Traveller reviews

“We did the 14 day package which included the 5 day Trek to Poon Hill. It was one of the most enjoyable experiences we've had in our travels. That part of the Himalayas is beautiful countryside and while a challenging walk at times, it is very do-able for anyone of moderate fitness with a bit of planning. We could not praise Himalayan Social Journey any more highly: Ram and his team were exceptionally accommodating in every respect. The porters were terrific and our guides, Ganga and Shankar, were the best ever. There was nothing that they couldn't or wouldn't do for us. Value for money - this trip was brilliant and we would highly recommend it anybody looking for an action packed challenge in Nepal.”

“We had an exceptional 6 day trek with Saran and our 3 porters Arjun, Bhimsen and Nabaraj. Being older Trekkers they travelled at my pace in particular, and when I twisted my knee on day 4 were very particular in their attention and assistance to my needs. Sarum always took time to answer our many questions and to enlighten us about his beautiful country. Our overnight stays were always selected with our needs in mind. We cannot speak highly enough about Saran and the porters.”

“This was my first trip to Nepal and an excellent way I think to experience a taste of what this beautiful country has to offer. Himalayan Social Journey looked after our group of 11 with care and, at times, extraordinary patience. We had quite varying degrees of fitness levels in our group, so our guides and porters were fantastic ensuring that we were all looked after, especially those that really struggled with the heat and the thousands of steps we had to climb. The itinerary was interesting and varied (white water rafting, elephant riding, canoeing, cultural shows) with lots of chances to see the real Nepal and meet the beautiful people. The accommodation varied from the very basic guesthouses to 5 star luxury in Chitwan National Park, and the food overall was really good. Morning sunrise on the top of Poon Hill is an absolute must. Quite simply amazing.The only thing I would have liked more of was the Yoga and Meditation. 2 classes was just not enough with all that trekking! Thank you to Ram, Rameswhar, Shankar, Prakash, Binod, Subas, Bikash and Amreet for making my trip to Nepal so special. The Himalayan Social Journey team were brilliant.”

“Loved every day of this trip (tour ran from mid August to early September 2014). We had a small group, which was really nice, and our guide (Binod) and porters (Pokas and Santos) were absolutely fantastic. The company were really flexible and accomodating as well, even agreeing to let us stay in Ghorepani an extra night (much appreciated!). Binod and the guys did so much more than just guiding/portering - they helped out the staff at the guest houses with our meals and ordering, and sometimes even cooking! The Annapurna trek was beautiful, all our accomodation for the trek was in guest houses that were basic but lovely and clean with fantastic views (once the clouds cleared!). The accomodation in the other places - Chitwan, Pokhara, Kathmandu - was great, no complaints there. It would have been nice to spend another day in Chitwan as there was so much to do, and it's such a lovely little town, but it was great to have an afternoon free to wander, drink and shop. The jungle walk and canoeing in Chitwan were great (if a little scary!). I personally found the conditions the elephants are kept in at the Army/breeding centre rather sad (most the elephants there were hobbled) and some of the elephant safari mahouts seemed to treat their elephants rather badly, but this isn't a reflection on Himalayan Social Journey at all. All in all, a really positive trip with a great bunch of people. I have every intention of coming back to Nepal (dhal bat power, 24hr!) and couldn't reccomend Himalayan Social Journey highly enough :)”

“I enjoyed very much on my first trekking done - Poon Hill. The groups consists nine, four of us 50+ and five of mid 20. If without Saran, our well experienced guide, we could hardly walk as a team. He kept on reminding us to think positively to complete the trek, on one hand to take our own pace and tried best to keep up with those youngster on the other. When we from time to time feeling exhausted, fed up, our young and energetic porters cheered the whole team up with their singing along the trek. Especially with Binod's drum playing and singing, together with Amrit's wonderful dancing, boosted up our energy and team spirit. We were so exciting all the way and had dancing parties after dinner in the last two nights of the trek. I have to say, " Thank you all - Our guides, Saran and Milan, our porters, Amrit, Nawin, Namaras and Binod's " for giving us a fantastic trekking experience. Ram, you are so lucky to have such a brilliant working team.”

