Kimkim Trip Reviews for Nepal

What a fabulous introduction to Nepal my recent trip was. Whilst primarily visiting Nepal to attend a conference, I organised a 12 day tour to follow the conference using kimkim and their local Nepalese travel agent Sangita & Bipin and the team from HNB. “Wow” did I hit the jackpot, Sangita & Bipin were fabulous and put together a trip to encompass all my requirements of wildlife, natural and cultural sites along with an insight into to the cultural history of Nepal. From the first meeting Sangita was a true professional, continuity providing advise, updates on tour program and where needed calming words whilst I experience the frustrations of airport delays through out the length of the tour. In fact she went far and beyond when one of my travelling colleagues inadvertently left some expensive electronic items in her hotel room and didn’t realise till we were some two hours out of Kathmandu and could not contact the hotel by mobile phone - a quick WhatsApp message to Sangita and within five minutes the items had been located and placed in safe storage for pickup on return to Kathmandu. Sangita and her team use top rated guides, drivers and provided excellent accommodation during the length of my trip. A highlight was having breakfast on the balcony of the Sarangkot Mountain Resort overlooking Annapurna south mountain on what was an exceptionally clear morning. There were many trip highlights from the overnight trek to Australia camp with guide Bhim who is a top rate guide and certainly made the trek the fantastic experience it was, but the one highlight that will last a life time was the cultural tour of Kathmandu provided by Bipin, I can’t say enough about this experience-for me this was what the essence of what I wanted an insight into the cultural history of Nepal. Yes you can explore Kathmandu on your own with out a guide, but you don’t experience or receive the insight into the culture delivered by a local with an extensive knowledge and more so a passion for the history of his country - Bipin your in-depth tour will always be a lasting memory. So if you are planning a visit to Nepal for a multi- day trek or just to experience all it has to offer non trekking visitors I can highly recommend Sangita and Bipin and the HNB team they run a five star operation.
Wayne

The Manaslu Trek was fantastic. Everyday was stunning new scenery, amazing people and fascinating villages. Amanda was brilliant at fielding all our questions and patiently allowing us to investigate all options before settling on a final itinerary. Sonam, our guide and her team were incredible. Calm, capable and great fun. They gave us an amazing insight into Nepalise life and were so open, friendly and encouraging. They really made the trip.

I had a great time and appreciate the professionalism and flexibility with my trip schedule.
Everybody from Social Tours did a great job.
I will highly recommend Social Tour for anybody looking to do trekking in Nepal.

Our trek in the Himalaya was an incredible experience and we were so happy that we decided to book with the KimKim/Himalayan Trails. Our local specialist, Kripa, was an invaluable resource as we tried to determine which trek was right for us. She was responsive, helpful, and always available to answer any and all questions we had while planning the trip and the KimKim interface made communication seamless and easy. Our guide, Nawang, was one a warm, kind, and fun-loving and companion on the trail. He had friends in every village we passed through and had a knack for picking the best tea houses and side trips for us along the way. Our porter, Paljong, was really more like a second guide on the trek and brought humor, levity and a helpful attitude along every step around Manaslu. We hope to get back to Nepal for another trek someday, and when we do, we'll absolutely use KimKim/Himalayan Trails again!

Took the Pikey Peak 8 day tour and was tailored to our requirements. Amanda was extremely helpful and professional throughout. The planning.The trek was superb and the guide and porter were absolutely fantastic . The whole team delivered a unique and 1st class unforgettable trip. I would not hesitate in using this team again in the future.

