Amanda Delecca

I have nothing but kind things to say regarding my recent trip to Pikey Peak in Nepal. Both Rachel and I had never been to Nepal before, and were overwhelmed with the kindness and hospitality we experienced both with the company and people we stayed with throughout the trek.

Needless to say, you need a guide if you have never hiked or journeyed through Nepal before. It is not only essential for your safety, but also because local guides have immense amount of knowledge and insight about... read more

I have nothing but kind things to say regarding my recent trip to Pikey Peak in Nepal. Both Rachel and I had never been to Nepal before, and were overwhelmed with the kindness and hospitality we experienced both with the company and people we stayed with throughout the trek.

Needless to say, you need a guide if you have never hiked or journeyed through Nepal before. It is not only essential for your safety, but also because local guides have immense amount of knowledge and insight about Nepal culture, people, language, and places. It really adds to the trip to have guide who can help show you these parts of Nepal as well.

Our six day trek was wonderful. Picky Peak gave us beautiful view of various mountain ranges, including Mount Everest. Naress, our guide, was absolutely wonderful in providing us with any assistance we needed (whether it be encouragement on long hiking days or making sure all of our lodging was warm and accommodating). We also enjoyed our porter, Mingma Sherpa, who taught us different words in the Sherpa language and took us around a monastery in Junbesi.

My only critique of the trip was feeling under prepared in terms of packing as my friend Rachel also expressed in her review. If you go during the rainy season, it is very cold at night, especially at high altitudes. Perhaps an area of improvement for KimKim could be more transparency in telling us to pack warmer clothes, a sleeping bag, and other necessities.

Overall though, excellent company, guide, porter, and experience. Would certainly recommend to anyone who has limited time but wants to explore Nepal!

100/10 would strongly recommend booking through kimkim for a trek through Nepal!

I inquired on a whim just to ask a few questions and Mads and Amanda took full reigns to cater the trip specifically for what we wanted to see, do, and experience all within our time frame. Their tips were very informative and helpful as well as prompt.

As for the actual trek, we got taxi pick up with our guide, Naress, on the first day and he accompanied us 24/7 after that. Naress was AMAZING. He cared for us... read more

100/10 would strongly recommend booking through kimkim for a trek through Nepal!

I inquired on a whim just to ask a few questions and Mads and Amanda took full reigns to cater the trip specifically for what we wanted to see, do, and experience all within our time frame. Their tips were very informative and helpful as well as prompt.

As for the actual trek, we got taxi pick up with our guide, Naress, on the first day and he accompanied us 24/7 after that. Naress was AMAZING. He cared for us on the 14 hour Jeep ride to Phaplu and made sure we knew what was going on. He always made sure we were fed, warm, and taking breaks to rest. His guidance was necessary and he taught us so much about Nepali culture. He also taught us plenty of Nepali phrases we could use to talk to the people we met at the tea houses. We also had a Sherpa, Mingmar Sherpa, who carried some of the luggage weight. GRATEFUL FOR THIS. My favorite town was Junbesi where we visited a monastery, but the highlight of the trip was seeing Everest from the top of Pikey Peak. A little cold due to the rainy season climate, but absolutely stunning.

On the jeep ride back, Naress purchased an extra seat so that we would have more room on the 8 hour ride home. This. was. life giving. THANK YOU NARESS!

Overall, the only thing I was confused by was the packing list. I don't remember being told we would have a Sherpa or that we should bring x, y, z warm gear. Maybe that could be an improvement?

I cannot thank the kimkim team enough for this trip. I have already recommended the company to 4 different friend groups heading to Nepal later this year, and I will certainly go back to kimkim if I return to Nepal one day.
Thank you and happy trails!

