Traveller reviews

“My wife and I are adventure travellers and as a rule like to do things our own way and avoid group travel. When the opportunity arose to travel to Everest Base Camp with Himalayan Social Journey we were hesitant and did a fair bit of research into the company, structure of the trek and read lots of reviews. In the end we decided to give it a go. Altitude is a great leveller. You can be as fit as you like but unless you prepare both mentally and physically and have the right equipment you will struggle. This trek has a lot of uphill, downhill, rough ground, wind, cold, rain and throw in lack of oxygen above 3000m, well, discomfort. We got lucky. Our guide Bishnu, was informative and professional. He was constantly monitoring the group and advising on what and when was happening. He was also very experienced in Himalayan Trekking and understood altitude sickness and how to deal with it. Our group had prepared correctly and everyone understood what needed to be done to get up and down from EBC. The program for our group worked well. There was the right pace, correct rest periods and the food was adequate. If you are after five star accomodation then that is not going to happen on this trek. The accomodation is basic but allows you to prepare for the next day. The flights to Lukla are totally dependent on weather situations. If it is cloudy there will be no flights. You may lose a day either side of your trek because of this so you need to have a buffer in your travel plans and good insurance. Make sure you have a solar battery charger or a couple of charged battery packs. Once you get above Namchee Bazaar you will have to pay a fair bit to get devices charged. Water purification is essential. Get a Ultra Violet wand or water purification tablets and try them before you leave to get used to the taste. Merino will be you best friend. It is warm and keeps the smell away. Spend the money on a merino buff. The cold air will hurt your throat and the buff keeps your breath moist and face warm. Prepare to climb and descend. You may need to consult a fitness professional or a trekking organisation to fully understand how to do this. The literature that comes with the H.S.J. Trekking information suggests that you may not have to train at all. Not true. You need to be able to walk up and down rough tracks in hiking boots with a pack on your back whilst keeping hydrated for up to six hours with breaks. If you have trouble doing that at sea level then you will need to train until you are comfortable. The rescue helicopters do a roaring trade in trekking season. For example in a group of Brits who were trekking on a similar schedule, they lost five out of ten at Gorak Shep. The HSJ group in front of us lost two. All were evacuated to Lukla or Kathmandu. Each day there was a procession of rescues. If you have access to an altitude training room near you, try it. It is a great confidence booster and most of the people who run them are seasoned trekkers who are willing to help. This trek was great for us. We got clear weather, uninterrupted flights, good guiding staff and more importantly, a committed and well prepared group of people who bonded well and supported each other.”

“I have travelled with HSJ before, and was very pleased to do so again. HSJ has always been very responsive to questions, and offer excellent trekking packages. This time, I was very excited about my trip to Everest Base Camp. We had some extra days before and after the trip and HSJ was able to accommodate all our needs. HSJ has promoted heavily though Luxury Escapes, and their schedule was very busy when we arrived. This was somewhat problematic, as it appeared we were going to have to move to a different start date. It was sorted out to our satisfaction in the end. Binod provided good communication prior to the trek. Bishnu Basnet was our guide, and a better guide can not be found. He cared for all of us in an amazing way. We became a family and all successfully completed the trek under Bishnu's careful guidance. I'm not going to say everything was seamless, and the organization by HSJ was not perfect. There was some errors by them along them along the way. I largely thought it was due to communication problems at a higher level in the organization, combined with it being a very busy season. That said, it is Nepal, and one often has to accept things happen a certain way in Nepal. If you can't deal with 'Nepal Time' then maybe go elsewhere. It is also a measure of a company that they acknowledge their errors and overcome any obstacles. HSJ did so every time. Overall, it's a five star experience, and HSJ try to do all they can to ensure you get all 5 stars.”

