Founded in 2002, the Nepal Mountaineering Instructors Association (NMIA) is the official representative body for professionally qualified mountaineering instructors in Nepal. NMIA is committed to promoting best practices in mountaineering instruction, ensuring safety, and elevating the professionalism of mountaineering guides.
Our members are highly trained professionals who have completed rigorous mountaineering courses in Nepal and Europe. They possess extensive experience in mountain rescues, trekking, and mountaineering guidance, both in Nepal and internationally. Many have collaborated with prestigious organizations, including the Nepal Mountaineering Association (NMA), Nepal Academy of Tourism and Hotel Management (NATHM), and other related entities.
NMIA members have completed the following professional training programs:
Trekking Guide Training
Organizer: Nepal Academy of Tourism and Hotel Management (NATHM)
Duration: 42 days
Location: Kathmandu
Basic Mountaineering Training
Organizer: Nepal Mountaineering Association (NMA)
Duration: 45 days
Locations: Kathmandu, Manang (Annapurna Region), Langtang Region
Advanced Mountaineering Training
Organizer: Nepal Mountaineering Association (NMA)
Duration: 35 days
Location: Langtang Region (north of Kathmandu)
IRCC/BMRT and Rock Climbing Training
Organizer: Nepal Mountain Academy (NMA)
Duration: 7/7 days each Semester
Location: Around Kathmandu
ENSA Training
Organizers: French Sport Ministry, NMA, Embassy of France
Duration: 42 days
Location: National School of Skiing and Alpinism, Chamonix, France
Himalayan Rescue Skill Training
Organizers: Royal Nepal Academy of Science & Technology (RONAST), Ministry of Culture, Tourism & Civil Aviation, EV-K2-CNR (Italy)
Duration: 21 days
Location: Khumbu, Everest Region
High Mountain Rescue Training
Organizers: NMIA, Yves Pollet Villard Foundation (YPVF), Gendarmerie of France, Embassy of France, Nepal Mountaineering Association, IFFRIMMONT (France)
Duration: Variable
Locations: Various
Yves Pollet Villard Foundation (YPVF) Instructors Upgrade Course
Organizers: YPVF, NMA, NMIA, supported by UCPA (France)
Duration: 60 days
Location: Chamonix, France
First Aid and CPR Courses
Organizers: NMIA and other related organizations in Nepal
Duration: Variable
To foster excellence in mountaineering instruction by uniting professionally trained instructors, promoting high safety standards, and establishing mountaineering as a recognized educational and professional discipline in Nepal.
To position NMIA as the leading authority for mountaineering instruction in Nepal, achieving international recognition by aligning with the standards of the International Federation of Mountain Guides Associations (IFMGA) and fostering a robust framework for safe, professional, and sustainable mountaineering practices.
Unify Professional Instructors: Consolidate all professional mountaineering instructors under NMIA to create a cohesive and standardized community.
Enhance Professional Standards: Elevate instructors’ skills to meet IFMGA international mountain guide standards.
Promote Mountaineering Education: Develop a curriculum for mountaineering as an outdoor educational subject, suitable for inclusion in Nepal’s national education system, subject to approval from relevant authorities.
Improve Safety Standards: Minimize risks in adventure activities, including mountaineering and climbing, by providing highly trained professional guides affiliated with government and non-government organizations in Nepal and abroad.
Establish Rescue Services: Develop an effective mountaineering rescue service in collaboration with relevant organizations in Nepal and internationally.
Document Mountaineering Peaks: Explore and provide detailed descriptions of Nepal’s mountaineering peaks, including newly opened and unclimbed peaks.
Expand Adventure Sports: Conduct feasibility studies for skiing and water-based sports in various regions of Nepal.
Develop Climbing Infrastructure: Construct indoor artificial climbing walls to promote climbing as a sport and educational activity in Nepal.
The NMIA Mountain Rescue Squad Team is a specialized emergency response unit dedicated to search and rescue operations in high-altitude and challenging terrains. Comprising 22 core members and additional trained rescuers, the team conducts critical field operations, including high-mountain rescues and responses to aircraft crashes. The team also analyzes accident data to enhance safety protocols and collaborates with government and non-government organizations in Nepal.
Criteria: Team members are selected based on rigorous training, availability for emergency callouts, and commitment to regular rescue training.
Operations: The team responds to emergencies involving missing or injured individuals or groups in mountainous regions, often in coordination with other organizations.
Funding: The NMIA Mountain Rescue Squad Team relies on generous contributions from individuals and organizations, as it receives no federal or state funding.
We express our heartfelt gratitude to all individuals and organizations that have supported the NMIA Mountain Rescue Squad Team over the years, enabling us to fulfill our mission of saving lives through rescue operations and mountain safety education.
The NMIA is the sole organization in Nepal dedicated exclusively to representing and supporting professionally qualified mountaineering instructors. It works in close collaboration with, but is distinct from, the Nepal Mountaineering Association (NMA), and Nepal Mountain Academy (NMA) Government wings focusing specifically on instructor training, certification, and professional development.