Kimkim Trip Reviews for Nepal

Amanda planned for my travel companion and I a 8-days, 7-nights trip to Kathmandu Valley and Pokhara. It was both of our first trip to Nepal and I must say it was an eye-opening experience!

Here's what I liked and did not like about the trip:

The positives

- The planning was generally good and made sense. We arrived on late night of 20 February right before the Maha Shivatri festival on 21 February. Instead of planning for us to visit Pasupatinath temple that day (which would have been exploding with millions of worshipers and impossible to get in), Amanda and team planned it on the following day, 22 February, when we still got to experience remnants of the festivities and the crowd, but still be able to get around the temple

- Being flexible in terms of our asks and requirements, e.g.: planning two separate hikes for us when we stated that we wanted to experience a bit of hiking during our trip, and planning a really enjoyable white-water rafting session for us even though we were not in the season for white-water rafting yet. (The rest of the crew had to be made up by other members of the rafting team, but we were good to go with two pax).

- Special mention goes to Ritesh from the Operations team, who has been extremely responsive throughout the trip and helping us whenever things did not go as planned. Due to weather conditions, our Everest scenic flight was cancelled twice, our hot air balloon and helicopter flight to Annapurna base camp were also all cancelled, and he was very diligent and fast in helping us liaise with the respective provider companies, and in helping us get our refunds. The trip would have been quite dreary if not for his help, with so many things being cancelled! So I must really thank him for being there (via text) for us

- Keshab as a guide for Pokhara - He is really young but he made up for it by his boundless energy. He doubled up as both a tour guide and as our trekking guide up the World Peace Pagoda, and was really helpful to us especially throughout our hikes, helping to carry not just one but both our bags as we made the journey up the steps. He also told us interesting stories of the attractions we were in, and made jokes and riddles along the way to liven up the atmosphere, and make sure both of us were well taken care of

- The guesthouses that were booked were really charming and full of the flavours of local Nepali architecture. I especially liked Milla Guesthouse in Bhaktapur and Thamel Villa in Kathmandu. The former felt really cozy with a lady owner who was so friendly and accommodating, and specially prepared our breakfast (baked our bread and made jam for us) late into the night! Whereas the latter was a bit more European in its architecture / chandeliers, but still really charming, and it tied up with a restaurant across the road for breakfast that was really delicious.

The (slight) negatives

- Amanda, while being fairly responsive, regrettably had a slightly different communication style from me. The itinerary she planned was a little high level and vague, and I realised I needed to be very specific when communicating with her, if not her responses may still not really answer the crux of the question. Also, there were some errors in what she communicated with us vis-a-vis what eventually panned out: E.g.: there was no heater in our hotel in Patan - Swotha Traditional Homes, even though she sounded pretty sure there were heaters in all our hotels; Or that after whitewater rafting, as we were enroute from Kathmandu to Pokhara, there were no shower facilities and only a small room for changing (we were of the impression from her there were shower facilities). I had also requested for her to try to put some of the information that she mentioned in our fairly long interactions on KimKim into the final itinerary, e.g.: estimated start and end time every day, emergency contacts, etc. But that was eventually not added into our itinerary and only passed to us on a handwritten paper that could have been easily misplaced on the 2nd day. Again, I acknowledge most of my frustrations could be attributed to a difference in communication styles, but at the amount we were paying: ~USD1.8K per pax for 8 days of mostly 3-star guesthouse accommodation, I believe I was justified to expect a little more