We had the most incredible Manaslu trek! It was brilliantly organised by Amanda who was incredibly informative and remained undaunted by our endless questions and changes to the itinerary. Our guide Sonem was just amazing and could not have been more caring and supportive. She really looked after us, trying so hard to secure the best accommodation and manage our expectations, checking the food and the kitchen at the tea houses, often cooking for us herself. She was so full of energy fun and warmth: we all loved her. Her team of porters and sub guide were also so cheery warm and positive. Watching over us cheering us on and never complaining.
The trek was more of a challenge than anticipated and the altitude punishing, but the scenery was spectacular as we climbed from rivers to jungle stunning open plains and the majestic awe inspiring mountains. The villages, people we met on the trail, mountain mules and Yaks were fascinating: new wonders every day. We all loved it: there were highs and lows, times spent huddled frozen in our sleeping bags hugging hot water bottles, cold showers and seriously basic accommodation but our spirits always lifted when we were walking and we all feel a huge sense of achievement. We are so looking forward to the comforts of home but will never forget Nepal and Manaslu.

We are a group of 3 from Australia that completed the Pikey Peak trek in November in 2019. Sangita was very helpful in organising our trip and answered all our queries. It was our first visit to Nepal and the trek was fantastic. We were lucky to have some good weather and had fantastic views of the Everist region and surrounding country. Our guide Bhim was extremely knowledgable and went out of his way to impart his knowledge and to ensure we had a good trip. Our porter Pemba (who is also a guide) did a great job and was a pleasure to walk with. All in all the trip was a great success and I would be happy to recommend Sangita and Bipin for those considering a treking trip in Nepal

In general we think that the guides here are less professionell than in other countries. We had two different guides (Dawa and Pemba) and both experience were simillar. The guides here only give you information when you ask.

However it was always easy to communicate with Kripa. So with her we made good experiences.

We did like both treks so from the nature it was worth to visit Nepal.

This was our first time using KimKim but it has been a very positive experience and I would not hesitate to recommend it to others. Himalayan Trails were our tour agent and from the outset they were nothing but efficient helping us to plan exactly what we wanted from our trip. Amanda was quick to respond to any queries and provided lots of additional useful information to ensure we were well prepared in advance. The accommodation we had was full of character and in traditional Nepali style rather than anonymous chain hotels, every pick up or meeting happened on time, she even managed to find us last minute accommodation when one of our guest houses had overbooked. Our trekking guide, Mindu, kept us safe, fed and watered and motivated when we needed it - his cheerful singing and whistling along with his infectious laugh kept us entertained for 4 days on the Muldai trek. Our city guide, Subash, was always on hand to answer our endless questions and was great company painting pictures of the sights we visited with lots of stories. He soon joined in our teasing and banter (and gave as good as he got!). We had a fabulous trip but it was the people we met who made it so special. We have fallen in love with Nepal and will definitely be back and will not hesitate to use Himalayan Trails again. Thank you everyone - you did an amazing job!

Kimkim connected me with Sangita to help me plan a 12-day solo trip to Nepal during Tihar. She listened to all of my requests and planned the perfect trip for me. I started in Patan, then flew to Lumbini, and then traveled by bus to Pokhara, Chitwan National Park, and back to Kathmandu, ending the trip in Bhaktapur. Sangita took care of all of the domestic travel, accommodations, and tours. While I did meet her once, we were in constant communication during the trip. My guide throughout the Kathmandu Valley was actually her husband, Bipin. Both Sangita and Bipin were knowledgeable, warm, and welcoming. I felt like a family friend the whole time. I can’t say enough good things about them. As for the destinations, I liked them all. Patan is a beautiful city with a lot of culture. I went on a special street art tour there, and learned about the local scene there. In Lumbini, I was on my own. I hired a driver to take me around to the different monasteries. They were all beautiful and unique, designed in the architectural style of the host country. I couldn’t pick a favorite. In Pokhara, I had a guide named Bharat who was also amazing. He was so kind and taught me a lot about the Himalayas, Pokhara, and the Tibetan refugees. Chitwan National Park was one of my favorite parts of the trip. I stayed at Hotel Parkside, where the staff is fantastic. Gopal was my guide for the excursions. He can spot a bird from miles away and tell you exactly what kind it is. I told him about my love of rhinos, and we actually ended up finding five of them during my stay. They were so cute! It was amazing to see them in the wild. I would definitely stay at Parkside again. In Kathmandu, I had free time to celebrate Laxmi Puja with my friend at her home. Then, in Bhaktapur I met back up with Bipin to tour the city. It is a beautiful, historic city. I stayed at Vajra Guest House, which I also highly recommend. The two owners Sajan and Sujan are so sweet, and they really made me feel at home. Overall, I had a great time in Nepal. My favorite parts were the wonderful people I met there and the beautiful Chitwan National Park (with the rhinos.) I would love to return again, and if I do, I will definitely contact Sangita. Thank you all so much!

