In the challenging environment of the Himalayan mountains, Thinlas Chorol became the first professional woman trekking guide from Ladakh to break the many years of deeply established gender roles. She faced hostility in an industry where men dominate, but she turned her passion for the mountains into a social movement through the establishment of the Ladakhi Women’s Travel Company (LWTC), the first eco-tourism agency run by women in this part of the world. With her company, Thinlas has empowered hundreds of rural Ladakhi women with economic and leadership opportunities and has created sustainable tourism.

Who Is Thinlas Chorol?

Thinlas Chorol is an acclaimed social entrepreneur from India and a professional guide and author. She has brought about gender equality in the field of trekking guides in Ladakh. She holds the distinction of being the first woman guide in Ladakh after she shattered the male-dominated sphere of trekking and became the first woman professional trekking guide in the region. Other than her status as a professional guide, she is popularly known as the founder of Ladakhi Women's Travel Company (LWTC), which is an ecologically sound business run by women.

Early Life And Connection With Ladakh

Thinlas was born in 1981 in a small rural area called Takmachik located in the Leh region of Ladakh. Since childhood, she formed a strong connection with nature. Because she had lost her mother, she spent her childhood accompanying her father in the mountainous areas of Ladakh for the purpose of grazing her livestock and gained a natural insight into the geography, climate, and pathways of the region. After completing her education from the Students’ Educational and Cultural Movement of Ladakh (SECMOL), she set herself up on a mission. To turn her passion for the mountains into reality, she underwent strict mountaineering training at the Nehru Institute of Mountaineering and wilderness leadership certification from the NOLS.

How Thinlas Chorol Started Ladakh’s First All-Women Travel Company

Despite having professional experience, Thinlas completed mountaineering training at the Nehru Institute of Mountaineering and earned a wilderness leadership certification from NOLS. She found herself facing strong opposition from the established agencies of the region because they simply would not hire any woman guides due to the social stigma associated with it. She realised that most female travellers felt uncomfortable trekking through regions solely guided by male guides and that women had been discriminated against in terms of earning a livelihood through the tourism industry. In 2009, Thinlas established Ladakhi Women’s Travel Company through personal savings and determination. This company became the first travel agency run entirely by local women.

How Her Initiative Supports Women In Ladakh

The primary aim of Thinlas’ project is based on economic independence and empowerment of rural women. Training of local women by LWTC as guides, porters, and cooks helps them gain leadership qualities, knowledge about wilderness first aid, and learn the English language. Since it gives preference to homestays rather than campsites, the organisation ensures that money earned through tourism activities is directly transferred to local women who manage homestays, giving them independence and decision-making powers in their families. Furthermore, Thinlas is one of the founding members of the Ladakhi Women’s Welfare Network to support local women facing various social, legal, and sexual violence issues.

Image credits: Instagram

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