- Our guide in Kathmandu Valley, Pratikshya. She was very comprehensive, fluent in English and detailed in her explanations to us, which I agree with some of the other reviews written here. However, I felt there was still a little room for improvement. Throughout the few days in Kathmandu valley when we visited the various UNESCO world heritage sites, other than Pashupatinath temple, I felt she was a little bit rushed, and I did not have enough time to fully explore the various places or imbibe in the local culture and vibe. This was especially the case in the Bhaktapur Durbar Square, which was really pretty. We just briefly walked into the palace for a very short while (and wasn't sure if there were any other buildings in the square to explore), and then continued on our walk to the hotel. Granted, she did give us our Durbar Square tickets so that we could come back if we wanted to. But in the case of some of the venues, like Bhaktapur, it was a very long walk from our hotel and very difficult for two females to come back all the way in the dark. Also, we were travelling in a very small group of two. However, most of the time, she was walking ahead with my other travel companion and explaining to her, leaving me trailing behind and not knowing what is happening. I think the trip would have been more enjoyable if she made a bit more effort to involve both of us (given it is such a small group). Last but not least, on our hike up to Namobuddha, we were given the choice of two places to eat for lunch - the Namobuddha resort that served farm-to-table organic vegetarian meals, and the monastery restaurant. The former needed to be booked half an hour before we arrived. She briefly mentioned the choices the night before and I opted to decide on the day itself. She asked us for our choice again midway through our hike. However, as the information was incomplete / erroneous and my travel companion was extremely strong-minded, I was compelled to make a decision I did not want at a time I was feeling very exhausted - Pratikshya told us that the resort only had a fixed vegetarian menu every day (without telling us what is the menu that day) whereas the monastery restaurant had an ala carte menu where we can order whatever we want. Also, we could drink beer in the monastery restaurant but not at the resort (something I wanted to do to celebrate our achievement of completing the hike). The impression I got was that the resort was more touristy whereas the monastery restaurant was more authentic. But when we finally made the hike up I realised it was anything but! The monastery restaurant had only a menu handwritten on the board of 7 dishes (most of them included things I could find in my local country like Fried Rice and Fried Noodles), was full of tourists, and last but most importantly, could not serve beer because it was a restaurant owned by the monastery. I had to go the the restaurant opposite if I wanted beer. I felt a little cheated because I might have enjoyed it a little better if I went to the Namobuddha Resort and tried food that was actually grown locally. But there was no more time to try or change my decision after the hike, as we could not afford a slightly longer lunch and had to drive down to Bhaktapur, for which she rushed through anyway.

- Kimkim's payment policy: We were a little uncomfortable having to pay 100% of our trip costs even before the trip commenced, and were worried that Himalayan Trails would not be incentivised to put in good service as a result. Thankfully it turned out OK, but it would be good if kimkim can review its payment policy to leave some percentage (perhaps 10% or so) to be paid at the end of the trip.

Sangita was so great from the start. She promptly and patiently answered all questions and concerns when we were coming up with the itinerary. Together with Bipin and Rabin, they gave us a memorable trip that introduced us to how wonderful Nepal is. We hope we'll have the chance to return.

Our party of 4 adults from Thailand were in Nepal for our first time for 4 nights and we all had a safe and wonderful time thanks to kimkim and the team. As the organizer, it wasn't easy to choose a local tour company because there are so many to screen, but I was very happy to have chosen kimkim and this team. Pre-trip, the entire coordination process such as emails back and forth, queries, payment etc was very smooth. I love kimkim's email communication system which basically makes life so much easier than going through regular email chains. Also appreciated the fast response times to queries and for this we have to thank our point man, Chhewang, who met us several times during the trip. Our local guide Gyaljan and trek captain Sonam were both excellent as well, very knowledgeable and highly flexible to accommodate our needs (and we were at times very demanding!) which is exactly what we were looking for in a customized tour. We chose accommodation (btw the Mariott Kathmandu is the best at the moment) but transport, restaurants etc which were pre-arranged were all very good quality. The historical sites in the capital are not to be missed, and we also loved the Chandragiri cable car. However, the highlight of the trip was no doubt our 14km trek (easy one for Nepal) to Nagarkot - the weather was perfect and the views of the Himalayan ranges simply amazing. 5 days and 4 nights was too short. We'd love to go back and if we do, we'll use kimkim and team again.

Yogesh has been very good and helpful, he made my whole trip. Everything went exactly as in the itinerary, except for a minor mistake on Temple Tree Hotel check out and pick up time. The hotel staff told me the wrong time which was one and half hour earlier than the arranged. The last day photograph tour was the best, far beyond my exception. The guide was a super kind and knowledgeable gentleman. He was the best during this trip.