Our experience in Nepal was magical. It was a return visit for my husband and I and we were not disappointed. The place remains amazing, the people warm and welcoming and our overall experience reinforced our love of the country. The Kathmandu Guest House was a good start with a great location in the bustle of the old town. Amit, our guide in the city, was sensitive to our wishes, thoughtful and informative. He did not rush us at any time but gave sensible advice on how long to stay and where to be. The Balthali Lodge was our only disappointment, not a view shared by our travelling companions I don’t think! We thought its location 2 hrs east of Kathmandu added unnecessary travelling for a view of the hills we could have found west of the city. The road to the resort was shocking, even by mountainous Nepalese standards! This made our drive to Bandipur long and required an earlier start than would have been necessary from a more westward location. This left us with little time to explore the beautiful old town again before it was dark. Another half day here would have been better - possible if we had been that side of Kathmandu the previous night. The Old Inn was as lovely as we remembered! Our trek lived up to all expectations. Our guide Nema and his assistant Nema Tassi were excellent. They set a brilliant pace and were attentive to our needs and safety at all times. Accommodation along the way was first rate and the morning views from Gurung Lodge, La Bee Lodge and Himalayas Lodge were all stunning and worth waking up at dawn for. The tea house in Tadapani was basic but adequate, the cold and damp were simply due to altitude and cloud! The morning view made up for it and was quite stunning. The Hungry Eye Guest House in Ghorepani was much better than “just a tea house”. Our trek up Poon Hill was worth every step and we enjoyed wonderful views of the Dhaulagiri range and the Annapurnas. We were genuinely sad to say goodbye to our team, including two splendid porters who always raced ahead to get us the best rooms they could! The drive down from Ulleri was exhilarating, made more so by the brilliant and thoughtful driving and I’m sorry I don’t know the drivers name. Arriving at Temple Tree Resort in Pokhara was a treat. Lovely hotel in the Lakeside area and a great place for R&R. I’m glad we chose an extra day here. Next was the rafting trip. It was enormous fun and as people who’d rafted before exhilarating and made us smile the whole way. We had been led to believe it would be a drift, we were glad it wasn’t but if we’d known there were rapids involved may have dressed differently! Sukra Lama was a brilliant boatman and his team provided us with amazing food and a comfortable camp in lightning time great team work! Recommend him to anyone. Our next location was Tharu Lodge in Chitwan. A lovely place, great food and comfortable accommodation. Our jungle walk, elephant day, Jeep safari and river safari were all magical in their different ways but the highlights were 5 grazing rhino in the meadow and watching the elephants bathing and playing n the river. Our return to Kathmandu gave us an extra day to explore Patan. On reflection perhaps we should have asked for a hotel that end of the city for a change but the central location of KGH in old Kathmandu was still great.
Our driver over the visit was good. Always
punctual, helpful and polite. My only reservation was that he seemed to rate speed over comfort and at times his determination to arrive on time made for scary moments and a bumpy ride. However, he is not responsible for the state of the roads!!!!
As you can tell we thoroughly enjoyed our return visit and would happily recommend you to friends wanting a tailored tour and indeed all the individual operators.

