Kathleen Haggerty--Owner/President
Kathleen is a native of Colorado and is very passionate about Himalayan culture. She has always loved traveling internationally and living among other cultures.
Kathleen having a great passion for the traveling industry obtained a B.S. in Aviation Management in 1996 since her passions were international travel and flying. She has also lived in Mexico and Germany and has traveled to Nepal, India, Thailand, Belize, New Zealand, Australia, Turkey and most of Western Europe where she taught English and international business in corporations there as well as Business at an international business college. She has been arranging tours since 1990 and believes that helping people in the places we tour is an important part of our organization. She speaks German and Spanish, and a little Nepalese and Tibetan.
Kathleen loves to hike, trek, rock climb, ice climb, mountain climb year around. She believes it is important to learn about other ways of life and perspectives which gives us more awareness and education about the world. It is the people, food and the way of life is most often what trekkers remember and talk about when they return from Nepal which is why she focucus tours on the cultural aspect as well as the aesthetic views, history and adventure. Keeping culture and protecting the environment is a priority for her.
Norbu Sherpa--Guide
Norbu has 25 years of experience guiding in the Himalayas including his home region Nepal, Tibet, N. India, and Burma as well as Western Europe (France and Switzerland). Norbu specializes in photography tours since he traveled most of his guiding career with the famous cultural photographer Oliver Folmi (www. Folmi.com). Norbu not only assisted with his equipment and guided, but he also set up his shots and talked with the local people so that the photo was very authentic and not posed. He was the subject in many shots as well. Norbu speaks 7 languages fluently including Sherpa, Nepalese, Tibeten, Hindi, French, German and Italian. He is very pleasant to be around and interesting to talk to since he has travelled so extensively.
Ngima Sherpa--Guide and Chef
Has been a guide and cook in the Himalayan Region for 20 years. He is from the Taksindu Village in the Everest Region and has always lived in Nepal. He is a certified, professional cook in several styles and his food is fantastic! He is a very warm and friendly person. His extensive knowledge about the areas and culture make it very interesting for trekkers to learn from him.
Cooks and Porters
We hire chefs and porters from a professional and experienced group of locals that we know well. We are also socially responsible regarding work load, pay, age and the clothing & equipment they use for the treks as well as shelter and food for during trek. It is a common problem in the Himalaya that porters are taken advantage of. These are good people and we have the highest respect for them and their families and thier way of life. One of our favorite porters to hire (when available) is Jetha Rai. He is an excellent chef, strong as an ox, plays several musical instruments and sings and dances well. Very nice, fun to be around, speaks English, humble and talented and considered a friend of ours.