The Porter: The Untold Story at Everest (2020) 

I'M everest guide since lone time .. I'm started from porter , i know very much about porter life . I watched This story , still we have a so many inside story which are not cover in This story .. thank you so much for make This video , think you so much.. love you..

If you travel to Nepal to trek, please be generous with the porters. The couple of times I've been I make it practice to buy them snacks or water/soda along the way or buy them lunch midday. If they refuse, learn a couple of phrases that mean thank you or that express gratitude for their hard work. Sometimes I just give them random rupees throughout the trek to off set their daily costs of food/lodging. Acknowledge their existence as a human soul as I'm sure they've been ignored, mistreated or simply invisible amidst their trekking work history. Make them feel appreciated and part of your team. Our Team leader always tips generously to the porters we use and to see their eyes light up and the smiles is simply priceless. If you can, consider giving a little extra to offset the people or groups who've tipped very little resulting in the porters working close to free in times past. And if you should so happen be in a stingy group who wants to tip poorly, stand in the gap for the porters and do your best. Collectively if we can spread this video to all Nepal travelers/trekkers maybe we can slowly start to help the porter industry.

We all Nepalese really appreciate the way he made the documentary about the life of the potters in Himalayan. I hope this video will bring changes in travellers views to help potters to appreciated their hard work.

Respect from a nepali to this guy.. He said he will die if he will carry 100kg because he is not nepali and he is not strong but you are strong brother because it takes huge guts to make this documentary on actual suffering the pain and the humiliation which the porters feel while carrying these loads.. May you live a prosperous life and success kisses.. loads n loads of love from all the Nepalese on behalf of me.. Salute to you brother.. Love you man🌹🌹🌹

How funny it sounds to hear people who made it to the summit when they say, “I climbed and made it to the summit of Everest.” What they don’t say is that their way was smoothed out, paved, cleaned, and carried their bags and many times carried them down, by this supper strong porters. Porters should charge them per pound directly or to the guy who organized the excursion.

Hello World! Please activate captions before watching. Select the gear icon at the bottom of the screen, and the subtitles tab. We suggest no background and white lettering! There are four languages right now, but we hope to add more. If you'd like to help with translations, please let us know! Otherwise, thank you all for watching and let's keep it rolling. Sincerely, Nate Menninger

The amount of preparation and effort that went into this documentary is astounding. It also is not full of drone shots and inspirational music, it feels very real and genuine. We need more documentaries like this!

This young guy is very courageous. I am impressed that he learned the Nepalese language. Yes he is an inspiration and a big thank you to him to have produced this documentary. I did the Sanctuary of the Annapurna in January 2005...a 15 day trek...we were a group of 14. I found it difficult even though I did not have to carry my bag. Our porters were wonderful and encouraged us to surpass ourselves. They deserve our great respect. The porters shouldn’t have to pay their own food and they should be better paid.

One of the rare and genuine attempt at showcasing the reality of these hard working heroes of the mountains. No fancy music - no melodrama but pure reality bites. Thanks a lot Nate and the team for putting together this gem. Hope eveyeone who heads to Nepal watches this beforehand and makes it a point to pack less and tip more. ❤️🇳🇵

Are we not gonna talk about the fact that he learned the native language to communicate with them? That is dedication!

Netflix! Please add this groundbreaking documentary to your service, more people need to see it. So warm and heartfelt, I love the intimate view of the porters lives and their community, such an incredible experience. Trekkers if you must go, pack light and tip more.

Wow what an incredible documentary to watch and see how difficult porter life can be. I feel so privileged to have spent many months in Nepal and learn some of the incredible Nepalese culture that is so well illustrated in this film.

Nate Menninger, the young fellow who took on this task of learning the Nepalese language and become a Porter has to be praised for taking on this extra ordinary challenge. I'm assuming at the end of the film that he made a $100. tip! Imagine that! $15. a day in which you have to buy your own food and the only thing you can take home is a bit more than $100. This is outrages and all the Porters should form a Union and go on strike! They should all walk away with a thousand dollars in each man's pocket. The Outfitters make thousands of dollars and the Porter walks away with tips! This MUST STOP! Thank you for making this movie.

