A registered non-profit non-governmental organization, Kathmandu Environment Education Project (KEEP) has the mission of ensuring the future ecological and cultural prosperity of Nepal and its people by maximizing the benefits and reducing the negative impacts associated with tourism. Established in the year 1992 AD, KEEP was initiated after the tragic death of a young British trekker Tracey Taylor Young. During her climb on the trekking peak Imja Tse (Island Peak) with her friend Joanne Chittenden with the objective of raising awareness of the growing environmental degradation of the Khumbu region of Nepal, Tracey was killed in a fall. Thus, in her memory, a new ecotourism project was established with the aim of providing education on safe and ecologically sustainable trekking methods to preserve the unique and fragile ecosystem of the country.

Returning back to Nepal with her friend Johnnie Woods, Joanne Chittenden worked together with colleagues including Steve Powers, Wendy Brewer Lama and late Dr Chandra Gurung, who were based here, to study the impact of trekking on Nepal with the mission of developing a way to increase access to environmental and safety information. Their efforts paid up to the establishment of the Tracey Taylor Young Mountain Trust in the UK and Kathmandu Environment Education Project (KEEP) in Nepal. In the year 1992, KEEP opened its visitor information center in Kathmandu for public.

Since its establishment, KEEP has been successfully expanding its horizon of influence and developing new projects which has made it one of the leading ecotourism NGOs in Nepal with links to international organizations in Europe, USA and Australia. The major objectives of the organization include promoting sustainable tourism and providing environmental and cultural education to travelers and the tourism industry through free, impartial information and training programs, enabling sustainable development through outreach projects, training and resources in order to seek a more equitable distribution of the economic benefits of tourism for the people of Nepal and conducting research and development activities on environmental and associated social issues.

KEEP has partnered with various organizations such as Antipodeans Abroad, Crooked Trails – USA, International Porter Protection Group, Irish Himalayan Trust, Nepal Tourism Board – Nepal, OzQuest Adventures – Australia, PATA International Foundation – Nepal, Porters’ Progress – UK, Rhododendron Education Trust – UK, Sustainable Tourism Network – Nepal, The Intrepid Foundation – Australia, The International Mountain Explorers Connection, The Mountain Fund, WWF Nepal, Pacific Discovery – New Zealand, Association pour le Respect et la Dignite des Porteurs de l’Himalaya (ARDPH),  1% for the planet, Annapurna HR, Nepal Trekking, Swiss Foundation for Solidarity in Tourism (SST) and 2Way Development to ensure sustainable tourism in Nepal with enthusiasm, support and commitment.

For further details, contact:

Kathmandu Environmental Education Project (KEEP)
PO Box: 9178, Kesharmahal, Thamel
Kathmandu, Nepal
Tel: +977-1-4410952/ 4410935
Fax: +977-1-4410292
Email: keep@info.com.np, info@keepnepal.org.np
Website: www.keepnepal.org