What a fabulous introduction to Kathmandu ! Raj of Socialtours arranged for us the perfect exploration of the city and its surrounding areas. He understood that we were looking for contacts with the locals and this is exact what we did in the few days ( too few) we spent in Kathmandu. From the Aarthi ( sitting in the midst of the Nepali faithful) at Pashupatinath to the exploration of the local markets , and the walk in the Newari villages of Bungamati and Khokana we really felt the connection with the locals . We especially enjoyed the dawn walk of Bhaktapur ( not to be missed !) . In all of our travels , we never had a similar experience : we tasted street food breakfast , witnessed the morning prayers and offerings in the street and in the temples and got the major sightseeing spots all to ourselves. I especially want to commend Raj , Sarita and Bikram our extraordinary guides , not only did they explained to us what was happening but we also shared many laughs and had a lot of fun with them . Bikram in particular knows everyone in Bungamati and Bhaktapur and was able to introduce us to a lot of the locals. Naturally our experience would not have been the same without the kindness and the warm welcome we received from the Nepali people . We will be back !

We want to thank Kripa for arranging this awesome unforgettable vacation. This goes beyond my expectations. Love the Hotel both the Dwarika's in Kathmandu and the Pavilions in Pokhara. Walking in the streets of Kathmandu is an experience and seeing the UNESCO sites (Pashupatinath, Boudanath, and Swayambunath). Being on the off the beaten path Trekking is also great, with varied terrain, and scenery and scanty tourists. Our guide Suma made our trek interesting who also carried my backpack. And of course our porter Mikma, carrying our load. Tadapani and Dobato and Ghorepani sunrise is spectacular. What an experience sleeping in those teahouses. But the highlight of this trek is the Muldai viewpoint trek with spectacular, breathtaking view of the mountains so close. Interesting to see the local (Gurung culture), and getting inside the shepherd's hut. Overall wonderful experiences. Almost all the people we met are very nice. Well, I hope to see Nepal again maybe during Spring in the near future before I get too old. Thanks again Kripa for the wonderful trip and excellent service.
From Cesar Alcid.

In October/November 2019 two sort of old Australians (>65 y.o.) with heaps of hiking experience undertook the Three Passes Trek with our guide Dafuri Sherpa and porter Bimba Sherpa. Web searching had led us to the kimkim site and we had an absolutely trouble free time organising and booking our trek. Ngima Dorji Sherpa was always able to quickly answer our questions and provided us with flexible booking options which led to us taking a private trek at only a little extra cost.

We were well looked after from the moment we were met at Kathmandu airport. Dafuri was a wonderful guide. He quickly summed up our walking experience and interests and was able to take us through the Three Passes without mishap and with a few extra side trips thrown in as well. I particularly enjoyed the day walk we had from Chukhung to Island Peak Base Camp via Imja Tsho - the lake that is forming behind terminal moraines and which could catastrophically fail and lead to severe flooding downstream.

I also enjoyed our two nights at Gokyo with a walk up Gokyo Ri on a perfect sunny afternoon followed by a day walk beside Ngozumba Glacier to Gyazumba where there are wonderful views of Cho Oyo, Everest, Makalu and everything in between. We crossed Renjo La the next day. What a feast!

So thank you Dafuri for your strength, good humour and expert knowledge of the track and accommodation options. We also enjoyed learning from you about Nepalese customs and society. Bimba, you were also so strong and helpful.

Our trekking trip to Nepal was a wonderful experience and we cannot thank enough Ngima and his team for making it such a success.

Peter Hatherly, Sydney Australia

From back home in Australia, our contact Amanda in Kathmandu was fantastic!
She was always readily available to help with all of our, (many) questions along the way. From accommodation and itinerary, to connecting us to a city guide, as well as our amazing trekking guide, Priscilla❤️, we couldn't be happier with all that was offered.
Amanda was professional, courteous and lovely and helped us to enjoy our trip of a lifetime, including playing her part in a secret marriage proposal at the Larke Pass!
As tough as the Trek was, (chest infection upping the challenge even more...), the overall adventure has been incredible. Thank you Amanda !

Awesome experience!
Ngima was extremely helpful in helping us organizing the logistics and planning our a trip tailored to our needs. He was always prompt in reply all our questions before the trip.

