Intrepid’s ANZ Marketing Specialist Natasha Bounyaphol shares behind-the-scenes moments from the trip & lessons she brought home.
After our first day of trekking, we settled in a cosy teahouse for the night. Before dinner, our local leader, Keshu Sherpa, brought the whole group together to share stories.
We’d only met our porters, also known as ‘sisters,’ earlier that day and while we’d chatted along the trail, everyone was still getting to know each other.
As the conversation unfolded, the sisters shared what it means to work in Nepal’s trekking industry, where women are still a rarity in porter and guide roles.
They spoke about the pride they take in earning their own income, the independence it gives them and the barriers they’ve faced.
In return, the Australian Football League Women’s (AFLW) players shared their own experiences of building careers in a sport that’s also had to challenge long-held gendered stereotypes and barriers.
Even though their worlds looked completely different, there was so much common ground.
That conversation set the tone for the rest of the trip and left a profound impact on everyone. It bonded a group of strangers and reminded all of us how much connection can come from sharing our stories.
Why we brought these women together
Intrepid’s Women’s Expeditions are led by incredible women who are continuing to challenge stereotypes in places where they’re often limited by traditional gender roles.
We saw an opportunity to bring together AFLW players with the women leading our Nepal Women’s Expedition because, in so many ways, they were navigating similar experiences on the field and through the Himalayas.
Through our partnerships with North Melbourne Football Club and the AFL Players Association, we wanted to tell a story that went beyond our traditional sponsorship. Whether it was AFLW players shaping the future of the league or our local leaders, guides and porters being role models for women in Nepal’s trekking industry, they were all breaking barriers and paving the way for the next generation.
This trip was about creating space for those conversations to happen, finding common ground through travel and seeing the two worlds come together.
Lessons from the AFLW players
One of the things that surprised me most was how humble and genuine the players were. It might seem like a small thing, but it made all the difference.
Their openness helped our leader, Keshu, and our sisters feel comfortable enough to let their guard down from the very beginning and share their personal stories.
We got to see a different side of the players outside of the footy field. Despite being some of the best in the league and in the middle of pre-season, they reminded all of us of the importance of having fun and embracing the moment.
I remember our leader, Keshu, telling me how surprised she was by how relaxed the players were. She’d expected them to be highly regimented and was a little nervous about leading the group with that in mind. Instead, she realised they were just like the rest of us.
A conversation that stayed with me was when the players spoke about working together despite competing in different teams to grow the league into the best product it could be.
They genuinely want to see the game as a whole succeed because, ultimately, they’re all helping build a stronger future for women’s sport.
This closely mirrored what we saw throughout our Women’s Expedition. Our leaders, guides and porters were equally passionate about creating opportunities for other women in Nepal’s trekking industry and supporting each other to the next stage in their careers.
They weren’t just breaking barriers for themselves, but they were setting an example and helping create pathways for the next generations to come.
Left-to-right: Jasmine Garner, Ritu Tamang, Ash Riddell, Ruby Schleicher, Keshu Sherpa, Darcy Vescio.
The women I’ll never forget
Everyone we met left a lasting impression and by the end of the trek, saying goodbye was emotional because we’d built genuine friendships with the group of women.
One story that has really stayed with me was Poona’s, a porter and young mother.
She told us that one of the reasons she does this work is because she wants to show her daughter the different career paths and opportunities available to women beyond what’s traditionally expected. Hearing her speak about that with so much pride was incredibly inspiring.
I was also reminded how important representation is. Keshu shared the learnings from her role models within her career that has helped her get promoted from an Assistant Guide to a Leader.
She’s now taken her experience and transformed it into on-the-job teachings where she encourages her group of guides and porters to continue growing professionally and personally.
Seeing women like Keshu leading expeditions and hearing how the sisters aspired to be like her was truly inspiring. You could see the confidence she gave the sisters, not just through what she said but through the example she set every day.
More than anything, I came away with a real appreciation for the strength of the community these women have built. We saw how they supported one another and celebrated each other’s wins. It reinforced just how powerful that kind of sisterhood can be.
Stepping outside my comfort zone
The physical side of the trek was more challenging than I expected but this could also be a result of my lack of training in the lead up to the trip.
Hiking through the Annapurna region is no easy feat and doing it alongside elite athletes who made every uphill climb look effortless was a little intimidating at times.
It became just as much a mental challenge as a physical one, reminding myself to keep going and focusing on reaching the next goal point.
Hosting a group of professional athletes I’d never met before also pushed me outside my comfort zone.
Before the trip, I remember having all sorts of thoughts going through my head. I had a sense of imposter syndrome and wondered if I was the right person to be hosting this trip.
I remember thinking, will I be fit enough to keep up with everyone? What would we talk about on the trip? Would we all have enough in common? The regular things that go through your mind before travelling with a group of strangers.
Looking back now, those concerns seem pretty trivial. The trip reminded me how important it was to push myself outside of my comfort zone for growth.
The lasting takeaway
What I’ll remember most isn’t just landscapes of the Himalayas or the trekking, it’s the people we met along the way.
Bringing together AFLW players with the incredible women leading our Nepal Women’s Expedition showed just how much common ground can exist between people living worlds apart.
Through shared moments, open and honest conversations and plenty of laughter, we built genuine friendships and memories that will stay with all of us.
This trip was more than the destinations. It’s about the inspiring group of women, the stories we’ve shared, and the connections made along the way.