It was truly a pleasant and wonderful experience from start to end! Amanda and Mads were really awesome and prompt in answering my queries. Thank you for their patience because it took so long to confirm my trip. Co-ordination of the team was flawless, it was a thoughtful gesture for us to meet Raj at the end of the trip to review the trek and also to understand the company a little more. The trek was awesome, it was really beautiful and the landscape was so varied and diverse! Chhiring was a... read more

It was truly a pleasant and wonderful experience from start to end! Amanda and Mads were really awesome and prompt in answering my queries. Thank you for their patience because it took so long to confirm my trip. Co-ordination of the team was flawless, it was a thoughtful gesture for us to meet Raj at the end of the trip to review the trek and also to understand the company a little more. The trek was awesome, it was really beautiful and the landscape was so varied and diverse! Chhiring was a professional, helpful and fantastic guide! He went over and above to make our experience memorable, it was enriching to hear stories of his experience, the history and culture of the region. Our porters, Santa and Mannosh were also awesome! it was pleasant to have them around and I was very grateful for the hard work that they put in, we also had fun afternoons playing card games and sharing laughs! Himalayan trails has a stellar team! I will not hesitate to go on my next trek in Nepal with them again!

An amazing trek, short but challenging for us. Beautiful landscape and views of the Annapurnas. Our guide Tendu and porter Dorje were very patient and accommodating. We went in the off season, but were very lucky with both the weather and open tea houses. The only unfortunate thing was that the packing list provided to us was definitely optimized for the fall and winter, and we were way over-laden with warm clothes, rain gear and sleeping bags that we didn't need. Overall a fantastic experience from start to finish.

Our guide, porter, and drivers in country were all wonderful; knowledgeable, reliable, friendly, and helpful.
After spending 7 months planning the trip with Amanda, it was disappointing to be redirected to other individuals for the final lead up, and then also during the trip.

The trip was amazing, I enjoyed every moment of it. Chhiring, our guide, was incredible, helped us all the time.

The whole trip- all the connections the tour guides, the hotels- awesome!
Thanks!

This was my second visit to Nepal and my second time using this company. Amanda and Tendu provided excellent service once again!!

I contacted Amanda to have her set up a tour for us on short notice. She was always quick to respond, friendly, accommodating and answered all of our questions. We did a three day trip through Pokhara, Dhampus and Bandipur, which would have been hard to do on our own. We stayed at fantastic guest houses and had some great views. Our guide Tendu was very knowledgeable and friendly. I will be coming back to Nepal and I will be using this company again!!

Trip was excellent. Amanda was more than awesome. I give her 10 stars, not just five. She handled all our needs, last minute changes and beyond.

Mingma and Dorje were top-notch and literally saved our trek by being agile in the face of Indian Prime Minister’s visit to Muktinath. They stayed informed of his changing schedule and altered our trek route and time-table to enable our visit. They both were knowledgeable, fun, and a pleasure to trek with. During trek days they stayed close to us... read more

Trip was excellent. Amanda was more than awesome. I give her 10 stars, not just five. She handled all our needs, last minute changes and beyond.

Mingma and Dorje were top-notch and literally saved our trek by being agile in the face of Indian Prime Minister’s visit to Muktinath. They stayed informed of his changing schedule and altered our trek route and time-table to enable our visit. They both were knowledgeable, fun, and a pleasure to trek with. During trek days they stayed close to us in sketchy areas and gave us space in easier areas.

All transfers and accommodation were great.

The entire crew made it possible for Donna and I to drop into Adventure travel for two weeks and not lose any of that time to waiting for permits, negotiating for taxis, etc, etc, etc.

Thank you Amanda, Mingma and Dorje. Thank you kimkim!

Both the Upper Mustang Valley trek and the Annapurna Base Camp trek were fantastic and both so very different. Our guide, Pemba, was awesome and really went out of his way to make things as easy as possible for us. Would definitely recommend him, and our porter, Amar, was also great. We met some fantastic people, both local and trekkers on these trips and had lots of laughs with them. Every day was different and every day was memorable. It is very hard to pin point any particular day, but we'll never forget the view when we got to Annapurna Base Camp.

