“It is not the mountains we conquer, but ourselves,” we keep this famous quote by Sir Edmund Hillary, close to our hearts during each one of our treks. We urge you (the trekkers who’ll be a part of our group during these treks) to recall the same. On these treks, you are there to enjoy nature and dismiss the thoughts of the city’s hustle and bustle. You choose to trek to enjoy nature in all its grandeur. So, it becomes your responsibility to conquer your urge to avoid responsibility and take full responsibility for your actions. Nature gives you different ways to do so, like protecting the environment and displaying your responsible self.

Be Responsible: Avoid Littering

Seeing a vast area with no people around might be the perfect circumstance to litter your waste and throw it around without any consequences. If this urge envelops you during the treks, think again, ‘No one’s around’ is the key. These mountain areas have no one to take care of the waste. Therefore, it’ll rot there, damaging the environment in the long run. You have enjoyed the blessings of nature, it should be your responsibility to gift the same blessings to the generations to come.

Have plastic waste? Keep it in your luggage in a paper or plastic bag and dispose at a suitable place after descent. Summits are there to conquer, not to litter. Campsites are there for rest and rejuvenation, don’t litter and make them dumpsites.

Be Responsible: Use Toilets

Try to use the toilets available at the campsites and avoid turning the campsite into a waste dump. In emergencies, you should go about your business behind bushes, but after digging a hole, do your business and fill it with mud. This situation is only valid for biodegradable waste, DO NOT TRY THE SAME FOR NON-BIODEGRADABLE WASTE.

Be Responsible: Don’t Pluck What Isn't Yours

The site of an exquisite flower or medicinal plant might tempt you to pluck them out and keep them for yourself. One occurrence like this won’t make a difference, some might think like this too. But, if every trekker thinks the same, it won’t take long for the biome of that place to show negative effects. Therefore, refrain from plucking any wildflowers or herbs. 

Be Responsible: The Water is There to Quench Your Thirst and Satisfy Your Hunger

The water streams, rivers, and lakes that you encounter during the trek are fresh and alpine, their water preserved by nature and its surroundings. These water sources are there to quench your thirst and satisfy your hunger. They are not there for you to wash your clothes, bath, or dump toiletries. Be extra careful before spoiling this water, it’s considered drinkable for a reason. We should all play our parts to preserve things in their natural state.

It’s not a HUMBLE REQUEST. IT IS A WARNING and if you are found doing any of the above, your trek will be expunged then and there. You give respect, you get respect. Trekking Compass holds the right to edit this policy as and when required.