Traveller reviews

“My partner Tara and I recently did the 10-day social Tour with Himalayan Social Journey. From the moment we landed in Kathmandu everything was organised for us. Pickups, hotels, activities. We saw an amazing amount of Nepal... Kathmandu temples, Chitwan jungles, Pokhara lake and surrounding Annapurna Mountains. Every day something new!!! A big thank you especially to our longest guide, Ganesh, who was not only very knowledgeable, but even took the time to teach us some Nepali and help serve us dinners!!! We will be back for a bigger trek as soon as we can! Declan”

“Shout out to Shanka T and the porters Lupesz, Omnut and Krishna (x2) for an amazing time!!! Thos was so much fun, we saw and did so much and the guide (and porters) really take care of you! Would definitely recommend doing and would definitely go through HSJ again!!”

“Just returned home from a wonderful 14 day trip with HSJ. Everything (apart from the traffic) was great, best rooms in guest houses, lovely hotel in Pokhara and Chitwan. Our guide Binod was a star and couldn’t do enough for us. Top tip- fly wherever there is an option to. We lost almost a whole day in traffic traveling from Kathmandu to Pokhara.”

“I did the 2 weeks tour, which included accommodation in Kathmandu, Chitwan and Pokhara, and 7 days of trekking in the Annupurna Conservation area. The two guides we had were Binod and Tikaram. Both guides were excellent, and had great knowledge of the areas we were trekking, and both were very supportive and helpful throughout. Couldn't have had a better experience. We were a large group and I really enjoyed meeting everyone, and the guides also were great at looking after all of us. The porters were amazing, and always happy to chat and share their knowledge as well. Accommodation was also excellent, I only recommend that if you are doing this tour that you do the flight from Pokhara to Kathmandu - the bus ride is long and you do lose an entire day. We were always given that option but chose the bus, which is my only regret.”

“WOW!!! What an amazing experience this was! I feel like we saw so many different areas that Nepal has to offer and what an incredible country it is! We were so lucky to have such an amazing guide, Paban, and porter, Sujan, who honestly made this experience so much more memorable! Thank you for your knowledge of Nepal and the Anapurna Region and for just being awesome! Highly recommend This tour and Himalyan Social Journey packages!”

“Every moment of this trekking trip was fantastic. This was my first trip to Nepal which was made extra special by our guide Binod and porters , Prakash,Suzan,Shisir and Ramesh. The scenery , people and food were all wonderful. The trekking was absolutely fabulous a breathtaking and life changing experience . We felt safe and were looked after every step of the way , the guides knowledge was excellent and he shared it readily . The trip was an up lifting magical experience. I would highly recommend it, for the diversity , which included amazing trekking, visits to the Chitwan National Park , Pokhara and Kathmandu and a unbelievable flight too see Everest ,all arranged with out any fuss by Binod our guide . The staff of this organisation are exceptional . Thank you HSJ”

“Just finished our 14 day trip around Nepal and it was easily one of the best things I’ve done. From the moment we arrived we were warmly welcomed by the HSJ team. We chose to include the helicopter tour to Everest Basecamp before our tour started and I couldn’t recommend this highly enough. It’s difficult to put into words, the feeling of standing at Basecamp and looking up to clear skies to see Everest’s peak. The trek itself included great views of the Himalayan ranges and some amazing scenery that changed so much that you felt as though you were walking through a different country each day! The weather was nice to us for the most part and we got most of our trekking done in dry conditions before the heavens opened most afternoons! Sitting in a guesthouse and watching the weather change in a matter of minutes and being so high that clouds are coming through the windows was pretty cool to see! The trek was as described (maybe slightly harder than described)! There are lots of stairs (both up and down) with some pretty tricky terrain in sections but there are also quite a few easier bits as well. Our guide, Shankar, and our porters, Rupesh and Sujan couldn’t have been any better! Shankar was knowledgeable, flexible, accommodating and did whatever he could to ensure that we had the best experience we possibly could. He communicated well, he gave us options on the trek, organised activities and transport (including helping us get out of a sticky situation after a landslide!), and was an all round nice guy. Sujan and Rupesh worked very hard over the two weeks from not only carrying all our heavy bags but taking our orders, serving us food, cleaning up after us, guiding and imparting their knowledge on us as well as being a lot of fun! 3 new friends made, that’s for sure! All pieces of advice in other reviews is accurate, including: - guest houses are very basic: some private bathrooms, some shared. Mostly cold showers (can pay for hot sometimes) - can pay for wifi at most places: weather and number of people logged on seemed to change how good the wifi was - be fit! It will be much more enjoyable if you can get through the trek easier! - drinking water is accessible the whole time: mostly bottled with some places offering safe refills. - no access to an ATM so bring enough local money to last, including tipping money! Luxury accomodation in Pokhara and Chitwan was a great way to wind down after the trek. I wasn’t a big fan of the accomodation in Kathmandu (Gokarna). It looked old and tired and staff weren’t very attentive but that is personal preference as other reviewers have loved it. All in all, an amazing experience that I would do again without question. Thank you to everyone at Himalayan Social Journey particularly Shankar, Rupesh and Sujan for making our trip a memorable one! I hope I can come back again, one day!”

