1975
Sonam and his friends ran away from their village to Kathmandu. For the next five years he worked as an assistant trekking guide in the Annapurna and Langtang Regions. He avoided the Everest Region fearing his family would make him go home.
1981
Returning to Nepal, Sonam travelled to Ladakh via Kashmir on reconnaissance to bring a French group to that region. Later that year, with the Ladakh trip a success, his French friend returned to France and promoted Sonam’s trips. Over the following years, travellers from France joined Sonam’s trips. The business was born.
1961
Sonam Sherpa was born in the village of Pangom in the Solukhumbu (Everest) Region of Nepal. His family had a successful cattle business which his father wanted Sonam to continue running.
1972
During a climbing expedition, Sonam’s older brother died on Mt Manaslu when an avalanche buried the camp, killing all 15 climbers. This greatly affected Sonam and later inspired him to work on the mountains.
1980
At the age of 19 Sonam befriended a French traveller. He worked for three months in a ski resort in France, saving money, making friends, and learning to ski.
1982-1986
Returning to France every year, and then to Ladakh with his French groups, Sonam’s network and reputation grew.
1984
While in France, Sonam was invited by his friends to climb Mt Blanc. After a 3 week mountaineering course in France, he successfully scaled Mt Blanc. This was Sonam’s first climbing experience.
1986
Back in Nepal, Sonam turned his attention to the mountains in his home country and he climbed Annapurna.
1987
As a guide in an 11 person team, Sonam successfully summitted the southwest ridge of Thamserku.
1992
After three years of running his business single-handedly, Sonam invited his two brothers to come and work with him turning the company into a family business.
Thamserku became 3rd biggest adventure company in Nepal.
2000
Sonam’s brother, Ang Tshering took over the running of Yeti Airlines and the subsequent development of their aviation sector with multiple airlines and helicopter services.
Over the following two decades, Thamserku’s business has continued to thrive and go from strength to strength, growing from modest beginnings to employing 3000 employees across the various sectors. World renowned resorts across Nepal, the largest aviation network in the country and still one of the top adventure company’s - Thamserku is widely recognized as a pioneer in Nepal for travel, expedition and hospitality.
Over the following two decades, Thamserku’s business has continued to thrive and go from strength to strength, growing from modest beginnings to employing 3000 employees across the various sectors. World renowned resorts across Nepal, the largest aviation network in the country and still one of the top adventure company’s - Thamserku is widely recognized as a pioneer in Nepal for travel, expedition and hospitality.