“This was my first trekking experience and I have to say, it was pretty amazing! I am so pleased that I chose Himalayan Social Journey and this particular trek to test out my trekking legs. Our guides, Binod and Sanka and all of the porters were so kind, patient and generous with their time, humour and encouragement. The scenery - majestic mountain vistas and peaceful, cool rainforest were made all the more enjoyable by the lack of rain! We were so lucky. It did not rain once whilst we were trekking but overnight whilst we slept - perfect! Watching the sunrise over the mountains from Poon Hill is definitely a highlight of the trip and no matter how sore your legs are from dragging your bones up thousands of steps the day before, get up at 4.30am and climb those stairs! Just remember to take it slow - bistaari, bistaari and enjoy!”

“Here for a 12 days trip around Kathmandu and trek up to Poon Hill. Satisfied with our guide, Raju who is friendly throughout the days with us. Miscommunications during the trip were resolved professionally too. Definitely will come to Nepal again.”

“3 friends and I went on a 5-day Ghorepani Poon Hill trek. From the preparation all the way till the trip started, it was smooth sailing. Both Ram and Sarmila responded to our queries and helped us prepare for our trip easily. Raju, our guide, was with us from day one and throughout the whole trek. He was very friendly, extremely attentive to our needs, knowledgeable and enthusiastic about his work. The porters, Bimal and Ganesh, were very nice and friendly guys as well. Everything was arranged well and we had a splendid experience. GREAT JOB to the team at Himalayan Social Journey! If we were to consider another trek, we would definitely look up Himalayan Social Journey again. Thank you for such a wonderful experience and Nepal is absolutely beautiful! :)”

“Did the Ghorepani-Poon Hill trek along with a few other friends in Oct. 2014. I must say that the level of service from beginning to end was fantastic & efficient. All of our questions were answered, food & accommodation were good. Our guide, Raju was very attentive towards our needs throughout the entire trek and we were well taken care of. Porters Ganesh & Bimal were really friendly people whom we all got along well with throughout our trek. Overall, I'd recommend HSJ to those who are interested in trekking in Nepal. Well done!”

“I brought my 12yo son along to Nepal for the 11 day trek to Poon Hill and we added an extra 4 day trip to Chitwan National Park. I chose this relatively easy trek for my son but it turned out he was in better shape than me (as he had just finished yet another season of weekly football games) and coped fine with all the walking. First, the company's administration and logistics were well organised and efficient. I booked months ahead and had questions of logistics over time but Sharmila always returned emails promptly with clear answers to any queries. I arrived confident that I would be looked after and I was. The 11 day Poon Hill trek started with a tour of World Heritage sites in Kathmandu, which were all amazing places to visit as well as a rafting trip on the Trisuli River. Our special guide was very informative although a bit hard to hear and understand sometimes; still, his forays into philosophical principles and the myriad gods of hinduism were enlightening. The rafting trip was great fun yet very safe because the Trisuli is a big river with great scenery and big rapids but very few rocks or hard bits. The trek to Poon Hill was hard work as we had a steep trail to climb on the second day to get to Ghorepani, which of course wasn't the company's fault, but they did rate the walk as easy to moderate, which it is by Himalayan standards, but probably moderate to hard by Australian standards. I would suggest they make it clearer that trekking in the Himalayas is always hard work as they are extreme mountains and that any guests should keep this mind. Our guide, Binnod, was a great leader, always informing us of the upcoming activities and constantly doing his best to address any concerns. He and the porters were always fun to hang out with as well; it was a real social journey! Once our trek ended we moved on to Chitwan National Park. Due to some paperwork errors by HSJ management we didn't have seats on the bus from Kathmandu but they recovered from the mistake very well, got us into another group in a private van and even compensated with another raft trip. They took us to Hotel Hermitage in Sauraha, which was a charming if slightly rundown hotal right on the river across from the national park. Our wildlife guide from the Hotel was Madan Chaudry, who was fantastic as he knew the park very well as well as every bird call; we saw lots of interesting wildlife but seeing rhinos was eluding us until the last day and Madan was finally able to find a mother and calf for us to see which was quite thrilling. We spent over two weeks in Nepal, mostly looked after by HSJ, and they made our trip easy and fun. I would happily go with them again in the future.”

