Less footprint. More meaning.

1. Safety & Wellbeing

Your safety, and that of our team and environment, is our top priority.

  • Trained, Certified, and Prepared: All our guides hold valid First Aid and Wilderness Medical certifications, with frequent refresher courses led by medical professionals. We provide comprehensive safety briefings and well-stocked kits tailored to each region.
  • Mandatory Insurance: Both guests and staff are required to hold insurance that covers emergency evacuations. We help guests prepare with gear lists and personalized health advice — from high-altitude precautions to insect safety on wildlife safaris.
  • Hygiene and Health Protocols: We follow WHO and national health guidelines, use eco-friendly cleaning products, and encourage personal hygiene with supplied kits for staff.
  • Safe Food and Water Practices: We promote refill culture, discourage bottled water use, and brief all clients on food safety and responsible consumption to prevent illness and reduce waste.

Secure and Legal Operations: All our transport providers, accommodations, and activity partners are licensed, vetted, and safety-conscious. Our office is secured by motion-sensor surveillance and adheres to risk prevention policies.

2. Inclusive, Ethical & Local Employment

We empower local people — not exploit them.

  • People before Profit: Fair pay for all. We pay above-industry wages to all staff — from porters to guides — and maintain full transparency in employment contracts, even in seasonal roles.
  • 100% Locally Owned & Operated: Founded and run entirely by Nepali nationals, we are deeply invested in the long-term prosperity of our communities.
  • Workforce Diversity & Inclusion: We prioritize hiring from within the regions we operate and are actively working to expand inclusive roles beyond trekking — including cultural guiding and operations.
  • Zero Tolerance for Exploitation: We uphold international labor standards and Nepalese laws, with strict policies against child labor, human trafficking, harassment, or abuse.

Support for Human-Wildlife Conflict Victims: In Bardia, we assist families affected by wildlife conflict through small but meaningful contributions and community projects.

3. Eco-Friendly Practices, Protecting the Environment & Low-Impact Travel

We protect the very landscapes we take you to explore.

  • Walking-Focused Itineraries: Our treks naturally reduce emissions, and domestic flights are only used when they are the safer, lower-impact option compared to road travel.
  • Minimizing Waste, Maximizing Impact: Our office is fully paperless, printer-free, and we creatively reuse what little waste we generate. On the trail, we follow “carry in, carry out” rules and even repurpose shredded paper as eco-friendly trail markers.
  • Water-Wise Operations: From refill culture to signage on water conservation, we take every step to limit water use and plastic bottle dependency, especially in the mountains.
  • Low-Energy Office: Powered by Nepal’s hydropower grid, our office uses natural light, ventilation, LED fixtures, and Energy Star devices — with motion sensors and strict switch-off policies in place.
  • No Animal Exploitation: We strictly oppose staged animal shows and elephant rides. Instead, we offer ethical wildlife experiences with trained naturalists and support rescued elephant walks in community forests.

Respecting Wildlife: Flash photography is banned on safaris, and we train both staff and guests on responsible animal interaction and habitat protection.

4. Capacity Building in Competence & Professionalism in Tourism

We don’t just hire talent — we create it.

  • Free Guide Training Programs: We run multiple fully-funded training sessions annually — in Kathmandu and Pokhara — covering safety, hospitality, environmental stewardship, and cultural interpretation.
  • Building Local Expertise: From etiquette to theology, from English to geography, our training spans the breadth of what it takes to deliver excellent and responsible travel experiences.
  • Creating Career Paths: These programs act as stepping stones for young people — especially those in rural communities — to join Nepal’s tourism industry with skills, dignity, and opportunity.

Collaborations for Conservation: We work alongside NGOs and grassroots groups in Bardia National Park to provide technical training, including drone and camera use, for local rangers and eco-guides.

5. Respecting Culture & Heritage

We travel not just to see, but to understand — and to respect.

  • Authentic Cultural Experiences: Our tours emphasize genuine immersion through curated walks, traditional meals, and respectful community engagement.
  • Cultural Briefings for Guests: We ensure every traveler is well-prepared with knowledge about local customs, religious practices, dress codes, and appropriate behavior.
  • Support for Local Artisans: While we don’t sell souvenirs ourselves, our trips visit fair-trade shops and workshops, connecting travelers directly with craftspeople.

No Heritage Harm: We strictly comply with all cultural preservation laws and never support any activity that could damage heritage zones.

6. Next Steps in Responsible Tourism

For us, sustainability is a journey — not a checkbox.

  • Forming a Dedicated Green Team: While our founders lead the charge today, we are grooming staff to take formal roles in sustainability — forming a cross-functional Green Team to steer our future impact.
  • Codifying Our Values: We’re formalizing our practices into a comprehensive Sustainable Tourism Policy aligned with global standards — to be integrated across operations, staff training, and client communications.
  • Tracking Our Carbon Footprint: We’re beginning to measure and manage emissions, promote low-impact choices, and partner with reforestation and offset initiatives.
  • Supplier Sustainability Code: We are developing a clear checklist and code of conduct to ensure every partner shares our values on environmental care, labor rights, and local benefit.

Transparent Impact Reporting: Starting soon, we will publish a biennial Sustainability Report to track progress, highlight challenges, and share our journey openly with guests, agents, and peers.

Travel With Us, Thoughtfully

When you travel with Von Kathmandu Adventures, you’re choosing a partner that’s serious about doing things right — not just for the planet, but for the people who call these places home.

We invite travel agents, partners, and guests to walk with us on this journey — and to hold us accountable.

Let’s travel better. Together.