The Intrepid Foundation, the operator’s charity, wants to raise £95,000 for the welfare of porters, who play a “crucial role” on many trips.
The Step Up for Porters campaign will feature fundraising for organisations that help to ensure porters are supplied with the right equipment, food, wages and bag weights for a “safe trek”.
Money will be raised between 1 and 30 June by people paying £14 to take part in “virtual” treks to Everest Base, Kilimanjaro and the Inca Trail using the Healthwise app which tracks their steps. Participants will also have the chance to win one of five Intrepid trips.
James Thornton, chief executive of Intrepid Travel, said: “Porters are the heart and soul of our trekking trips and are immensely valued by our customers and staff.
“While we have strict guidelines on the treatment of porters, we believe more can be done to improve their conditions across the industry. We’re asking everyone, everywhere, to Step Up for Porters and make a difference.”
Intrepid has also commissioned research to examine the issue of porter welfare around the world with the results expected to be released in June.