Absolutely incredible documentary. It puts into perspective the other Everest docs that only showcase the expedition leads and climbers while the pathfinder sherpas and porters take 3rd, 4th and 5th billings. Kudos, respect and much Karma to you Mr. Menninger for undertaking such a task and showcasing the always unsung work and hidden culture of these porters.

Nathaniel, traditionalists lead from the front. However good leaders do so from the back. They reduce themselves to the level of the people, to acknowledge and appreciate what ordinary hardworking people go through each day. But also, being at the back with the masses, you learn a lot about yourself, and what you can do in the face of adversity. Have so much respect for you!!!!!

Hats off to the team behind this project...so genuine and pure. The documentary is how it should meant to be. RAW AND ORIGINAL.

Using the head strap starts in childhood to strengthen the neck and upper back muscles. Hard for someone to take this on as and adult, foreigner. Kudos!

Everyone who plans on going trekking in Nepal should be given a link to this Video by their travel company as required watching before they leave. Then they might leave bigger tips. Great documentary as well.

I really had to cry at the end...man...this is so heartbreaking. I am just in awe of him speaking Nepali. Phenomenal work.

Nate. This was outstanding. Thank you for showing the awful disparates between the locals and the tourists and exposing the exploration .Love how you speak Nepalise and not just rely on a translator too. Really excellent piece of work ,please make more

Mr.Menninger, Thank you for walking the walk. You have shown us the meaning of humanity.

This is probably the best documentary that i've watched in a while

incredible, inspiring, 100 kg on your head for mere 15$ . reality bite. respect, pain, laugh after hard ,and sleep without blanket on hard floor, very touching,,, Thanks for taking us with you in dark room,, respect man only respect!!!

Thank you so much for this incredible film. I'm hoping to trek to Everest base camp next year. I had already planned to pack super light and tip the porters, but now I'll also figure as large a tip as possible into my travel budget. I'm not wealthy in US terms, but I am compared to these men, the hardworking heroes of their families.

We hired a single Porter-Guide in 2012 as the local protocol required you to be escorted and this documentary was an amazing reflection of the class systems in place even between the Porters, Guides, and Expedition companies. Such a moving documentary and Hindsight I want to find Kishor and give home $100’s more now because as many have said in the comments those who have should give and any foreigners who HAVE the means to travel and trek in Nepal (not just Summit bagging) have the means to dig deeper into their pockets to support the Nepali peoples way of life and livelihood. The answer is not to hire porters it’s to pay fair wages across raising the total bottom line. Again great documentary and kudos to the film makers and Nate. I am very curios to know how carrying 40 kilos on your back compares to via the head strap? When you hike in the states how will you carry your loads going forward?

A young 24 years man....I can fell the emotions when he finally accomplished his journey and put down his baggage...Really an idol and an inspiration young man

It sadden's me to the depth of my sole that many o f these brave men, hero's. died trying to help rich, foolish, people to 'acheive ' the summit for their own glorification

I just finished the Everest Base Camp trek with Jiban! He is is the sweetest, the most kindest, the most hardest working being I have ever met. Absolutely loved his smile and spirit. These guys are just amazing, we don’t deserve them. Watching them humbled me so much. Bless them and tip them well!

I heartedely appreciate this view not only on humanitarian ground but the uncomparable bravity endurance and service of the porter community.

This is a great tribute to the incredibly underrated porters! Excellent work to all that contributed!

This is a really great documentary. I have watched countless fascinating documentaries about various mountaineering expeditions, but none of them gave me the slightest insight about the life of a porter. I think this is a groundbreaking work. Hopefully it will help catalyze overdue changes that are needed to more fairly compensate these people for this very dangerous work.

Great documentary! "Even if you go to Everest, you will not see where your porters sleep. The movie is the first time you'd see this." So true, I hiked to Everest Base Camp in 2016 but never really knew where/how they stayed. I guess many of us were just too focused on our own goals. But at the same time watching this film made me nostalgic. Thank you for sharing!

Having just watched Sherpa on Netflix, I came across this documentary by chance. There were plenty of moments that were just so wholesome and had me smiling, but that didn't take away from the message that you were trying convey. The whole thing just worked! Beautifully produced and I'll be recommending this.

