Traveller reviews

“What a life experience, not something I would have liked to have achieved without the support of our team and of course "The Best Guide Ever" (BGE) Ganga and his assistant Pradip. The trek was awe inspiring, the cultural difference was to myself an Aussie, memorable and the people incredibly kind. I was overwhelmed by the beauty and difficulty experienced and now have a greater appreciation for the trekers and climbers that visit these high altitude places. Loved it Loved it Loved it.”

“My husband and I joined 13 other trekkers, through Himalayan Social Journey, for an adventure trekking to EBC and Kala Patthar we both enjoyed so much we want to do it again!! Our adventure started in May 2017. Our 16 day package include the first night in Kathmandu. We stayed an extra 2 nights in Kathmandu, something I would recommend. It gave us the opportunity to get over 'jet-lag' and to check out the crazy, beautiful and exiting sights of the city. The whole tour was carefully planned by the organiser Ram. Our trek guide Ganga Bahadur Thapa and second in charge 'Lucky' Lakpa Renji Sherpa were flawless in their care of duty and attention to details. They also brought our group together through honesty, sharing and laughter. Thank You! There were many highlights on the trek but the standout was reaching Kala Patthar, at 5545m, to catch Everest at sunrise- stunning! We were able to enjoy this trek as much as we did because we were reasonably fit- we trained 5-6 days a week walking 7 to 12kms daily with 10kgs in our day packs in our hiking boots. This was a trip of a lifetime...and I hope to do it again through HSJ with Ganga and Lucky! P.S. This trip is great for couples, solo travellers, and anyone fit and able enough. Pam & David”

“Himalayan Social Journeys organised the complete package so the experience was optimised. The best part of the trip was the guide, Soraj and his assistant Ganesh. These two wonderful, kind and helpful guides knew everything about the mountains, the flora, fauna and customs. They provided around the clock care and sound advice. It was an absolute pleasure to meet these two young men and share such a unique experience with them. At my worst with AMS Soraj almost carried me to Grok Shep and Ganesh carried my bag and bought me tea to help recouperate.”

“We are very pleased to commend Himalayan Social Journey and the trek we recently undertook. We had a rewarding experience and feel extremely grateful to our Guide, Ganga, who inspired confidence every step of the way. His complete competency in all areas of leading and managing a group of people to achieve the goal of Everest Base Camp is not to be underestimated. Our whole trip from beginning to end was well managed and communicated to us. We would recommend this company to anyone seeking to undertake a trek or day tour in the area of the Himalayas.”

“We successfully completed a trek to Base Camp Mt Everest with HSJ. We were very impressed with the entire experience and don't hesitate in recommending this company if you are considering a trek in Nepal. Our expert guide Ganga-whom I cant praise highly enough was professional & caring with a wonderful sense of humour and a wealth of knowledge, as well as being the most humble individual. A random group of 10 people, who prior to this trip most were not known to each other has now become lifelong friends. The trip was jam packed full of fun laughter excitement encouragement emotion and inspiration. A highlight was the optional hike up Mt Kalipathar from Gorak Shep with 360deg views on the clearest of mornings. My only suggestion to the company would be maybe add an extra day to recover as a lot of the group were not up to it with such a huge day before and following Kalapathar. Well done to all involved.”

“We recently completed the EBC trek with HSJ. Our lead guide Raju was 100% focused on getting the entire group to EBC and back and helped us all achieved what we had come for ..nice job Raju!! Our assistant guide Binnu was amazing!! always entertaining and great fun while also looking after us. We would recommend Himalayan Social Journey to anyone thinking of traveling to Nepal...."they really know how to look after you". Best moment # reaching Base Camp Worst moment # knowing the menu won't change until you leave.. LOL”

“Nepal gets under your skin! I have recently returned from my 16 day Everest Base Camp trek with Himalayan Social Journey and am finding it difficult to move on from my amazing experience. The entire experience with HSJ from first booking the trip to our final days in Kathmandu was positive, with quick responses to emails, friendly support at all times and incredibly knowledgeable guides, making this a trip of a lifetime. Our guides Saroj and Ganesh, not only provided guidance in the physical sense of getting us to Base Camp, but supported us emotionally and on such a connected level that all of our group succeeded in reaching our goal. We were constantly reassured and felt safe in their capable hands. Altitude sickness is something that is at the forefront of your mind during the trek, but as HSJ provides 2 acclimatisation days and Saroj constantly encourages “slowly slowly”, we were able to tackle the difficulties of altitude in a informed and educated manner. I would highly recommend HSJ. Thank you Saroj, Ganesh and HSJ for a wonderful experience, this was my first ever trek and I am now hooked! Next on my wish list...Annapurna! And in the words of a very wise man...Keep calm and trek on!”

