{"id":39394,"date":"2022-11-01T08:30:00","date_gmt":"2022-10-31T21:30:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/?p=39394&#038;preview=true&#038;preview_id=39394"},"modified":"2025-03-11T22:24:22","modified_gmt":"2025-03-11T11:24:22","slug":"female-porters-nepal","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/female-porters-nepal\/","title":{"rendered":"Hiking towards equality: these are the women changing the face of trekking in Nepal"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><iframe src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/9gWM3krevTk\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p><strong>We pass a man who looks to be carrying at least 60 kilograms on his back. Another man slowly edges past with a thick plank of wood balanced on his head. He proceeds to walk up an uneven flight of stairs and disappears from view.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>\u2018That looks so tough,\u2019 I say to Manisha, one of our porters who\u2019s fallen into step with me.<\/p>\n<p>With a group of eight other trekkers, and a team of nine female porters, we\u2019re on our way through <a href=\"\/nepal\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" data-wpil=\"url\">Nepal<\/a>\u2019s famous Annapurna Mountains on <a href=\"\/nepal\/annapurna-base-camp-trek-160346\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Intrepid\u2019s 15-day Annapurna Base Camp trek<\/a>. We\u2019re only a few days in, but the higher in altitude we get the more porters we see weighed down by heavy loads with just about everything you could think of: gas canisters, heads of cabbage, camping equipment, bottles of beer and tubes of Pringles.<\/p>\n<p>\u2018Many of the trekking companies here don\u2019t have weight restrictions,\u2019 Manisha tells me. \u2018They just load up their porters with as much as they can carry. I\u2019ve seen people carrying 100 kilograms (220 pounds) along the trail\u2019. Manisha is from Pokhara, a smaller city west of Nepal\u2019s capital. She\u2019s been working as a porter with Intrepid for two years, during which she\u2019s also found time to finish her degree in microbiology, learning about the plants, birds and environment here in these mountains. One day she hopes to work as a trekking leader.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_39581\" style=\"width: 810px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-39581\" class=\"size-full wp-image-39581\" src=\"https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/Nepal_Poon-Hill_MATT-CHERUBINO_2019_76553-1-e1582676884860.jpg\" alt=\"A woman wearing a red jacket with mountains in the background\" width=\"800\" height=\"450\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/Nepal_Poon-Hill_MATT-CHERUBINO_2019_76553-1-e1582676884860.jpg 800w, https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/Nepal_Poon-Hill_MATT-CHERUBINO_2019_76553-1-e1582676884860-425x239.jpg 425w, https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/Nepal_Poon-Hill_MATT-CHERUBINO_2019_76553-1-e1582676884860-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/Nepal_Poon-Hill_MATT-CHERUBINO_2019_76553-1-e1582676884860-585x329.jpg 585w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-39581\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Manisha has been working as a porter for two years.<\/p><\/div>\n<p>Seeing female porters in Nepal isn\u2019t really the norm; the trekking industry here is very much male-dominated. Women are generally considered to be not strong enough, not fast enough. We pass a few other women on the trail, overloaded with heavy goods, and their expressions set in steely determination. But they look strong to me.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"\/adventures\/keep-nepal-porters\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>RELATED: MEET THE ORGANISATION HELPING TO LIGHTEN THE LOAD FOR NEPAL&#8217;S PORTERS<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Our all-female crew \u2013 comprised of trekking leader, assistant guide and porters \u2013 is an especially unusual sight. For one, we\u2019re all trekking together. Most of the other groups we see are separated into two: porters are usually well ahead of the group while trekkers walk with their leader and guide behind. We all eat together too. It\u2019s customary on treks like this for the porters to sit at another table, having their trays of dal bhat and cups of hot tea after the rest of their group has eaten. It\u2019s also pretty rare to see trekkers and porters chatting as they make their way along the trail, but that\u2019s exactly how we\u2019ve been passing the time \u2013 talking about work, studies, basketball and family.<\/p>\n<p>Srishti, our leader, has been taking trekkers up and down various Nepalese mountains with Intrepid for over two years. Before that, she worked as a porter for a season and as an assistant guide for another season.