Deaf trekking guides in Nepal create new paths in the Himalayas

(MENAFN) Two years ago, Rajita Deula faced an unexpected challenge when a group of deaf tourists requested her guidance around Kathmandu. Unsure of her abilities, she had never worked as a guide and lacked formal training—but she could communicate with them in sign language, a skill no other guide could offer.

The visitors, from Indonesia, the Philippines, and Thailand, were attending a conference for the deaf and hard of hearing community and hoped to experience Nepal’s culture and mountains firsthand. Professional guides, however, struggled to understand their questions or communicate in sign language.

Despite her initial hesitation, Deula, who is deaf herself, accepted the request. “I tried my best, but I knew my knowledge was limited,” she told Anadolu through a sign language interpreter. “Still, it opened up a new dream in my mind.”

That single experience marked the start of a new journey. Following that encounter, she went on to guide multiple delegations at the invitation of the National Federation of the Deaf Nepal. When she later saw a Facebook post announcing a trekking guide training program for deaf applicants, she immediately applied, setting the stage for a pioneering role in Nepal’s tourism sector.

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