Manang Mountaineering School

Manang Mountaineering School

Manang Mountaineering School is another valuable project of NMA. It was established on November 12, 1979 with the objective to provide theoretical as well as technical knowledge to young mountaineers of Nepal and Foreign countries. The school is situated at an altitude of 3400 m in a remote area of Manang district in West Nepal. The school was founded with the cooperation of Yugoslav Mountaineering Federation of former Yugoslavia. The school building was inaugurated by former Rt. Hon’ble Prime Minister Surya Bahadur Thapa on Kartik 29, 2037 (November 14, 1980).

The Manang Mountaineering School at Humde, Manang is the very first Mountaineering Training school built in Nepal in 1979 to provide the knowledge for safe climbing to Sherpa and other Nepalese, who were crucial part for foreign expeditions to summit the Himalayas.

History of establishment of Manang Mountaineering School

Slovene alpinists summited the peak of Annapurna II in 1964 and Kanchenjunga in 1969. Seven alpinists of then Yugoslavia summited the peak of Makalu under the leadership of Mr. Ales Kunaver, Alpinist in 1975. After successfully leading the Yugoslav expedition to Makalu in 1975, Mr. Ales Kunaver was in great dilemma to choose to lead the expedition to Mount Everest planned for 1979 or to establish a school for mountain guides in Nepal. He chose the letter requested by the Government of then Yugoslavia to establish a mountain guide school in Manang, which was approved. The assistance of the Consulate General of Nepal in Slovenia, Mr. Aswin Kumar Shrestha played a vital role in making bridge between NMA and Alpine Association of Slovenia - PZS for mutual cooperation, especially in running the School for Mountain guides in Manang. Alpine Association of Slovenia was very keen to develop the Training school in Nepal to enhance the skill and knowledge of Nepalese in Mountaineering. To support such a great project Nepal Mountaineering Association fully supported by providing land and necessary legal guidance to establish the Mountaineering School at Manang.

In 1979, in Sabji Khola, Humde, Manang Mountaineering School was established with the financial support of then Yugoslovia and the Government of Slovenia and the great effort and unselfish help of Mr. Mr. Ales Kunaver, Yugoslav Alpinist and leader of many expeditions.