to glamorize trekking in the Himalayas and market it effectively. Not only do they boast about being India’s largest trekking company, they also colonize fixed camps in remote areas to cut operational costs, set up large toilets in eco-sensitive zones, and dump tons of human waste each year. They spread plastic and food waste across pristine regions of the Himalayas. Some of them take tons of waste themselves, collect it themselves, and talk high about it by themselves, and repeat the same… year after year… without solving the core issue at the root. Social media news, you know. Plastic is surely a problem, but food waste is often overlooked. Yet it’s still a harmful presence in such delicate environments!
We believe mountaineering is a deeply personal sport — not meant for glamour or media attention. It’s about bettering ourselves, becoming stronger and humbler with each journey, and getting closer to nature by stepping out of our comfort zones. The Himalayas, in their vastness, remind us that as human beings, we are mere specks compared to the grandeur of Earth. Here, love means hard work and honesty. Without it, you fail, and the consequences can be severe — sometimes even fatal.
The rapid increase in trekkers has led to a rise in companies eager to capitalize on this demand. Adventure tourism, once a specialized service sector, has become a product-based industry. Trekking tours are increasingly sold like commodities — cheaper prices driving more sales. Some companies don’t even organize treks but simply sell them to local agencies at cut-rate prices. They rely on large groups to make it financially viable, promising fun but sacrificing quality.
It’s like a fish or vegetable market: the more you buy, the cheaper it gets. But the lower the price, the more the noise, and the worse the quality.
This phenomenon is damaging not only the quality of trekking but is costing lives. The biggest losers are the local stakeholders who are being pushed out by large companies that dominate the market with social media and marketing power. The problem deepens as local agencies, desperate to compete, offer even cheaper rates and cut corners in the process. As a result, news of trekkers receiving inadequate equipment, suffering from poor conditions, or even dying on treks due to mismanagement has become all too common. In 2021 alone, over 15 trekkers lost their lives due to poor-quality guides and mismanagement. Additionally, we’ve witnessed incidents like trekkers clashing with agencies, misbehaving guides, porters abandoning groups, and companies failing to obtain proper permits.
So, who loses in this race? Ultimately, it’s the true trekkers — and the Himalayas themselves — that suffer.
The consequences of these practices are so grave that I feel compelled to address them here on our website. Our peace and integrity matter just as much as the service we provide to you. So, here it is…