Prem K. Khatry

Prem K. Khatry, the Founder, CEO, and Managing Director of ‘Ace the Himalaya’ hails from a mountainous village of Manaslu region in the Gorkha district.  Now a successful entrepreneur and a very active social worker contributing to the welfare of society. He began his career as a trekking guide at the age of 17, while he was barely out of his teens. Raised in the mountains of Gorkha, he had developed a love of nature early on, and guiding clients along the well-trodden paths came easy.  After spending eight years as a guide, he established his own trekking and tour company ‘Ace the Himalaya’ in 2006.

He completed his high school at Bhimodaya Higher Secondary School, Arughat, Gorkha, and a master’s degree in business studies (MBS) from Tribhuvan University, Kathmandu. He is a widely traveled individual. His travels have taken him not only to the Himalayas but to other parts of the world like North America, Europe, South America, and a score of South-East Asian countries. Since he started his company, he has been regularly attending travel expos and seminars in search of business opportunities and market destination Nepal. Some of the travel marts and expos attended by Mr. Khatry representing his company ‘Ace the Himalaya’ include World Travel Market (WTM) in London, ITB in Berlin, Adventure Travel World Summit (ATWS), Adventure shows in North and South America and many travel road shows in Europe.

Social initiative

Prem is also the Founder of Sambhav Nepal, an NGO working to achieve grassroots reforms in education, poverty, health and sanitation, empowerment of women, vocational skills, and training programs to uplift the living condition of the people of Gorkha district. The NGO is focused on Gorkha district because Prem (founder) is a native of Gorkha and wants to give back to his communities.

Prem served as the President of the Rotary Club of Mt. Everest, Lalitpur, for the year 2021-22. In 2012, he was elected as a member of the executive committee of the Trekking Agencies Association of Nepal (TAAN). He is also a member of the American Society of Travel Agents (ASTA), which is committed to principles of professional conduct, ethics, and continued enhancement and improvement of the travel industry. He has been awarded an MPHF + 5 (Multiple Paul Harris Fellow) by Rotary International. Prem received the “Jana Sewa Shree Padak” award from the President of Nepal on Constitution Day 2079 B.S. (2022) in recognition of his relentless contributions to society in various capacities.

Some Words by Prem

Born in a remote village, surrounded by lush forest and an endless chain of hills, under the stunning views of Mt. Manaslu and Mt. Ganesh, I have always been awestruck by the beauty of Nepal, which many take for granted. My attachment to nature inspired me to start my career as a trekking Sherpa, which led me to many exotic places. After years of experience, I finally had the opportunity to become a guide, using my knowledge and passion to venture deep into the Himalayas. Adventure traveling, and its magnificent remoteness, instilled in me a sense of peace and enchantment. I was convinced that the mountains, the culture, and the hospitality had the potential to transform my life. My destiny was undoubtedly tied to exploring the Himalayas and rediscovering my own country on each trip.

As years passed by, I mustered the courage to start Ace the Himalaya, with a rather humble beginning, to not only create a livelihood for myself but also for those who were equally, if not more, keen about the Himalayas. My team consists of selected guides and staff who are mostly based in and from the mountain regions themselves.