VX Tours Nepal is an up and coming tour company that has emerged in the social enterprise space. This New Zealand
company provides ethical hiking tours in the Himalayan region of Nepal. It has been gaining quite a following, with over
70,000 Facebook likes in their first 9 months of operations and an invite from Forbes to join the 30 under 30 Global
Women’s Summit in Tel Aviv, Israel.
The company was created to improve the working conditions of local guides and porters in Nepal. Its Founder was shocked
when she heard that guides and porters in Nepal are often paid so little that they cannot even afford basic
accommodation during the hike. As a result, they are regularly forced to sleep in caves and shelters at extreme
temperatures. VX Tours Nepal pays their porters 50% more than the standard wage to prevent this from happening to their
staff. This business model has attracted the attention of Forbes who often advocates for businesses that strive to
achieve a philanthropic goal.
VX Tours Nepal has also taken advantage of the recent influx of tourists to Nepal. Nepal has recently become one of the
most popular off the beaten track travel destinations in the world. It has slowly been recovering from the devastating
earthquake that hit the country in 2015. Over the past four years, the trails to Everest Base Camp have been cleared and
the quaint teahouses along the way have been repaired.
Nepal has also featured in many newspapers and magazines as a top travel destination. Huffington Post recently voted it
as one of the top 20 adventure travel spots for 2019. Lonely Planet also got on board, voting Kathmandu as one of the
top 10 cities to visit in 2019 and Nepal as a top travel destination in their 2018 list. Now that the earthquakes are
over, tourists are excited and ready to get back into this exotic country. Tourism numbers have risen from over 500,000
in 2015 to one million in 2018.
This small New Zealand company is not just growing because of the expanding tourism industry in Nepal. It offers a
superior service throughout the hike.
Once their customers reach Everest Base Camp, they have a unique opportunity to take a scenic helicopter flight that
takes them over Base Camp and parallel to Mt Everest. Although the views from the hike are breathtaking, the helicopter
flight provides a different view altogether and is often the highlight of the trip. In addition to this, they hire some
of the best guides in the country to ensure their clients are well looked after and safe.
VX Tours Nepal demonstrates that high quality services can be provided without compromising the wellbeing of the local
communities. Their tours provide a source of much needed income for the locals. They also ensure that their clients
respect the local culture and don’t leave any rubbish behind on this breathtaking hike.