Here is what Kanad from New Jersey had to say: "Our trek was a wonderful and exciting experience. We had the opportunity to participate in the lives of people who don't often see tourists. It is certainly a worthwhile venture to see the beautiful and wild areas of this country, but to be able to experience the people's hospitality and hopefully give them something back in the process is something special indeed. We left with the hope that our presence planted the seed in the minds of the people of Patale that their way of life is something valued by people of other nations. May all subsequent Service Treks meet with the success that ours enjoyed!"
Here is what Lisa from Phoenix had to say:
"We are absolutely overwhelmed by the hospitality of our hosts who have made us feel incredibly welcome. Last night we were treated to a Sherpa song and dance presentation and this morning we were visited by children from the village school, to whom we presented backpacks donated by our friends Maya & Arnold. Our stay has gone by very fast. We have some extra baggage due to the generous offerings of dozens of kata (scarves which are a cultural symbol of hospitality.) Our backpacks are decorated with fresh flower garlands made by local sherpa children and given to us by their mums as a going away present. "
These photos were taken on our recent successful trek where we visited local clinics, schools, sanitary and environmental projects. Photos in slideshow: Elselien te Hennepe, Murari Sharma, Lisa McClellan, Dan Mazur, John Vavruska, & Morris Prokop. For caption information on these photos, please visit our Service Trek photo gallery.
We welcome all members to join this trek, including medical practitioners, educators, farmers, gardeners, technicians, builders, foresters, renewable energy professionals, and everyone else. You don't have to be an expert to make a difference.
Trek to visit remote health clinics, schools, sanitary and environmental projects.
Walk on snow-free paths at low elevation in the foothills near Mt. Everest through green terraced villages, rushing rivers, suspension bridges, ancient old-growth forests, stay in rustic local travelers inns and camp in verdant meadows.
Visit a beautiful, quiet, and pristine remote region on the "wrong side" of Everest where no tourists go.
See how local farm families are helping themselves.
This low-altitude trek may represent the most affordable low budget trek you could do in Nepal.
We help you buy and rent inexpensive mountain climbing, trekking, hiking, and walking gear, equipment, clothing, boots, shoes for sale, purchase and hire at affordable, cheap, low prices.
We offer 5% discounts for teachers, medical practitioners, environmental, energy and sanitation engineers who perform service work along the trek.
Enjoy this trek with our western leader and top quality sherpa staff who are with you all of the way.
Add on an extension of volunteer work at the beginning or end of the trek in Kathmandu.
Leader: Daniel Mazur, trekking in the Khumbu valley since 1991;
Dates and Cost:
17 to 29 November or 15 to 27 June. 13 Days in Nepal.
Price - Donation: $1450, £950, €1050 (100% of your contribution for the trek and your international flight are tax deductible). GBP & EUR conversions as of {30-Jan-12}.
Our June Service Trek just returned from a successful trip to rural Nepal. Please check the news for recent dispatches and updates from the trek. Please also visit MEFNews.org and our "Archived News" for more stories of past trips.
Please click one of the links below to view that section of our introductory information or just scroll down (photo right by Murari Sharma: Patale health post worker Jamyang and Dr. Lisa McClellan examine a Nepalese baby).
Introduction: Trek to remote Nepal delivering needed medicine and supplies, visiting health clinics, schools, temples, and wander around these extremely beautiful forested valleys with their lovely streams and terraced farms and meet some of the charming local families who provide wonderful hospitality to us.
After a short flight on an 18-seat plane we trek through remote Nepal at low altitude on snow-free paths, up and down hills, through green terraced villages, rushing rivers, suspension bridges, ancient old-growth forests, stay in rustic inns and camp in verdant meadows beneath towering peaks. There is ample time to experience the friendly and exotic culture, as we walk through some of the most spectacular natural settings and mountain scenery in the world, while staying in comfortable lodgings.
You travel at a very careful pace without having to carry a heavy rucksack, while enjoying freshly prepared meals and lots of hot drinks. The logistics are all taken care of, so just relax and enjoy the pure and pristine environment of the areas we pass through and meet the local people (photo right by Dan Mazur: Ms. Elselien, Dr. Lee Levin, and Ms. Kandu Sherpa, standing next to an ancient Buddhist Mani Wall, and the 7000 meter peaks of Numbur and Kwangde in the background. Everest and Lhotse are barely visible in the right hand of the photo).
This easy, peaceful and interesting trek maximizes many years of coordinating volunteer projects and treks, accumulated wisdom in the Himalaya, a long and proven record of safe and fun trekking through Tibet, Nepal, China, Africa, and many other fascinating mountain destinations around the world. back to top
Leader and staff: Our friendly guides and trip leaders are experts at leading interesting groups of men and women throughout Nepal. In addition, they have an intimate knowledge of the Sherpa people and customs and temples and shrines in each picturesque village you stroll through. We must also give credit to our polite and highly experienced, hard-working trekking sherpas, cooking, and office staff (photo right by Morris Prokop: Our team brought much needed school supplies to Patale Village and are handing them out to the children in the photo. There are 3 classrooms that serve over 70 students from grades 1 through 5. The school has 3 teachers on staff and students travel here daily from as far away as a 3-hour walk to attend classes daily).
