Traveller reviews

“I've just finished a three week trip to Nepal which included a seven day trek through the Annapurna foothills organised by Himalayan Social Journey. Brilliant! I'm 58 and reasonably fit but it was quite a challenge at times, though always worth it. Ram (director of the company) and Binod (dear Binny - our guide) and ALL the porters were so helpful, kind, considerate, knowledgeable (when language would allow) and fun - when music was involved. If there was a particularly hard part, maybe with a little too many steps, there was always an amazing view to reward, or a waterfall around the next corner or a wild flower we hadn't seen before, another steep hillside with so very many rhododendrons that its breath taking or of course a snow covered mountain within reach .. almost. I've fallen in love with Nepal, it's kind sweet natured people, its art and craft, subsistence agriculture and paddock to plate cuisine (gotta love dal baht!!). Thanks to Ram and his drivers, guides and porters - it was made easier to do. I'd recommend this trip to folk who are fit but also recommend you research so that you find out the details like: it's steep, challenging, not luxurious and it's just the best possible 'holiday' to have. Thanks again Ram for your extraordinary organisational skills (which match this extraordinary country) and to Binny our guide. much love - from Australia.”

“What a wonderful tour we had!!! Fantastic guides, Mr Tanveer et al, fantastic bus driver Mr Luvely and his assistant Sunny. Amazing sights, non stop adventure and colour. Mr Tanveer was able to be flexible with the itinerary and added some great extras in such as a cooking class in Pushkar, which was expensive but, well worth it. This was only possible because we had a small group of fantastic people. Be aware that if you take an upgrade you will be some way out of town and may miss out on great little restaurants and some fun times. Don't let the hotels sell you the buffet unless you are REALLY hungry and be aware there is a service charge and VAT on bills and 30% tax on alcohol. India is an assault on the senses and if you are a first timer to India, this is a great way to travel. Wonderful architecture which rivals just about everything I have seen in Europe. Don't forget your camera and plug for recharging.”

“The team at Himalayan Social Journeys went out of their way to make our tour memorable and comfortable. Highlights were the additional extras like cooking class and visiting a local school and the step well. Thank you to Tanveer and Abid, Luvli and Suni as well as all the hotel staff who were all wonderful. Also Raju from Abyss Tours (Tiger Safari) added to the interest by telling us about the crops on the way to Ranthambore and managing to overcome all obstacles (flat tyre) in a calm capable manner. I would recommend these tours to all and in particular suggest the three star option because you get to stay in hotels reminiscent of the "Marigold Hotel", situated in the middle of the towns where all the local action is taking place. Having a regular supply of bottled water on the bus and bananas for snacks was a nice touch. Take an adapter for charging and we took a multiboard with surge control to increase our opportunity to charge all our cameras and tablets etc. a once. We were lucky there was only 20 people on the big bus which made it easier to get comfortable and get on with each other. We didn't see a tiger but that is the way of the jungle lol. We saw lots of deer, antelope, etc. and had some exciting rides on the roads of the national park.”

“Words cannot describe how great this holiday was. I loved seeing the busy Kathmandu and small villages, the farms, the rivers. The fresh warm forests of rhododendrons, the magnificent views of snow capped mountains. The wild life, the daily life. AHH the local cuisine.Our tour was so well balanced, and guide Bishnu for our small group of 7 was wonderful, and Ram ( other guide with a party of 8 ) knew their stuff. Local information, folk music and culture, we had a ball and were very well looked after.”