Nate is an inspiring individual, and not to take away from the incredible rite of passage he endured, more praise, respect and money needs to be passed to the countless individuals who do this work year in, year out, in the hope that some Westerner, (us) is going to give them a tip at the end of the season, so as they make a profit. They are the true heroes and I thank Nate for bringing this impropriety to our attention.

The efforts of the Porters brings tears to my eyes. My heart goes out to these brave men of Nepal, absolutely devine,

Wow - what a beautiful people with a fierce work ethic and inexplicable joy. Personally, I’m very thankful for the insight this film provides. I hope it proves a valuable resource for travelers in illustrating the respect the porters/sherpas and their work deserve.

Made me cry, such admiration for the Nepali people and Nathaniel, a truly remarkable insight into a different hard way of life. Thank you.

You are a pillar of integrity my friend. And a genius as well for what you have, and will accomplish. It's a true honor to share your experiences and sacrifices. I am very sad for the porters of Nepal, and because of it I have lost any and all interest in watching rich people struggle to summit any mountain anywhere. The utter greed, exploitation and contempt for such a good people eats at my own consciousness and I am helpless to assist them. Your Spirit is a stellar one, and one that shines a new light of pioneering and exemplary behavior for those still clutching their wallets instead of embracing the faces and hearts of those that work so hard to simply exist and survive. Be safe, brother...

Extremely well done and respectful of the Nepalese people. I got quite emotional when Mr Menninger was approaching the “finish line”. I was rooting for him all the way. Thanks!

Definitely worth watching for anyone relying on porters. Thank you to Nathaniel and all the porters that make expeditions possible!

Incredible. Much respect for doing this, learning the language and shooting such a beautiful piece of film.

Congratulations to this most extraordinary documentary giving insight into the harsh life of Nepali porters in the high mountains. No matter how hard their job may be they never show their pain and just keep on smiling. Let's hope their hard work is appreciated by the tourists.

What a fantastic story. I admire what you have done. Incredible really. Hats off for learning the language and experiences the real Nepal. Also for waking from Jiri rather than flying in. Not many do that now.

This is truly an Oscar Award winning film. I love it.

Namaste Nate Bhai, eternal respect. Thank you for making this film. I have travelled in Nepal and Northern India and feel for the Porters It is such a conundrum, they really need the tourism $ but the exploitation is hard witness. The people of these mountains are truly are special, so happy with so little. we could all learn from them and from the work you and your team has done here.

Thank you Nathaniel for the glimp you gave us off the Porter's live. Brought on the most respective way a documentary maker could do this. Because of you're connection with the people you were able to show us the differences in our lives, but also, and that is probably more important, the things we have in common. The need to be respected, the need for a happy live, friendship, hope , ambition. In the end we are all human.

Quite an interesting film. It was an eye opener on the porters perspective. Since lack of communication between client and porters one can not know their plight. Empathize with them they are like the unsung heroes.

beautiful movie, thank you for sharing this story! i have done two treks in nepal, the "annapurna circuit" alone without a guide/porter, and then 2 years ago the "three passes trek" (which meets the basecamp trek in the end, i have some videos about that on my channel) with 1 guide and 1 porter, both super young in the 20s. the porter carried my girlfriend's and my bag for 3 weeks. he would usually start walking after us, because he realized we were slow (taking many photos) and was easily able to overtake us halfway. we made sure every day it was not more than 20kg from us to carry for him (so 10kg each of us), the rest we carried ourselves. and of course at the end of the 3 weeks we made sure both the guide and porter received a big tip. actually we were not aware of that the porters don't make any money if people don't give tip, because the salary is so bad. wow, thanks for sharing that information. this is of course a "surprise" for the tourists because you think when you book with a tour company everything is paid and you really just "tip". our porter was king of in "transition" from porter to "assistant guide". he told us that we his last full porter job and his next job was already as an assistant guide. he also told us that he also needed to pay university(?) classes to get a degree in order to be allowed to become a guide and lead his own group. not sure exactly what is included in that "degree"... however, very SAD situation for those guys over there at the moment, as they have already lost most of their spring income, that their full autumn income and now are in danger to maybe have no new tours next springs... we are in contact with them and at the moment they try to get along with farming and basic jobs.... PS: respect to Nathaniel for that last day 100kg "challenge", that was epic... i tried to carry just that 20kg bag of our porter for a few steps, but that already felt so bad on the head/neck...

