About Us
Beyond The Clouds was set up by the Nepali and British directors of the charity First Steps Himalaya (FSH). We did so both to showcase the best of the Himalaya and to raise vital funds to support the running of the charity. All profits from Beyond The Clouds help support the charity’s life-changing education projects in rural Nepal. Our customers can enjoy a Himalayan adventure while contributing to a worthwhile cause.
The Beyond The Clouds team are passionate travellers with a wealth of experience in the Himalaya. Each of us have lived in and have close connections with the Himalayan region; we love these countries like our own. It is our privilege to share these places with our customers by creating unique itineraries, finding community-run accommodation and restaurants, sourcing the best local guides, and getting just as excited about these trips as our customers!
We meticulously plan each journey, and pride ourselves on exceptional customer service and willingness to go the extra mile. We want our clients to have the best experience possible so they will continue to spread the love of this beautiful part of the world. Instead of running scheduled tours, we create personalised experiences for each of our customers to guarantee that they’ll get the most out of their Himalayan journey.
You can find out more about what makes us unique here.
Meet our Beyond The Clouds team members:
Fionna heiton - NEW ZEALAND
CO-FOUNDER / DIRECTOR & CEO
Co-founder Fionna Heiton has travelled extensively in the Himalaya and personally checks out our accommodation (from resorts to village homestays) to ensure our clients' needs are well taken care of. She's also a foodie who tests out every single eating place to make sure it's top quality!
DURGA ARAN - NEW ZEALAND / NEPAL
CO-FOUNDER / DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS
Durga Aran, our Nepali co-founder, has worked in tourism for over 25 years, and has been running treks, tours and adventure holidays for most of that time. Durga's warm and hospitable personality, alongside his extensive local knowledge, ensure the ultimate Himalayan experience.
CHRISTINE WILKINSON - NEW ZEALAND
TOUR CO-ORDINATOR
Christine is a keen traveler and has visited Nepal twice, once with Beyond The Clouds and been a supporter of First Steps Himalaya for many years. Christine’s attention to detail helps ensure trips run smoothly and to plan so everyone can enjoy themselves. She lives in Wellington, New Zealand with her family.
LAUREN PALLISER - NEW ZEALAND
OFFICE MANAGER / ADMINISTRATOR
Lauren is our administrator, who looks after all aspects of our systems operation and finance. She has a wealth of experience in administrative roles, both in NZ and Australia. She also has a strong interest in community work and has held a number of volunteer positions. Lauren lives in Nelson and holds a Bachelor of Arts (Hons).
