Kimkim Trip Reviews for Nepal

We appreciate Amanda for her timely replies and great recommendations while working around our budget. She provided us with important tips such as the need for face mask due to dust and currency change opportunities. She made it a point to meet and greet us at the beginning of the tour and came to see us off at the end as well.

The entire trip was seamless. The guides and transport were on time. We especially appreciate that arrangements could be made for us to have the same guide and driver wherever possible. We thoroughly enjoyed our stay at Mata Chan, Panauti and Kasara Resort, Chitwan National Park.

White water rafting at Trishuli was good for beginners to try out the activity. It was rather mild and although the water looked muddy, it was fun!

Maya Devi temple in Lumbini is indeed worth a visit but staying overnight was unnecessary. Half a day would suffice. If there was a flight out to Kathmandu in the evening after the visit, it would be better as we waited all day for our flight back to Kathmandu in the late afternoon of the following day. We could have covered 1 more town or activity in that 1 day. The visit to the pilgrimage site would be better in the early morning or later afternoon as it was really hot at mid day.

Overall a well organised trip. We felt safe and didn't have to worry about anything. Great job, kimkim!! Thank you!

This was Pikey (Peekay) Peak trek We enjoyed this trek and the trip. The trail overall was a bit more off the beaten track with fewer other trekkers hogging the showers, the stove and the views - which was what we wanted. First two days uphill were harder work and weather. But we were rewarded with perfect clear skys for the views from Pikey Peak 1 & 2 (do both) which were fabulous. Actually enjoyed the trail back down more than the up, which is unusual. May have been the weather. Check out the monastery at JunBesi - welcoming and worth the detour. Our guide Chepal was knowledgeable about the area, reliable and helpful. Likewise Erin in Kathmandu. Whole trip went off without a hitch. If doing again - try to fly in and out of Paphlu. Take an extra rest day at JunBesi perhaps. Spectacular airport and the alternative is a hr drive to or from Kathmandu. Also quite interesting but once is probably enough.

Mindu, bacenta and our porters were so helpful and lovely for our hike! We definitely would recommend using Kim Kim, Amanda and our guides in Nepal to other friends and family. Thanks again for helping organize this trip for us as we were all so time poor in the lead up. Big thanks to Amanda for always answering our questions quickly and seeing us pre and post hike! It was a nice touch that we all appreciated!

My husband and I were excited when we made the decision to travel to Nepal for a trek and to explore the country, however, were having difficulty in figuring out the logistics on our own. We were so fortunate to connect with Kripa through KimKim.

We highly recommend working with Kripa. During the planning process, she answered all of our questions in a timely manner and was friendly/professional/helpful. She gave us all of the information we could possibly need to prepare for our travels. She helped us to plan the exact trip that we wanted, including time in Kathmandu and Pokhara, a four day/three night Trek and three nights in Chitwan National Park. When we got to Nepal, she met us upon arrival to introduce us to our guides. All of our guides and drivers were punctual, kind and professional. We had Tendu as our guide for our Trek, and he went above and beyond to make sure that we were comfortable and had everything we needed. His experience trekking was also very impressive. Kripa met us at the end of our stay in Nepal to check in on how everything went.

This was our first time using any type of travel company, and we found it to be extremely helpful. With all of the logistics taken care for us, we were able to focus on the experience of being in Nepal. We had a vacation that we will never forget and will hopefully be returning in the future for more trekking.

Amazing trip to Nepal: the Muldai + Poon Hill trek was an excellent choice for our group (3 adults + 4 children, ages 10-14): it offers breathtaking views of the Annapurna range; a good balance between trekking difficulty to relax/chill-at-the-teahouse time; a variety of trail sceneries: sunny mountain crests with long vistas; lush river valleys; occasional patches of snow; small villages; tiny teahouses and spectacular views from Poon Hill (Muldai was cloudy, but worth the early wakeup and hike nevertheless).
Amanda's insight and attention to detail as we were discussing itinerary were invaluable; she met us at our Katmandu hotel and introduced us to Rajesh Darhel, our guide: Rajesh’s combination of patience, knowledge, responsibility and flexibility worked perfectly for all of us; his assistant Rabin B.K. Ghandruk made a great connection with the children, and together they found the right pace for everybody.
…..and then, at the last day of our trek, as we were starting to make our way back to Pokhara to catch a flight; when a traffic jam for the ages blocked the roads; when all flights were being cancelled due to heavy fog, and it seemed like we were going to miss our flight home from Kathmandu - that’s when Rajesh, with the support of Amanda and the Himalayan-Trails office in Kathmandu really made the difference: they took care of everything: Yes - we got back to Kathmandu very late (or – very early the next day…) - but we knew all along everything is taken care of, so we could just lean back and enjoy the scenery.
Thanks Amanda, Rajesh, Robin; special thanks to Probin, Sachin, Santosh and Nirajan.

