Himalayan Outdoor Safety Initiative gets mentioned in the Guardian!
Himalayan Outdoor Safety Initiative: Elevating Safety Standards in Nepal’s Adventure Tourism
Welcome to the Himalayan Outdoor Safety Initiative, an initiative by HAL to improve safety standards in Nepal’s adventure tourism industry. Our goal is to help freelance guides and adventure companies create and implement safety protocols that ensure successful and safe trips for trekkers.
What is Happening?
In the great outdoors of Nepal, there are many adventure companies and freelance guides leading trips with clients. However, not all of them practice good safety protocols either through ignorance or lack of know-how. HAL believes that adventure and safety go hand in hand, and we have been upholding safety standards at the highest level since 2014. We want to share our expertise to help the industry professionals create safety standards that will enable them to run safe and successful trips.
Why Now?
As Nepal’s adventure tourism industry grows, it’s essential to maintain safety standards. We recognize the need for safety protocols to be accessible to all adventure companies and freelance guides, regardless of their size or resources. Through the Himalayan Outdoor Safety Initiative, we aim to promote safety in adventure tourism while also promoting HAL’s adventure trips.
How It Works?
HAL is launching the Himalayan Outdoor Safety Initiative, a pilot program designed to support freelance trekking guides and outdoor companies alike and improve trekker safety in the Himalayas. Through this program, we aim to provide freelance guides with the resources they need to ensure the safety of their clients, including:
- Emergency protocols for trips
- Thuraya satellite phones with credit
- Garmin InReach satellite trackers with subscription
- Handheld transceivers
- Medical insurance for trekking guides
- Search and rescue coverage
- Access to a remote medical doctor who specializes in wilderness medicine
- Weather forecast service
Benefits for Freelance Guides and Adventure Companies
By equipping guides with these tools and resources, we hope to raise the safety standards of trekking in the Himalayas. Here are some of the benefits for freelance guides and adventure companies who participate in the Himalayan Outdoor Safety Initiative:
- Utilize satellite devices with dedicated plans to communicate with base camp, report daily updates, or initiate emergency evacuation.
- Remote tracking feature for friends and family to see where the team is located and to communicate via text or call.
- Access to a world-class (remote) doctor with specialized training in wilderness medicine
- A dedicated weather forecaster
- Includes search and rescue plan up to 5,000m.
- Assistance with creating dedicated emergency protocols for each trip.
- Access to a dedicated backstopper in Kathmandu who is on standby to provide any help the team may need.
Pricing
| HOSI offerings | ||
| Permits (issued by HAL) | Yes | No |
| Emergency protocol | Yes | Yes |
| Satellite phone (includes 25 min of call) | Yes | Yes |
| Inreach (Basic plan) | Yes | Yes |
| Handheld transceivers | Yes | No |
| Medical insurance (For guides) | Yes | No |
| Heli evac (For guides <5000 m) | Yes | No |
| Remote doctor on-call | No | No |
| Weather forecaster | No | No |
| Backstopper | Yes | Yes |
| Total | $170 | $105 |
Interested in Enrolling?
Are you a freelance trekking guide or adventure company looking to improve your safety standards? Fill out the interest form below, and we’ll get in touch with you soon. Join us in our mission to make adventures in the Himalayas safer for everyone!
Himalayan Outdoor Safety Initiative
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