At Sole Encounters Adventures, travel has always meant more to us than trekking through beautiful mountains.
We started Sole Encounters Adventures in Kathmandu, Nepal, in 2018 with two important goals: to share our experience and knowledge of the Himalayas with travellers from around the world, and to use tourism as an opportunity to support the local communities we call home.
That purpose continues today through Sole Encounters Foundation, which is part of our wider Sole Encounters family and community mission.
Led by CEO Ekta Bhandari, together with Prem Tamang and Prashant Nepal, the Foundation focuses on education, health, women's empowerment, rural community support, volunteering programmes and community health camps.
When travellers book eligible paid journeys with Sole Encounters Adventures, we separate a percentage to support Foundation projects. Whether you trek to Everest Base Camp, cross the Everest Three Passes, or explore Annapurna, Manaslu, Mustang or Makalu, your journey can contribute to something beyond tourism.
Our belief is simple:
Nothing is impossible. Together, we can try, dream and make those dreams come true.
Our Journey Began in 2018
Sole Encounters Adventures was established in 2018 with a vision that went beyond operating trekking holidays. As experienced local guides, we wanted to share our knowledge of Nepal, the Himalayas and our culture with travellers while creating opportunities for local people. Supporting communities has therefore been part of our wider purpose from the beginning, not something we decided to add later.
Sharing Our Himalayan Experience
Our team comes from Nepal and brings years of experience working in the mountains. We want travellers to experience our country through people who understand its trails, cultures and communities. From trekking and cultural journeys to wildlife and Himalayan adventures, we use our local knowledge to create meaningful experiences while supporting guides, porters, drivers, lodges and other people connected with Nepal's tourism economy.
Sole Encounters Foundation
Sole Encounters Foundation represents the community-support side of our wider mission. Led by CEO Ekta Bhandari, the Foundation allows us to organise our social work more carefully and consistently. Our vision is to support people through education, health, women's empowerment and practical community projects, particularly in rural areas of Nepal where opportunities and essential resources can be more difficult to access.
Our Vision
Our vision is to see stronger communities where children have opportunities to learn, women have greater opportunities to develop their independence, families can access practical health support and vulnerable people are not forgotten. We know a small organisation cannot solve every challenge in Nepal. Our vision is therefore to start where we can genuinely help and continue building our work one responsible project at a time.
Our Mission
Our mission is to connect responsible tourism with practical community action. We aim to use our experience, local relationships, resources and support from travellers to develop projects that respond to genuine needs. Education, healthcare, women's empowerment, volunteering and community wellbeing are central to this mission. We want every project to have a clear purpose rather than providing support simply for publicity.
Supporting Education in Rural Nepal
Education is one of our main priorities. Through Sole Encounters Foundation, we aim to support children and schools with practical resources such as school bags, notebooks, stationery, learning materials and other identified necessities. We have helped communities in smaller ways before, and our goal now is to develop more organised educational projects that can reach children in rural communities throughout Nepal.
Supporting Health and Community Wellbeing
Healthcare can be difficult to access for families in remote areas, particularly where travel, treatment and medicine create additional financial pressure. One of our long-term goals is to organise and support community health camps in rural Nepal, working with appropriate healthcare professionals and local partners. These programmes can help communities access basic health information, screening and appropriate professional services closer to home.
Women's Empowerment in Rural Nepal
Women's empowerment is an important part of our long-term vision. We want to support practical opportunities that help women strengthen skills, confidence and economic independence. Rather than deciding what women need from outside their communities, our goal is to listen and develop appropriate projects with local participation. Over time, we hope to support training, education and other opportunities based on genuine community needs.
Volunteering Programs in Nepal
Sole Encounters Foundation also plans to organise responsible volunteering programmes in Nepal. Opportunities may involve education, environmental projects, community activities, health initiatives or skills sharing, depending on local requirements. We believe volunteering should benefit communities first. For that reason, programmes should be developed around genuine needs rather than creating unnecessary activities simply to provide international visitors with a volunteering experience.
Community Health Camps
Organising health camps in rural communities is one of the areas we hope to develop as the Foundation grows. Working with qualified health professionals and appropriate local organisations will be essential. Our role can include helping identify communities, coordinating local arrangements and supporting access. Our aim is practical: help bring appropriate health services and information closer to people who may otherwise face barriers reaching them.
Our Upcoming Rasuwa Education Project
One of our upcoming projects focuses on Shree Setibhume Secondary School in Ramche, Kalika Rural Municipality-01, Rasuwa District, Bagmati Province. More than 350 children attend the school. After communicating with school leadership, we are preparing practical educational support based on identified needs and available resources, particularly following the serious disruption experienced across Rasuwa during the August 2026 disaster.