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_39580\" style=\"width: 810px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-39580\" class=\"size-full wp-image-39580\" src=\"https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/Intrepid-Travel-Nepal_Ulleri_2019_75421-1.jpg\" alt=\"A trekker with her tour leader in Nepal\" width=\"800\" height=\"450\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/Intrepid-Travel-Nepal_Ulleri_2019_75421-1.jpg 800w, https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/Intrepid-Travel-Nepal_Ulleri_2019_75421-1-425x239.jpg 425w, https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/Intrepid-Travel-Nepal_Ulleri_2019_75421-1-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/Intrepid-Travel-Nepal_Ulleri_2019_75421-1-585x329.jpg 585w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-39580\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Srishti hopes to see more female porters and leaders in Nepal.<\/p><\/div>\n<p>\u2018Being a porter was unforgettable. It came with many challenges though,\u2019 Srishti says, as we slowly walk up a flight of punishing stone steps. The scenery in the Annapurnas is spectacular, but the steep ups and downs feel relentless after a few days of walking. I can\u2019t imagine what it must be like carrying more than ten kilograms on your back after walking up a thousand-plus uneven steps \u2013 it\u2019s tough enough with a day pack.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"\/adventures\/trekking-to-annapurna-base-camp-the-essential-guide\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>RELATED: EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT TREKKING TO ANNAPURNA BASE CAMP<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u2018Carrying a heavy backpack can be very hard. The first time I trekked as a porter, I had to carry the bag on my head, which was very painful. My friends and family kept telling me \u201cdon\u2019t do this, you can\u2019t do this\u201d, but I wanted to. I needed to challenge myself, especially as I wanted to be a leader.\u2019<\/p>\n<p>I\u2019ve seen quite a few porters on the trail carrying bags like this. The bulk of the load rests in a basket or bag against the porter\u2019s backs, while a strap \u2013 which runs underneath the load \u2013 loops across the crown of the porter\u2019s head (called a boko). The porter is angled slightly forward, so the weight is evenly distributed across their backs.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_39577\" style=\"width: 810px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-39577\" class=\"size-full wp-image-39577\" src=\"https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/Intrepid-Travel-Nepal_Poon-Hill_2019_77125-1.jpg\" alt=\"Four porters walking up a set of stairs in Nepal\" width=\"800\" height=\"450\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/Intrepid-Travel-Nepal_Poon-Hill_2019_77125-1.jpg 800w, https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/Intrepid-Travel-Nepal_Poon-Hill_2019_77125-1-425x239.jpg 425w, https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/Intrepid-Travel-Nepal_Poon-Hill_2019_77125-1-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/Intrepid-Travel-Nepal_Poon-Hill_2019_77125-1-585x329.jpg 585w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-39577\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Female porters in Nepal carry gear in backpacks.<\/p><\/div>\n<p>For the sake of their porters\u2019 wellbeing, Intrepid restricts how much weight their porters can carry to ten kilograms (22 pounds) per trekker. Female porters carry bags for one trekker, while male porters carry gear for two. An allowance is included for their own essentials. Porters on Intrepid trips either carry gear in backpacks, or using the boko method.<\/p>\n<p>Intrepid also have a policy that all trekking leaders and guides must have trekked as a porter for at least one season before they can lead an Intrepid tour, even if they\u2019ve worked as guides for other tour companies before.<\/p>\n<p>\u2018I think it\u2019s important that trekking leaders have spent time working as porters,\u2019 says Shrishti. \u00a0\u2018Because I\u2019ve done it myself, I understand what the porters are going through. I know when they\u2019re feeling tired and when they need a break, or when they might need something to eat. If I hadn\u2019t been a porter first, it would be more difficult to see if they\u2019re having problems.\u2019<\/p>\n<p>Srishti got into trekking for the same reason most of the women did: a love of Nepal\u2019s mountains, being outside, and meeting people from around the world. Her sister, Robina, is with us on the trek. She\u2019s just finished her bachelors in Sociology and Anthropology and, while she enjoyed studying, but she tells me that trekking is her life. Robina has been working as a porter for two years now, and hopes to be a leader one day too.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"\/adventures\/step-up-for-porters-study\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>RELATED: IT&#8217;S TIME FOR THE TRAVEL INDUSTRY TO STAND UP FOR ITS PORTERS. THIS IS WHY.