On trek: Our guide, together with friendly and helpful sherpas, cooks and local porters carry all of your personal equipment, group equipment, and set up camp each day, prepare and serve delicious meals, so you can relax and enjoy the trek. You do not need to carry a heavy rucksack.
Sherpas: Our excellent sherpas have an intimate knowledge of this beautiful trek and the comfortable villages we will visit because this is their home region. They live in this land, grew up on farms here, have family and friends in the fun areas we will pass through, making our visit less of the usual tourist experience and more involved with the unique and genuine culture of Nepal. They go out of their way to help make your visit remarkable and create lasting ties with the majestic landscapes and the inhabitants who reside there. This is a very enjoyable trek with friendly people. back to top
Solu-Khumbu District: Covers an area of 1148 square kilometres in Nepal. This district verges upon Everest National Park, including Mt. Everest and several other well known peaks such as Lhotse, Pumori, Island Peak , and Ama Dablam. Because this district lies on the wrong side of Everest, tourists do not go here. In fact we have never seen another tourist during any of our previous service treks. The surrounding area is a 'world biosphere reserve'. Since 1976 the park has served to safeguard unique cultural, physical and scientific values through sound conservation principles. At low altitudes the district is made up of jungle vegetation, such as trees, rice paddies, and banana trees. At medium altitudes it varies from oak, pine and hemlock forests at lower altitudes to fir, juniper, birch and rhododendron woods at mid-elevations. Scrub and alpine plant communities with bare rock and glacier are found above the tree line, although our Service Trek does not reach this altitude. 22 species of rhododendron bloom during the spring (April and May) and much of the flora is colourful throughout the year. Wild animals most likely to be seen in the park are Himalayan tahr, goral, serow, musk deer, red bear, and well over 100 different bird species (photo right by Lisa McClellan: A Buddhist ceremony in Patale village temple, welcoming the arrival of our service trek).
Optional 'VolunteerKathmandu.org' extension programme: Volunteer in Kathmandu at a school and/or hospital before or after the Service Trek for as many days as you wish to participate. Price includes liaison between volunteer placemnt and the Mountainfund.org staff, airport pick-up, half day city tour, food and lodging. Cost: $200 USD (one time enrollment fee for a minimum of 2 days, plus $20/day for as many days you wish to volunteer before and after the trek).
Trek: This is one of the most beautiful treks in the world with ancient snow-free paths winding past green terraced villages, rushing streams crossed on swinging bridges and each night a rustic travelers inn or a good tent pitched in a quiet pasture with views of the foothills and perhaps in the distance the highest peaks in the world. Along the way we will stop in several villages delivering needed medicine and supplies, visiting health clinics, schools, local families and temples. Throughout the trip we eat delicious meals of local vegetables, rice, potatoes, and sometimes chicken for the meat-eaters in our group. The trek will be moderately paced, allowing plenty of time for rest and site-seeing. The route winds through rugged up and down valleys and beautiful forests and terraced farms, where you can explore rustic tiny villages. Our trusty porters carry all of your baggage, so you don't have to carry a heavy rucksack. back to top
Elselien is showing a photo she just took of a local family living near to Everest, in a poor village where tourists never go, surprised and excited; unaccustomed to seeing photos of themselves (J Vavruska). Doctor Jennifer Heinegg checks a patient's leg in the health post. A tree fell on it 8 months ago. It is badly infected. He will need surgery to repair the leg. His condition is serious, but with a little help, he can return to his job, rather than moving to Kathmandu to become a beggar and live in a cardboard shack (Arnold Coster).
Charity/Non-Profit. Please visit the sites of the groups who support our Service Trek, and help local people to help themselves:
We encourage men and women from around the world, of all ages to join us as an individual team member or with your own group, whether that is your spouse, partner, friends, sibling, clients, colleagues, etc. Most of our members join as individuals, our team dynamics work well, and we are able to build successful and safe groups that enjoy trekking, climbing, and traveling together.
We encourage all different kinds of people to join our Service Treks. We also like doctors and medical professionals to join our teams in return for a 10 % discount (photo right by Murari Sharma: Our service trek team going over logistics and getting ready to head out to rural Nepal in our busy Kathmandu office. From left to right: Arnold Coster, Khanad Chakrabarty, Jangbu Sherpa, Deha, Shrestha, Dr. Lisa McClellan, Celia Rogers, and Dan Mazur).
Previous camping experience is beneficial to enjoying the trip, although not required.
It would be nice if you have some experience with foreign travel, although we are happy to advise and help you if this is your first time out of the country and, for many of our members, it is.
All of the work is done for you, such as cooking, carrying group equipment, setting up tents, etc. Porters will carry all of your personal items so you do not have to carry a heavy rucksack.
It is not necessary to be in extremely good shape to enjoy this trek. If you can have fun walking for 3-6 hours up and down hills with a few 20 minute breaks mixed in, then you should be fine. back to top
Trekking in a beautiful and scenic river valley. This river flows past Mount Everest (Dan Mazur). A peaceful happy Sherpa family in one of the villages along our trek (Liz Stevens). Unloading our 18 seat twin-otter plane, the workhorse of the Himalaya (Dan Mazur).
Please "click" one of the links on the column on the upper right of your screen under "Service Trek" to learn more about our trip.
record of safe and fun trekking through Tibet, Nepal, China, Africa, and many other fascinating mountain destinations around the world. 
Everest and several other well known peaks such as 
