When you book a Nepal trek with a large international company, your money travels a long way before it reaches Nepal through a head office in Melbourne or London, a regional DMC, and then eventually to the guides and porters on the ground. MountainKick cuts that chain entirely. We are the ground team.
Locally owned and operated. No international parent company. No profit leaving the country. Every dollar you pay goes to Nepali guides, porters, teahouse owners and local communities. When you book with a large operator, you are paying their marketing budget as well as your trek. When you book with us, you are paying for your trek.
100% locally ownedWhen you contact MountainKick you reach the team in Kathmandu — the same people who will meet you at the airport, brief you before your trek, and be reachable if anything goes wrong on the trail. There is no customer service queue between you and the people responsible for your safety.
Direct contactOur itineraries are built by guides with decades of experience on Nepal's trails. Kumar Thapa, our co-founder and lead guide, has guided groups across the Everest, Annapurna, Manaslu, Langtang, and Tsum Valley regions for over two decades. When we say the acclimatisation schedule on our EBC trek works, it is because we have seen what happens when it does not.
Decades of experienceWe do not fill seats to hit a group minimum. Every trip can run as a private departure on your chosen dates. Your pace, your rest stops, your itinerary adjustments. If you need an extra acclimatisation day, you take it. If you want to add a side trip, we organise it.
Private departuresAll our guides hold government-issued NTB licences. They speak English, know the routes in every season, and carry first aid kits and pulse oximeters. They have the authority to stop or reverse an ascent if your health requires it — and they use it.
NTB licensedOur porters carry a maximum of 20kg, hold insurance, receive fair wages, and are equipped with proper gear. They are part of the MountainKick team, not day labourers hired at the trailhead.
Fair wages & insuranceWe support a school in Tanahun, have built libraries in Himalayan villages, and design routes that bring trekking income into communities beyond the main tourist corridors. Read about our community work.
Community investment| MountainKick | Large International Operator | |
|---|---|---|
| Ownership | ✓ Locally owned, Kathmandu | International HQ |
| Profit destination | ✓ Stays in Nepal | Leaves Nepal |
| Who you contact | ✓ Kathmandu team directly | Overseas customer service |
| Departures | ✓ Fixed or private, any date | Fixed schedule only |
| Flexibility | ✓ Full — adjust on the trail | Limited by group itinerary |
| Guide nationality | ✓ Nepali, NTB licensed | Nepali, NTB licensed |
| Price (14-day EBC) | ✓ From $1,160 | From $1,700 to $4,500+ |
The guide leading your group will be Nepali either way. The mountain will be the same mountain. What changes when you book local is where the money goes, who you are dealing with, and how much flexibility you have when the unexpected happens — and in the Himalayas, the unexpected always happens.
Browse our trips or get in touch with the Kathmandu team directly.
Ask a real person, not a chatbot.
Ride 550 km from Kathmandu to Muktinath through jungles, Chitwan wildlife, Annapurna views, and the Kali Gandaki gorge on a 13-day adventure.
Remote Trek, Adventure, Essentials, Travel
Two base camps, four passes, 21 days. The honest guide to the Kanchenjunga Circuit: difficulty, permits, best time, costs, and whether you're ready for it.
Annapurna Region, Everest Region, Adventure, Essentials, Travel
No five-star hotels. No heated rooms. Here is what luxury trekking in Nepal actually delivers and why the private guide matters more than the lodge.
"*" indicates required fields