Your Guides

The NTAT team will guide you from the moment you sign up for this adventure and throughout your trip. We have over 15 years of experience organizing and leading tours in Nepal and added the Nepal Trek and Trail Run to our array of trips. The team consists of a dynamic group of western guides, Amanda Daflos and John Oliva, along with our partner in Nepal, Jagat Man Lama. While on the trek we will have full Nepali staff including two guides, several assistant guides, a kitchen staff and porter team. The team has worked together on multiple projects over many, years, including marathons, triathlons and other tours in Nepal. In 2012 we will be partnering to build a school in rural northeastern Nepal.

In 2007, the team led the first annual Nepal Trek and Trail with great success. They are proud to offer you the opportunity to join them again as they guide you through your Nepal experience which will include countless learning opportunities, breathtaking landscapes and the opportunity to connect with the culture through unique experiences like paragliding, drinking tea in a traditional Nepali kitchen or riding on bus rooftops through the country side.

Whether you join them for the Nepal Trek and Trail Run or one of their other adventures, you will experience the world in a way that is both enlightening and enriching. Your safety, health and comfort are our first concern. Along with unsurpassed service before and during your journey, well-thought-out and carefully designed itineraries provide clients with world-class travel experiences and a glimpse into truly unique aspects of the people and landscape of Nepal. Client references are available on request.

>Your Western Guides

 

John Oliva

John's passion for Nepal began when he visited the country in 1995. He connected with the genuine nature of the people and the breathtaking beauty of the country. As a result, John started organizing and leading trekking and cycling tours throughout the world, including Nepal . John strives to show all guests who visit the country with the Nepal Trek and Trail team, the beauty he sees in the geniune, Nepali people and give them the opportunity to appreciate it to the fullest extent.

John grew up in Colorado and started to hike and bike at high altitudes at a very early age. He climbed his first 13,000 ft. mountain at the age of 8, which is also when he started to get involved with, long-distance cycling tours led by his father. John started traveling internationally at the young age of 9 when he made an around the world trip to Asia and Europe with is father. Since then he has strived to learn about and interact with foreign cultures. Nepal has been in John's heart since his first trek there in 1995 and has remained dear to him during the 20+ treks he has led there over the years. During these years he has learned Nepali, which helps to bridge the gap between the westerners and the local Nepalese. John also currently, directs and coordinates many of the premier running races, triathlons and other events in the United States. John is an active athlete who has competed in several sports such as speed in-line skating, speed skiing, cycling races, and running races.

John is the director and founder of Explore Adventure Sports, which he founded in 1996. The company promotes environmental adventure travel and manages premier races throughout the world. Travelers joining these tours benefit from John's 25 years of global travel experience, education through adventure and worldwide connections. John has a reputation for offering unique adventures to off-the-beaten-path areas of the world. These journeys have a unique cultural emphasis and clients learn the true culture of the region that most other travelers pass by.

Amanda Daflos

Amanda's knowledge and passion for Nepal began in 1999 when she spent seven months living with a traditional family in the village of Kopan , Nepal . There she learned to speak and write Nepali and grew to understand the rich cultures of Nepal . She spent one month living with a traditional mountain familyin Sikkles , Nepal then traveled through the country on her own while examining the role of women in the Nepali school system through interviews and school visits. Nepal has remained a part of Amanda's life since returning to the United States . She worked as the Director of Programs for the International Mountain Explorers Connection, a non-profit organization that focuses on assisting people in developing mountain regions of the world. There she managed a project that focused on building a partnership for sustainable travel with western tour operators. Additionally, she has worked on porter rights issues and has lectured on the topic at outdoor industry and academic conferences and has worked with the Himalayan Cataract Project over several years.

