ExpERIENCE a new way in nepal
ExpERIENCE a new way in nepal
a NOTE FROM THE BOSS
I am sitting here at 4000m on a rough drystone wall in a tent with my porter, longtime expedition cook, and friend, Raju Tamang. Outside is the mist beneath Manaslu, at 8163m, the 8th highest mountain in the world. I’ve been writing copy for this website. Writing always comes easy in this beautiful, spiritual and flowing place.
HGA is a business which brings people to these special, raw and spiritual places so that they might be touched and reflect on their own lives.
I hope you can find, a retreat, trek or climb on this site which will inspire you to visit this wondrous place.
Namaste,
Seane Pieper
Owner and Expedition Guide
Seane Pieper
Owner & Head Guide
purpose
HGA is an Australian owned and based organisation focusing on taking Australians to Nepal, to the genuine and remote Nepal. Through the engagement and understanding of this fascinating environment and culture we believe your life will be enriched.
We aim to directly engage Nepalis. We are not an agency which just books trips and then hands its over to a Nepali operator. The organisation was born out of the great Nepal earthquake and aims to develop the Lower Manaslu region through direct engagement of Australians with these remote and non-tourist villages.
We are in the process of building a lodge and school in the village of Dharepani, in lower Manaslu, and have substantially donated to villages and assisted in the post-earthquake recovery in the region. Surplus funds from expeditions are donated to ongoing development.
We have close contacts and good friendships with locals along the region’s trails as we have spent the last 3 years developing new routes, employing and training locals and donating for infrastructure development. See our Ethics, People and Environment page for our approaches.
Himalayan guiding family
Seane Pieper
Owner & Head Guide
Seane has extensive high altitude trekking and mountaineering experience in the Nepal and Tibetan Himalaya, including Cho Oyu 8201m in 2015 and 2016.
He has been on and led countless treks to the Himalaya and in particular, the Manaslu region since the 1990’s . Present in Nepal during the 2015 earthquake, he has a deep love and passion to rebuild the country. Seane is a qualified Wilderness Aid First Responder, Educator and Nepal tragic. When not in Nepal, he lives in Beechworth Victoria, on his farm with his family.
Helen Dobra
Expedition Guide
Helen is an experienced outdoor instructor, rock climber, mountaineer (including an ascent of Chulu East 6058m), mum and Bowen therapist, who lives in beautiful Wooli, NSW. She was a guide on our inaugural women’s trek and has been heavily involved in expedition design and route selection. Having been to the Manaslu region 3 times, she took her 3 boys there in February this year as part of a documentary trek. She is qualified in Wilderness Aid. Helen has a unique blend of experience, humour , empathy and strength which makes her an ideal Himalayan trekking guide.
Sandesh Tamang
Sherpa Guide
Sandesh is a Manaslu local who has extensive experience trekking and mountaineering in the Nepal Himalaya. He has worked on Mount Everest, summited Ama Dablam and numerous peaks as well as having a forensic knowledge of the Manaslu region and its people. He has been trained by the Nepal Mountaineering Association, speaks wonderful English (including a disarming amount of Australian English!), has a delightful nature as well as being an extremely experienced and competent guide and leader.
Lama Jit Bahdur Tamang
Spiritual Guide
Jit was born and raised in Sirandada and like many young men in Nepal he traveled abroad to pursue his career and support his young family. After working 16 years in the motor technology industry in Japan, Jit returned home after a life changing event. During this time Jit was in considerable financial difficulty, personal turmoil and health concerns. This was a turning point in his life and he began his journey in search for meaning. His quest led him to study many spiritual texts from a diversity of religions and philosophies. He found that Buddhism resonated and began his study and practise to become a Lama and settled back into his hometown of Sirandada with his family. Jit has devoted most of his life keeping Buddhist spirituality alive in his community and has been pivotal in rebuilding the Monastery that was destroyed in the 2015 earthquake.
Karina Dobra
Admin
Karina is the admin for Himalayan Guiding Australia, a virtual assistant, tech nerd and an avid traveler. Her fascination for life and people has taken her to such distant and foreign places as Svalbard and Greenland. She has adventured and volunteered in many other parts of the world, including; both India and Nepal where she volunteered at an orphanage and local school. Karina has volunteered and dedicated a lot of her time to various non-for-profit charities both in Australia and overseas and has always had a keen passion for people. Taking part in the Himalayan Sacred Lakes Meditation Retreat in April 2020 she will become more involved in the customer service and development of the company.
Annette Gill
Yoga Facilitator
Annette is a certified Yoga practitioner, a mum to 3 boys and an environmental scientist. She completed her Diploma of Yoga Teaching in Hatha Yoga through the International Yoga Teachers Association (IYTA) in 2004, and is certified in Prenatal Yoga, Yin Yoga and Mindfulness. She creates a safe space, allowing participants to nurture themselves on the yoga mat through all phases of life so they may carry that compassion into their daily lives. With her background in environmental science and her love for nature, she believes that the connection and awareness between our inner and outer world is what will bring us closer to greater compassion and care of our Self, Others and our Planet.
Kuli Rai
Sherpa & Head Porter
Kuli is our rock. When not winning at cards, he is setting up our tents and providing much-needed humour for all his staff.
Kamel Magar
Assistant Cook/Trainee Guide
Kamel is cool as a cucumber and strong as an ox, despite his dimunutive size. Kamel has done many treks with us and is humble, loyal and highly reliable.
Skip Pieper, 14
Junior Guide
Skip is learning the ropes in Nepal and has completed two treks to the Manaslu region He is used as a guinea pig to test suitability for trekking routes for kids, along with his younger brother, Charlie 8. Skip recently returned from our Kids trek. He loves the big suspension bridges.
Charlie Pieper, 8
Expedition Guinea Pig
Charlie is carted along to be a guinea pig for our kids treks. He loves Nepali kids and the big rivers.
our partners
Himalayan Guiding Institute
The Himalayan Guiding Institute is our logistics support in Nepal. It is a team of highly experienced Nepalis, including the remarkable Shambu Sherpa and Jeevan Kukiel .
where we stay
In Kathmandu, we normally stay at either The Karma Travellers Home in Thamel or Hotel Mum’s Home in Thamel (Jyatha).
Both hotels are close to the main shopping district in central Kathmandu.
