Our Story — Three Generations in the Himalayas
This is not a company story. It is a family story. Three generations of Simkhadas who have walked Nepal's mountain trails, guided travellers through its valleys, and built — slowly, imperfectly, one trek and one classroom at a time — something that matters.
Our Grandfather: Hari Lal Simkhada
In the late 1960s, long before trekking became an industry and long before teahouses dotted the trails, our grandfather Hari Lal Simkhada was helping international expeditions find their way through the Himalayas. He was not a businessman or a famous guide. He was a local man from Saldum Village in Dhading District who knew the mountain paths, who could read the weather by looking at the clouds, and who understood that the foreigners arriving in Kathmandu with ice axes and impossible ambitions needed someone who knew the mountains as home rather than as a destination.
He arranged logistics. He carried loads. He befriended climbers from countries he had never visited and helped them reach peaks he would never climb. He was among the early Nepalis helping international visitors experience the Himalayas — not for recognition but because the work needed doing and he was the man who could do it.
All documentation of his work was lost when the 2015 earthquake destroyed our family's ancestral home near Saldum. What remains are the stories — told by our father, confirmed by the elders of Saldum, and carried forward by a family tradition that his quiet work began.
Our Father: Ganesh Prasad Simkhada
Our father took what our grandfather started on the mountain trails and gave it institutional form. Ganesh Prasad Simkhada served on the Board of Executive Directors of the Nepal Tourism Board and as General Secretary of the Nepal Mountaineering Association. He was instrumental in opening new trekking regions across Nepal and in training Nepali mountaineering guides to international standards through government programmes. He was also involved with the Nepal Tourism Bank and served on various trade and government committees dedicated to developing Nepal's tourism sector.
His vision was clear and ahead of its time: the Himalayas should not be reserved for elite climbers with unlimited budgets. They should be accessible to everyone who is willing to walk. He worked to open new trekking regions, to train Nepali guides to international standards, and to build the infrastructure that allows a teacher from London or an engineer from Sydney to walk to Everest Base Camp and return home safely.
His commitment extended beyond tourism. He helped establish a local development bank focused on tourism businesses and founded a community hospital to provide affordable healthcare. He believed — and taught us to believe — that tourism should improve the lives of the people who live in the places tourists visit.
On his sixtieth birthday, he passed the responsibility to us. "Keep the legacy alive," he said. "But also make it better."
Our Generation: Shreejan and Shamjhana
We are Shreejan Simkhada and Shamjhana Basukala — husband and wife, co-founders of The Everest Holiday, and the third generation of this family's connection to the Himalayas. We are both trained, government-licensed trekking guides. We are also both teachers and social workers. We co-founded The Everest Holiday in 2016 because we believed we could build a trekking company that does what our grandfather did — help people experience the mountains — while doing what our father envisioned — making tourism a force for good in Nepal's communities.
Every client talks directly to Shreejan. Every itinerary is designed personally. Every guide is someone we know, trust, and have walked with. When you trek with The Everest Holiday, you are not booking a package from a faceless company. You are joining a family that has been doing this work for over sixty years.
Our Heart: The Nagarjun Learning Center
In 2019, we founded the Nagarjun Learning Center — a charity providing free education, meals, and healthcare to children in Nepal's most remote communities. Our flagship centre is in Saldum Village, Dhading District — the same village where our grandfather lived, the same village where the earthquake destroyed our family home.
Today, seventy children receive free education and hot meals every school day at Saldum. We have established seven learning centres across Nepal. Over six hundred people have received free medical care at our health camps. Sixty-five children in Saldum now have internet access — the first internet connection in the village's history. And one hundred and sixty women have been reached through support and vocational training programmes.
In November 2022, we travelled to Vienna, Austria, to raise funds for a retaining wall at the Saldum centre. We sold Nepali handicrafts and cooked meals in schools, churches, and community centres. A senior United Nations officer saw our work and invited us to the UN Vienna headquarters. Our project report was submitted to the UN, and the Nagarjun Learning Center was verified and listed on the United Nations Partner Portal — making us eligible to apply for UN humanitarian project grants.
A portion of every trek booking goes directly to the Nagarjun Learning Center. When you trek with us, you are funding a classroom, a hot meal, and a child's future.
Selected for MATKA 2026 — Nordic Countries' Travel Fair
In January 2026, the Nepal Tourism Board selected The Everest Holiday as one of only nine companies to represent Nepal at MATKA 2026 — the largest travel fair in Northern Europe, held in Helsinki, Finland. Our European Representative, Shradha Simkhada, represented us at the fair. This state-level recognition validates our commitment to quality, safety, and authentic Himalayan experiences at the highest international standard.
Verified and Licensed
- Government Registration: 147653/072/073
- Tourism License: 2838/072
- TAAN Membership: #1586
- Nepal Tourism Board: Affiliated
- Nepal Mountaineering Association: Affiliated
- KEEP: Affiliated
- TripAdvisor Travellers' Choice 2024
When You Trek With Us
You talk directly to the owners. There are no middlemen, no international call centres, and no hidden fees. You get the knowledge of three generations and the heart of a family that believes the Himalayas are not just a place to visit but a place to protect, to share, and to give back to.
With warm wishes,
Shreejan Simkhada and Shamjhana Basukala
Co-founders, The Everest Holiday
Co-founders, Nagarjun Learning Center