“What a fantastic adventure to try. Everything was amazing and interesting. The Himalayan Social Journey team was right there with me every step of the way to make my adventure safe and interesting. The manager Ram and the staff of HSJ , are there as soon as needed. No matter your age, they go beyond and above to help. Oh, our guide Naaryan and the porters Pradip, Ankit and Kuumar were fabulous. Keeping us entertained all the way.The incredible 4,cannot help but to fall in love with all of them. Hence quoting "while you go to Nepal for the mountains, one comes back for the people." While the second day of the trek was the hardest , with good determination is very doable. Advice/must, is to have a little of training before heading for the trek as there are a lot of stairs and more. Also it might be a good idea to cart your sleeping bag along and good raincoats. Thanks to HSJ for my amazing adventure. way to go to experience the wonderful Nepal. Recommend ++++”

“This was a great trek. The views were amazing. The chance to walk through through so many small villages and stay at local 'hotels' was wonderful. Our guide, Shailesh, assistant guide 'Milan' and porters were great. There was 9 of us trekking (one couple, 2 friends, myself and my adult daughter, and 3 singles), which turned out to be a great group even though we hadn't met before. On the first night we celebrated a birthday, with Shailesh organising a cake on the mountain, and later Milan led some dancing. We could not have had a better guide. Not only did he have an intimate knowledge of the area, and great English, he.also ensured everything was exceptionally well managed. Having trekked with Shailesh I would be confident that any trek he was leading would be a really well managed and enjoyable trip. I will certainly be recommending this trek to my friends.”

“I would definitely recommend this business, and we had an amazing guide Ganga, and 3 amazing porters Santosh, Rupesh and Pradip. We did an 11 day Annapurna/Poon hill trek, it was the perfect length and time of year. Thank you for an amazing holiday and trek!”

“This is the first time that we have been on any kind of 'exotic' trip and it was amazing. Made all the more memorable by the people we met and especially the amazing guides Ganga and Shankar and the wonderful porters. They could not have done more for us and were professional, helpful, cheerful, fun, informative, encouraging.........fantastic. We did the 14 day trip including the Annapurna/Poon Hill trek, white water rafting and Chitwan visit. But it was the trek that made it really special - even on the tougher days. It's not a walk in the park but provided you have a reasonable level of fitness you will have no problems - you just need to be able to walk all day. And it is worth it for the views and experience. Most of the tea houses were good if basic - don't go with high expectations: it is a poor country and facilities are basic. The only slight disappointment was the accommodation at Ghorepani - the rooms were damp and cold and not of the same standard as the other tea houses. But that was a minor inconvenience. Hotels in Kathmandu and Pokhara are also fine - again don't expect western standards but they will be clean and comfortable. After all, you only sleep there. I would love to go back and do a different trek - but only if we had the same guides etc.”

“We did the 10night 11 day trek to Ghorephani Poonhill. The trek up there was nothing but amazing. Yes, the 2nd and 3rd day was hard, but for all the hard the work you put in those climbs, you get spectacular views in return. Everything went smoothly all because of the perfect planning of our guide Shankar. He also carries a lot of knowledge about the area and the people and makes the journey both fun and interesting. I can guarantee you the food and the accommodation is a lot better than you expect at least that was the case for us, but bare in mind that there might not always be hot water left. (I see people complaining that there's no hot shower in the mountains leaving lower grades in their reviews, you should know that this has nothing to do with the people in this company but the lodges in the mountains themselves, there is a limit on electricity and hot water there and that's it. We did experience a power-cut once or twice and it only lasted for around 20 seconds.) I also got an allergic reaction while I was up there leaving me covered in hives which later led to a swollen face, arms and feet that became a bit painful. This only occurred after dinner time and did not have any affect on the trekking other than some itching for a couple of hours a day. This is nothing to worry about though, everyone can react to something new in the mountains, sometimes heat, cold, food or new medicine. I say this so you remember to bring some antihistamines. I already brought zyrtec, and it does help a little bit, but try bringing something stronger aswell just in case. For me this was a problem, only because I couldn't find out the cause of reaction. But it never came back after we were back down in the city. The trek itself is in the middle of those 11days and lasts for 5 days. The rest of the days are spent in beautiful Pokhara and Kathmandu, where you get a guided tour of the cities getting to visit beautiful temples, pagodas and waterfalls and learning about the culture of nepalese people and religion. I have to say, Nepalese people are some of the kindest and most helpful people I have encountered, very similar to Thai people. Our stay here has been absolutely amazing and our plan about only visiting Nepal once has changed, we are definitely coming back and a lot of that is thanks to Ram and Shankar and the rest of the people we've been in contact with from Himalayan Social Journey. THANK YOU ❤️”