“We booked with Himalayan Social journey on a budget package (we are often 5 star travellers)for 15 days of rafting, jungling and trekking (+ some Kathmandhu highlights thrown in). My husband and I joined 3 other people and a couple of different guides for a varied trip of Nepal. Highlights are as follows:- - Rafting down the river (grade 2-3 rapids) - huge amount of fun - followed by sleeping in safari style tents and watching the traffic on one of the craziest roads in the world - Venturing into the jungle and getting up close and personal with elephants, crocodiles, monkeys, white rhino, wild boar (plus seeing quite a few tiger footprints but alas no tigers) - Trekking for 5 days - accomodation on this leg was basic but super clean. All of the lodges had great facilities out of hours - food/drinks/card tables (hot water was a bit hit and miss). The views of the Annapurna mountains were unforgettable and on some days the steps were unforgiving (one day I counted 6500 steps) so not for the faint hearted and there is no alternate path - although you could probably pay to get a helicopter to bypass for a lot of cash! The people, donkeys, horses, children asking for candy were plentiful and definitely added to the experience of the trek. - Kathmandu - checked out lots of stupas, old cities, rug weaving community and some decent food. Our porters Binod (Binod 2) and Kristyna did an amazing job of playing the flute, laughing and carrying on not to mention carrying 20+ kilos each. Special mention goes to our guide for his attention and care throughout the trip - Big Thanks Binod - for such a young guide you really did an awesome job! No detail was too much, no hill too great when Binod was around. Ram - the owner oversaw every detail - his energy and enthusiasm (whilst not unique in Nepal) definitely puts him in a class of his own. He understands Westerners very well having lived overseas for several years, but it is his energy and enthusiasm that make Himalayan Social Journey what it is and make his team want to work there. Overall other comments - Nepal is a basic country in many ways, yet there are highlights around most corners if you look. The people have a great command of English, are super friendly, live in an extremely basic way, yet look well presented, neat & tidy all the time. They have a strong respect for their religion (yet it is not in your face), the souvenirs are incredibly good value and plentiful (from metal work, to woodwork, Gemstones, cashmere, clothes, rugs ...), The scenery outside of Kathmandhu constantly changes and has a raw beauty. Kathmandhu itself is a little crazy like most Asian capitals. It is currently in the middle of widening most of it's city's roads so looks a little like a war zone, and this makes it slow going. It is worth spending a few days in Kathmandhu with a good guide or a good handbook and looking for the treasures that this city has to offer. The rug weaving by the Tibetan community was a highlight for me and the rugs will be a treasured memory of a unique time in a unique place. Thanks to all - we had a great time.”

“I travel quite a bit but rarely feel compelled to write a review. I can't say enough good things about this company and its employees. We worked with them to coordinate a 45 day trip which consisted of trekking in Nepal and Tibet, complex travel logistics, several day tours and and ultimately - numerous on the fly changes to our itinerary during our trip. Simply put, they were awesome. Lets start with our trekking guide - Bishnu. For 11 days - he was our protector, our facilitator, our accommodater and our cheer leader. He assured our every need was looked after and never took anything for granted, constantly making sure we were comfortable and safe. He knew when to push us and when to lay off. He was so conscientious and encouraging. Of all the guided treks I have done, he ranks as the top guide. The porters were also awesome - always ready to lend a hand, make things a little easier or more comfortable. At night, we all enjoyed the company of each other playing cards and sharing funny moments. Bishnu and his crew were not only highly professional and competent, but truly beautiful caring people. I am proud to call them my friends. The company espouses the same persona. Competent and caring, when we had travel hiccups due to weather related issues, they were there to adjust and readjust and arrange alternate transportation on a moments notice. When we decided to completely reorganize the Tibet portion of our trip with 2 days notice- they happily accommodated without penalizing us. The day tour of Kathmandu was absolutely amazing thanks to their tour guide - Swami Basu. I was astounded at his knowledge and insight and energized with the in depth discussions we had about the most significant part of this region's culture - religion and its relationship to every day life. I didn't want the day or the discussions to end. Bottom line is if you are looking for a tour company for this region (Nepal, India, Tibet, Bhutan), look no further. Whether its trekking or cultural you won't be disappointed. They are knoweldable, fair and caring and strive to please in every way possible.”

“I was on holiday in Nepal between 27 November and 12 December 2016. I did several searches and I ended up choosing HSJ. I spoke and I arranged by email with Ram. Always friendly. When I arrived in Nepal, everything went well. The small setbacks were resolved and I can say that I was very satisfied with the entire HSJ organization. I plan to return next November to go to Tibet and I plan to organize again with HSJ. Thank you for giving me, my wife and a couple a great vacation. See you soon José Cristóvão”