Our experience with kimkim was very professional. All the logistics were prefect in regards to response time, flexibility in customizing the itinerary and even helping us with a separate personal trip by changing local flights!
The trek we did was in Pikey Peak.. so not many people going there. Was very quite trek and beautiful. Although we could not see the mountain ranges for most of the trek due to weather. Our guide Mingmar was very accommodating and the porter Pasang Sherpa blew my mind away carrying 30kg over the 6 days.
Kimkim might be a bit more expensive than other operators.. but worth it if you want peace of mind and professionalism.

The entire trip was professionally run and well coordinated. Pasang was always available and extremely helpful. Lapka was great on the ground, our guide Pemba was brilliant and our young porter Pasang was really nice too. Really enjoyed the trek, Pemba was extremely knowledgeable and patient with us, particularly as we are in our late fifties and not as fit as we once were! The hotel manaslu was fine too, as were the tea houses - especially the food.

I couldn't recommend kimkim enough to people planning for an adventurous trip away. The way in which Erin tailored the trip to my desires and ability made the planning process so easy, simple and quick given I started organising my trip at very short notice.

Our guide Sonam was absolutely exceptional and made our trip. She was always extremely professional, helpful and would always know how to make us smile in times of hardship. When I undoubtedly return to Nepal I hope I am paired with Sonam again as she was not only our guide for our time trekking but a friend, which we laughed with and shared stories about our different lives. Pekma and Thilen, our porters were also incredibly kind hearted and helpful, bonding with our group and helping us achieve our goals. The route suggested by kimkim was breath taking and so unique, trekking through isolated valleys and untouched ancient towns tucked away on the Annapurna Conservation Area. With the combination of Sonam, Pekma and Thilen and the incredible route we took, it made this experience one of most unforgettable and enjoyable trips of my life.
Many Thanks!!

In my opinion Priscilla was different from the other guides because unlike others where they try to set an itinerary up the mountain, she keeps her options open by deciding based on my capabilities and is very attentive to my wellbeing and gives the impression that I can trust her. She also shared with me the local culture, way of life, and a wealth of knowledge on native plants. This effectively made my trip up in the mountains an enjoyable experience, not just a trek through the pass. She also has a positive attitude which makes her company highly enjoyable. I would highly recommend her as a guide.

I did encounter some issues with my porter; at times he has conflicting opinions to Priscilla and sometimes I'm not sure who I should listen to, as he says that he's usually a guide and only being a porter because he has time. I also had to say a few words to him about going through the content on my phone without my authorisation and using my phone to take photos of himself. However this stopped after I expressed my unease with him doing that.

It was overall an enjoyable experience, I will book with you again in the future if I come back to Nepal for another visit. Thanks heaps.

We had a great experience from planning our trek with Kripa through to leaving Nepal after 10 unforgettable days. Our guide Tendu and porter Gulu were exceptional and passionate about trekking especially through their home region of Nepal. Great trek which was quiet and spectacular.

My husband, daughter (18) and I have just returned from a week in Nepal, a trip organized by HIMALAYAN TRAILS (HT) - trekking in the Annapurna Valley, visiting Pokhara and Kathmandu. A long held dream has been fulfilled and exceeded by our well-conceived and finely executed trip. From our planner, Reshma, and our guide Rissi to our porters, drivers and the staff in our accommodations, the level of expertise and professionalism were outstanding. Reshma’s depth of experience and her responsiveness provided us with a stimulating itinerary – from the duration of our treks, to the quality of the lodges (mostly Downey and Ker). The organization was impeccable but most importantly our days were filled with beauty, joy, surprises and comfort. In organizing our adventure, Reshma quickly grasped the type of experience we sought and we, in turn trusted her to make the right decisions. Rissi has a ton of experience. He is kind and extremely responsible. Every lodge was in a spectacular setting with charm, comfort and healthy, delicious and filling meals. When we hit a challenge at the end of our trip, Reshma, Raj and others from HT went well beyond the call of duty. Our last day in Kathmandu began with a medical issue (nothing to do with the trip): our friends were on site immediately, found us excellent care and supported us throughout the day as we dealt with the aftermath. It is a pleasure to recommend HT. If you choose them, you will be richly rewarded.

Mads, his team and especially our guide and porter could not be faulted when it can to looking after us. A dream trip

Our trip to Phu Nar was incredible. Our guide Dawa and porter Malan were impressive. They worked so hard to ensure our safety and comfort every step of the way. At times our trek was very challenging and physically tough due to the track conditions. The level of difficultly was high but the scenery and cultural experience was exhilarating. Our interactions with village locals, drivers, tour guide and Erin our tour organizer was perfect. No complaints and highly recommend KimKim

This trip was an amazing experience owing to the excellent organisation provided by Sudarshan before the trip as well as along it. In addition, the Guide was extremely helpful and was always ready to help, as he knew everything about the trek itself and therefore gave us all the help that we needed. To sum up, it was an incredible trip due to the organisation and help provided beforehand as well as for the “best in class” guide that came with us. So we definitely look forward to our next trek with them.