Incredible film and more incredible decision to live as another does. Knowing Nepalese allowed Menninger to give back to the Porters far more than the show of endurance. I am blessed by this film and virtual presence of those men and women who make their living supporting others.

YOU HAVE DONE A GREAT JOB BY BRINGING THE PAIN OF THE PORTER. HOPE NEPAL GOVERENMENT WILL DO SOMETHING FOR THIS HARD WORKING PEOPLE.

Brilliant Documentary. Thank you for sharing your experience. Walking these distances and altitudes without loads is hard enough in itself. When you book a Trek through a tour operator you should; ensure the Guide and Porters are being paid properly, food is included in the cost of the Trek so they don't pay from their pockets, and they have insurance. If you find a trek that is too cheap to be real, then none of the above criteria are being met.

Thank you for sharing this documentary with us. Incredible work

Oh my God, this is fantastic. Every November, for the past 17 years, I buy books about the Himalaya and watch documentaries. It’s one of my winter pleasures, though I’m only in Scotland. Sherpa hold a dear place in my heart. Thanks for this.

I was looking for such documentry from last two years ,but you did it ...it's great and respect for all porters in across Himalayas and other mountains.ramro

Thanks for all the subtitles. Really helps to follow along.

This has been an amazing experience. Very well executed and the whole journey is immersive! Thank you for this.

Should be compulsive viewing for all doing the trek to Everest Base Camp (and other comparable treks). Tremendous work Nate. Congratulations for shining a light where it is clearly needed.

Absolutely amazing to watch and see this side of a story that may never ever be told the same as it was in this documentary. Hats off to you and your team.

Thank you so much for making this great documentary

Wow, stumbled across this, what an amazing insight into the Porter life. Superb watch. Thankyou.

You are awesome and original ! This is top 10 creations in 2020, eeeeeasy...I wish you all the good luck in your future projects

So great to see this coming together and getting such a reception! Nice work Nate.

Great job.. really liked the way you showed us a glimpse of their lives by becoming a part of their lives.

Well done, much needed. Hope this bumps up generosity towards the porters. Love how he became one of them, nice documentary.

Thank you for this insightful documentary. Very sensibly, there’s no moral lecture at the end; Instead, you let the Nepali speak for themselves. I hope this engenders empathy in tourists and they pay more for this remarkable service. My wife is Nepalese and she always makes me carry the shopping!

Stumbled across this and thought I'd give it a go. Best thing I've watched in a long time.

Wonderful * So insightful * Thank you so much for all your time & efforts in sharing* Sending well wishes from Scotland :-)

This is the best documentary I've seen so far! Thank you for producing this.

Thank you for your insight into these amazing people, and full respect to you for your achievement

This is insane, it 's really good to be able to see things from different perspective. Really well put together.

What a brilliant piece of work! thank you so much for making this. Really echoes the voice of so many of us who trek in the hills and forget the invaluable contributions made by the people who help us enable our journey.

Thank you very much for this story, it explains a lot about the pains of porter behind someone's victory.

I watched till the credits..this is an eye-opener. Hats off to all the porters and their families

You tube is very strange place. You get a meager views when you put lot of research, time and money when you make the video. But when you put some shitty content you get millions. Its the creators like you are the sole reason I come to youtube Sir ( Nathaniel James Menninger). Thank you for good contents.

What an eye opener. I found it heartbreaking. I hope this video helps bring change. Great job!

An amazing glimpse into another world! By far among the best that RU-vid has to offer. Bravo!

The humor and love in this documentary is unspeakable! Nathaniel's Nepali was showing his full dedication and respect for these communities.

Hats off to you for undertaking this amazing endeavor. Salute for your hard work and showing us insight on porters live. Love from Nepal

I am planning to go on an Everest Base Camp trek and so glad I saw this amazing video. I will make sure I give the porters daily tips to cover costs for food and drinks. And make my luggage as light as possible. It's indeed a must see for everyone who plans to go trekking in the Himalaya. Without porters it wouldn't even be possible. So ofcourse I plan to be generous and thankful for the wonderful work they do.

