Mountain Hiking & Trekking committed to responsible travel and true sustainability. It was a commitment formed when the company was established, and today, in the face of a multitude of threats to the environment, our commitment is stronger than ever.

Our Responsible Tourism Policy commits us to the following principles:

Genuine sustainability in all aspects of our business planning and operations

Specifically Mountain Hiking & Trekking tour operations should be managed in a way where the natural and cultural values of the host region are undiminished in the long term. Where possible, Mountain Hiking engages in partnerships with local environmental groups and/or land managers to actively campaign for conservation or to promote environmental protection and/or rehabilitation.

Genuine Responsibility in Travel

Mountain Hiking believes that travel should be as rewarding for the host community as it is for you the traveler. We aim to maximize the benefits of tourism for host communities. This includes training and employment of local staff, using local suppliers and assisting in the development of sustainable local businesses.

We actively minimize the negative effects that tourism can have by ensuring that tourism does not divert resources away from local communities or drive up prices on local resources. World Expeditions provide opportunities for cultural exchange, where locals and visitors alike can share and learn from each other in an environment of mutual respect.

We contribute to the welfare of the host community. This is epitomized in our COMMUNITY PROJECT TRAVEL program where we organize for our travelers to spend time in disadvantaged villages upgrading basic facilities such as health, education and water access. World Expeditions strives to educate our travelers about the destination and its local cultures as well as providing guidelines on appropriate behavior to minimize impact.

Protecting our Porters

Porters are an integral part of the Mountain Hiking & Trekking philosophy and style of travel. We strive to take our travelers off-the-beaten track, avoiding the congested trails, to experience our remote tent-based adventures … this style of trekking is enabled by porters. Porters are as important to us as our travelers. Without them, we would not be able to run our quality programs. When we trek, the entire group - travelers, guides and porters alike - are a team who share the same needs for safety in the mountain environment. For this reason, all Mountain Hiking & Trekking porters are provided with the following:

A good working wage 

All food for porters while on trek

Accommodation while on trek

Work related clothing and equipment 

Income protection insurance 

We also provide emergency helicopter evacuation if required

The most visible sign of this porter protection is the equipment we provide: wind and waterproof jacket and over-trousers, 2 pairs of woolen socks, 2 pair of leather shoes on long treks and 2 pairs of canvas shoes while on short treks, woolen gloves, warm cap, sunglasses, mattress and sleeping bag and tent as well as cooking utensils, stove and kerosene fuel.

Mountain Hiking will stand by its commitments and abide by its porter protection policies because it is the responsible thing to do. We will continue to campaign to ensure that all trekking companies adopt similar policies because we strongly believe the welfare of the entire trek crew, from porters to the most senior guide, is the responsibility of the company that sends them out there. 

Mountain Hiking & Trekking supports the good work of two international organizations that operate to ensure the health and well being of porters, they are: International Porter Protection Group and the International Mountain Explorers Connection