“Have just finished the trip of a lifetime on the lifetime to Nepal. Included in the itinerary was the 6 day Nayapol to Ghorepani (Poon Hill) & return through Ghandruk. We were so lucky with the weather and views of the majestic Annapurna's were better than we could ever had imagined. The accommodation, though basic, was very clean and better than expected. WIFI in the mountains as well. Our guide - Saran Adhikari - was terrific. His English is very competent, his knowledge of the Annapurna region was incredible and his friendly manner was fantastic. Our porters Binod Ghastri & Bhimsen Banjara were always laughing and joking and we were the envy of every other group because of the wonderful relationship that had grown between us that wasn't evident with other trekkers and their guides & porters. Saran taught us a Nepalese card game which we played every night with him, the porters and our two lovely travelling companions from Thailand. We are 50 plus and spent time training for the trek which we strongly advise you to do! Especially going up and down steps. We were fortunate to have two lovely Thai girls in our group and though they were much younger than us, we got on really well and have become good friends. To sum up no photo can do justice to the beauty and majesty of these mountains, it was worth every hard step of the way. The Nepalese people themselves are always beautiful and friendly, smiling always, even though you can see how hard their lives are. We cannot recommend the trek and Himalayan Social Journey highly enough as they made our journey a wonderful experience. Just go. Mark & Elaine from Perth, Western Australia Visited November 2014”

“We undertook Himalayan Social Journey's 14 day tour with white water rafting, Chitwan jungle safari and Poonhill trek. What a fantastic experience! And much of the credit for that goes to the people at HSJ and their arrangements. Their communications prior to the trip were outstanding. Our guides throughout much of our tour, Binod & Milan, were tremendous. Not only were they genuinely attentive to our needs, they were wonderful, friendly company, and took great care to ensure the wellbeing and enjoyment of our entire group of 13, both on the trail and with the accommodation (Do try the Tibetan bread!). Our 6 porters were also pleasant, diligent and caring, and Binod did a wonderful job of uniting us all into a happy "family". The trek was certainly the highlight of our tour; the magnificent mountains of the Annapurna Range. But the entire trip was great. And HSJ exceeded all that had been offered in the tour details. We had an even better time than we had anticipated. So we hope to return for another tour soon and can highly recommend Himalayan Social Journey as an honourable, reliable operator. Rob and Sharon Anderton”

“I recently did Himalayan Social Journey's 13 day Gohrepani Poon Hill trek and had a wonderful time. I found that HSJ was very professional both in their communications prior to the trip and during the trek. They made arrangements for me to stay additional nights and also to visit Nagakor and Bhaktapur during my stay. On the trek our guide, Ram, and Suvas who carried out bags were great company and were very mindful of our safety. They were also a great source of information about the Nepalese culture and history which I constantly asked them about. While hot water was not always available, the guest house accommodation was always of good quality and was much better than I had expected. I have always wanted to trek in Nepal and the experience I had with HSJ has encouraged me to come back again for another challenge. The scenery we trekked through was breathtaking with the snow-covered Annapurna range mountains ever-present. I finished off the trip with paragliding in Pokhara, which Ram organised for me, which was another highlight. I can highly recommend Himalayan Social Journey as a professional and attentive tour operator that is keen to ensure a good time is had by all.”

“My husband and I booked the Ghorepani circuit - Poon Hill trek. My husband and I booked this via a special offer so we were a little apprehensive...however be assured HSJ is a good choice and you will be looked after. Binod was our tour guide and I cannot speak highly enough of him, Binod was so helpful to me (I needed special attention) as I am not very good or skilled with heights (trekking the Himalayas perhaps not the ideal choice) however, he always looked after me...taking my hand when necessary to lead the way. We had such an amazing time with our fellow trekkers and porters too. This is the first time my husband and I have participated in a tour group and what a pleasant surprise it was. The facts, the food choice in the mountains is surprisingly good...Binod and our porters worked hard to ensure our food came out as ordered, at the same time and also arranged the bill paying at the end. Amazing! Accommodation, basic to more than basic, probably depends on the size of your group.. the smaller the group perhaps more choice We were a relatively small group with 8 trekkers, 4 delightful, fit, friendly, porters and one exceptional guide! Poon Hill the highlight of many. Ensure you prepare by doing some steps and some long bush walks 2-3 months prior (unless you are very fit then you will be fine) as this will ensure you can enjoy your trek...just slowly slowly and all will be well. I don't want to sound too gushy but honestly my husband and I travel a lot and rarely write reviews so be assured this review is very genuine. I must mention our porters, Santosh (soon to be a guide), Krishna, Brimsen, Pradip and of course Binod, the head the family. Sincere thanks.”