As soon we landed at Kathmandu, we've been very well taken care of by Lapka, who helped us with transportation pick-ups and preparation of our EBC trekking trip The day before the start of our trek, Ngima came to our hotel (along with our trek guide) to do a detailed briefing of our trekking trip and logistics making sure that we're comfortable with everything. And btw, the SUV arranged from Ngima's company for our land-transfer/transportation is a pretty new vehicle, which was nice because due to the Kathmandu local airport maintenance, the flight to Lukla (starting point of our EBC trek) can't be from Kathmandu but Ramechapp instead, which is 4hrs drive away on windy, sometimes a bit rugged, mountain roads.

On the trek, our guide Angolo took care of us very well. We have some relatively heavy camera equipments (lenses and such) and he helped with carrying those in his back pack all along, and even carried my wife's backpack when she wasn't feeling too well one day.
After the trekking, we spent a couple more days in Kathmandu to unwind. And before we leave to the airport, Ngima came to our hotel for de-brief of our trip before dropping us off to the airport

Overall we are very satisfied with the trip and I would highly recommend Ngima to whoever wants to arrange a trekking trip in Nepal!

Another great trip. Erin provided everything we asked for, she was always quick to respond and understodd what we wanted. Her choice of Guide and Sherpa were perfect for the group. We felt well looked after and had an unforgettable trip that was loads of fun. Thank you.

Erin, the Himalayan Trails staff, our guide Wongchu and the team of porters were all stellar throughout our whole experience - from the 10 month pre-trek planning and prep phase, to the moment we stepped out of the Kathmandu airport and all the way back again to our departure. As pretty well fit 50 year olds we found the Gokyo Ri/Lakes circuit challenging, namely due to the altitude. But the length of the trek and the acclimatization days did seem to help ease the associated symptoms. Some highlights: the agro-based sherpa culture village/landscape of Rimjung; the sheer bazaar-ness of the location, size and activity of Namche Bazar; the altitude sickness presentation in Machherma; summiting Gokyo Ri with the accompanying 360 degree view of the Himalayas including, of course, Mt. Everest; crossing Renjo La Pass; and just meeting and witnessing the beautiful, hardworking, ancient Himalayan and Sherpa peoples going about there daily lives.

We were a group of 4 adults and 4 adventurous children (age 7-10) and had a really great introduction to Nepal covering trekking, wildlife in the Chitwan National Park and an immersion to Kathmandu which included a very insightful market visit and a brilliant cooking lesson - supported by Raj and the team.
In the run up to the trip we found the team to respond quickly, answer a host of questions and adapt the itinerary to meet our changing requirements. We took a couple of internal flights to cut down travel time on the road that were delayed several hours - come to the airport prepared for delays, and many of the roads were very bumpy - again be prepared! The t-shirts and water bottles which were gifted to us were appreciated as well as the briefing session on arrival so we could ask any unanswered questions face to face e.g. how much to tip the guides/ porters, how cold it would be up the mountains etc.
My only advice would to be very clear how far you wish to trek each day and how able/ active your party are. We felt we could have gone further and seen plenty more - and having briefed this in we were disappointed that our trekking was over much earlier than we had hoped each day with limited possibility to make changes while en route.

This trip was organised incredibly well. Tashi was able to factor in Kathmandu’s culture, a trek to Poon Hill and experience the jungle in Chitwan within 12 days.
Tashi continually replied promptly and would always help me with any questions and queries I had about the trip. He was friendly and professional when we met at the airport, and talked me through the trip and helped me find trekking gear.
My guide, Pemafuti, and porter were both incredible during my trek and made me feel comfortable during my trip. There were experienced, friendly and allowed me to use one of their trekking poles when mine broke.
Poon Hill was by far the most memorable part of my trip.
I would highly recommend doing the itinerary that I followed, as I covered so much in such a short amount of days. I felt accomplished yet I didn’t feel I rushed any part of my trip.