Become a NNMGA Guide

Become an Aspirant & Mountain Guide

Nepal National Mountain Guide Association (NNMGA)’s main work is to produce necessary skilled human resource through its two major training courses – Aspirant Guide Course (AGC) & Mountain Guide Certification Course (MGCC) recognized by International Federation of Mountain Guide Association (IFMGA).

Entrance Exam:

  • To be eligible for the entrance exam candidates must fulfill the following requirements:

Be over 18 years of age
Be in very good physical shape and strength
Possess high moral standards
Possess a very good level of: Mountaineering experience (rock, snow, ice and mixed terrain); athletic rock-climbing skills, ice climbing skills, mixed climbing skills on all types of terrain. This experience certified by their list of courses and climbing certificates (References)

  • Access to aspirant guide course is subjected to passing the entrance exam. The challenges set in the exam as well as the minimum technical requirements are defined below:
  • Among the series of entrance examinations for the aspirant guide course, the candidates must successfully complete seven disciplines. i.e.:

Profile documentation process, oral test, rock-climbing route of 6b grade using rock climbing shoes, rock climbing route of 6a grade using alpine boots with 10 kg backpack, Ice parkour Cramponing test on 200m long route glacier within twelve minutes, technical ice climbing test at 70-degree slope and rock parkour scrambling 200m length within twelve minutes.

  1.  An oral test on the candidate’s list of climbs and experience
  2.  A rock-climbing test: minimum 6a with mountaineering boot (Lead climbing on equipped route
  3. A rock-climbing test, minimum 6b with rock climbing shoes (Lead climbing on equipped route)
  4. A Glacier & Ice parkour Cramponing test: the ascent, traverse and descent (using all the points of the crampon with semi technical ice axe).
  5. Technical Ice Climbing test with ice tool, technical crampons (Lead climbing on equipped route)
  6. Mixed rock terrain parkour scrambling test: route over blocks/ascent and down-climb in mountaineering shoes.

Preliminary Requirements for Entry Exam:

  • As per the NNMGA training directive, there is one proficient preliminary required for aspirant guide course entry exam candidates.
  • Each applicant has to accomplish climbing training and experience on alpine peaks, and also can be candidate academically from Bachelor in Mountaineering Studies (BMS) which is as follows:
  1. Climbing training and Alpine Peaks Climbing Experiences.
  2. Basic and Advance training certificate course conducted by (NMA).
  3. Experience on four trekking peak summits (NMA list) and One summit over 7000m including at Two camp in altitude, acceptable Amadablam.
  4. Bachelor in Mountaineering Studies (BMS) pass.
  5. Entrance Preparation Course: The three 8000er and two 7000er experiences for the Nepalese mountaineers.
  6. Intermediate Mountaineering Course: for the neighborhood mountaineers country and south Asian countries.

Aspirant Guide Course:

Aspirant Guide course is the first step education to be an International Mountain Guide, which is also indicated as transition diploma course. Aspirant guide training consists of three components spread out over 10 months, with a total of 47 training days. This proposed plan does not include the approach or the return from training venue. It is a group structured based training. The dates of the different components are reconfirmed annually while, in the main, the general dates remain the same. Each component occur in three different seasons i.e., first component in winter, second component in summer and last component in early autumn. The first and last components are held in alpine terrain (Altitude 4000m – 5800m) and second component is held in hilly region below 4000m. Each year, the training and evaluation of components are held on same seasons but may vary in dates.

Progressiveness in the training programmer will allow the trainees to complete their aspirant guide course i.e., in each component the participant has to appear in the final evaluation. The successful completion of final evaluation will open the door of next component to respective participant. The participant who do not pass and who are willing to continue the education should face the entrance exam next time.

Aspirant guide course component I
(the fundamentals techniques on alpine rock, ice and mixed craft)

Aspirant guide course component II
(rock and theory Navigation, tourism law modules)

Aspirant guide course component III
(Alpine ascent and snow theory plus and mixed modules, leading and managing clients on mountains)

Mountain Guide Training:

Mountain Guide Exam is final education and evaluation system to be a certified international mountain guide (IFMGA Standard). Mountain guide exam consist of one module in winter season, giving a total of 15 training days. The program should be conducted at 4000m to 6000m of different alpine terrain. This proposed plan does not include the approach or the return from training venue. The dates of the courses are to be reconfirmed internally while, in the main, respecting the accepted dates.

Progressiveness in the training programmer will allow the trainees to complete their mountain guide exam with the mountaineering module last; close to the reality of the profession. The trainee who successfully completes the final evaluation will decorate as International Mountain Guide. The eliminate trainee has to face the evaluation on respective subject (in which, he/she failed) in coming future.

Minimum requirements for Mountain Guide Exam:

  • The trainee completes his/her Aspirant Guide Course with all three components. Successful trainees will return two years later to pass his/her Mountain Guide exam.

Before enrolling in  the Mountain Guide Course, the Aspirant Guide should exercise and update the Log Book provided by NNMGA.

Guide Refreshment.

NNMGA mountain guides must attend this periodic refreshment training every three years to refresh their technical skills and to adopt new techniques and regulation in Mountaineering Guiding arena.  This is the mandatory for all NNMGA Mountain guides. For guides who do not attend the periodic refreshment training, their license will not be renewed, unless they comply.