“My husband and I have just returned from this trip and could not be happier. We are in our 50’s, our first trek and I am of very average fitness (something I would change for future treks). It was tough going but the breath taking views were a huge reward. Accommodation on the trek was basic but comfortable and the meals were pretty good. We were a happy group of 6 trekkers, our guide Shankar and 2 Porters ..Rupeth and Sujan. I cannot speak highly enough of Shankar, Rupeth and Sujan..at all times we were safe and secure in their care. Shankar was knowledgeable and shared his passion for Nepal and the mountains with us. No request or question was too much..his organisational skills were exemplary and his patience was endless. I am in awe of Rupeth and Sujan..carrying our heavy bags and when we were all exhausted bringing our meals and cleaning up after us...with a smile and a laugh the whole time. These 3 worked tirelessly to make our trip unforgettable. Pokhara and Chitwan were welcomed luxury after the trek and I really would of loved an extra night at both places. Ghorkana was old world and beautiful but I think I left my heart in Chitwan. HSJ is an amazing company, communication and organisation were A1 with our needs being a priority at all times. We are already talking about our return!”

“My husband and daughters (17 and 14) and I have just experienced the most wonderful adventure. Our group consisted of 13 people ranging in age from 53 to 14 years and we were like a big family. Our fantastic guides, Mingmar and Ram, along with 4 porters, Basanta, Rajiss, Prabin and Ganesh, made the whole experience so easy, fun and full of laughter. Their expertise and care of the group was outstanding and they could never do enough for us. They taught us card games, how to dance and made sure we were happy at all times. The accommodation has been great and on the trek the tea houses provided very comfortable, warm accommodation and a huge variety of food to fill us after a day of trekking. The views were spectacular and although we had snow on the third day we enjoyed seeing the forest transform into a white wonderland. Some of our group had never seen snow falling so it was a truly magical time. Mingmar and Ram paved the way for us whilst trying to walk in the snow making the way easier by throwing soft snow along the icy sections. The porters amazed us all with how easily they carried our heavy bags up and down the mountain, and then meeting us ahead of the path to take photos as we came along. Our last night on the trek was great... Mingmar, Ram and the porters lit a bonfire and we all danced and laughed. Pokhara and Chitwan National Park are places not to be missed. Seeing rhinoceros, deer and monkeys in the wild was amazing. I can’t thank Mingmar and Ram enough for the truly wonderful holiday we have had and saying goodbye has been very difficult, although we will be returning for another trip with Himalayan Social Journey. To the rest of our group, porters and fellow travellers, thank you for all tour support and kindness along the way.”

“I cannot speak highly enough of the helicopter trip we took from Kathmandu to see Mount Everest. The weather was perfect, the views were perfect, the helicopter brand new and the pilot, very very good. A once in a lifetime trip and so very worth it.”

“Himalayan Social Journey provided us with a wonderful level of care and attention on our tour around Nepal and to Everest.Certainly the helicopter flight to Everest was a truly magnificent experience and we cannot praise our pilot enough in his professionalism. Our 2 guides Dependra and Diffam were always attentive, friendly and accommodating. The accommodation at Gokarna , a favourite of ours. Internal flights well organised with Yeti airlines and accommodation in Pokara was made very special by the staff . We can certainly recommend Himalayan Social Journeys for a very memorable tour of the stunning Himalayan country of Nepal.”

