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Archive for February, 2011

Explore the Wonders of Tibet

Monday, February 21st, 2011

Indulge your curiosities and visit the alluring land of Tibet with Berg Adventures International. We will spend a week traveling through a land of cultural, natural and spiritual wonders. From the modern city of Lhasa to the wide open valleys of the Tibetan highlands, and from the Hindu temples of Kathmandu to the Buddhist monasteries that decorate Tibet’s landscape, you will experience an incredible and engaging world.

Trip highlights will include:

  • Two days to explore the city of Kathmandu, Nepal as you prepare for your Tibetan adventure
  • A scenic flight from Kathmandu to Lhasa, Tibet—with any luck, you’ll see Everest and other famed peaks!
  • Three alluring days in the city of Lhasa, Tibet to visit the Potala Palace, Jokang temples, markets and monasteries
  • A multi-day excursion along the incredibly scenic and diverse Friendship Highway from Lhasa to Kathmandu over high passes, through lush valleys and with stops in charming towns and villages
  • An exciting day in Qomolongma (Everest) National Nature Preserve with a visit to Everest Base Camp North
  • Beautiful, hospitable, and colorful individuals from tea houses and hotels, to temples and monasteries

If you’re adding this adventure to one of our trips like Everest Base Camp or Bhutan, and don’t have an extra week to spare, we can arrange shorter trips to Lhasa and the surrounding areas. The incredible city is undoubtedly worth a visit. Also, if you’re interested in visiting Tibet, but the dates don’t work for you, let us know. We can easily arrange this trip on alternate dates.

For more information about our Tibet trip visit: http://www.bergadventures.com/v3_trips/asia/tibet-description.php

For the complete itinerary of the 7 days in Tibet Adventure visit: http://www.bergadventures.com/v3_trips/asia/tibet-itinerary.php

Have a look at dispatches from the Tibet trip in 2010 here: http://www.bergadventures.com/v3_cyber/2010/2010-05-23-tibet/main.php

Joanne and David Take on Kilimanjaro

Monday, February 21st, 2011

And they’re off! Follow along as David and Joanne Genyk of Alberta, Canada attempt to summit Kilimanjaro—Africa’s highest peak. They are having a great time so far and we look forward to their updates.

Read Joanne and David’s daily dispatches at: http://www.bergadventures.com/v3_cyber/2011/2011-02-13-kili-lemosho/main.php

Berg Adventures is Listed on IMEC “Partnership for Responsible Travel Program”

Saturday, February 19th, 2011

By Tracy Jacobson

The moment you step foot on the base of Kilimanjaro, at the gates, you will be welcomed by your support team who will be there with you every step of the way until the end of your climb. These guys will amaze you with their work ethic, energy, and endless smiles.

Every morning after breakfast, you will grab your daypack and leave your camp. You glance back and see the camp filled with all of the group supplies: tents, tables, chairs, food, duffle bags, and toilets you used the night before. You hike ahead with your group and guide, move towards the next destination. Before you know it, porters are passing you, “Mambo vipi?!”, “Jambo!” they say with a smile; one carrying your duffle bag, one with chairs and one with food—the porters march ahead of your climbing team.

Hours later you arrive at your next camp; exhausted, ready to eat and rest. To your amazement, this next camp is set up. You are welcomed with song as your support team gather to sing you all into camp. Your duffle bags are by your tent; the cooking tent radiates smells of the delicious hot meals.

Each day as you move higher and closer to the roof of Africa, the air gets thinner. You feel the toll of multiple hiking days but are able to keep moving forward because your basic needs are met, above and beyond all expectations.

The porters and staff who make this all happen do not always receive the treatment and pay they deserve.

Unfortunately, there are many situations happen on the mountain. Even to this day companies try to make more money by cutting costs, and the ones who directly suffer are the porters. Porters typically do not have contracts with companies, they are either hired days before, or literally at the gates. The money they make on each trip, even if only a couple of trips a year, could pay to feed their families. Not the case for a lot of porters: low wages, or if any kind of payment/tipping (they may never see if the guide decides to pocked it), carrying loads too heavy (more than 20kgs), and/or they do not get the same quality food or decent sleeping accommodations while on the mountain.

There has been an organization set up (the Kilimanjaro Porters Assistance Project) to ensure that the porters working for companies running expeditions on Kilimanjaro adhere to the fair treatment and pay the applicable amount to the porters they hire.

Berg Adventures was recognized by the Porters Assistance Project and IMEC (The International Mountain Explorers Connection), and was listed on the “Partnership for Responsible Travel Program” for our standard of operations and fair treatment of our porters.

Berg Adventures considers the hard working porters a big and very important part of the team. We believe very strongly in fair treatment and respect for porters and have had the opportunity to hire our core group for multiple trips.

When picking a company to climb with, you are hiring the entire operation. It is recommended you do your homework, and ask questions; don’t assume the company will take care of their porters.

Find out more information on Berg Adventures Kilimanjaro Trips.

For more information on the Kilimanjaro Porters Assistance Project: please go to http://www.kiliporters.org/