The Mountain Fund and Adventure Engine Team Up for Nepal Trekking

The Mountain Fund and its Trek4Good program are proud to announce an exciting new partnership with Adventure Engine. Adventure Engine is an online administration suite providing everything from reservation programs, inventory management systems, merchant accounts, e-commerce solutions, marketing and distribution programs to adventure tourism suppliers, operators, outfitters and tour companies.

The Mountain Fund is a U.S.-based charity with a mission to organize grassroots non-profit and non-governmental organizations from a diversity of disciplines, and to support and coordinate these organizations’ efforts to eliminate poverty, its causes and symptoms, in developing mountain communities around the world.

The Mountain Fund/Adventure Engine partnership will make it possible for trekking agencies in Nepal, which subscribe to ethical treatment of porters, environmentally sound practices and a commitment to sustainable tourism, to access and use the powerful Adventure Engine system.

The Mountain Fund Director Scott MacLennan says “Many good trekking agents in Nepal are at a market disadvantage in not being able to book online and take payments online. This is standard practice for western companies and western clients have come to expect that level and ease of service. Asking clients to e-mail for information or send credit card information in an e-mail costs these companies business. This program will make all that possible and affordable.”

One of the conditions of accessing Adventure Engine via The Mountain Fund is that 1% of all trip sales will go to The Mountain Fund to be invested in schools, health clinics and other projects in Nepal. It’s a total win-win situation. The agent gets an affordable, smart, easy-to-use system for booking online and taking secure credit card payments, and local charities and schools earn money.

The Mountain Fund would like to recogonize Kahtoola, Inc. as the major contributor to the 1% For The People program.

Danny Giovale (right), owner of Kahtoola, Inc., presents a donation check to The Mountain Fund’s director, David Diaz (left), at the 2008 Outdoor Retailer Winter Market.