“My friends and I recently completed the Everest Base Camp Trek which was expertly organised and led by Himalayan Social Journey. This was my first trip to Nepal and multi-day trek at high altitude. Excited but admittedly a little anxious as to what was to come, my concerns were pacified by the slick organisation of HSJ. Their communication in the run up to the trip was timely and comprehensive. Any queries were responded to by email within 24 hours. Upon arrival to the hotel in Kathmandu we were greeted by HSJ staff and Saroj who was to be our amazing guide for the next fortnight. I can't praise Saroj highly enough! Saroj is passionate about his country and culture and a highly experienced guide having done the EBC trek more than 60 times. We were a group of ten, some of us not having met before but Saroj managed to bring us all together to work as a team and support one another along the trek. We really felt in safe hands with Saroj. He took the time to get to know each one of us and would monitor the well being of each person to ensure we enjoyed a safe trek. Our assistant guide Ganesh was equally brilliant. Ganesh would lead the group up front, order our serve our meals, ensure our luggage was delivered to our lodging. Softly spoken with excellent English, Ganesh worked tirelessly to provide a consistently high standard of customer service through the trip. I've since returned to Australia and upon reflection think this was one of the best holidays I've ever had. The EBC trek itinerary with HSJ is well paced, well organised and and I'm happy to say lived up to my expectations of being a unique, once in life time experience.”

“I've just returned from a memorable trek to Everest Base Camp with Himalayan Social Journey. It was my first experience being in Nepal and also being on a multi-day hike in high altitude. Our group comprised of a few friends and a few others which eventually became like family by the end of our trek. The views are breathtaking and the scenery is amazing as you go from village to village. I would like to say a big thank you to our guide Saroj and assistant guide Ganesh. I really appreciate the support and care that you provided to the entire group. The guides have a huge amount experience with these treks. They are very professional, and they go up and beyond to ensure that each member remains safe and has a memorable hike. The guides do take the time to get to know each member and they do monitor the well-being of each individual. They made sure our meals were served properly, and took us to places that are sanitary. I thoroughly felt safe, knowing that our guides were there to help us out. I will definitely ask to have these guides again, when I'm back in Nepal.”

“We have just finished 16 Day EBC trek with Mingmar Sherpa as our lead guide. It was my first visit to Nepal and first big trek. The journey has been absolutely amazing! The scenery was spectacular and whilst the trek was challenging at times it was still thoroughly enjoyable. Mingmar, a local to the region (born and breed) was truly wonderful, a total rockstar, so thoughtful and knowledgeable. He has special qualities as a person, so humble and gave you the personal attention needed along the way. Thank you Mingmar, Ganesh and Pusang these memories will always be with me and I couldn't recommend trek highly enough.”

“I have just returned from a 16 day EBC Trek organised through HSJ and expertly lead by our head guide Mingmar Sherpa. I cannot praise him and the trek we experienced highly enough. A friend and myself were both new to this kind of trekking and were somewhat anxious and overwhelmed by what lay ahead of us. We couldn’t have been in better hands with timely help and assistance from HSJ via email prior to arrival , but more importantly we were cared for by Mingmar from the moment we arrived in Kathmandu airport to when the trek sadly finished. Mingmar was totally committed to everyone in our group reaching their dream of safely reaching EBC. It seemed he was everywhere and with everyone in the group during the trek giving personal and individual attention when and where it was needed. All our needs were provided for and we wanted for nothing (except a hot shower at times)... and all with an unwavering smile and good humour. He really was quite extraordinary and nothing was a problem. Mingmar is a total professional who constantly showed such care and thoughtfulness throughout the trek... I was so touched to received a surprise birthday cake along the way. I feel we were so lucky to have this humble and special man (who is a local to this region) be our guide and he totally endeared himself to everyone in the group. A big thank you also to Ganesh who was Mingmar’s wonderful assistant guide and Pusang the porter for completing what was a great team... it was really sad to say goodbye and have this incredible adventure end. From the breathtakingly beauty and grandeur of the Himalayas to the service provided by HSJ and their brilliant guides... trekking the Himalayas is a must for anyone with a sense of adventure and wanting an experience of a lifetime.”