\u00a0<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_39582\" style=\"width: 810px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-39582\" class=\"size-full wp-image-39582\" src=\"https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/Intrepid-Travel-Nepal_Poon-Hill_2019_76506-1.jpg\" alt=\"Three female porters at Poon Hill\" width=\"800\" height=\"450\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/Intrepid-Travel-Nepal_Poon-Hill_2019_76506-1.jpg 800w, https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/Intrepid-Travel-Nepal_Poon-Hill_2019_76506-1-425x239.jpg 425w, https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/Intrepid-Travel-Nepal_Poon-Hill_2019_76506-1-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/Intrepid-Travel-Nepal_Poon-Hill_2019_76506-1-585x329.jpg 585w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-39582\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Robina, with Misty and Preity, on the trek to Annapurna Base camp.<\/p><\/div>\n<p>\u2018There are less opportunities for women in Nepal, especially in jobs like this,\u2019 says Robina. \u2018People say women can\u2019t do it, because they\u2019re too weak or have too many problems. But when they see us out on the trail, carrying the bags and working hard, their minds change. That makes me feel so proud of what we\u2019re doing.\u2019<\/p>\n<p>We stop for lunch just outside the forest and crowd around the table together. Kusum and Shanti, both 21, sit next to me and pepper me with questions about life in Australia \u2013 my work, my family, what I do for fun. Kusum talks about how much she loves dancing and playing basketball, and meeting travellers on Annapurna\u2019s mountain trails.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"\/nepal\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" data-wpil=\"url\"><strong>EXPLORE NEPAL ON OUR NEW 13-DAY WOMEN&#8217;S EXPEDITION. FULL DETAILS HERE.\u00a0<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<p>A trekker from another group \u2013 an Australian man in his late-fifties \u2013 walks over to us as we\u2019re getting ready to leave.<\/p>\n<p>\u2018You just don\u2019t really see this,\u2019 he says, pointing towards the group. \u2018I\u2019ve been trekking in Nepal for over twenty years, and I\u2019ve never seen a group of female porters. This is great, and so important.\u2019<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_39574\" style=\"width: 810px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-39574\" class=\"size-full wp-image-39574\" src=\"https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/Intrepid-Travel-Nepal_Ghorepani_2019_75698-1.jpg\" alt=\"A trekker dances on the trail with a female porter\" width=\"800\" height=\"450\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/Intrepid-Travel-Nepal_Ghorepani_2019_75698-1.jpg 800w, https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/Intrepid-Travel-Nepal_Ghorepani_2019_75698-1-425x239.jpg 425w, https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/Intrepid-Travel-Nepal_Ghorepani_2019_75698-1-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/Intrepid-Travel-Nepal_Ghorepani_2019_75698-1-585x329.jpg 585w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-39574\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Kusum dishing out some dance moves on the trail.<\/p><\/div>\n<p>We talk a little about how Nepal has changed over the years, and about how reliant the tourism industry here is on the porters. Without them, trekking experiences like this would be completely different \u2013 sure, we\u2019d all be carrying our own gear, but we\u2019d be missing these connections as well. He keeps smiling, and shaking his head. \u2018This is just so good. What an experience for you all.\u2019<\/p>\n<p>In the afternoon, Manisha and I walk together again. I ask her how it\u2019s been, travelling with a group of women, and what sort of reaction they\u2019ve been getting from male porters along the trail.<\/p>\n<p>\u2018When I first started trekking, it was hard. Men would laugh at us! But when we\u2019re actually out here, we see these girls in villages. They run out and say \u201cI want to be like you! I want to do what you do!\u201d. Other times, people take photos. We might not be as strong or as fast, but we can still do it.\u2019<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"\/annapurna\/walking-trekking\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" data-wpil=\"url\"><strong>CHECK OUT OUR FULL RANGE OF ANNAPURNA TREKS HERE<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<p>The next few days of trekking are tough. The higher in altitude we get, the more slowly we take it. We\u2019ll be getting up to 4130 metres (13,547 feet) when we reach Base Camp. Up ahead, Srishti is laughing with a couple of the porters who have stopped for a break. When we get closer, I hear her calling \u2018slowly, slowly.\u2019 She\u2019s looking out for the porters, making sure no one rushes or pushes themselves too hard.<\/p>\n<p>Despite having trekked extensively in Nepal\u2019s Ghorepani and Pokhara regions, this will be Manisha\u2019s first time at Base Camp. She\u2019s just as excited as I am about reaching camp \u2013 and having a hot tea.