“Cannot find any fault with this amazing holiday organised by Himalayan Social Journey. Our tour guides were excellent and went out of their way to do anything to make our trip better. We stayed an extra night before the tour started and they were happy to organise an additional tour for us. The heli tour was everything I could dream of. Our pilot fantastic. We had a few days in Pokhara. FLY THERE. Don’t take the bus. Yeti airlines were good however there can be delays, best to travel as early in the day as possible. Great shopping in Pokhara, and great food. Loved it. Stay in town, near the lake. The Sarangkot tour is great. Do it twice, I wish we did. Get there early. Climb to the top.”

“Fantastic trip! Can't speak highly enough of this tour. Well organised, great accommodation in the heart of Thamel. Our guide Dipendra was great,very knowledgeable and helpful. As was Dilap our driver. This tour delivered above our expectations and i would recommend this trip and organisation to anyone interested in touring in Nepal. So many highlights,The helicopter flight to Everest was amazing.”

“Namaste. This was our first and unforgettable trip to Nepal with HSJ organized through luxury escapes (7 days Kathmandu and Pokhara sightseeing with Everest Heli tour, small group of 6 end of March). It was a luxury escape like any other given the country was still recovering from massive earthquake just 3 years ago. In Kathmandu and the valley they are reminders of it everywhere. Overall, the trip was excellent despite a few hiccups, which were minor and insignificant in the scheme of things. The communication, organization, transfers including luggage transfers, and most importantly, guides and drivers were excellent. The accommodation in Kathmandu: Mulburry hotel and Gokarna forest resort were as good as it gets. The price of the tour was amazing given a Heli tour was included and we wish all the excluded items were included and the price higher by that amount, which would not make that much difference and would be still very attractive as this would save us some unnecessary problems with money transfers etc. I cannot thank more Mr. Ram, the director of HSJ, for organizing in the last minute an additional Heli tour for our niece, who was added later to the group and could not join us for our Heli tour due to the fact it could only fit 6 people at the time. This was her lifetime experience as it was ours. The highlight of the trip was of course our Heli tour with landing at Kalla Patthar (elevation 5550m) with magnificent panoramic views of the Himalayas snow caps on the background of crystal clear blue sky. We could see surprisingly unassuming Everest behind more majestic looking Lhotse, Nupste and Pomori. Our Airbus helicopter was new and very comfortable and the pilot amazing despite his very young age. The experience was even more spectacular due to the fact that our trip to Kalla Patthar was through quite dense fog half of the way. Our second highlight was our little hike to the Australian camp and Dhampus with a young Nepalese guide (we are very sorry we don’t remember his name), who exceeded our expectation with his knowledge of the country, attention to our needs and more. We were even presented with rhododendron flowerers to cheer us up (unfortunately one of us was sick). The driver did not make any fuss despite waiting for us longer than he should as we were slow walking + took time to enjoy our lunch. We had very friendly, smart, knowledgeable, helpful and humble guides: ?Shom in Bakhtapur and Denepra in Kathmandu. We learnt from them a lot about the country and its wonderful people and culture. We enjoyed our ‘the cultural experience”, which we usually avoid: the dancing, food, wine and the company made it memorable. The downsides: after initially very prompt email correspondence with Khima, who was excellent, we then experienced break in communication for months until 2 hours before our departure from Australia, some confusion about what included/excluded and substandard accommodation in Pokhara (we had to request to have sheets changed after previous guests, very poor state our rooms and unappealing breakfast). We hope to organize a trek with HSJ next year. It is a well-established company, operating for over 17 years. We heard that they own a helicopter service Altitude Air and hotels in Kathmandu.”

