Lhakpa Sonam Sherpa

Sherpa is the name of Sonam, it is also that of his ethnic group. Because the Sherpas are not only porters, guides as is often believed. They are first of all one of the 105 ethnic groups that populate the foothills of the Nepalese Himalayas, above the town of Lukla, gateway to the Everest trails. It was there, in Pangom, perched at 2,800 meters, that he was born in a stone house, with a wooden shingle roof, without running water or electricity.

At school, Sonam Sherpa learned to read, write, count and speak Nepali – not just Sherpa anymore. Nothing predestined him for his exceptional career. At 16, after the premature death of his father, he fled Pangom on foot, in hiding from his family. " I did not have money. Fortunately, a neighbor helped me. I discovered, at that time, that in town everything is paid for! At the beginning, in Kathmandu, he misunderstands everything he sees. He first worked for a trekking agency set up by his older sister, took English, cooking and French lessons, stood on his own two feet, came to France, worked there, found new clients there. Very quickly, Thamserku, his trekking agency, gained momentum, made famous by the organization of expeditions for professional mountaineers. It has become the most important in Nepal, while showing concern for the respect of local populations, their culture and the environment. Working as a family, he also owns lodges and two airlines, Yeti Airlines (16 planes) and Tara Air (55% of the domestic flight market).