“My 14 days in Nepal with Himalayan Social Journey was totally enjoyable from start to finish! Our guide Ram was professional, informative, helpful and made us all comfortable with his infectious smile and happy nature. The HSJ is well organised and I would recommend them to other travellers. My personal highlight being the 5 day trek to Poon Hill. Having always wanted to trek in the Nepalese mountains my experience in the Annapurna Ranges was amazing. Weather (late Oct) - perfect; Scenery - beautiful; Tea House Accommodation - basic but adequate (don't expect to have hot showers & you will be delighted if one available); Food - tasty and plenty of it; Trek - challenging but so worthwhile & porters assist if need be (my 60 year old knees were complaining on the last downhill day and I had a porter constantly walking alongside in case I needed help). The porters are incredible - carrying our heavy bags, serving food and entertaining us with singing and dancing each evening - all done with happy smiles! Tip - take extra battery supply for your camera/phone as charging facilities are in high demand at the tea houses. If anyone is considering visiting Nepal - do it - and do it with Himalayan Social Journey.”

“Service from this company was terrific. We got everything we paid for and it was all well organised and the service from their staff and porters was first class. Lovely people who looked after everything for us. Only issue I had was the city tour when we didn't know where we were going to and ended up visiting four temples including the crematorium. I wouldn't have gone had I known that because I am over temples and cathedrals and churches. Billy Connolly has got it right about religion "you've had 2000 + years to sort it and you've f....d it so f... off. Porters on the hike were great and very well led. We had a great time. Hotels were very good and the guest houses on the Poon Hill walk, were good too. Everest bveer is good, but so it the Ghurka beer.”

“We joined the 12 days adventures tour covering Kathmandu and Pokhara sight seeing, Chitwan safari and water rafting and Poon Hill trekking. We enjoyed a lot especially at Chitwan and Poon Hill. The lodging and service provided is superb. Very friendly and knowledgeable tour guide (Bhinod) for taking good care of use on during mountain trekking. Not forgetting those helpful potter always keep those slower trekker accompanied. As for the city sight-seeing, i still think there is room for improvement for HSJ.”

“Thank you so very much for the most wonderful trip. Your have a marvellous company and Ram Chandra is quite honestly the most amazing person and host we have ever had the pleasure of meeting. Nothing was too much for him and every request was met and somehow he was there to greet us from the instant we awoke to the instant we went to sleep. The tears that we all shed when we said goodbye bears testimony to his character. The planning and advice, the accommodation, the food and the gentle support from the whole team of experts (Santa at Chitwan, Prakash who helped lead us with Ram, the Sherpas who carried our clothing, Basu our expert spiritual guide, the drivers, the river rafting guides and all those contacts that Ram seemed to have in the mountains) made this the perfect window through which to climb into a world of beautiful people with special souls living in a land of incredible grandeur. I'd recommend HSJ to anyone with a spark of adventure in their hearts.”

“We were in a group of 14 who did the 6 day trek to Poon Hill with Himalayan Social Journey. From the beginning to the end, this company gave us 110% care and attention. We had unavoidable problems at the beginning, but they sorted it out for us. Our guides Milan and Binod were excellent ...friendly, helpful,informative and encouraging when the going got tough. Milan, you were fantastic!!! Our accomodation and meals were better than expected and the scenery stunning. We are a couple in our 60's and managed pretty well. We did a few months of training which we think is needed. If you are hesitant about using this company, then DONT be. They are amazingly professional and we wouldn't hesitate to recommend them. Thank you Himalayan Social Journey for an amazing adventure. Big thank you also to the wonderful porters who carried our gear.”