“What an amazing experience! Our group of 8 trekked up to Everest Base Camp on the 20th October 2016 and we all made it to the top! Our guide Mingmar Sherpa has been absolutely amazing and we would have never reached EBC without his help. Our group had different ages and fitness levels but Mingmar looked after everyone and made sure we all had fun, enjoyed the trek and walked as a family all the way to our destination. He was super well organized and multitasking: we never had to worry about anything, Mingmar was our guide but also our waiter, doctor and, most importantly, our friend! He was very helpful when we started feeling sick from altitude and he did his best to make us feeling better! Mingmar was always very informative of the environment around us: mountains, flora and fauna, villages, nepalese lifestyles, religion, foods. He helped us understanding the Sherpa culture and appreciate it! Our trek has been a unique experience also because of our two fabulous porters Lakpa and Pasang. While Mingmar was leading the group, Lakpa helped us in any possible way, making sure no one was left behind and that we always had all we needed. Pasang took amazing care of the two Yaks carrying our bags. Both Lakpa and Pasang were super friendly and helpful. I highly recommend a trip with Mingmar Sherpa, Lakpa and Pasang, they will be the most amazing people you can ask for during your challenging trek to EBC.”

“Extraordinary adventure with these amazing guys. My girlfriend and I had just ended this beautiful hike through the Himalayan mountains to Everest Base Camp, mostly thanks to our guide and friend Mingmar Sherpa. He has been taking care of our health, needs and dreams for the whole trip making sure we had the best experience possible. All our group of 8 made to EBC!! Mingmar has been Helped by Lakpa and Pasang who were paying attention to every details from providing us food, helping us in every situation and be super friendly. We had such an amazing time with them that we will never forget about them and I'm sure they'll never forget us as well. I strongly recommend Mingmar, Lakpa and Pasang as your guide/porters for the trek Everest Base Camp.”

“I recently completed the Everest Base Camp trek with a group of five others. I found the organisation of the trek to be faultless however, what made the experience so easy to enjoy was the services of our guide Miñgmår Sherpa. His attention to our wellbeing and safety was unwavering. He also has an extensive local knowledge and was able to answer all of our groups questions on everything from history to geography, local customs and tradition to the flora and fauna. His pride in his heritage is evident in his enthusiasm, and he delighted in imparting this knowledge and sharing his love of his home with us. This coupled with his excellent sense of humour really made the difference on our trek. I cannot recommend the services of Miñgmår Sherpa and the Himalayan Social Journey highly enough.”

“Our journey started from kathmandu to everest basecamp with 9 people and guided by 2 guide (Shankar and Chhiring) which is the one of the best guides I've ever met. I got a beautiful scenery during the traveling and intimate atmosphere from the group. Thanks to all of u guys”

“My husband and I recently completed the trek to Everest Base camp with HSJ. What a memorable journey! We were lucky... We had beautiful weather, uninterrupted flights, a committed group and most importantly a great guide. With the excellent services of Mingmar Sherpa and his assistants Lakpa and Pasang, this challenging trek seemed like a multi day stroll. Having grown up in the Himalayas Mingmar was very experienced with trekking in the region. He set the right pace for the group with the correct rest periods, he understood altitude sickness and was there to help us deal with it. Infact he was very attentive to our every need. He was willing to share his culture with us and was very knowledgable about the mountains, flora and fauna. Mingmar believed everyone in our group would make it to base camp and we did! Oh yes and one last thing - Mingmar, we loved your jokes and your dancing!”

“Right from the time we booked with HSJ, we had great service. They were quick in email responses and provided all the details we needed. Our phone calls were well answered by Rameshwar and we were confident in the company from the beginning. Our flight to Katmandu was delayed last minute but our driver Dilip was there waiting for us at the airport at late hours of the night. Binod gave us a warm welcome to the start of our journey. Our city guide Basu was excellent. Our guide Paban is the best guide ever!!! He gave us the best 2 weeks experience in the Himalayas. He got along very well with our teenage son and they were like great mates. Paban is very honest and we completely trusted him with all the decisions. He was always very flexible with our needs. He knew the track to EBC so well and had the knowledge of every turn & terrain. We were fascinated by our strong & humble porters. Ram is a lovely person and was always available when we needed him. Considering how dependent everything is on the weather in the area, you guys do an amazing job with getting people up and down the mountain.”

