American Himalayan Foundation

06/05/2026

Students in Upper Mustang planted 150 trees today in celebration of World Environment Day! 🌱 This activity is part of their Eco-Club curriculum, developed by our partners the Lo Gyalpo Jigme Foundation, to educate youth about conservation and prepare them for their future roles as stewards of the environment.

06/03/2026

Happy Pride Month! This June, we're celebrating our partners at Rainbow Disability Nepal (RDN) — the first organization of its kind dedicated to empowering q***r individuals living with disabilities across Nepal. From medical and mental health support to education and inclusive development, RDN helps this marginalized, overlooked community thrive.

Last year, we launched our All Voices, All Rights project, focused on building community and creating safe spaces for participants. This included a collaborative art and expression event where new members could connect with one another, create art, and feel free to be fully themselves.

We are proud to continue working alongside RDN this year, hosting peer support groups in Kathmandu, Chitwan and Pokhara, and growing our social inclusion and community empowerment efforts across the country.

Photos courtesy of RDN.

05/29/2026

05/29/2026

On May 29th, 1953, Tenzing Norgay and Sir Edmund Hillary made history as the first people to summit Everest. Today, 73 years later, we honor that moment — and the communities that have welcomed the world into this remarkable region ever since.

Our Board Chairman Jon Krakauer shares why he has dedicated the last 30 years to giving back.

“I first got involved with the American Himalayan Foundation soon after the 1996 Mt. Everest disaster as a way to repay some of my personal debt to the kind, courageous Sherpas who did so much to assist me and other survivors of that calamity. My involvement deepened over the 30 years that followed as I learned more about the amazing work AHF does in addition to providing education and health care to Sherpas. Working in Nepal is never simple or easy, but as Board Chair, I’m looking forward to collaborating with President Norbu Tenzing and his exceptional staff to meet the challenges we encounter in the years ahead.”

This Everest Day, join us in supporting the people and place that have given so much to so many. Visit himfdn.org/donate get involved.

Photo 1 - Makalu at sunrise from 27,600 feet on Everest, May 10, 1996
Photo 1 - Approaching the base of the Lhotse Face on Everest, May 8, 1996
Photo 3 - Looking down from the summit of Everest as storm clouds rise to engulf Lhotse, 1:15 PM, May 10, 1996

05/27/2026

For the Sherpa people of the Khumbu, dance is far more than celebration. It is an expression of their faith, a connection to ancestors, and a way of passing tradition from one generation to the next.

This is the culture and community we have been working to protect for decades. Learn more: https://www.himalayan-foundation.org/what-we-do/sherpas-and-everest/

05/22/2026

"Nepal is truly one of my favorite places to visit. Having traveled there for multiple climbing expeditions for over 20 years, I've embraced the culture, the people, the food, and the amazing landscape. I've been fortunate to see it all from the lowlands looking up, and from the highest points looking down. These are memories that I will cherish forever."

Ed Viesturs has spent over two decades experiencing the very best of Nepal. This climbing season, his words remind us why it is so important to support the communities that call it home. Learn how you can help: www.himfdn.org

05/20/2026

In the Khumbu Valley, our partners at the Sagarmatha Pollution Control Committee have installed four siren systems and two hydrological monitoring stations to provide real-time flood warnings for communities living downstream of glacial lakes. Emergency response teams have been established in each village, supplied with emergency materials, and trained so that communities know exactly what to do when a warning is issued.

This infrastructure, which combines real-time monitoring with locally rooted expertise, is a critical step toward protecting the people who call these mountains home from the growing threat of glacial lake outburst floods in the Everest region.

Read our latest blog post to learn more: https://www.himalayan-foundation.org/blog/2026-05-18-a-new-reality-in-the-khumbu

05/18/2026

“The Himalaya started out as a place of wonder for me, holding potential, intrigue, and possibilities. What they became was far more profound. I found myself while surrounded by the enormity of the mountains, and the kindness of the people encouraged me to grow as a person. The landscape of my life is forever changed because of this place and these people."

For Melissa Arnot Reid, the Himalaya is much more than a destination — it shaped her into the person she is today. And she is committed to giving back to the people and place that have given her so much.

To learn about AHF’s work in the Khumbu, visit: himfdn.org/what-we-do/sherpas-and-everest

05/15/2026

Today is the third and final day of the Tiji Festival in Upper Mustang. Also known as Tenchi, this Buddhist ritual is celebrated every May in the village of Lo Manthang.

Tiji tells the story of Dorje Shunu (Vajrakila) — a deity who defeated evil to protect the Kingdom of Mustang. During each day of the festival, monks perform sacred masked dances and rituals, with the final day marking the defeat of evil and closing in a prayer for world peace.

Photos courtesy of Luigi Fieni.

05/12/2026

Dawa Yangzum Sherpa grew up in Rolwaling Valley, surrounded by the Himalayan mountains. She went on to become the first Nepali woman to summit all 14 eight-thousand-meter peaks and earn the IFMGA certification.

But for Dawa, what matters most isn’t the summits. It’s the culture and traditions of the people and place that raised her.

Learn how you can help protect them: himfdn.org/what-we-do/sherpas-and-everest