“My dad and I just got back from 8 days in Nepal. We did the 6 night luxury escapes deal including the Everest Heli flight and trip to Pokhara. We booked an extra night in Kathmandu and had 7 nights in total The service from Himalayan Social Journey was absolutely perfect, Dipendra and Dilip were the best and made our experience even more memorable The mulberry hotel was stunning! Of course- the best bit- the Everest Heli Flight was spectacular and everything was organised so perfectly and Dilip was there waiting for us as soon as we got back We were in a group of 5 people on our tour and we all felt that we would have enjoyed our time more if we didn’t bother going to Pokhara and spent the whole time in Kathmandu. The hotels in Pokhara were pretty terrible and we had a major issue with one but, amazing service from Himalayan Social Journey who sorted is right away for us. I found Pokhara a bit underwhelming, we did a 8.5 hour bus drive to get there which was an experience haha My recommendation to anyone doing this or to Himalayan social journey would be to skip Pokhara all together and have your guests stay in Kathmandu the whole week as we all enjoyed it a lot more! Our guide in Pokhara was lovely and it was absolutely nothing against him- he was great but the gave and “waterfall” which was pretty much a stream with rubbish all through it was very underwhelming Save yourself the trip and enjoy Kathmandu! The welcome dinner was fabulous, we had a great night- I don’t know the name of the restaurant I would love to get it to leave them a positive review as we all had a great night All of our day tours were so well organised and I could not fault a thing with any of our guides- you were all wonderful and made our time in Nepal even more memorable On our final day in Nepal Dilip went above and beyond and was so helpful when we got to the airport it was shut and we had no idea what to do so we called him and within 25 mins he was there picking us up and taking us somewhere to relax while he sorted out what we could do to fly home to Aus. Overall I would definitely travel with Himalayan Social Journey again”

“Our adult family of four have just completed the 7 day tour above organised through Himalayan Social. Generally, the tour was well organised with only a couple of minor hiccups which are to be expected in a country like Nepal. The highlight for us was the Heli tour to Kala Patthar and Base Camp which we were fortunate to do with favourable weather on the day. Our only criticism of the flight was that our pilot could have provided more information to us as we flew and also as we were dropped at the various stops. We were not informed how long the wait would be etc which provided some confusion. We were mostly happy with the standard of hotel provided to us being Mulberry in Kathmandu, Mt. Kailash resort in Pokhara and Gokarna Forest Resort. We had no air-conditioning working at Mulberry hotel and power would switch off randomly during the night so our sleep was interrupted. Gokarna resort was a lovely, relaxing place to spend our last day before flying home. We would like to thank our guides, particularly Norindra in Pokhara, who was very organised and on time as well as informative. He looked after us very well.”

“We have been helicopter sigh seeing. It was excellent trip, we feel really paradise of our life. Thank you very much for took us to their.”

“I am currently on the way home from my EBC trek trip. It was hard and exhausting but every seconds of it were memorable. Our guides Binod and Chiring were taking care of us really well (we know we were not an easy bunch). Their fun spirit hot us through those days at high altitude. The communication we had with Usha prior to the trip were also smooth and fast respond. Although the teahouses accomodation at high altitude villages were far from luxury, I guess HSJ were doing their best with the limited options. Thanks for the memorable trip”

“We are a family with 2 adult children. We did the 8 Day trip to Nepal and we were grateful Himalayan Social Journey were there for us. They were flexible about our changes of dates and also about our requests before and during the trip. All of the hotels and all of the Guides and Drivers were excellent and helpful and friendly. In retrospect it was good that the Everest Base Camp Helicopter flight was cancelled due to weather; as the replacement Annapurna Base Camp Helicopter Flight was undoubtedly the highlight of our trip and we also very much enjoyed the beautiful and safe flight along the Himalayas; although Mt Everest itself, though visible, was a little more distant than I expected. Don't miss the amazing helicopter flight to Annapurna Base Camp from Pokhara! We also very much enjoyed Pokhara and Gokarna Resort and Bhaktapur was a nice way to finish as it is great to see and closer to the airport. We recommend 2 nights at Gokarna Resort, although it would not be a handy place from which to tour Kathmandu; however the Mulberry is also very nice and handy and an oasis in busy Kathmandu. Not part of the tour, but we also liked the Garden of Dreams and Durbar Square in Kathmandu. Golf was great at Gokarna and we also enjoyed the bush walk and the guided tour from the Duty Manager. The only negatives were the cancelled Mountain flights due to weather, and the terrible (sorry) Kathmandu traffic and roads, but there is nothing that they can do about those things. We didn’t do the Kathmandu to Pokhara bus trip in the end, but from what we heard it might be sensible to suggest that people fly at least 1 way; very nice and safe and not too expensive flight and saves several hours. People are great in Nepal and happy! A very poor country, sad to see the earthquake damage, but beautiful sights, great to see the Himalayas, great culture, interesting history, and excellent food.”

