Hope Treks was started by owner/operator, Tonya Dreher, after her first trek in Nepal, an event raising money for her foundation, Hope for Gus. HFG funds medical research for Duchenne muscular dystrophy, her 11 yr old son lives with this devastating disease.
Tonya Dreher took a life-changing trek through Nepal after Hope for Gus was founded. After getting to know her incredible, resilient, and hard-working guides and porters, Tonya wondered how to improve their lives and working conditions while raising funds for Hope for Gus. After much research and soul-searching, Hope Treks was born!
At Hope Treks, we believe in doing the right thing and passing on the good karma to you, our client. In addition to funding medical research for the world’s most devastating and terminal childhood disease, we also practice responsible and green tourism through treading very lightly in the mountains and the countryside of Nepal. We make every effort to minimize negative social, economic and environmental impacts on the places we travel.
We are committed to paying a living wage to our Nepalese guides and porters who, in the past, have often worked for as little as $10 a day. We ensure that they have proper, safe clothing and gear, as well as insurance. Unfortunately, these considerations are not the norm within the trekking business in Nepal. The result is extreme exploitation of very dedicated and hardworking people. Our guides are well-trained and very experienced. We believe they should be compensated as such.
These things set us apart in the trekking community. We simply don’t believe in shortcuts and aspire to always do the right thing. No surprises, no hidden agendas. Just obsessively great customer service, fair and equal treatment for clients and employees, and a sincere attempt to wipe Duchenne muscular dystrophy off the face of the earth!
