About Lhakpa Trek

The Founder / Director

Mingmar Sarkee Sherpa, born in 1988 in Leplu village, Solukhumbu (the home of Everest), grew up in a farming family with limited financial resources. Despite economic challenges, he completed his early education while assisting in family’s agricultural work.

Since childhood, Mingmar wanted to get into the adventure sector which he had heard from his seniors of the village. He started his career in trekking industry at a young age of 14 years. Eventually Mingmar took on trainings, honed skills, gaining extensive experience as a trekking guide. Over the years, he led numerous international adventurers across Nepal Himalaya’s trekking routes and participated in professional training programs in Kathmandu, refining his skills in safety, navigation, and customer service. His expertise and reliability secured him positions with several established trekking companies. He worked with reputed adventure operators in Nepal for almost 18 years before establishing Lhakpa Trekking.

Beyond tourism, Mingmar has been actively involved in education and community development. He collaborated with sponsors to provide qualified English teachers, scholarships, and educational materials to local schools. Today, Sagarmatha Basic School, Janadibya School, Bhagawati School in Solukhumbu are counted among the area’s best schools offering quality education - thanks to Mingmar. He also helped establish health clinics to improve medical access in remote areas. Additionally, he played a key role in preserving Sherpa culture by organizing training for traditional dances like Shili and Shyabru and promoting cultural events such as the Lhosar festival. He also served as the Central Executive Member for the Sherpa Association of Nepal. Currently, he is working to improve educational infrastructure in his village, addressing issues like teacher shortages, inadequate facilities, and limited learning resources. His goal is to establish a structured educational support system by recruiting experienced instructors.

With decades of trekking experience and a strong commitment to sustainable tourism and community development, Mingmar with his better half Lhakpa Sherpa founded Lhakpa Trekking to offer authentic trekking experiences while directly contributing to local progress.

The Co-Founder

Lhakpa Sherpa was born in Solukhumbu into an agrarian family. Life is Solukhumbu is already hard due to a very little arable land and harsh weather. At the age of three, she lost her mother to domestic violence, and her father was imprisoned. With no immediate family support, she was taken in by her maternal uncle, Speed Kaji Sherpa, a mountaineer recognized for his record-fast Everest ascent. Through an INGO initiative, he ensured that Lhakpa received formal education, and she completed her School Leaving Certificate (SLC).

Lhakpa later pursued higher secondary education in Mass Communication and Journalism, developing skills in communication, management, and leadership. She also undertook specialized trekking guide training, gaining the qualifications necessary to work as a professional trekking guide.

Despite the challenges of her past, Lhakpa Sherpa has built a career in an industry where women are significantly underrepresented. As a certified trekking guide and business leader, she is one of the few women in Nepal to hold an executive role in adventure tourism. Through training programs and employment opportunities, she actively supports women entering the trekking industry, helping them secure leadership roles that have traditionally been male-dominated.

Unlike many trekking companies that operate purely for profit, Lhakpa Trekking Pvt. Ltd. integrates ethical tourism with social responsibility. A portion of the company’s earnings directly supports Nepal Care Concern (NCC), an organization focused on education and community welfare. The company also prioritizes fair wages, ethical treatment of staff, and eco-friendly trekking practices, making it a business that values impact over profit.

In the long-standing history of adventure tourism in Nepal, Lhakpa Trekking is a relatively new company - yet we stand on the strong foundation of decades of experience of our founder/director and our team. Founded by veteran trekking experts who have spent years guiding in the Himalaya through almost every valley and pass, our company is not just about organizing treks; it is about preserving the true essence of Nepali adventure. Legally, Lhakpa Trekking Pvt. Ltd. is registered under the Tourism Act (1978) and the Small Cottage Scale Industries Department under the Government of Nepal. Our registration details are: