About Summit Routes
Three Countries. One Ground Team.
Summit Routes was built differently.
We run our own operations across India, Nepal, and Bhutan—with dedicated, permanent teams in each region. People who were born there, who know the terrain at the level that only comes from living inside it. When you travel with us, the guide who meets you in Kathmandu is not a hired hand for the week; he is part of the same organization as the team that planned your trip.
That structure is not common. It is the whole point.
Where It Started
Summit Routes grew from Kashmir Treks, founded in 2011 by Mehraj Mir in the Kashmir Valley.
Mehraj built Kashmir Treks on a straightforward idea: the mountains should be shown by the people who grew up in them. Over a decade of expeditions, that reputation spread. He guided British explorer Levison Wood through Kashmir during the filming of Walking the Himalayas. He pioneered routes through terrain that had no established trails and built a team—guides, instructors, and logistics coordinators—that became the foundation Summit Routes now runs on.
The expansion into Nepal and Bhutan was not a pivot. It was the same model applied to two more ranges, with the same standard: local people, permanent presence, and no shortcuts.
What We Stand For
- Local employment, not local flavour.
Our guides, porters, camp staff, and logistics teams are from the regions they work in. Remote villages across Kashmir, Ladakh, Nepal, and Bhutan benefit directly from every expedition we run. - The ecosystem comes first.
The Himalayas are fragile. We run every expedition under strict environmental principles: responsible waste management, low-impact routes, and a commitment to leaving terrain exactly as we found it. - Small groups. Real accountability.
We do not run mass batches. Groups are kept small enough that every guide knows every trekker. There is no anonymity and no excuse for corners to be cut. - Safety is not a checklist.
Acclimatization-first itineraries, trained first-response teams, 24×7 logistics oversight, and emergency coordination on every route.
Our Team
Mehraj Mir
Born and raised in Kashmir, Mehraj has spent his life in high-altitude Himalayan terrain. He guided Levison Wood through Kashmir during Walking the Himalayas and built the entire Summit Routes operation from the ground up. Every decision about how we work traces back to his standard: local knowledge, no shortcuts, genuine accountability.
Liyakath Ahmad
Liyakath specialises in the Tulail, Mahlish, and Gangabal Treks. He is part guide, part educator — trekkers who walk with him come away with a deeper understanding of the landscape they just crossed, not just memories of it.
Adil Dar
From Tulail, Gurez, Adil brings energy and resilience to every expedition. Sub-zero temperatures, demanding trails - he keeps spirits high and groups moving. He is the one who makes hard days good ones.
Shakeel Ahmad
Shakeel manages everything that happens off the trail: permits, coordination with local administrations, and round-the-clock oversight of live expeditions. He is the reason every operation runs cleanly from departure to return.
Vijay Rathi
Originally from Uttar Pradesh, Vijay has built his career in the Nepali Himalayas. A certified expedition leader and experienced mountaineer, he manages all on-ground operations across Nepal — coordinating logistics, leading treks, and running expeditions on routes from the Annapurna Circuit to Everest Base Camp. He is the person who makes sure everything works on the Nepal side, every time.
Dorji Wangchuk
From Samdrup Jongkhar in eastern Bhutan, Dorji coordinates all Summit Routes operations across the kingdom. He manages logistics, leads treks and expeditions, and serves as the primary on-ground contact for every Bhutan itinerary. His local connections and knowledge of Bhutan’s permit systems, terrain, and culture are what make our Bhutan operations work the way they do.