“This 5 star rating specifically goes to the excellent Guides of our trip, Binod and Tikaram, as well as our dear team of hardworking porters. The team had taken exceptional care of the group, making sure no one got left behind, always patient and always cheery no matter how tired they were. Binod the "Shepard" watching over the group from behind, and Tikaram up ahead bounding up and down the steep rocky path, to lend us all a helping hand. Service from the team was top notch, and they had definitely gone above and beyond to make sure that we were comfortable and we were enjoying ourselves. We had a wonderful experience thanks to the team and our fellow trekking mates. If you do decide to book a tour with HSJ, definitely ask for Binod and Tikaram! Now what is a review without some areas for improvements: - On HSJ website - Please take note and read the areas of <Trip Itinerary>, <Includes & Excludes> and <Useful Info> thoroughly before booking the trip. It can be quite confusing and might alter your impression on the trip based on what is inclusive and what will cost extra. Tips: Read the T&Cs thoroughly especially if you do decide to go with the upgrade, they are not inclusive of activities, you will need to pay extra on top of the upgrade. - Kasara Resort (optional upgrade) was a beautiful accomodation, but you might want to think twice if you are heading to Nepal during Winter due to its outdoor showers. You can still get very cold when showering even with the warm showers (gas-heated). - Whilst the the flight from Pokhara -> Kathmandu is optional, if you are intending to stay at Gokarna, it is definitely worthwhile taking this up. Traffic within the city is quite bad especially during peak hours, and we were stuck in traffic in Kathmandu for a good 3 hours before we got to Gokarna hotel - that being said, HSJ might want to consider making the flight back to Kathmandu part of the tour package instead as we had spent a good 11 hours on the road when we finally reached Gokarna hotel... it was dark by then... - The Tour in Pokhara - personally those were not my cup of tea, except for the Tibetan refugee camp, but was ok overall. Overall this trip had exceeded our expectations with the great company we had on the trip. Thanks again, Binod and Tikaram, for showing us around your beautiful country, it has been an unforgettable experience. We will miss you dearly!”

“I had most amazing time with my sister yesterday regarding heli tour Absouleltly it was great experience and best flight I want to say thankyou to himlayan social journey trek”

“This was the best trip ever, all the staff were very accomodating and especially captain Ananda thapa is the best ever , very kind and adventurous soul. Will never ever forget this amazing trip .. thank you himalaya social journey for organising everything.👍👍👍👍”

“I would say the more we consciously do the things as in down to earth the more pure happiness and blissful moments we'll acquire. I felt genuinely oweseome during short trip!! Thanks to all team of Himalayan social journey!!🙌🙏”

“Very trust worthy and hospital company for heli rides and tours in Nepal. The manager stayed in touch with me throughout my trip to Gosaikunda, prior and after to ensure I had no problems and kept in touch with me and responsed kindly to all my other queries. Highly recommended.”

“I would like to thank Ram, Bisnu and Ciandra for an excellent experience in the Himalaya mountains. The good service and the careing team made the three passes trekk an unforgettable adventure for me. I would recommend to anybody to book the trip via Himalayan Social Journey Trekking company, the success is guaranteed.”

“We booked a two person, private, 16 day trek (Three passes) with Himalayan Social Journey during late September - mid October 2023. We had been recommended HSJ from a friend. The correspondence from the company was quick and thorough; all of our questions were answered before arriving in Nepal. Our guide Dipak Magarr was amazing. He provided us with good advice in regards to what we should/shouldn’t do, he chose great tea houses and gave good recommendations surrounding the best food options in different towns based on what grew well in the area. Dipak also let us adjust the itinerary to allow us to increase the distance on certain days so we could spend more time in areas that we wanted to. Overall the experience with Himalayan Social Journey was great and we are very grateful for how smooth they made our whole trip.”

“Me and my friend had an amazing experience with HSj from the first moment to the last. Mingmar met us at the airport and Kathmandu and made sure that we got everything we needed before taking the flight to Lukla. After a few really good hotel nights at Himalayan Suite Hotel, our guide Dipak and our portier Januk met us at Lukla airport. They gave 100% to make our trip unforgettable, making sure that we were good and made us very participating in the planning of our trip. Overall we were super happy with the helpfulness and flexibility of HSJ and would definitely recommend the company to everyone who is planning to visit Nepal. I cannot imagine any other company being a better alternative.”

“The "Explore the Nepal" tour is one with a taste of various aspects of Nepal and life in Nepal. The taste included a bit of trekking (2 days) along with rafting, elephant safari, walk through the jungle, rummaging around Kathmandu and Pokhara, and exploring and gaining insights into Nepali history and culture by way of visiting various temples and sights as well as being enlightened by knowledgeable guides and locals. During this tour we also had a number of opportunities to see the whole or parts of the Himalayan ranges - the best viewing point was Chisapani from where we had a view of all of the Himalayas (and what a breathtaking sight it was). Whilst I went during the monsoon season, I was not hampered by it in the slightest. In fact, there was plenty of sunshine and, if there was any rain, it occured either towards the end of the day or at night. I would highly recommend HSJ to assist with any tours in the region as they are helpful and professional from the get go with all questions answered prior to and during the tour. Ram and his team went beyond the required in order to ensure that the best experience possible was had by all. My experience in Nepal was a memorable one and I will most definitely be returning with HSJ's assistance.”