Overall, great experience. I will surely consider Social Tour next time in Nepal.

Had a wonderful time and memorable experiences on the Annapurna circuit. Fantastic scenery and breathtaking mountains.

Tashi organised everything perfectly - it couldn’t have been better. He was very attentive and quick to respond to questions about the trip. Also helped me out making sure I had the right gear.

A special thanks to my marvellous guide and new found brother Pemba - he was a delight to be with. Really experienced and informative. Nothing was too much for him to help out with. He was super company on the treks which made the trip so special.

Thanks again
Dale

Firstly planning our trip with Kim Kim was a delight. The team really asked the right questions and understood what we were looking for in an itinerary. Amanda answered all my detailed questions about safety and they were able to use their local knowledge to suggest the best way to customise our experience. The accommodation exceeded our expectations in terms of cleanliness and luxury. We were given full disclosure regarding the eco lodge not having hot running water but the warmth of the staff (a Nepalese family of three generations) more than made up for it. The highly educated, well informed and friendly guide Surbash gave us insights into Kathmandu that enriched our experience and made lifelong memories.
Himalayan trails provided us with reliable, safe drivers and vehicles that were always in the right place at the right time to smooth our journey, often keeping our luggage secure so we could explore unencumbered. Kim Kim and Surbash only recommended food outlets they had tried and enjoyed and they could vouch for the hygiene standards, so we were able to taste a range of modern and authentic Nepalese food and not risk an upset tummy.
We had no concerns regarding procuring clean drinking water although resources are scarce but I would advise any western woman to take a ‘she wee’ device to ensure comfort during days of visiting historical sights and transiting through local airports etc.
Finally, we were pleasantly surprised by how well the Kim Kim staff communicated with us throughout the trip. I was not expecting each different staff member that dealt with us to be so fully informed of our itinerary and requirements. Kripa remained in daily contact to help us navigate changes to our itinerary due to the weather and maximise the enjoyment of our visit.

Nepal is a stunning location with fascinating history. We had an exciting and memorable trip and would definitely book with Kim Kim again and come back to Nepal in future.

Gathered our far-flung family (Mom, Dad, Son (23), Daughter (20) in Nepal for a couple of weeks' vacation January 2020.

Travel Made Easy:
Amanda crafted an excellent itinerary to meet our request to mix trekking with a few relaxing days. KimKim team headed by Raj worked together to make every transfer from arrival to departure smooth (drivers to/from airports, hotels, trailheads as well as arranging for Trekker's Cards, entry fees).

Guides:
Our trekking guide Rajesh and porters were friendly, knowledgable and helpful. They even found a great spot to dry out and warm up on one rainy day. In Kathmandu, Pratikshya delivered a great crash course on Nepal's World Heritage sites and religions while connecting us with tasty lunches.

Highly Recommend:
Great for families like ours who always wanted to see the Himalayas and are trying fit a lot in to a couple of weeks.

To say this was a perfect experience is an understatement! Sangita and her husband, Bipin, provided my girlfriend and I with the dream excursion around Kathmandu. They made it so special, tailoring each step of the way to our wants, needs and desires. Trying authentic foods, exclusive sightseeing, meeting local friends and even directing us to the best (and fair) shops were all part of our journey - not to mention the stories, laughs and unique exchanges along the way. A hard 10/10! Thank you so much Sangita and Bipin! We're forever grateful for such an incredible adventure.

