Featuring Mingmar Dolma Sherpa & Lhakpa Doma Lama

In Episode 4 of The Porter Voices Podcast, we spotlight two remarkable women helping shape the future of mountain leadership in Nepal.

The episode opens with a conversation featuring Mingmar Dolma Sherpa, co-founder of HWTL (Himalayan Women Trail Leaders). Mingmar shares her journey in the trekking and mountaineering industry, the inspiration behind creating HWTL, and her vision for expanding opportunities for women guides and leaders in the mountains. She reflects on the challenges women face in the outdoor industry, the importance of mentorship and training, and the power of creating pathways for the next generation of female leaders.

In the second half of the episode, Mingmar takes on the role of interviewer as she sits down with Lhakpa Doma Lama, the youngest guide participant in the HWTL Women Leadership & Guide Training held in February 2026. Lhakpa shares her experiences entering the guiding profession, what motivated her to join the training, and the lessons she gained from learning alongside other aspiring women leaders. Her story offers a glimpse into the hopes, determination, and potential of a new generation of women working to build careers in Nepal's mountain tourism sector.

Together, these conversations explore leadership, resilience, mentorship, and the importance of creating more inclusive opportunities in the outdoor industry. From experienced leadership to emerging talent, Episode 4 celebrates the voices of women who are redefining what is possible in the mountains.

The Porter Voices Podcast amplifies the stories of porters, guides, and mountain workers whose labor and leadership make adventure travel possible. Through authentic storytelling, we explore workforce equity, gender inclusion, human rights, and the evolving future of mountain tourism around the world.

If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, leave a review, and share it with others who believe in creating a more equitable and inclusive future for mountain communities and tourism workers.

Learn more about our work and subscribe:⁠⁠⁠ www.theportervoicecollective.org⁠⁠⁠

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Want to partner/collaborate with PVC? Send us an email -theportervoice@gmail.com. Also, check out our HWTL ⁠⁠Initiative Brief ⁠⁠and ⁠⁠Program Evaluation⁠⁠ to learn about HWTL and its impact via our ⁠HWTL webpage⁠.Follow The Porter Voice Collective:⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠ / ⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠ / ⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠

Listen via ⁠PVC YouTube Channel⁠ or ⁠The Porter Voices Podcast page.⁠

Because every mountain journey has voices that deserve to be heard.

This episode was made possible by our Porter Voices Podcast team:

Marinel M. de Jesus, Esq., Host, Creator & Writer

Mingmar Dolma Sherpa, Guest Host & Interviewer

Translation by Mingma Sherpa

Sound and Video Editing by Marinel M. de Jesus, Esq.

Roger Foye, Music Director

Jowita Kudzia, Theme Music Video Editor

Visuals by Lhakpa Doma Lama & Mingmar Dolma Sherpa

Special thanks to our volunteers, Amrit Tamang and Darlene Lin, for their support in conducting interviews of our HWTL women guides in Kathmandu.