“We recently returned from our 2 week Nepal tour and trek with HSJ. As someone who never had Nepal high on the bucket list of places to travel, I'm SO glad that visited this amazing country and participated in this tour. The two week itinerary comprised a good mix of trekking, site seeing and relaxing and was a great introduction to Nepal and all it has to offer. The highlight for me was the 5 day trek. Whilst it was considered easy by Nepalese standards, it was still a challenge in places, with lots of stairs and different terrain each day. Take note of the documentation and do the suggested training! We were guided by Shankar (who accompanied us throughout 12 of the 14 days of the tour) and assisted on the trek by Rupesh and Sujan as our porters/waiters/assistant guides and all round great guys! The three were very accommodating of the differing fitness levels within the group and went over and above to ensure everyone in our group was safe and happy throughout the whole trip. These guys work exceptionally hard; particularly the porters who carried our heavy bags - seemingly effortlessly - with a smile on their faces and not a word of complaint. In addition to this, they also supported Shankar, took and delivered our food orders, cleaned up after us, helped us settle into our accommodation and were always on hand to answer questions and make sure we were all enjoying ourselves. Shankar was quiet, yet extremely caring, flexible and knowledgeable. It was obvious how much he enjoyed his job and how much he genuinely cared about us having a great time and experiencing everything Nepal had to offer within our allocated timeframe. We couldn't have asked for a better team. The itinerary an accomodation was generally as described. As mentioned, the trek was a particular stand out. The views cannot be described or captured in photos adequately, they really need to be seen first-hand! The Holy Himalaya was ok - quite simple - and the accommodation on the trek was basic, but generally as described. The colourful tea houses are certainly part of the experience. Be prepared to have unreliable hot water and wifi at most places, and it's pot luck whether you get rooms with ensuites or outside bathrooms. The accommodation in Pokhara and Chitwan was fantastic. We could have easily stayed at the Kasara for another few days. Gokarna was a bit of a let down and didn't really live up to the hype. I wouldn't have minded staying in the heart of Kathmandu instead. On the whole, HSJ were fantastic to deal with. Responsive to communications and went over and above to help out. We tacked on the half day helicopter flight to Everest Base Camp, which is one of the best things I've ever done. If you have the chance to do this, do it. I can't recommend it highly enough.”

“Outstanding experience- with the perfect guide „Binod“. All of us arrived at the Base Camp. Hard walk at 4900m till 5400m with snowstorm and -25degrees, but beautiful landscape and View before.”

“This was a fun, well-organized tour! From the beginning, HSJ was very communicative, always answering my questions quickly. The activities included in the tour were great! The scenic flight was amazing- the views were spectacular! (Our flight was delayed due to bad weather, so HSJ pushed our city tour back to the afternoon, rather than cancel) The helicopter ride was my favorite part! I thought this would be a tour with a guide throughout, but instead we had different contacts in each city. But, we never missed out on anything or had miscommunication. We had the misfortune of being there during the eclipse- misfortune because it really messed with the weather and a lot of our activities had to be rescheduled- but HSJ took care of all of that and made sure we got everything on the itinerary, even though they could have easily said that it was out of their control. The only thing I would suggest is that they raise the price a little and include all of the entrance fees...but that's my issue, not theirs! (It is spelled out in the itinerary what is included and what is not) If I ever go back to Nepal (and I am considering Everest...) I would definitely use HSJ again- from beginning to end it was a great experience!”

“I did The Everest base camp helicopter trip with this company by seeing their positive reviews in social sites. The plan was excellent , we started at 7Am and came back at 12 noon around,the landing was short but was enough for photo and video. We flew over the base camp very closely to mountain. This trip is great value for money . It has been a unforgettable memory in my life .So i recommend to do helicopter ride ,who don’t have time and strength to walk in the mountain.”

“We recently did the 12-day Everest Base Camp Trek With Heli Ride Back To Lukla. I can't say enough good things about the experience with Himalayan Social Journey! The two standouts were- -The owner, Ram Sapkota- he personally made sure we were having a good time and everything met expectations. - Our guide Mingmar Sherpa- we couldn't have asked for a better guide. He was incredibly knowledgeable about the trek and kept us on target with everything from diet to attire. He knew our goal was to make EBC and gave us everything we needed to get there! I highly recommend this trek with HSJ- definitely request Mingmar!”