“I usually don't write reviews however I thought my experience with HSJ is worth the effort, I just finished the EBC trek, from the initial booking through Luxury Escapes, the contact with Ram (the HSJ manager) 4 months out from the trip was excellent, always a response within hours of sending an email no matter how many questions I asked. On arrival at the airport (late flight) we were met by our guide (Mingmar Sherpa) as promised in the correspondence, instant relief as leaving the airport is overwhelming in Kathmandu. From then on there was nothing Mingmar (and the HSJ) staff would not do for you. The communication and punctuality was excellent, always early when there was a meeting time. On the trek Mingmar was awesome, always concerned about our wellbeing and enjoyment as well as being very organised and very knowledgeable about what we were seeing along the trek, he could not do enough for us. The porter Carlden (sorry if spelling is wrong) was also amazing going above and beyond for us. I could not recommend HSJ, especially trekking with Mingmar as guide and Carlden porter!”

“Me and a few friends booked a trek to Everest Base Camp with Himalayan Social Journey. After coming home earlier this week, I felt compelled to write something up here because it was such a fantastic, memorable experience. Ganga (our guide) and his team (in particular Tengee - who I'll always remember for his boundless energy and enthusiasm) were exceptional. Very professional, always helpful, and really made everything run smoothly for us. Without then I doubt we would have had the great experience that we did - it's a challenging trek, but they just made it easier for us by managing expectations about the days ahead, and providing good advice about what to bring with us in our day packs. Ganga in particular shared a lot of his knowledge about the mountains which was fantastic. Thank you to Ganga, Tengee and the rest of the team for making this such a great experience!”

“Our group was wonderfully diverse, we all got along and had the best time getting to know each other and had many laughs with each other and at each other. Our guide Shanker along with assistant guide Chirring were both fabulous. Always happy, always helpful and knowledgeable. I simply cannot describe the adventure I went on, but I think every one should experience it at least once in there life. The scenery is amazing, the people are beautiful and the experience is incredible. I'm already planning my next trip. Thank you”

“Amazing scenery, fabulous weather, love the Nepalese people, thoroughly enjoyed every second of this trip and have absolutely no complaints about anything on this trek. You need to be reasonably fit and realistic about where it is you are going - you're in the mountains and it's isolated so you won't always be able to have a hot shower. If you are realistic with your expectations, you'll love it, but if you go expecting 5* Western luxury, you're obviously on the wrong holiday. Oh and don't forget to take a well stocked first aid kit. The health clinics are few and far between and in most places there's no where to buy dressings, medication or rehydration sachets. Be prepared and you'll have an amazing time!”

“We have just completed this trek and wish to report the experience of a lifetime. Weather perfect, spectacular scenery. At the outset, we were concerned that we would suffer from altitude sickness. However, the itinerary was carefully chosen so that we were sufficiently acclimatised at each stage along the trek. Our entire party of 17 successfully completed the trek to Everest Base Camp, which is a tribute to our guide, Gangha. We had complete confidence in Gangha - he was a very good leader and very patient with us. Our second guide, Sanka was equally caring and a fantastic guide. Our assistant guide, Lakpa Sherpa and our yak handler, Kahcha were awesome! The accommodation became more basic as we ascended but it was perfectly acceptable. All tea houses provided healthy meals at a very reasonable cost. We are rating this trek 5 stars only because we can't give it 6 stars!”