I've seen a ton of Everest videos and this is by far nabob best one I've seen yet. Capturing everything in absolute greatest detail. Thanks for showing us what it's like to be a Porter around Everest. Amazing job putting this video together so it tells the story!

wow thank you for bringing the life and struggles of Nepali porters into light. Much respect to all the porters out there struggling to make ends meet. Salute to you as well. Dhanyabad 🙏

The people that go out there pay tens of thousands I hope some of them see this documentary and realise how hard these guys work to live. Be generous to these porters

Thank you so much for show hardwork,sarrow, pain and income of porters.It can be help many porter's life.You are great.Thanks once again.

Very beautiful film. Thank you. So much respect for the devotion of such people and the strong spirit for success!

I wish this would get so much more attention, as it really deserves it. IWatched this docmentary and along it I lost my breath over and over again. Suhc true insights on the whole Everest and its surroundings... And it all peaked in the finel few minutes, where you really understadn the effort and the suffering for everybody involved! Just WOW

Excellent documentary. Ridiculously underpaid and underappreciated by soft, 'bucket list' seeking westerners who have no idea of the work, pain and sweat and blood it takes to carry those loads. If there is heaven those porters have the best 5-star suites. God bless them all. They are the toughest individuals I've seen. I am going hopefully in 2021 and would not consider hiring a porter without at least tipping $200 and to be honest $500 for 11 days would still be cheap. Get or Start a UNION. Together Ye stand & Divided ye fall. Organise and set better pay standards and conditions. The whole "Trekking to Everest Base Camp" show Stops if you do and you have brilliant bargaining power if you Unite and demand fair pay and conditions for a fair days work. All these porters should have proper pensions for them and their families if they get injured or die in the job

Nathianel & all the Porters of Nepal, thank you for making this documentary & all your services. Supporting the messages to treat all the Porters with respect & care. Watching this brought back a flood of special loving memories of my trips to EBC.

Man , this is enormous. Huge Respect for doing a project like this!

Total respect to porters work!! Stay strong!! Love The documentary, 5***** As for the tourists remember the hard work, whithout the porters your jouneys would not be possible, be humble, respect the hard work, the people and their culture! And do not forget to tip them well !!!

Great one, enjoyed every bit of it, just little disturb with the fact that some people will continue forever as porter, but good thing is at least they know how to make the most out of life, while most other people have not figured it yet. Thank you for sharing your experience . Loved it

Thank you for making this documentary and posting it. I hope it continues to get views and accolades. Everyone who travels, be it 5 miles or 7900 miles from home, should remember to honor those whose home you reside. Be good to the people doing work for you (porters, drivers, innkeepers, etc.). We must take care of one another.

Incredible! 💪👊 Thank you for great footage!

What an amazing film. So humble but so powerful. I still want to go trek in Nepal but this will definitely change the way I see it, and if I do hire a local guide and porter I’ll be sure to pay way more than the “going rate”. Thanks for making this

Thank you for all your extraordinary effort to make this documentary. The trek I did in Nepal was one of the most rewarding things I've ever done and it is absolutely true that we could not have done it without the porters (and guides). Luckily for us, we had an excellent group of people and we were generous with our tips and sharing food but I still wish I'd seen this before and done more. I agree that all trekkers going to Nepal should watch this movie before they go!

My kind of documentary Thankyou for making this gem May this find many more eyes

Simply amazing! Great job on showing the porter side.

Brilliant. Just brilliant. I could have watched this for hours upon end. Having trekked and climbed in Nepal the people are just wonderful.

Huge respect and appreciated your film about the bitter reality of porters so called tourist region in Khumbu and salute to you as you finished this tour as Porter and percepted yourself as well as experienced, that's which actually you tried to screenise about the untold story of porters in Everest region, you made perfect documentary! Super

I am speechless...moved...humbled...ty so much gonna share this film.🤗

That was a really great look at the difficult life of the porters. Props for making this documentary to shed light on the reality and for actually being a porter for 11 days!