I can not say enough how amazing our experience was with Kimkim. I worked wih a Amanda who customized our trip to fit the very limited time we had in Nepal. We did a 3 day trip and were able to hike and explore the Kathmandu area which would have been very difficult to do on our own. We had a hiking guide and a city guide and both were amazing, knowledgadble and super friendly. We loved the hotels Amanda reserved for us. The Namo Buddha Resort was beautiful and very peaceful. If and when I go back to Nepal I will use this company. I highly recommend them!

The Manaslu Trek was everything we hoped for and more! Right from the start, our travel specialist Amanda, was very helpful and quick to answer all of our questions and concerns. She helped to plan and organize the perfect trip tailored specifically to our requests. The online booking experience was also very efficient and easy.

Upon arriving in Kathmandu we had the opportunity to meet with both Amanda and our guide Chhiring and were given a full briefing of the itinerary prior to the... read more

The Manaslu Trek was everything we hoped for and more! Right from the start, our travel specialist Amanda, was very helpful and quick to answer all of our questions and concerns. She helped to plan and organize the perfect trip tailored specifically to our requests. The online booking experience was also very efficient and easy.

Upon arriving in Kathmandu we had the opportunity to meet with both Amanda and our guide Chhiring and were given a full briefing of the itinerary prior to the start of the Trek. Amanda also took the time to meet with us at our hotel after the trek to debrief about our trip. Everything was very well planned and organized.

We had a wonderful experience throughout the trek enjoying the spectacular scenery and observing the village life along the way. Our guide Chhiring, and porter Santa, were both extremely attentive, professional and respectful. We felt well taken care of and are grateful to have had them accompany us on our trek. In addition, Chhiring's knowledge and experience provided us with detailed insight into the local culture and trekking routes through the Himalayas.
From start to finish we received great service that surpassed our expectations! Thank you to all involved for making this a trip to remember! Tina & Jason

I had a wonderful experience on my trip to Nepal. I will remember it forever. Amanda organised us a wonderful Trip. Mingma Sherpa our guide was very professional & friendly, happy to accommodate our changes when asked.
Megshha Karki our yogi was very friendly & made us laugh often. He is a funny guy. His yoga sessions helped us continue on our Trek everyday with all our aches & pains. The Porters, Bashil, Hindu, Navarus, Rokman & Mingmar 2 were all very friendly & helpful, ready to help us... read more

I had a wonderful experience on my trip to Nepal. I will remember it forever. Amanda organised us a wonderful Trip. Mingma Sherpa our guide was very professional & friendly, happy to accommodate our changes when asked.
Megshha Karki our yogi was very friendly & made us laugh often. He is a funny guy. His yoga sessions helped us continue on our Trek everyday with all our aches & pains. The Porters, Bashil, Hindu, Navarus, Rokman & Mingmar 2 were all very friendly & helpful, ready to help us whenever needed. I was almost virtually carried down the mountain a couple of times with my bad knees. I looked forward to their cups of tea to warm us up. The accommodation we stayed in varied from Ok to terrific, but the families were always friendly & inviting. The toilets were a bit difficult for me with my knees 7 took a bit getting used to. We were fed lots & I loved the food. The trail was difficult at times but we loved it. Seeing Everest for the first time was amazing. Walking past Glaciers & seeing the Rhodedemdrum Forest was beautiful. People said Namaste with a smile wherever we went.
We had such a good time travelling together for the 10 days & I would recommend it to anyone thinking of going.

First of all, Nepal and Nepali people were just amazing! Himalayan Trails were great!! Amanda and Himalayan Trails couldn't have more helpful, knowledgeable and coming up with solutions when issues arose.

It was a lot harder then any of us imaged. Challenged us, some of us got sick. Mingmar was great! He was a fantastic help all along the way! Made us amazing food and taught us about the culture. Meghsha was also fabulous in the way he helped us lumber up for the day ahead! Meghsha also has a lot of knowledge regarding culture, and history. Amanda was great in the way she set us all up, to bring us all together. The porters were also so amazing, they assisted innany way they could, including dragging us to a safer destination.