The trip of a lifetime! The whole experience even managed to exceed my already high expectations. Our guide, Sonam, looked after us with exceptional care, attention and patience. She paced out our trek perfectly and made sure that we were always feeling well. What's more, her bubbly personality and positive attitude made her delightful to be around. She even stayed up late one night to make me a cake upon discovering that it was my birthday the following day. All in all she really made the difference to our trip. The porters were also great and funny and went well out of their way to ensure we always had what we needed.

The communication with Erin was great throughout the whole process and the trek she suggested was exactly what we were after. She organised a refund for my accommodation when my connecting flight was cancelled and was always on hand to answer our questions.

So overall a wonderful experience and very happy clients all round. Look no further for your trip to Nepal!

The Trek
The Nar and Phu trek was incredible and we can’t recommend it enough. The vistas were utterly awesome and the variation between days was great. The towns were interesting and the monastery at Nar phedi was a highlight. It was rare to see other western hikers (perhaps one or two groups per day) which was exactly as we’d hoped. It was physically challenging but aside from a bit of a few altitude headaches and sore legs, we made it through without any problems. The accomodation was simple but more than adequate and the food was what was expected (dhal bhat) with some other delicious surprises. I’m a big guy (6”5 and 220 lbs) and eat a lot so brought plenty of extra snacks as the volume of food in the distant regions could be a little on the smaller side.

The guiding team
Our guide, Sonam, was truly exceptional. She was bright, sweet, friendly and a very knowledgeable as well as being exceptionally well organised and caring for our group (making sure we didn’t ascend too fast etc). Our group cannot speak highly enough of her! Our porters Thilen and Peckma (apologies if I’ve misspelt their names) were very helpful and funny. The drivers through the treacherous route between Besishahar and Koto were also excellent.

Correspondence and KimKim
Erin was extremely helpful, timely and succinct with her correspondence before the trip and when we were on the ground. When a flight change altered our stay in Kathmandu she assisted us with a generous refund for accommodation.

All in all the trip was perfect. We will definitely use Himalaya Trails and KimKim again and try our hardest to work with Sonam (our exceptional guide) and the same porter team on our next trip.

From the beginning of contacting Kimkim till the end, we had an amazing trekking experience in the Annapurna region. Thank you to Chhewang for the preliminary interaction and for responding to all our queries in a timely and informative manner. We were lucky to have Rikzin Lama as our guide. He was helpful, knowledgable, professional and very easy going. Our porter Bharat was a great travel companion and helped us at every occasion he can. We are ever grateful to Rikzin and Bharat who have made this trip such a memorable experience we will cherish for a very long time. I highly recommend them without any hesitation to anyone to wants to have a stress free trekking in Nepal.

We were really pleased with the service provided by Sangita! We decided to visit Nepal in a last minute fashion and did not have time to plan for our trip in details. We told Sangita our expectations and she put together a wonderful plan for us. It turns out to be exactly the experience we would like to have! It's an amazing 11 day in Nepal thanks to her. We highly recommend her service regardless of whether you have time to plan for your trip in details.

1. The drivers (both arranged by KimKim as well as booked through the hotels on our free and easy leg) were responsible, professional and caring.
2. We are disappointed by the assigned guide even though we still tipped him on the understanding that guides rely on tips for bulk of their pay. The assigned guide for Bhakatpur and Namo Buddha on both days seem wanting to end his day early and was rushing us to complete the Bhakatpur city tour. On Namo Buddha, he initially suggested we hike down the dirt road (road by car approaching Namo Buddha) and only told us of the other hike down from the Namo Buddha stupa after I insisted. This is despite my specific advice that I wanted a short hike incorporated which I know is quite scenic. We were left to hike on our own which we did not mind. Then after we met back at Namo Buddha in the hope to take part in the Tara chanting which was delayed that day - we had the impression that we were taking too much time when we insisted to wait from 3 pm to 4 pm at the monastery.

Compared with guides that we have come across in Bhutan, S Korea and Europe, the guide in Nepal do not appear as professional and give us the impression that it is always what is in it for me. We will not be keen to use further guide service in our future trips in Nepal so long we have maps as having a guide is as good as not having any.
3. On the hotels, the next time we will provide better clarity on our needs as the Patan hotel was quite eye opening and one that we are not used to nor feel safe. Besides the reviews by other travelers, it will be good to provide some details of the traditional homes that one can expect which is very different from a typical hotel.

It was spectacular. Both Barahi jungle lodge and Tiger Tops were excellent. The former was new with all of the amenities while the latter was quaint, rustic with a true feel of living in the jungle.
The guides at both were knowledgeable and informative. We saw all wildlife, except for tigers.
The time spent with the elephants was special.
Overall, I recommend this most highly.