“What a great trip and such a memorable time! It was my first experience of trekking and the organisation and care for our group by Saroj (guide) and Ganesh (assistant guide) was fantastic. They certainly had our best interests and well being at heart. Saroj's deep knowledge of Nepalese history, culture and the way he communicated this was so interesting and very much appreciated. The scenery was breathtaking at every turn, walking through the villages and immersing yourself in Nepalese culture was something I'll never forget. I would definitely recommend the Himalayan Social Journey and Saroj/Ganesh as guides if you are thinking of trekking in this region.”

“What an amazing journey we had! Spectacular Scenery and Vistas at every turn, visiting amazing villages full of friendly faces and laughing children. My Husband & I embarked on a challenging trek, and we succeeded because of the detail of care and attention that Mingma Sherpa provided, it was above and beyond our expectations. Mingma was one of the reasons for us, our trip was so memorable. Cheers”

“The Everest Base Camp trek was the most incredible experience. Could not be happier with Himalayan Social Journey. Our guide Binod was absolutely the best and made this experience a phenomenal one. I got quite sick during the trek and Binod looked after me, made me feel safe and has become a true friend. His knowledge of the mountains was great. I cannot wait to go back to the Himalayas with HSJ! Cannot recommend enough!”

“I am so glad i went with this company for the trek to Basecamp. We had a wonderful time with our group but it was our tour guides who made this trip what it was. Special thanks to Bishnu and Dawa. Their smile, organisation, positive energy and care were a 10/10, especially when my partner and sister were unwell. I will definitely recommend to family and friends. Amazing experience.”

“As first time trekkers we had many questions, all of which were promptly and fully addressed by the staff at HSJ. We were collected late at night by Mingmar Sherpa, no small feat when we hadn't met, and transported to our hotel. This was the beginning of his unfailing and thorough care for us. His many years experience and also his absolute knowledge of the region and conditions, including ours, meant that he was always a step or two ahead of us. We were fortunate to have beautiful weather for 15/16 days and he certainly made sure that we took the most from every experience. Mingmar was ably supported by the quietly humourous Ganesh who was equally caring and thoughtful. Pusang and his wonderful yak team meant that we were able to have all of our things at the end of the day, everyday. What a great team, how lucky we were. Thank you to the very tired man finishing at the time we started who said, "You're going to Heaven, but have to go through hell to get there." Our team made sure that we went to Heaven every day, with a bit of hell on the edges now and again to remind us how lucky we were. Thank you”

“My mother and I did the Everest Base Camp trek with HSJ in Sept '17. We were extremely happy with everything organised by HSJ. As a first time trekker, this trek was especially hard but a special shout out to our guide Raju Aryal who patiently walked beside me during the trek, even when I was at my slowest, motivating me to complete it. Our guides, Raju and Binny also went beyond themselves to ensure our comfort at all of the tea houses, from special request on meals to upgrades to rooms with attached toilets! They also kept us entertained during our trekking hours by singing and playing the flute to local Nepali songs. We had great weather through most of our trip which definitely helped keep our spirits high! The scenery is breathtaking to say the least. You're sure to bump into a lot of friendly children in the mountains hoping for chocolates from the trekkers, carrying some sweets in your day pack to hand out to them is definitely worth their smiles! Be sure to take enough breaks to appreciate the surroundings and the people around you during the trek too. The final day to EBC is a tough one, I wish I had stalked up on some more food in my day pack, a lack of appetite meant I didn't eat enough during the breaks which made me really weak during the last couple of hours. After the trek, we arrived at Gokarna Forest Resort! Our stay there was extremely pleasant. From picking us up at the airport in Kathmandu on day 1, to dropping us back on day 16, everything is perfectly handled by HSJ. Thanks a lot for such a memorable trip, we definitely hope to be back soon to travel with HSJ! Once again special thanks to Raju and Binny, the trip wouldn't be half as memorable without you guys!”