Amanda has worked closely with several companies in the outdoor and adventure travel industry to plan marathons, triathlons and other sporting events. She has a long career working with local governments and non-profit organizations to develop marketing programs and fundraising events. She has practiced yoga for nearly ten years, including Bikram yoga. When she is not working on the Nepal Trek and Trail, she works for Deloitte Consulting as a public sector practitioner where she travels extensively and has worked in Child Support, Transportation, Water Infrastructure and Resources and Child Welfare to develop solutions to complex state government and social issues. Amanda grew up in New York , spent five years in Colorado and has been in California for the last two years.

Your Nepali Guides

Jagat Man Lama and More Than Mountain Treks - jagatreks.com.np

WORK HISTORY

1991- Present : Managing Director / Owner - More Than Mountain Treks
1985-1991 : Part-Owner/Operations Director, Adventure Nepal Trekking
1974-1984 : Sirdar (Lead Guide), Sherpa Cooperative Trekking
1972-1974 : Coordinator, UC Berkeley Wildlife Project
1968-1971 : Guide/Sirdar in Mountain Travel (Mike Cheney)

EXPEDITION SIRDAR (GUIDE)

1991 : Swiss Zermat Manaslu Expedition (Bruno Zelek)
1983 : British Annapurna III South-east Pillar Expedition
1975 : Everest "The Hard Way" Expedition - BBC Sirdar (Chris Bonington)

TREKKING

Personally lead more than 100 Treks to the most remote areas of Nepal.

Extensive experience with a variety of groups, including the Sierra Club, wilderness Travel, Singapore Adventure and Comex Clubs, Thomas Cook, Israeli geographical Tours, British Army and British Royalty (guide for Lord Mountague twice).

In depth knowledge of Nepal's natural history and culture.

PUBLIC SERVICE

Elected Pradhan Pancha (Mayor), Bolday Phediche VDC.1986-1990 (until Nepal's political structure changed). Nepali congress General Assembly Member & Treasurer for Kavre District from 1997 to 2002.

Organized community support and implementation for water and School projects in Bhanjyang, Boldly, Mouray, Bolday Phediche Health Post building, Shivalaya Lower Secondary School building (Bolday VDC), Pakuwal Village water project (Thulo Percel VDC) water project in Choptar Village, Palughat Village (Mechea VDC) water project in Chukha Beshi (Sarshun Kharka VDC), Lokil Danda water project for trekkers (katekay Devrali VDC), Police check Post building (Saramthali VDC), Khadgaysori Primary School building in Kaldhar Village (Chapakhori VDC).

* Birendra Aishwarya Sewa Padak (Social Service Medal) from His Majesty King Gyanendra Bir Bikram Shahdev.

PERSONAL

Nima Tamang and Purna Tamang

Nima Tamang and Purna Tamang are staff members at More Than Mountain Treks. They have worked with the Nepal Trek and Trail for the last several years in planning and lead the inaugural trip in 2007 with John, Amanda and a remarkable staff. Nima and Purna have lead countless trips on behalf of MTM through some of the most challenging terrain in Nepal . Jagat Man has assembled a remarkable team, many of whom are family members and residents in his village. Nima and Purna are two of the senior guides who work for MTM. They are both residents of the village Jagat Man Lama lives in and have worked closely with the Nepal Trek and Trail team for several years.

With Special Thanks

The Nepal Trek and Trail wishes to thank Janet Ferguson for her continued support of our work and efforts.

Janet is addicted to walking and exploring. She spent a good part of her childhood in Sao Paulo , Brazil , and continues to be fascinated with learning about a wide variety of cultures. She and her husband escaped the toils of “real life” in 2003 for six months to backpack through Europe . Their adventurous journey put them on the Camino de Santiago – a 500-mile pilgrimage across Spain – for one month. They also enjoyed challenging hikes in Scotland , France , and Ireland , as well as Portugal and England . We look forward to having Janet join us on one of the upcoming Nepal Trek and Trail journey and we know she is looking forward to exploring Nepal on foot and making sure others in the group enjoy the trip, as well. Janet is a marketing consultant for Wordscape.