Local Trekking Experts in Nepal
Shikhar Adventure is a locally owned trekking company built by a guide who started as a porter on 1999. We operate small-group and private treks across Nepal with one standard: the same care we'd give a friend on their first time in the mountains.
From porter to founder: a guide shaped by the mountains
In 1999, at 19 years old, Dambar Thapa carried his first load on Ganesh Himal Trek as a porter. That was the beginning.
What followed was harder. Dambar took on the Dhaulagiri Base Camp trek, one of the most demanding routes in Nepal, carrying over 50 kg with no proper clothes or shoes for altitude. Not a training expedition. A real one, at 19, with no margin for error.
Those early years built something no certification course can replicate: an instinct for the mountains, for altitude, for people under pressure.
Over 25 years, Dambar has guided 500+ trekkers across Everest, Annapurna, Langtang, and Nepal's most remote valleys.
He founded Shikhar Adventure in 2018 so that every trek carries that same standard.
Shikhar Adventure Today
Shikhar Adventure is now a full team of guides, porters, and office staff, all working under the standard Dambar set as a young porter in 1999. What started with one man and one load is now a company running treks year-round across every major region in Nepal.
Every guide on our team has walked the route before they lead it on it. No one is assigned a trek they haven't done themselves. Every porter is paid a fair wage, insured, and given proper gear, the way Dambar wished someone had equipped him at 19.
We are based in Kathmandu and run treks from the Everest region to Annapurna, Langtang, Manaslu, and the restricted areas few operators touch. You can read more about the people behind every trek on our Our Team page.
What Does Shikhar Adventure Offer?
We run treks across the Everest, Annapurna, Langtang, and Manaslu regions, plus peak climbs like Island Peak. Groups stay small on purpose, and if you'd rather trek alone or with your own family, we build a private itinerary around your pace.
Every guide on our team has walked the route they lead before taking a group on it. Itineraries include built-in acclimatization days, timed to how a body actually adjusts to altitude rather than a rigid day-by-day plan.
Permits, TIMS, and paperwork are handled on our end. Porters are paid fairly, insured, and given proper gear for every trip.
Before you book, you speak directly with a guide who knows the trail and can answer your questions honestly.
Why Book With a Local Nepali Trekking Company?
Booking directly with a local operator means more of your trek fee goes to the guides and porters walking the trail with you. It also means the person answering your questions before the trip has personally stood on the trail you're about to walk.
Planning Your Trek With Us
A trek is only as good as the people walking it with you. The route is fixed on a map, but the experience comes down to your guide's judgment, your porter's care, and how well your body is given time to adjust along the way.
That's what we put our attention into. Whether it's your first trek in the Himalayas or your fifth, you're booking with people who have personally walked the route.
Ready to see who'll be on the trail with you? Meet the full team on our Our Team page.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who owns Shikhar Adventure?
Shikhar Adventure is owned and led by Dambar Thapa, a Nepali guide who started as a porter in 1999 and founded the company in 2018.
Is Shikhar Adventure a local Nepali company?
Yes. Shikhar Adventure is 100% locally owned and operated from Kathmandu, Nepal.
What treks does Shikhar Adventure offer?
Shikhar Adventure runs small-group and private treks across the Everest, Annapurna, Langtang, and Manaslu regions, along with peak climbing trips such as Island Peak. See the full list on our Nepal Trekking page.
Who will be my guide?
Every guide at Shikhar Adventure is licensed and has personally walked the route they lead. Meet the full team on our Our Team page.