📍 Ugimba, Intan Jaya
📅 September 2013
A monumental step in the development of sustainable tourism in Papua began in a small village called Ugimba, located in Intan Jaya Regency. Here, the Papua Mountaineering Association launched a Local Guide and Porter Training Program, an initiative aimed at empowering indigenous Papuan youth to become key players in professional mountaineering and ecotourism.
What made this training remarkable was not only the enthusiasm of the local community, but also the direct involvement of a professional climbing consultant from the United States-an individual who has conquered the Seven Summits, the highest peaks on each continent. With his global experience, the consultant didn't just teach climbing techniques, but also instilled a mindset of professionalism, teamwork, and ethical adventure tourism service.
Ugimba: The Gateway to the World
Ugimba was more than just the location for the training. This village is the main gateway to Carstensz Peak (Carstensz Pyramid), the highest mountain in Indonesia and one of the Seven Summits of the world. By conducting the training right there, the Papua Mountaineering Association demonstrated that Papua doesn't just possess natural beauty-it also has human potential ready to compete on a global scale.
Training Content: From Basics to Professionalism
During this intensive training program, participants - local youth from Ugimba and surrounding areas - received both technical and non-technical instruction, including:
- Navigation and terrain orientation
- Expedition logistics management
- First aid in extreme environments
- Ethical tourism service
- Basic English for guiding purposes
- Environmental management and conservation
The training used hands-on practice, simulations, and interactive group discussions. Participants were also encouraged to understand the importance of preserving nature and respecting local culture during every expedition.
An Investment in Papua's Climbing Generation
This training is one of the long-term strategic programs initiated by the Papua Mountaineering Association in collaboration with local partners such as Adventure Carstensz. Its goal is to shape a new generation of certified, resilient, and proud Papuan mountain guides and porters.
The results have been tangible-several training graduates have already taken part in international expeditions to Carstensz Peak, guiding climbers from around the world and serving as ambassadors for tourism and conservation in their homeland.
Papua for the World
Through this training, we prove that Papua's development doesn't need to come from outside-it can grow from within, rooted in the land, culture, and spirit of its people. By empowering local communities, we're not just opening trails to the summit, but forging a path toward a fairer and more sustainable future.
The Papua Mountaineering Association is proud to be part of this story-a story where the sons and daughters of Papua are no longer spectators in their own land, but stand at the front lines, leading the journey all the way to the highest peak.