“Overall my experience was a positive one with a couple of small glitches if I have to be picky. Highlight: - My luggage was delayed for over 24 hours due to my airline's mishandling. I thought I was going miss the entire tour. Lucky for me, the boss Ram helped me and put me on the next group. He didn't charge anything extra except for a single traveller supplement which I thought was very fair. - Our assistant guide Mingma was fantastic, in fact fantastic was an understatement. He was on top of everything big and small. Mingma paid full attention to everyone's safety and wellbeing up in the mountains. And he knew what's everyone's favourite breakfast condiments were. 12 out of 10 for his professional, friendly and efficient service. Could not have wished for anything more. - The senior guide Ram (which is different to the boss Ram) was friendly too. He was also flexible with our schedule. He managed to find us an alternative lodge when everyone in the group agreed to change the stop for one of the nights. Room for improvement: - The senior guide Ram was too fast for me on the trek. Most of the time the whole group was not able to keep up with him, not even the fittest of us. Given we were never really late arriving to the lodge in the afternoon, I wish I wasn't rushed as much. - As a young(ish) single female traveller I would have preferred if the senior guide Ram had been more professional. I didn't particularly like that one time being smacked on the back side unexpectedly by Ram. That being said, I never felt threatened or unsafe in that respect. Overall, I would recommend the company, but would like to suggest a few areas for improvement.”

“A first class bucket list experience amid magnificent scenery with a tough daily trek at altitude. I want to commend the Guides who led our group of 17 people. The guides led our group enthusiastically and with great insight into our locations and concern for our safety and wellbeing. They did a great job and I would like to express our thanks to them: Ganga - Guide Shanker - Guide Lakpa - Assistant Guide and owner of Yaks Kamchag - Dzokpyo driver and baggage master Each of these men in their own way made our trip the success it was. I cannot compliment them enough for the great job they did, and they are a credit to your company. Ganga and Shanker were extremely knowledgeable about our trek locations and kept us well informed. They were instrumental in getting us all to the Base Camp at Everest with firm but caring guidance. I was amazed at the skill they showed including being charming companions, funny raconteurs and serious helpers when required. Once we had reached Base Camp they facilitated the evacuation by helicopter of 3 of our people who had medical issues. One in particular was serious and would not have made the return trek. Full credit to all the guides who had to facilitate this rescue. The trip was hard and cold but the rewards were there and I achieved a lifelong dream with my son, of reaching the Everest Base camp. Thank you for the well organised trek schedule which ran efficiently and I would recommend it to anyone considering the trek, which is not something to be entered into lightly.”

“We recently returned from a 14 day Mt Everest Base Camp trek with Himalayan Social Journey! What an amazing experience! Our Sherpa, Mingmar, and porters Lakpa and Pasan were incredible! In our amazing group of 8 trekkers, 100% of us made it to base camp! It was a 'bucket-list' experience that we are so proud we achieved! We will cherish the memories forever!”

“Himalayan Social Journey organised a private 13 day Trek to Everest Base Camp for 7 of us in Late November /early December 2016 followed by a 3 day trip to Chitwan NP. It was an excellent trip that went without a hitch. Our EBC guides - Prakass and Binod Gharti were outstanding. Our Chitwan NP driver Anjun was very skilled, careful and patient - a very important consideration when you consider how bad driving skills are in Nepal - road travel is like participating in whacky races! On the EBC trek HSJ booked us into the best lodges available. The food was way better than expected and the scenery was magnificent. We opted for a private trip as we wanted an additional day to acclimatise in Namche Bazaar - something I'd highly recommend as our group all made it to Base Camp without any major altitude sickness issues. The trek was more strenuous than I expected - there's a lot of ups and downs and steps, so it is important to be as fit as possible before undertaking it. Namche Hill on Day 2 and Tengboche Hill on day 4 (or day 5 in our case) were challenging. As a general comment, you can't do much about the altitude other than take it slow, acclimatise and be extremely careful re hygiene. Whilst a visit to Chitwan NP is highly recommended, note the road trip from Kathmandu takes 8 to 9 hours NOT 4.5 hours as 'advertised'. There's lots of roadworks on the outskirts of Kathmandu, the roads are clogged with trucks and buses and the 35km stretch from Mugling to Narayanghat takes 3+ hours over a very rough road. Consider flying to Bharatpur. All in all a great trip - thanks Himalayan Social Journeys!”

