Ram Sapkota “Kamal”

Managing Director

Mountain Delights Treks and Expedition is a government-registered trekking company based in Kathmandu founded by Mr. Ram Sapkota.

--About me --

I was born in the remote village of Jyamrung in the hilly Dhading district, into a low background farming family. I always wanted to leave for the city to continue my education, and hence I started working on a road construction project 3 hours away from my village to earn some money.
After saving up for the construction work, I ran away to Pokhara with a friend. There, we took up all kinds of odd jobs like portering, loading and unloading weights - any work that could help us save more cash.
To continue studying, I then moved to Kathmandu where I started working as a trekking porter while also doing private studies in political science and history culture. Then I got promoted from porter to kitchen boy, then to sherpa and assistant trekking guide. My hard work, ability to carry heavy loads in tough mountain conditions, desire to improve my English, and focus on prioritizing client needs helped me get promoted quickly to become a lead trekking guide. I got my official trekking guide license from the government and also took up training in mountain climbing, rescue operations, and first aid
After 11 years of work in the mountains, I started my own trekking/travel company called Mountain Delights in 2004 which provides job opportunities to aspiring young people exposure.

--About my charity--

I was always the kind of person who wanted to give something positive to the community. From, a young age I was involved in solving disputes and the addictive behavior of people in the village and counseling. This nature of mine led me forward towards contributing more to my village. Later when I became a trekking guide, I started sponsoring young children who were deprived of education like me with my savings as it was a good amount of money for me as a guide in comparison to my background and previous works. In 2005, I finally started a charity named Tukee Nepal Samaj.: Tukee Nepal Society
Once while guiding, I met kind Swedish people, Mikael Person, Ewa, and Dan Söderberg, I told them about village life, so they eagerly visited my village. Seeing children having to study in the open due to a dilapidated school building, they decided to support my initiatives. Impressed by my work, they started their support organization in Sweden.
The village lacked proper health and education facilities. Through Tukee Nepal Samaj, we sponsor over 200 children's education yearly, run health projects, build infrastructure like schools and sanitation, and provide electricity. We also work for women's empowerment and agriculture development. With my efforts and well-wishers' support, the village's condition has improved significantly.

Instead of just helping children attend school, I started village development projects - building toilets, health centers, and affordable healthcare funds. I began community-based treks to find offbeat tourist destinations, benefiting both tourists who could explore new places and locals who got opportunities in tourism-related businesses promoting their products, overall raising their quality of life. Moreover, I am also contributing to social works through Lions Club Nepal and the Red Cross Society.

--My Businesses--

My journey from the bottom to the top motivated me to serve Nepal's tourism industry by delivering excellent services. Today, I own and operate the trekking company Mountain Delights Treks & Expeditions. I also have other businesses like Hotel Kathmandu Garden Home, Suryachaur Nature Retreat, and Suryachaur Paragliding.

--Honors & Accolades--

I am humbled to have received over 70 awards and honors for my dedication to tourism and humanitarian work. Below I have only included a list of my major awards:
• Social Entrepreneurship Award-2011-Nepal
• Sustainable Tourism Inspiring Story -2013-Asia
• Tourism Man of the Year-2017-Nepal
• Youth Inspiration 2018-Nepal
• Leadership Award 2019-Bangladesh
• Honorary Doctorate in 2023 from the World University of France (WULM)

--My Leadership Roles in Tourism Organization--

In recognition of my dedication to promoting social and sustainable tourism, I am currently serving as the Vice President of the Nepal Tourism Board (NTB), a prestigious Public-Private partnership organization that drives the development and promotion of Nepal's tourism industry. As a newly appointed Vice president of NTB, I am excited to lead NTB in attracting more travelers to explore the wonders of our country and contribute to its economic prosperity. Similarly, I was also the past president of Village Tourism Forum Nepal (VITOF), an umbrella organization of tourism entrepreneurs. I contributed to recognizing unknown beautiful villages of Nepal, empowering businesses of local communities, preserving cultural authenticity, and promoting sustainable tourism practices.