“I arrived home from a 14 day trip to Everest base camp last week organised through Himalayan social journey... may I just add this was the most amazing experience! I truely had the most incredible time not only because of the beauty Nepal has to offer but also the outstanding service which was given from the moment I landed at Kathmandu airport. My guide Mingmar Sherpa was there to greet me and he was amazing! The whole trip Mingmar took care of myself and fellow trekkers... constantly checking that each one of us were going ok and taking very good care of us along the way alongside Ganesh Devkota, these two were so much fun and so accomodating to all 13 people in our group. I have massive holiday blues already they were such great company, fun, caring and knowledgeable Thank you HSJ, a trip I’ll never forget! I look forward to a trip back sometime soon :)”

“When you experience this area you soon realise not everything will go as planned. However our trek was brilliantly organised and great fun with great guides and sherpas, in particular Ram, Bikash, Raju and Paban.We had a 7 hour delay flying into Lukla so 1 day behind from the word go, which impacted our accommodation bookings, but the guides did everything possible to keep our accommodation in order. You just cannot fault anything, the guides etc were very caring to ensure we all remained healthy and were terrific in explaining the benefits of acclimatisation hikes, having plenty of garlic soup, water, ginger tea, Diamox, etc. When people did get sick their evacuation by helicopter was well organised. The trek was difficult but well worth it. Would definitely recommend the two days relaxation at Gokarna afterwards. Brilliant trek with brilliant people.”

“Thank you so much for such an incredible experience. This was the first time I booked with an agency and was very happy it was with HSJ. Overall accommodation and food was quite good. Our guide Binod was amazing. Have been home for a week now and missing Nepal a lot. Beautiful country, beautiful people and a beautiful company HSJ.”

“I would like to thank Ram, Bikash and the team for all their support in helping not only me but the whole group achieve one of my hardest challenges I have taken on. It will be something that I will always remember and be proud of this amazing trek. Himalayan Social Journey were with us the whole way from booking until the end. Vel”

“Wonderful company and excellent guides. Prior to booking the trip I had many questions and HSJ promptly answered my questions and were able to revise our itinerary to accommodate us with the group who had the 16 day trek. Our lead guide Bishnu and assistant guide Lukpa were informative, always kept our safety in mind, and created a great fun atmosphere for us. Any issues that arose with the accommodations, they were quick to address and remedy. The trek itself was beautiful. We got lucky with the weather considering the group before and after us ended up having to revise their itinerary due to canceled flights to and from Lukla.”

“I've just returned from Everest base camp with Himalayan Social Journey and WOW what an amazing time I had!! I cannot thank our guides Mingmar Sherpa and Binod enough for their caring, kind and professional nature. We were all looked after so well and their knowledge of the mountains was phenomenal. They were always checking to make sure we were okay and I always felt so safe. We all became like a big family and had so much fun. I honestly have had the trip of a life time and have made friends for life. Mingmar and Binod thank you, thank you thank you!! When I come back to Nepal, I will be requesting you both! Thank you Himialayan Social Journey for the amazing hospitality.. It has been second to none! <3 What a beautiful country you live in, the scenery from the mountains were breathtaking!”

“This was our second visit to Nepal and our second time trekking. Last year we did EBC and our guide was Binod Dhakal who was wonderful beyond words so we thought what the heck lets do Gorephani/PoonHill with HSJ and we requested our guide be our second son Binod and they made this happen. The company has a few little quirks which are always worked out and everything seems to fall into place from start to finish with booking of internal flights , extra nights at hotel etc ,nothing was to much trouble for Ram and his team. The trek was wonderful as expected with a couple of small modifications made by Binny to make it more enjoyable for all and was all discussed with the group prior to departing Kathmandu. Day 1 seen us take the slow road to our white water rafting stop which was enjoyable and the guide was professional and fun with water fights etc happening constantly, stopping for lunch at a small lunch spot which I think is where you spend the night in tents but we had decided to head to Pokhara that day as it would make the trek more enjoyable for all as it makes the days going up a bit shorter so you have more time to admire the magical scenery and peaceful surroundings. Accomodation & food on this trek is a step above that on the EBC trek with some getting a hot shower ( Leah) every night and the tea houses were clean and comfortable. Leaving at 4 am to trek to Poonhill for the sunrise was for me a bit of a letdown as being peak season it was very crowded and extremely noisy, should have taken Binny's advice and headed off early to Gurang hill and did the sunrise there in peace and quiet at the same altitude which in my opinion better views of the surrounding Annapurna mountains (my wife was smart and took this option). All said and done we as a family couldn't fault Binod's professionalism and caring gentle nature, so a special thanks to you and also all our team of wonderful yak men ( our wonderful porters ) who cared for us all day, every day. Thankyou and we look forward to seeing you again in 2019”