In recent years, travelers who are enthusiastic about exploration have paid particular attention to adventure tourism. From then, adventure travel guide as a vocation also developed. But, trekking tour guides differ greatly from regular tour guides.

Mr. Dominic Lê - Founder  of Tropical Trekking

Proud of "me" - being the local guide

How proud they will feel to work as a tour guide, to follow the trail that leads to the village where they reside, to engage in cultural exchange and sharing there as children born in the mountains. I was born and raised.

Cơ-liêng Ha Thành (right) - Local Guide of Tropical Trekking

In order to give indigenous people a reliable source of income, the project "From Hunter to Guider" - Trying to convert a hunter into a guide was born. The locals won't consider hunting wild animals, using their carcasses for farming, or harvesting timber for sale until after they have lived, move and mature.

Many of the Cil and K'Ho friends who have traveled with the Trop Family for many years still exist. The local guides all have prior jungle experience, are familiar with first aid and survival techniques, and share the same positive, considerate, upright, and healthy personalities as the locals. Children of the Forest God, treks are always comfortable, enjoyable, and full of surprises for trekkers.

All tourism-related activity ceased completely during the two years of the outbreak, and Tropical Trekking saw nothing at all. Even so, everyone are still making an effort to get through the challenging time. Simply by believing that Tropical Trekking was still in business at the moment, many native people believed they still had employment.

Mull K'Vang and Thanh in Dong-Iar-Jieng Village

Take the life skills to heart

For the tour guide to be able to lead the other participants, they must be an experienced professional who is knowledgeable with the local geography. To be able to address dangers quickly and ensure the safety of visitors, first aid and survival skills must be remembered.

Phuc Lam - Operation Manager of Tropical Trekking

Phuc Lam - Trop's safety guide shared: "Once, I led a group of foreign tourists to trek. But because the guests are not familiar with the mountainous terrain of Vietnam, and they are very eager to explore, unfortunately, there is a guest ahead of them who mistakenly turned to another trail. I went to close the group, checking the number of members continuously, so I discovered it quickly. Fortunately, the group members had had rigorous safety training prior to the trip, especially in handling instances where they became lost in the forest. As a result, when they realized they were lost, the visitor promptly stopped and blew the signal. Based on my experience and knowledge of the forest, I found this guest and rejoined the group. When trekking, unnecessary risks can happen unexpectedly, so safety guides like me always strictly follow the safety rules in the forest for visitors to have the best experience."

Connector

The guide through the forest serves as a connector in addition to being a guide. The guide is the one who communicates the lyrical way of living in the midst of the lush forest, bringing people closer to nature, and is also the one who teaches domestic and foreign tourists about the South Central Highlands' culture.

Passion

The only things that unite Trop's guides, who are from a variety of provinces, schools, and ages, are their shared interests and passions. This intense sport, as well as the love, protection, and preservation of nature, are shared passions by all. Sometimes the work is difficult, other times it is simple. Because this line of work demands multitasking while cooking and taking care of the crew members' health, singing, shooting pictures, and being an animator, it requires strong and durable health. But, the heavy job also becomes light because of our love for nature and our desire to connect with it.

Reading more about the story of Tropical Trekking's guide

Phúc Lâm - Hành trình từ bản vẽ đến rừng xanh

Anh Cọp - Bước ra khỏi vùng an toàn để thấy một thế giới mới khác