In this episode of the Solo Female Travelers Podcast, Mar is joined by Marinel de Jesus, a former civil rights attorney turned mountain nomad, filmmaker, tourism equity advocate, and founder of Equity Global Treks and the Porter Voice Collective. Marinel shares her journey from practicing law in Washington, DC, to building a life around hiking, community-led tourism, and advocating for the workers who make some of the world’s most famous treks possible.

Together, Mar and Marinel take a closer look at the realities behind trekking in places like Peru and Nepal, including porter working conditions, wages, overloading, cultural identity, tourism leakage, and the power dynamics between local workers and tour companies. They also discuss the additional barriers women face as guides, and how Marinel’s Himalayan Women Trail Leaders initiative is helping women in Nepal develop not only guiding skills but also leadership and self-advocacy.

The conversation offers travelers practical reasons to ask harder questions before booking a trek and to think beyond the experience they see as tourists. Women who love hiking, trekking, solo travel, or community-led tourism will come away with a better understanding of how their travel choices can support greater equity for the people behind the journey.

Episode resources:

• The Porter Voices Podcast
• Himalayan Women Trail Leaders Initiative
• Equity Global Treks
• KM 82 Film

www.solofemaletravelers.club