What is This?
The History of Trekking is a book about the people, places, and campfire tales of one of the most beautiful and fascinating places on earth: Himalayan Nepal.
It’s an amazing story of exploration, adventure, and entrepreneurship. We’ll be talking to people from across the industry, from the Gurkhas who built the first trekking companies to the guides, lodge owners, porters, and others who carry on that tradition today.
Who are we?
Jwalant Gurung and Christopher Natsuume are two friends from opposite sides of the earth, who share a deep love for Nepal.
Jwalant Gurung
Jwalant Gurung, a native Nepali born and raised in Kathmandu, is the owner/operator of Crystal Mountain Treks. Started in the 1970s by Jwalant’s father, it is one of the oldest and most respected trekking companies in Nepal. Additionally, he is the organizer of 3 Summits for Nepal, a charity that has been supporting the lives of people throughout the Nepal for over a decade, primarily through building and supporting schools in the remote villages of the Himalayan foothills.
Christopher Natsuume
Christopher Natsuume is an American entrepreneur, writer, and game developer living and working in Japan. Since 2006, he has been the Co-Founder of Boomzap Entertainment, a leading international casual game developer. He discovered a true love of Nepal over a decade ago, and has trekked extensively in the Annapurna, Everest, and Kanchenjunga regions.
A Shared Love of the Mountains
Jwalant and Chris met in the MBA program at the University of Washington in 2004. Through climbing experiences on Mt. Rainier as part of the 3 Summits for Nepal charity, Jwalant shared his love of the mountains, the result of a lifetime spent scouting Himalayan routes for Crystal Mountain Treks, with Chris and others.
As Chris grew more involved with fundraising for the the 3 Summits charity, Jwalant invited him to Nepal to hike deep into the Kanchenjunga region, and see how 3 Summits had changed the lives of the people there. On this, the first of many trips the two would take together, Chris discovered his love for Nepal.
Since then, the two of them have spent months trekking together in the Himalayan foothills, talking about the lives and struggles of the Nepali people, and the critical importance of the trekking industry in the lives of modern Nepali. These conversations, more often than not, turn up more questions than answers.
This book is a chance for them to take the next step in that journey.
The pioneers of the trekking industry are aging quickly. Many of them have already left us. We’re taking this chance to reach out to the people who helped define this critical part of the Nepali world, young and old, hear their stories, and share them with the world.
It should be a fascinating journey.