Sardar (Sherpa)

For other uses, see Sardar (disambiguation).

A Sardar or Sirdar is a Sherpa mountain guide who manages all the other Sherpas in a climbing expedition or trekking group; ^[1] Sirdar is the most common spelling used in the majority of English-language mountaineering literature. The Sirdar is typically the most experienced guide and can usually speak English fluently. The Sirdar's responsibilities include:

• assigning responsibilities to the other guides ^[1]
• hiring and paying local porters ^[2]
• purchasing local food during the trek/expedition ^[2]
• making the final decision regarding route choices
• handling other trip logistics such as dealing with government officials or police.
• managing and overseeing transport of equipment to high camps ^[3]

The normal progression to Sirdar usually involves starting as a porter, working their way up to being a kitchen assistant, on to an assistant guide and then finally to Sirdar. Sirdars do not normally carry loads but will do so on occasion such as carrying the pack of a client who is having difficulties from altitude sickness. The appellation is sometimes qualified with expeditions having an overall Sirdar but with other individuals in subsidiary roles such as base-camp sirdar and ice-fall sirdar. ^{[4] [1]}

See also

• List of Mount Everest guides

References

1. Stevens, Stanley F. (1993). Claiming the High Ground: Sherpas, Subsistence, and Environmental Change in the Highest Himalaya. University of California Press. p. 371-382. Retrieved 8 July 2025.
2. Von Fürer-Haimendorf, Christoph (1975). Himalayan traders: life in highland Nepal. John Murray. ISBN   978-0719531798 . Retrieved 8 July 2025.
3. Viesturs, Ed; Roberts, David (2007). No Shortcuts to the Top: Climbing the World's 14 Highest Peaks. Bravo Ltd. p. 340. ISBN   9780767924719.
4. Krakauer, Jon (1997). Into Thin Air: A Personal Account of the Mount Everest Disaster (1997 ed.). Doubleday. ISBN   978-0-385-49208-9