Trek With Us and Support Our Mission
When you book an eligible paid journey with Sole Encounters Adventures, a percentage is separated to support Sole Encounters Foundation. This allows our trekking business and community work to grow together. As more people travel with us, we hope these individual contributions can become a reliable source of support for educational, health, women's empowerment and other carefully selected community projects across Nepal.
Everest Base Camp Trek
The Everest Base Camp Trek gives travellers the opportunity to experience the heart of Nepal's Everest region with an experienced local team. When you book an eligible Everest Base Camp journey with Sole Encounters Adventures, you support local tourism livelihoods throughout your trek while a percentage of your paid booking also contributes towards the community projects developed through Sole Encounters Foundation.
Everest Three Passes Trek
The Everest Three Passes Trek is designed for experienced trekkers looking for a challenging journey through the wider Everest region. Crossing high Himalayan passes requires careful preparation and experienced support. Travelling with Sole Encounters Adventures also means your eligible booking can contribute to our Foundation, connecting a demanding Himalayan adventure with our wider commitment to communities elsewhere in Nepal.
Annapurna Region Treks
The Annapurna region offers some of Nepal's most varied trekking experiences, combining mountain landscapes, villages and diverse cultures. When you explore Annapurna with Sole Encounters Adventures, your journey supports local tourism workers along the route. Eligible paid bookings also help us contribute towards Sole Encounters Foundation projects focused on education, health and community development in other areas of Nepal.
Manaslu, Mustang and Makalu
We also organise journeys through the Manaslu Region Mustang Region and Makalu regions, each offering a very different experience of Nepal. These areas remind us why responsible tourism matters. Travelling with experienced local professionals supports Nepal's tourism economy directly, while the Foundation contribution from eligible bookings helps us extend part of tourism's benefit towards carefully selected community projects beyond the trekking trails.
Responsible Tourism Starts With Local People
For us, responsible tourism begins before any Foundation contribution is made. It means employing and working with local people, respecting cultures, supporting local services and treating mountain communities as partners rather than attractions. Our guides, porters, drivers, lodge owners and other local partners make our journeys possible. Supporting Nepal responsibly means recognising the value of the people behind every successful Himalayan adventure.
Caring for Nepal's Environment
Our responsibility also extends to the mountains themselves. Through responsible trekking practices and initiatives such as Clean the Himalayas, we want to reduce unnecessary waste and encourage travellers to respect Nepal's natural environment. Healthy mountain ecosystems matter to tourism, but more importantly, they matter to the people who live there. Protecting these places is part of protecting the future of Himalayan communities.
Your Journey Can Help Someone Else
A small percentage from one trek may not seem significant. But when contributions from many journeys come together, they can help purchase educational materials, support a community programme or contribute towards another carefully planned project. This is why we believe responsible tourism can have a wider impact. Your adventure becomes part of a collective effort rather than simply ending when you return home.
Your Small Help Is Important to Us
Sole Encounters Adventures will continue contributing to the Foundation, but we cannot fulfil our entire vision alone. Supporters, travellers and volunteers can help us reach further. Your contribution does not need to be large. Small amounts, materials, professional skills or time can all become valuable when directed towards a genuine need and combined with the contributions of others.
Nothing Is Impossible
We started with a dream in 2018.
We know our goals are ambitious. We want to support education, improve access to health initiatives, encourage women's empowerment, organise responsible volunteering, help vulnerable people and contribute positively to communities across Nepal.
We also know this cannot happen overnight.
But every meaningful project has to start somewhere.
Nothing is impossible. Try, dream, and make those dreams come true.
That belief represents the spirit behind Sole Encounters Adventures and Sole Encounters Foundation.
Be Part of Our Journey
Come to Nepal and trek to Everest Base Camp, challenge yourself on the Everest Three Passes, discover the Annapurna region, explore Manaslu and Mustang, or venture into the remote landscapes of Makalu with our experienced local team.
Travel with us for the adventure, the mountains and the people.
And know that your eligible paid journey also helps us contribute towards something beyond your trek.
Together, we hope to turn tourism into opportunities for education, health, women's empowerment and stronger communities across Nepal.
Dhanyabad. Thank you for supporting our dream and helping us give something back to Nepal.
Ekta Bhandari
CEO, Sole Encounters Foundation
Prem Tamang & Prashant Nepal
Sole Encounters Foundation & Sole Encounters Adventures
Kathmandu, Nepal
Our belief: Nothing is impossible. Try, dream, and make those dreams come true.