“We participated Himalayan Social Journey's Chisapani-Nagarkot -trek starting November 3rd. First, the day after we had arrived, we had one day in Kathmandu sightseeing and we had a great city guide with us. We saw all the main attraction and he told us interesting stories but not too much. Then third day we were taken to Sundarijal from where we hiked to Chisapani, 12km uphill by stairs. It was rough but worth it because up there we could see the Himalayan mountains <3 We had our own mountain guide and porter with us. Our guide, Narendra, was amazing and so caring. The fourth day we hiked from Chisapani to Nagarkot, 24km nepali flat (meaning up and down but not as heavy uphill like it was the day before). Everything went well and nepali people everywhere were so nice and helpful. The fifth day we got back to the city and had special dinner with our mountain guide in Kathmandu. All these services was included in our package with hotels and breakfasts (in Chisapani it was a cottage/hostel, but very nice one in those conditions). And last but not least, we had an excellent driver in use during the whole time (also included in price). He picked us from the airport, take us around the city, drove us back and forth to the mountains and take us back to the airport too. In the traffic of Kathmandu, a good driver is a blessing and we had one!! Very good first trip to Nepal, can be recommended warmly :)”

“Himalayan social journey services is probably the Best and excellent trekking company in Nepal.Me and my friend did Chisapani,Nagarkot 4 days trek with our guide MINGMAR SHERPA who was very good knowledge about the area of our visiting place.He was very knowledgeable.He help us to carry our bag also. we enjoyed our wonderful trip so we highly recommend to all for good services. We are hopping to do another trip next year and again we Will like to have guide Mingmar,Definately we Will choose this agency and we highly recommend to all.”

“Himalayan social journey services is very good and trusty company. Our trip was personalised just for us, cause our vacation was longer than originally trek was planned. Our guide was MINGMAR SHERPA who is very kindly, care taking, hardworking and cheerful. We can highly recommend this company and trek to all regardless where You live.”

“I booked the 10 day tour in Nepal last December. Since that moment I had a few interactions with management of the company and can't praise them enough. They were very helpful and cooperative. I changed my departure dates a few times, asked millions of questions and always got an immediate response. All activities were well organised, hotels were decent, our guide Shankar was knowledgeable and confident. I loved Nepal so much, that I contacted HSJ directly and asked to organise a short 3 day trekking tour from Kathmandu. My guide Binod was just wonderful, without him I would not be able to walk 21.5 km from Chisapani to Nagarkot and my trekking would not be so much fun! I highly recommend this company as a tour provider! Nepal, I will be back soon!!!”

“Went for Chisapani and Nagarkot trekking with them. Our guide was very patient and attentive. Paid about 180 USD for guide + breakfast + guest house + airport transfer - pretty good price compared to what other companies quoted us.”

“Even though my tour was only 7 days, it was well planned by Himalayan Social Journey with in short period which covered Kathmandu and Bhutan . This was my first visit to Kathmandu and Mr Ram had booked my tickets even without receiving the advance !!!! Himalayan Social Journey team is excellent ,helpful, humble and I would recommend this company to anyone without any hesitation. Special thanks to Rameshwar, Pradeep and Ram .”

“We were a group of 8 people. The conclusion to the entire experience was " the best trip ever" This group included some well travelled individuals. What made this a once in a lifetime trip was a combination of the beautiful landscape of the Himalayas with the expert companionship of the tour guide and porters. To wake up in the morning with clean air and snow on the Himalayas is a privilege one cannot easily beat. HSJ made this all possible through professional staff all-round. Their continuous concern and helpfulness to ensure our comfort and safety was greatly appreciated by everyone. The hands-on owner and manager Ram Sapkota with the help of assistant Sharmila made our bookings and arrangements only a pleasure. Our guide and porters made it possible for our group ( ages around the 60 ) to enjoy every minute of the trekking despite the physically demanding terrain. My special thanks to Binod Dhakal, our tour guide who provided us with excellent companionship every step of the way. His charming, yet professional way of handling all situations will never be forgotten. The four porters also followed in his footsteps to make it an unforgettable and wonderful experience. We thank HSJ for making this a remarkable experience not easily to be forgotten.”

“The agency helped me organising my Bhutan trip with a very short notice. With a very professional attitude and readiness, they did everything to satisfy my requirements. As a result of their help, we spent 4 days in Bhutan - for me it was an effortless holiday, as hotel, tourguide and even the meals were completely arranged. We were absolutely satisfied and will for sure use their services in the near future.”