Trainees observe as instructors at the 3 Sisters Adventure Trekking Co. provide lessons on climbing a rock surface in Pokhara, Nepal, on March 2, 2014. When Lucky, Dicky and Nicky Chettri tried to break into Nepal's male-dominated trekking industry 20 years ago, competitors tried to run them out of business. Men threatened them, harassed them - even filed bogus police reports against them. Photo: AP Photo/Niranjan Shrestha /MCT

Nicky is the youngest sister. She said that at the beginning it was very unusual for the women to join the training program. ###### "Some thought it was against our culture because women are expected to be at home doing household work," she said.

But soon the word spread. The women liked earning their own money, Nicky said. They didn't like depending on their husbands.

###### But she is now a full-time guide at the company.

"I never imagined that I would be a trekking guide. But the income is very good and I like what I am doing," she said.

Many Students Want To Train

The sisters accept 40 students every six months. ######

The guides make about $3,000 a year. This is not a lot of money in the United States, but it is a good salary in this poor Himalayan nation. Monika Rai is a 19-year-old student. She hopes it leads to something better.

###### Rai hopes to become a guide. Guides make the most money.

The Chettris have 150 women guides. They lead nearly 1,000 trekkers a year from around the world.

###### Nearly half the foreign visitors to Nepal come to explore the mountains. About 340,000 of them went on treks last year.]]>