My children and I had our health put at risk by the disgusting state of the accommodation on the trek. We were not told to bring bedding. We booked a luxury accommodation package at $20,000 usa for three people ( two of which were sharing a room) and 11 days. We were booked into accommodation with no running water no power and no heating. We had to beg every 30 minutes to keep the central wood burning kettle stove alight. We had no room heating in any lodge. The last lodge was a filthy $30 a night tea house. My daughters were reduced to tears when they saw the mouldy bathrooms, stained beds with no sheets.
It was -15 degrees inside and out. We had not been told to bring sleeping bags. in fact we were told not to.
We were defrauded into a holiday of very low standard while paying a premium price. A number of the properties we visited would be closed by Australian standards for health issues.
Both Raj and Kripa were very keen to take out money while there was a great lack in their knowledge of the properties and service provided. They basically stole our money and our annual holiday together. You should be ashamed of yourselves for this calous and dangerous treatment of other human beings. You will never be forgiven for such a terrible and dangerous situation. I would like to talk personally to Max the owner of mountain trails to alert him to the dangerous undertakings of his Nepal team.

Our private trek (EBC, Chola Pass and Goyko lakes for two) was organised by Kripa last minute and was a fantastic experience. All went as planned and Kripa was accomodating to last minute changes. Our guide Rishi took expert care of us up the mountains and knew exactly how much we could do in one day adjusting the pace or the meal stops to our daily needs. I couldn’t recommend these two people highly enough. In addition to the trek when my partner fell ill in Kathmandu, Kripa was there ready to assist with anything we needed. We really felt looked after and cared for and had a great time despite the illness. The Chola pass was my highlight, just so peaceful and serene. Nepal 2020 - book it!

We had a wonderful experience with Chhewang and his driver in Nepal. They were so flexible when our flights from Lumbini were delayed and adjusted to every little request we sent through - including transporting our luggage between Namobuddah/Balthali/Panuti so that we could do our own 'wandering' between villages. The transport was the best we had anywhere in Nepal. We would highly recommend them for any type of assistance in Nepal from fully catered to independent travelers like us. Thank you so much for making everything flow smoothly!

Sangita, Bipin, Rabin are all super helpful and professional! Can't describe how happy to get to know them and had such wonderful memories. We have encountered some flight issues due to local weather and Sangita helped with rearranging the itinerary very quickly. The whole trip is wonderful, most memorable places would be the view from Australia Camp and the world heritage architecture in Kathmandu. Rabin and Bipin did a great job of telling lively stories and giving us knowledge of nature, animals, plants, culture...etc. In sum, this is an amazing trip that we both can't wait to visit Nepal another time!

We are just getting back home from the most incredible trip that KimKim helped to arrange for us in coordination with Himalayan Trails which is their local group in Nepal. From the beginning we were looking for a custom tour of the country that would allow us to enjoy both some time on the mountain trekking as well as a resort. KimKim helped make it all work seamlessly throughout our time.

We were met at the airport in Kathmandu and together with our guide flew to Pokhara to begin the trekking journey. Everything was as good or better than we could have expected including the custom route that they chose for the hike. By going a little against the grain on our path we were able to both beat the crowds in certain areas as well as find some more remote parts of the trail that proved to be the most memorable. Specifically our time at Dobato and the Mt Lucky teahouse where we were welcomed by the family and spent most of the afternoon/evening warming up and conversing through our guide who was great at making sure we got a really culturally unique experience. The sunrise on Muldai Hill was the best part of the trip as we had the entire top of the range to ourselves that morning for a really special experience.

Couldn't be more pleased with both the help arranging the trip (thanks Erin!) and once we got on the ground with Raj and the team at Himalayan Trails. Thanks all and look forward to visiting the wonderful country of Nepal again in the future.

A Perfect 10 Days in Nepal

I truly had an amazing time. Kirpa organized the perfect trip which included a trek through the Himalayas and a short 2 day visit to the Chitwan National Park. My trek was exactly what I wanted-challenging! I was able to enjoy breathtaking views of the Himalayas. My guide and porter (both named Pemba) were professional, energetic, supportive and kind. I could not have asked for a better team.

I also greatly appreciated Kirpa's agility. She was nimble on her feet when my flight to Chitwan begin was canceled. She quickly arranged for a driver and I was on my way, having lost little time.

Thank you to the whole Himalayan Treks team. I had a trip of a lifetime.

Tashi, Njima and Mingma all did a fantastic job.

