Balaram Thapa, the Founder & Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Nepal Hiking Team, has been involved in the tourism industry for more than two decades. Like his elder brother Ganga Raj Thapa, Balaram Thapa left his ancestral home in Dhading after completing his matriculation. He came to Kathmandu and completed his Bachelor’s in Travel and Tourism from Tribhuvan University in 2000.
While studying for his bachelor’s degree, Balaram frequently accompanied trekking groups as a helper. It helped him earn some pocket money as well as gain enough experience to learn about the tools of the trekking trade. His first trek was to Annapurna Base Camp. Unfortunately, there was an avalanche en route, and the group had a difficult time on the trek. This first trek was a huge learning experience for him as it gave him firsthand experience on how to survive during an emergency in the mountains.
In the later years, he gathered enough experience and began guiding clients on his own. He has guided groups to almost all the popular trekking trails in Nepal – Everest, Annapurna, Langtang, Manaslu, Mustang, Kanchenjunga, Rolwaling, Dolpo, etc.
The year 2009 felt right to start something big. He had the experience and knowledge to run a trekking agency, and he, along with his elder brother, started their own travel venture – Nepal Hiking Team, a company that strived to offer a safe and memorable journey in the Himalayas. The competition was stiff, and there was very little business in the first two years. But Balaram and his elder brother never lost hope and thought of new ways to reach their clients. Their efforts bore fruit, and now Nepal Hiking Team is regarded as one of the best trekking agencies in Nepal.
Apart from taking care of the company with his brother, Balaram Thapa manages to find time to pursue his passion for traveling. He has visited many foreign countries and has more destinations on his bucket list that he plans to explore. He says that traveling to other destinations has helped him experience the joys and challenges of a traveler. It has helped him understand the expectations and perspectives of clients who travel with them, thus enabling him to communicate with them better and organize well-structured trips. The logistics and sales departments of the company are his domain, and he meticulously oversees and plans every trip that Nepal Hiking Team organizes.