Nepal National Mountain Guide Association is a candidate country of International Federation of Mountain Guide Association (UIAGM/IFMGA), this is non-profit organization formed by professional mountain guide of Nepal. It was formally registered in April 4 Monday, 2005 under the NGO act 2034 (Part 4) Home Ministry of Nepal Government. Register No. 505, Permanent Account No, (PAN card no. 301955803. This association is established with an objective to unite manpower involved in mountaineering profession and develop their standard activities in mountaineering to provide additional economic support to the nation through such trained manpower.

Considering criteria of International Federation of Mountain Guide Association (IFMGA) this association in coordination with concerned line agencies and different organization / Institution is committed to conduct training to produce trained manpower quality service and minimize risks relating to mountaineering. 

Objectives

1. Assessment of the participants forming the Aspirant Guide / Mountain Guide.

2. Improvement of the healthy and quality climbing and mountaineering activities.

3. Define the quality and similar professional guiding skills and technical knowledge appropriate in climbing and mountaineering.

History

The history of mountaineering profession of Nepal dates back to 1891 when the Royal Society and the Royal Geographical Society jointly financed the first ever Mountaineering expedition. The team led by a well known mountaineer Martin Conway decided to include four Nepalese for the expedition. Back then they scaled three mountains namely Gilgit, Nagir and Baltit located in Pakistan. Conway had planned this expedition after consultation with Godwin Austen and Yunghusband . This was the first ever account of Nepalese prowess in the field of mountaineering.

Mountaineering profession has a long history in Nepal. Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay Sherpa who scaled Mountain Everest almost six decades back provided an impetus towards developing mountaineering as a profession. This maiden ascent was extremely helpful in encouraging other mountaineers to scale Mount Everest and at the same time other mountains as well. The ascent of Mount Everest was soon followed by scaling of other mountains.

The country during the last five decades has witnessed numerous ascents of Mount Everest. Various records have been set within the span of 50 years. There have been couple of solo climbs and some have even managed scale the mountain without the use of bottled oxygen. It should be noted that these ascents were made possible by the substantial contribution of legendary Nepalese climbers. This has been clearly reflected on the articles, books etc. written by several noted national and international individuals.

The sports of mountaineering, like many other sports, has made great technological advance, new techniques were evolved enabling climbers to tackle vertical faces, even overhang; and above all, climbers stretched their endurance to incredible limits, hitherto unknown.

In the same vein another experienced mountaineer Bruce along with his brother Major F.G. Lucas decided to involve 16 Nepalese under the supervision of Kabir Budathoki and Harkbir Thapa for the climbing training on mountaineering exploration and climbing. In 1907 Dr. Kellas introduced Sherpa to trekking and mountaineering in Sikkim Himalayas.

It was in the year 1954 when the Himalayan Mountaineering Institute was formally established. Tenzing Norgay Sherpa was chosen as a field training director. The institute managed to send some veteran climbing Sherpas to Switzerland for the instructor’s training carried out by the noted Swiss guide Arnold Gallhard.

It was only in the year 1973 when Nepal Mountaineering Association in short NMA was established. However it had to wait for six years to carry out its first training program. It was conducted in cooperation with Slovenian alpine association PZS and the training base was established in Sabji Khola, Manang district. This was followed by advance level climbing and mountaineering training program carried out jointly with National School of Ski and Alpinism (ENSA) Chamonix France. NMA managed to send couple of aspirant guides to Chamonix France to participate in the training conducted by ENSA (1982).

Similarly Yves Pollet Villard Foundation (YPVF) stationed in France committed to be an active agency to support the professional mountain guides following the establishment of Nepal Mountaineering Instructor Association (NMIA) in the year 2000. NMIA with the support from YPVF managed to send aspirant guides to Chamonix France to participate in the higher level mountain guide and mountaineering instructor training since 2004.

Though Nepal has a long history of mountaineering it has long way to go before it claims it houses skilled mountain guides. The urgency of equipping mountain guides with sophisticated technology and imparting necessary information to them led group of highly experienced mountaineers to establish NNMGA. It is indebted to some Slovenian, French and Austrian Organizations and other famous Mountain Guides for their valuable contribution to establish this association.

Finally group of well experienced and highly qualified mountain guides of Nepal formed the Nepal National Mountain Guide Association NNMGA in 2004. NNMGA would like to extend its sincere gratitude to organizations based in France, Slovenia and Austria and some noted Mountain Guides’ for their valuable contribution to establish the Association. The organization was established under the chairmanship of Late Iman Gurung..