From Kathmandu to Everest: how young Nepali women are embracing the outdoors

When I was 21, I set out to trek to Everest Base Camp. At the time, I had no hiking experience and had never been particularly drawn to exploring the outdoors.

That changed nine months earlier during a three-hour hike into the breathtaking Grand Canyon in the United States.

As I descended into its vast expanse, something shifted within me.

The power of nature and all her glory revealed itself to me and I decided then and there that my next adventure would take me to the Himalayas—to Everest Base Camp in my home country of Nepal.

Contrary to the popular stereotype, I did not grow up navigating treacherous mountain trails on my way to school nor do I have lungs impervious to high altitudes.

Raised in the capital city of Kathmandu—a bustling concrete jungle nestled in a modest valley at just 1,400m above sea level—I had little exposure to outdoor adventures.

Growing up, I did not know anyone who had trekked or climbed Nepal’s towering peaks.

During my trek to Everest Base Camp, locals of the Sherpa Indigenous community were often surprised to learn I was Nepali.

Many were even more astonished to see a woman undertaking the journey. Most had only ever seen white foreigners on these treks.

For many Nepalis, trekking isn’t a hobby but a livelihood, often the sole source of employment in the region.

The idea of a Nepali woman trekking for leisure—spending 10 gruelling days climbing death-defying mountain trails just for the experience—was foreign.

In the past decade, there has been a noticeable transformation.

In 2019, domestic tourism in Nepal generated a substantial portion of the revenue for the tourism sector, with an estimated 5 million Nepalis traveling around the country.

A significant part of this movement includes trekking.

More Nepali women are gaining international recognition for setting mountaineering records such as Dawa Yangzum Sherpa who successfully summitted all 14 of the world’s mountains over 8,000 metres in October this year.

Trekking and outdoor adventures have long been key pillars of Nepal's tourism industry, yet this sector has predominantly been shaped by men. The concept of independent travel for women is still a rarity in Nepali society.

Venturing into the outdoors stands as a countercultural act in Nepal’s conservative context, where societal expectations often confine women mainly to indoor spaces, entwined in domestic duties and motherhood.

In response to this disparity, a dynamic initiative known as Duluwa Outdoors has emerged, driven by a collective of young women committed to rewriting this narrative.

Their overarching mission revolves around inspiring greater confidence among women to explore the outdoors and equipping them with the skills to do so independently.

I sat down to chat with Menuka Gurung and Juliana Shrestha - two of the founders of Duluwa Outdoors to learn more about their endeavours.

What inspired you to start Duluwa Outdoors?

In 2021, five of us friends joined hands to build a community of women travellers. Our vision was to support women to explore the world beyond the boundaries of homes and social restrictions and learn about themselves through outdoor adventure.

Our team is driven by personal experiences of how solo travel has shaped our personalities, and we are passionate about providing such life-shaping experiences to more young women in the South Asian region.

Some of us grew up in Indigenous communities where we did not see relatable working women as role models; there were barely any in the travel and outdoors field.

We initiated Duluwa Outdoors to not only provide experiences to young women, but also connect with local women professionals in the travel sector with the vision to reduce the gender gap in the outdoor adventure field.