“My family and I recently completed the Everest Base Camp Trek with Himalayan Social Journey and had the experience of a lifetime. All seven family members made it to EBC and we were extremely pleased with the service and support we received from the company. Our particular thanks go to Mingmar Sherpa who was an outstanding guide and wonderful support to all of us throughout the trek. We couldn't have done it without his expert knowledge and care. Our assistant guide (also named Mingma!) was of great help too, as was Pasan, our Yak man entrusted with our gear. Apart from the 12 day EBC trek we also very much enjoyed the rest of our stay in Nepal which involved a few days in Kathmandu and a few days in Pokhara, again organised and guided by Himalayan Social Journey. We highly recommend the company and we hope to do another trek with Mingmar Sherpa sometime in the future.”

“We have just completed our trek to Mount Everest base camp and can't rate the experience more highly. The email response was not great in the preparation for the trek but other than that the whole experience was managed really well. Mingmar Sherpa was an excellent guide for our group. He was attentive to our needs and helped navigate the different options in accommodation, amenities and handling the challenges of the journey. He worked with us individually and helped those who struggled with altitude sickness, heights and mental and physical exhaustion. One of our group unfortunately had to get evacuated at Teng Bouche and Ram helped coordinate the evacuation, recovery and accommodation with the insurance company.”

“Himalayan Social Journey made Everest Base Camp trek the trip of a lifetime. The guide in particular, Ganga was incredibly impressive. From his knowledge of the trek to his professionalism to making sure we all felt safe and calm during the 16 days, I could not have asked for anything more from him. I would definitely consider using Himalayan Social Journey for future trips.”

“I recently completed a 16 day Everest base camp trek through Himalayan Social Journey, as well as a stay in Gokarna Forest, and a week long stay in Pokhara. From meeting at the beginning of the trip to them organising extra accommodation and flights after the tour for us, the company was nothing but organised and professional. Special mention to Bish, our guide who went above and beyond requirements to make sure everybody in our group was healthy and enjoying the trip 'as much as you' could. At all the overnight stops, both the food and the accommodation was better than I was expecting, no doubt due to Himalayan Social Journey knowing the right places to pick. I have no hesitation in recommending them as a great company to deal with for any travel to Nepal.”

“From booking to trekking, our experience with this tour operator, was great! No question too difficult too answer and our Trek Guide, Bishnu Basnet, was very knowledgeable and made us feel safe during our trek, accompanying us, from Kathmandu, to Base Camp and back to Kathmandu. We also booked a day-tour to Bhaktapur, through HSJ and again had an amazing experience. When (not if) we return to Nepal, we would definitely use the services of HSJ, again.”

“Could not fault this company! Very professional all round. Quick to respond to any email queries before the trek. Our guides, Dipak and Shankar, were more than just guides they were waiters, porters, medics, mountain encyclopaedias and friends!! 2 of our group got altitude sickness and the company handled this situation expertly, arranging for their return to Kathmandu with no further impact to the rest of the trekkers. I would recommend this company to anybody wishing to successfully reach EBC with any level of experience. I will be using them again when I return to Nepal.”

“At first I was a little hesitant that I had booked the trip with an unknown overseas company but I should not have worried, from the beginning it was so easy to arrange and liase with the HSJ people via email. Upon arrival in Kathmandu we were greeted by our driver outside the airport (what a drive) and taken to a great little hotel in Thamel where we met Ram and our fellow trekkers! I was so nervous and culture shocked but everybody there made it so easy for us, especially our great trek guide Bishnu, who I still keep in contact with today, and our porters Rawadi and Pasang. Bishnu, if you have the pleasure of meeting him, invites you into his home which is a couple of hours out of Lukla on the start of the trek to have a huge lunch with his beautiful family! Same thing on the way back. I couldn't fault my experience. All lodges were of the greatest quality and I would definitely go with Himalayan Social Journey again, to do the exact same trek. Once isn't enough.”