Alex Buri
Growing up in the backcountry of north-western Canada, I gained a love for travel and the outdoors from an early age. I spent twelve years traveling throughout Asia, exploring the Himalayan regions of India, Nepal, and Tibet, and more recently Croatia, Colombia, and Peru.
After founding TrekkingPartners in 2011, I started helping travelers find other like-minded people to adventure with. Now, with kimkim, we're excited to help travelers put together amazing travel experiences based around their own unique interests.
What places and activities do you specialize in?
"I can give advice and recommendations for anywhere in India and most regions in Nepal. I'm more familiar with the longer trekking routes, but have done many of the shorter, local treks around Nepal, Ladakh and Sikkim. Would be happy to help people looking to do the same. I'm also familiar with British Columbia's northern backcountry, if you're headed in that direction."
How did you get involved in travel?
"My first travel experience was volunteering in remote Cambodia during university. After that, I continued on to southeast Asia, Tibet, Nepal, and finally India where I spent 7 months wandering throughout the Indian subcontinent. Over time, it became clear that the most meaningful travel experiences were those that came about through the help and recommendations of others. In 2010, I started a website called 'Wandering India' to help facilitate such connections. In 2011, I started another site in Nepal for connecting like-minded travellers that didn't want to travel alone. Lately, I've connected with a great team in Palo Alto to continue helping people find a better way to travel."
Please share a unique travel experience you will never forget.
"My memories of visiting a new country or culture for the first time are hard to forget. Otherwise, it tends to be the experiences that come about unexpected that are the most memorable. To pick one, it would be visiting Tibet in March of 2006 with my girlfriend, hiking to the northern flank of Mt. Everest together, and then hitch-hiking our way back to Kathmandu from Tingri (after a long day of watching jeeps fly by us, a friendly Germany couple forced their driver to stop and pick us up)."
Featured trips & expertise
Annapurna Circuit & Tilicho Base Camp Trek - 19 Days
The holy grail of treks since it first opened to foreigners in the early 1980s, the Annapurna Circuit is one of the most popular high-altitude adventures in the world. The route crosses two different river valleys and encircles the Annapurna massif through lowland villages occupied by Brahmin and Chhetri ethnic people to the upper settlements of Manang Valley.
Best of Nepal: Ghandruk, Seti River, and Chitwan - 14 Days
This multi-activity tour is a perfect combination of adventure and culture featuring historic villages, wildlife, and some down time. You'll explore the Kathmandu Valley's popular attractions before flying to Pokhara to begin your multi-day trek through the Annapurna foothills. Meet Gurung locals, visit beautiful Namo Buddha, raft whitewater, feed elephants, and safari in the famous Chitwan National Park.
Best of Nepal: Everest, Pokhara & Chitwan - 16 Days
This tour combines three of Nepal's most famous regions—Everest, Pokhara, and Chitwan. You'll start with a short multi-day trek into the heart of the Everest region to Namche Bazaar for views of Mount Everest. Returning to Kathmandu, you'll fly to Pokhara for a bit of relaxation and optional day tours into the surrounding hills. Finally, you'll head south to Nepal's jungle in Chitwan, to experience the wildlife and unique cultures of this region.
Best of Nepal: Khopra & Chitwan - 15 Days
This route takes you off-the-beaten-path in the lower Annapurna region to multiple spectacular viewpoints. You'll hike through local villages, terraced farmland, and dense bamboo, oak, pine, and rhododendron forests to rewarding vistas of snow-capped Himalaya. Contrast your adventure with a relaxing stay in the peaceful village of Bandipur before heading south to explore Chitwan's jungle and wildlife.
Chukhung Valley Trek - 13 Days
Few travelers venture up the Chukhung Valley, except those looking to scale Lhotse or climb Island Peak. It's a beautiful trek where you'll come face-to-face with the Lhotse Wall and ascend Chukhung Ri, an 18,208 ft (5,550 m) ridgeline above the village of Chukhung.
Best of Nepal: Panchase & Chitwan - 13 Days
Experience the beauty of Kathmandu, Pokhara, and Chitwan. This tour takes you past small farming villages where you'll get the opportunity to experience local daily life, beautiful scenery of lush green forests, ancient temples, and rich terraced fields. Featuring a short easy trek, this itinerary is ideal for those short on time or new to trekking who want to explore the Pokhara Valley.
Recent trip reviews for Alex
Family trip to hawaii, Hawaii - Jan 13 - Jan 19, 2016
I used kimkim for a family trip to Hawaii. Kimkim was particularly useful to help me cut through the noise and get the information I needed. Most importantly, they saved me a lot time in my planning process.
Was a pleasure working with you, Edouard! Hope to have the chance again :)