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_39583\" style=\"width: 810px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-39583\" class=\"size-full wp-image-39583\" src=\"https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/Intrepid-Travel-Nepal_Annapurna-Basecamp_2019_79655-1.jpg\" alt=\"A group of porters walking into Annapurna Base Camp\" width=\"800\" height=\"450\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/Intrepid-Travel-Nepal_Annapurna-Basecamp_2019_79655-1.jpg 800w, https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/Intrepid-Travel-Nepal_Annapurna-Basecamp_2019_79655-1-425x239.jpg 425w, https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/Intrepid-Travel-Nepal_Annapurna-Basecamp_2019_79655-1-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/Intrepid-Travel-Nepal_Annapurna-Basecamp_2019_79655-1-585x329.jpg 585w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-39583\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Making our way into Base Camp.<\/p><\/div>\n<p>\u2018It feels thrilling to be almost there, and to be going so high,\u2019 she tells me as we make the slow walk out of Machhapuchhre. The temperature is well below zero, and we stamp our feet to get the cold out of our bones. A stream running through the grassy valley has frozen over, and our breath hangs in the air as we huff and puff up the stony path. \u2018I love trekking, I love the mountains, I love being in a cold climate. When you\u2019re out here, you forget about all your problems.\u2019<\/p>\n<p>We\u2019ve only been walking for around an hour when the sign for Annapurna Base Camp comes into view. It\u2019s adorned with the prayer flags you see all across the country, as well as national flags for Nepal, Australia, the USA. The faster trekkers in our group slow down and wait for the rest of us to catch up.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_39584\" style=\"width: 810px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-39584\" class=\"size-full wp-image-39584\" src=\"https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/Intrepid-Travel-Nepal_Annapurna-Basecamp_2019_79953-1.jpg\" alt=\"A group of trekkers and porters at Annapurna Base Camp, Nepal\" width=\"800\" height=\"450\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/Intrepid-Travel-Nepal_Annapurna-Basecamp_2019_79953-1.jpg 800w, https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/Intrepid-Travel-Nepal_Annapurna-Basecamp_2019_79953-1-425x239.jpg 425w, https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/Intrepid-Travel-Nepal_Annapurna-Basecamp_2019_79953-1-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/Intrepid-Travel-Nepal_Annapurna-Basecamp_2019_79953-1-585x329.jpg 585w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-39584\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Made it!<\/p><\/div>\n<p>Together we cross the threshold into Base Camp together. We\u2019ve made it. We all dance and clap and sing. We all embrace. There are tears. I feel proud of all of us. We\u2019ve taken tens of thousands of steps, with frozen fingers and sunburnt noses, with bruises and aches and painful joints. There were moments when I didn\u2019t think I\u2019d get here, and without the support of Srishti and Manisha and the girls, maybe I wouldn\u2019t have. But we all made it. Together.<\/p>\n<p>Manisha joins me for a hot drink when we get to the teahouse, and I ask her how she\u2019s feeling. \u2018Amazing,\u2019 she says. \u2018I feel so inspired, and proud. I\u2019ve loved being out here, with these strong women. We can do anything men can do.\u2019<\/p>\n<p><strong>Travel in Nepal with an all-female crew on our <a href=\"\/nepal\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" data-wpil=\"url\">13-day Women&#8217;s Expedition from Kathmandu \u2013 full details here<\/a>. Explore our <a href=\"\/annapurna\/walking-trekking\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" data-wpil=\"url\">full range of Annapurna treks here<\/a>.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><em>All photos by Matt Cherubino.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Seeing female porters in Nepal isn\u2019t really the norm; the trekking industry here is very much male-dominated. Women are generally considered to be not strong enough, not fast enough. But these women look pretty strong to me. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":15582,"featured_media":39575,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"video","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[3105],"tags":[877,180,255,4],"class_list":["post-39394","post","type-post","status-publish","format-video","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-good-ideas","tag-annapurna","tag-asia","tag-gender-equality","tag-nepal","post_format-post-format-video","ipf_theme-walking-trekking","ipf_region-nepal"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v25.3.1 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Trekking in Nepal With a Crew of Female Porters | Intrepid Travel Blog<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Seeing female porters in Nepal isn\u2019t really the norm; the trekking industry here is very much male-dominated. 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