We just came back from a wonderful 11 day trip to Nepal. This included the city of Kathmandu and a trek through the Khumbu valley. The trek was the most memorable part of the tour. Walking through these great mountains, meeting wonderful people, sharing their adventure stories and braving the chilly weather made every day enriching. From the evening we landed in Kathmandu to the morning we left our tour guides Nepal Myths and Mountain Trails were with us. Lakhpa introduced us to the nearby dining hotspots and places to go exploring and shopping in Kathmandu. Our guide throughout the trek to Namche Bazaar and back Pengba was exceptional in his knowledge of the trails and the lodging spots. Since we were first time trekkers he helped us in pacing our trek and made sure we were sufficiently hydrated and had on time meals throughout the journey. The lodges that he selected at Monjo and Choplung had all the necessary facilities with great food. Our porter for the trek Ang Babu was extremely helpful. He used to speed ahead with our luggage and then come back and help us through the trek especially the tricky ascents and descents made more difficult by the frost. Thanks to Ngima for all his suggestions during the planning of the trip and it was finally great meeting him on our day of departure. Overall it was a trip to remember and we will come back to Nepal again! Thanks!

From start to finish our trip to Nepal was an authentic, well coordinated, and memorable experience that my sister, brother and law and I will cherish for years to come. Because we were travelling in winter, and wanted to take a route less frequented by tourists, Tashi recommended the Pikey Peak trek, and it was a great choice for us! Our guide Pemba and local Sherpa accompanied us, providing local knowledge, expert guidance and companionship throughout. At each guesthouse that we stayed, we were warmly welcomed, well fed, and enjoyed spending time with fellow trekkers.

For our journey, we started out from Kathmandu and headed toward the mountains. After being dropped off, we made our way across snow covered passes and, after two nights, eventually up the Peak at sunrise, which afforded 360 views of the Annapurna range, Everest, and the lower mountains leading back to Kathmandu.

We then proceeded down through rhododendron forests, cedar groves, open paths, finally ending and the town of Junbesi, where we visited a monastery, recuperated and got a taste for local life.

This trip allowed us to experience new cultures and see a truly remarkable way of life, reconnect with the awesomeness of nature, and disconnect from the rhythm of our city lives, and we are so grateful to Tashi, Pemba and the KimKim team for making it so seamless.

Would highly recommend!

--Erika

Sangita was excellent from the beginning to the end of the trip. She made one of a kind memories in Nepal programs for me.
Thank you.

We had a wonderful time on our 7 day trek to Khopra Danda which we organised through Kripa from Himalayan Trails. She was so easy to deal with and informative. Our guide Tandu and porter Chhing were marvellous. They made sure that we were always looked after and comfortable. We had great weather and clear skies so the views of the Annapurna mountains was breathtaking. There was plenty of walking up and down hills so our trekking poles got plenty of use.

Truly a trip of a lifetime and an experience that will always stay with us.
Nepal was always a destination I've wanted to visit. Sangita was an almost pleasure in lining up a trip that covered all you would want out of a trip. Always available, plenty of recommendations.
The entire experience was seamless. A perfect mix of culture, food, history, adventure & relaxation.

Sangita & Bipin are wonderful warm & welcoming. The ideal host and can easily tell they love what they do and go the extra mile. When I travel I look for those unique experiences. We are very grateful to Sangita & Bipin for showing us their country, traditions and the time we got to explore Nepal.

We felt that warm hospitality of feeling at home while being away. A lot of thought, care & personal touch went into the experience. Well organized, spaced out and perfectly fitted.
Each stop had it's own unique feel & charm. The trekking was an incredible experience and definitely something we'd like to do again.

We really enjoyed the welcoming dinner & Farewell dinner with Sangita & Bipin left us with a warm fuzzy feeling at the beginning & the end. I highly recommend Sangita for booking your trip to Nepal! Truly a gem of a trip & unforgettable time in Nepal.

Thanks so much for a trip of a lifetime

All the best from Canada - Namaste :)