These 3 sisters opened doors for female trekking guides in Nepal

Back in 1993, Lucky Chhetri and her two sisters were running a restaurant and lodge in Pokhara, Nepal when they were struck with the desire to make a difference for female travellers.

Through operating their lodge, the three sisters connected with women from around the world, who recounted stories of their experiences in Nepal to them during their stay.

“It was a totally new concept to run a business independently by women in South Asia … They were really fascinated with our initiation and everybody, they were so happy,” said Chhetri.

Many female travellers told the sisters about their negative experiences with male trekking guides, as well as their hardships with navigating South Asia on their own, Chhetri explained.

These stories touched the three sisters – fuelling them to take matters into their own hands by founding 3sisters Adventure Trekking.

“In the beginning, there were no other women working as a guide … So we had to work by ourselves. And we three sisters were running a lot over here,” said Chhetri.

They created training programs, which has now expanded into a non-profit called Empowering Women of Nepal, aimed at improving the lives of Nepali women and girls through sports and tourism.

By participating in their training programs, Nepali women were able to learn the necessary skills for trekking and guiding. Over 2,000 women in Nepal have completed the training and found confidence in finding employment as a guide in the country and other parts of the world.

Enjoy the adventure of a lifetime in Nepal on: Everest Base Camp Trek or Annapurna Circuit Trek

“We were teaching them, sharing our experiences, our knowledge, one by one … We are working to empower women in the trekking industry,” said Chhetri.

What started as a small initiative has now blossomed into a community of hundreds of women who work with them during trekking season, with some guides now having worked with 3sisters for over 20 years.

With a combination of breathtaking views, rich culture and historical landmarks, Chhetri says Nepal is a wonderland for many travellers — but there is responsibility to be exercised when it comes to tourism.

As a local tour company, Chhetri emphasizes responsible and sustainable tourism as one of the main pillars of their organization.

“We should be careful where they are going, to where they are trekking. To show people to care for our nature, our people, our environment … If we don't think like this, we will ruin all our resources, we cannot leave anything for our future generation,” she said.

When it comes to what Chhetri hopes to pass on to future generations of Nepali women, she says she hopes to see the community continuing to pave the way for others.

“There are so many women that are working, and they started their own business and are making changes to transform our society,” she said.

“This is something that we have initiated and has opened the door for many underprivileged women.”

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