Summary

Climate friendly hiking in Nepal

Rainer recaps an impressive and long day. He has overcome 800 meters of altitude, is excited about the impressions of Nepal’s nature and culture, but he also is hungry. He sits down in the warm lounge and waits for his meal. Cooking and heating is done with efficient stoves that use less wood. After Rainer finishes his Dal Bhat, a typical Nepalese dish, he goes to his room and takes a warm shower to end the day. The solar thermal system on the roof of the lodge makes this possible. Meanwhile, the camera’s battery is already charging with power from the photovoltaic system. Rainer finally goes to bed in his well-insulated room. A successful trekking day on the Climate Trek Helambu in Nepal comes to an end.

Two treks, one concept

With our two Climate Treks, we are organizing package tourism in a popular travel hiking destination, the Himalayas in Nepal, in a more sustainable way. This is done on both the energy and the social level. The idea is to work with the lodge owners to build comfortable accommodations that are also as climate and environmentally friendly as possible. In concrete terms, this means that atmosfair supports the lodges participating in the project in Helambu and Langtang in the selection of environmentally friendly technologies and subsidizes their purchase. In return, the lodge owners build earthquake-proof lodges that offer spacious rooms, warm showers and other comforts. Together with the local partners, atmosfair has chosen the following technologies: photovoltaic, solar thermal, waste water and drinking water filtration systems, efficient cooking and heating stoves, infrared heaters and rainwater collection stations. In the Helambu valley, a few lodges have also opted for small-scale biogas plants so that they can now cook the popular Dal Bhat with biogas, thus saving firewood.

The concept is further enhanced by the fact that atmosfair, in addition to the lodges, also equips social institutions such as hospitals, schools or community centres with renewable energies and addresses the waste problem in the regions. atmosfair commissions local organizations to increase knowledge about biodiversity and climate change as well as awareness for waste disposal through training courses and to build up an infrastructure for recycling.

In the Helambu valley, Gopal Lama was able to realize his vision of a model eco-lodge through the Climate Trek. From the beginning of construction, sustainability was the focus. The lodge is built of hempcrete, has solar-powered underfloor heating, a photovoltaic system and a wastewater recycling system. Today, it is coupled with one of the supported schools and trains in hotel management, cooking and ecotourism.

How it all began

Nepal’s mountainous regions are characterized by their inaccessibility. For the people living over 3000m above the sea level, tourism is one of the most important sources of income. The devastating earthquakes in 2015 therefore were especially dramatic and drastic, as they brought tourism to a standstill. The consequences can still be seen and felt today. The Climate-Treks are located north of Nepal’s capital Kathmandu in the Helambu and Langtang valleys. Both regions were hit by the earthquakes particularly hard.

At that time, atmosfair decided to provide immediate aid and started the campaign “New Energy for Nepal” together with forum anders reisen. Within the framework of this campaign, atmosfair supported the people in the emergency shelters, schools and health stations with solar home systems and efficient stoves, so that they could get short-term access to light, electricity and cooking facilities.

In the existing atmosfair biogas project, about 22,000 small biogas plants were damaged by the quakes. atmosfair therefore commissioned the non-governmental organizations BSP-Nepal and NBPA to repair the defective biogas plants in cooperation with local construction companies, thus enabling the repair of more than 750 biogas plants to date.

The third measure of the campaign pursues the goal of giving the people who make their living by running shelters a long-term economic perspective again after the earthquakes. The “Climate Treks” in the Helambu and Langtang regions make exactly this possible.

Status today

After the opening of the first Climate Trek in autumn 2018, the trek quickly enjoyed great popularity. The concept received much recognition and atmosfair, together with forum anders reisen, therefore decided to adopt the successful concept for the Langtang Valley. The construction phase is now almost complete. Currently, a large part of the lodges is insulated with natural hemp lime. Renewable and environmentally friendly technologies are also being installed. The Langtang Valley itself has been virtually spared from Corona so far. Work can continue, even though the lockdown in the rest of the country is causing supply problems for the materials needed. As Nepal is very much affected by Corona, some essential workers in the country are also out of action at the moment – either because they are affected themselves or because they have to take care of close family members. Situation permitting, the opening is planned for fall 2021.

atmosfairs contribution

atmosfair has taken over the project management from the idea to the final implementation and opening of the climate path. Through fruitful collaboration with local partners, funding gaps were closed and true technology transfer was implemented. Both Climate Treks are ongoing projects whose expansion is supported by your donations.

Our partners

“Climate Treks Nepal” is a joint project of atmosfair and forum anders reisen.

The forum anders reisen is our close cooperation partner and biggest donor for the Climate Treks. The travel association from Germany consists of more than 100 tour operators who are committed to sustainable tourism.
Hauser Exkursionen is a German tour operator, member of forum anders reisen and actively involved partner, which supports us especially regarding necessary comfort standards through which the bookings of the guests are realized.

With the support of our project manager on site, Mr. Bimal B.K., as well as the engineering office Scott Wilson Nepal and numerous local travel agencies and NGOs, the projects and their operation and maintenance are continuously implemented.

For the latest news and more information, please visit the project’s own Climate Trek Nepal website.

Your contact at atmosfair

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