From the beginning of planning to days after our trek ended, our family group of seven have received five star treatment from everyone at Himalayan trails. After way too many requests and questions from us, Amanda put together a fabulous trek to match our needs. We felt privileged to have Mingmar, the best Sherpa guide ever, along with Meghsha who taught us yoga, meditation & totally enhanced our experience with lessons on local religions, beliefs and cultures. With five fabulous (& strong!)... read more

From the beginning of planning to days after our trek ended, our family group of seven have received five star treatment from everyone at Himalayan trails. After way too many requests and questions from us, Amanda put together a fabulous trek to match our needs. We felt privileged to have Mingmar, the best Sherpa guide ever, along with Meghsha who taught us yoga, meditation & totally enhanced our experience with lessons on local religions, beliefs and cultures. With five fabulous (& strong!) porters, we trekked for 10 days on a community trail in the lower Everest region. When the weather hindered our views, Mingmar made changes to our route to make sure we did not go away disappointed-and we didn't! This was an experience we will never forget, made super easy by Amanda & her crew who had absolutely everything covered ... even a surprise birthday cake for my niece on the day we arrived! I Highly recommend these guys.

Welcoming by people living in the mountains was always good. Teahouse food always freshly cooked on demand and very good, which was surprising with the remoteness of the villages or base camp.
Dawa our guide know well the track so no issue about being guided. Many new roads are being built so sometimes it was hard to find the right track. From the description of our trip, we went through a cheese factory village. Dawa didn't tell us and it is a bit disappointed that he never talked about... read more

Welcoming by people living in the mountains was always good. Teahouse food always freshly cooked on demand and very good, which was surprising with the remoteness of the villages or base camp.
Dawa our guide know well the track so no issue about being guided. Many new roads are being built so sometimes it was hard to find the right track. From the description of our trip, we went through a cheese factory village. Dawa didn't tell us and it is a bit disappointed that he never talked about life of people living in villages, how they sustain, what is their culture and values.
Amanda was welcoming before and after the treck and helpful for any question.

Where to start! What an amazing trek! Amanda was great throughout the organising, answering any questions I had (and I had a lot!). We had a good group of us who did the trek together. Our guides Gelu and Nurbu were awesome and so were our porters always smiling and helping! I was blown away by their efforts put into the trek because they never rested! They were even in the kitchen preparing our meals when the cook had a day off! They were also very helpful while walking especially on the... read more

Where to start! What an amazing trek! Amanda was great throughout the organising, answering any questions I had (and I had a lot!). We had a good group of us who did the trek together. Our guides Gelu and Nurbu were awesome and so were our porters always smiling and helping! I was blown away by their efforts put into the trek because they never rested! They were even in the kitchen preparing our meals when the cook had a day off! They were also very helpful while walking especially on the pass day coming down Nurbu was always right there if we fell over or making sure it was safe! Most of the guest houses and food was great just the night before the pass when we were in tents was a hard night but I don't think that will change. The scenery varied a lot which was great. Overall we had an amazing time and will never forget it!! If we decide to do another trek we would definitely want the same guides and porters again!! Thank you!

After our trek we went down to Chitwan national park and did a home stay in the Tharu village. This was so awesome!! Really grassroots but the best decision! Right from the beginning we were totally immersed in the culture. The village activities were so much fun! We felt like part of the family! Everyone was so friendly! The meals were delicious and very fresh! This is something I would highly recommend for people to do, even families because all of the kids would play together. I really cannot put into words this experience. Sukram did a great job of organising everything and making sure we were looked after.

I believe our trek guide Gelu did an amazing job throughout the 2 weeks. His experience, and temperament was valued, whilst his willingness to help all trekkers to have an amazing trip was first class. Actually this is true for his whole team, including porters and assistant guide Nu bo. They all performed roles from guides, to cooks, to waiters, to boot fixers etc with a smile and pleasant nature.
In regards to the trek itself, it included beautiful country and challenging terrain towards... read more

I believe our trek guide Gelu did an amazing job throughout the 2 weeks. His experience, and temperament was valued, whilst his willingness to help all trekkers to have an amazing trip was first class. Actually this is true for his whole team, including porters and assistant guide Nu bo. They all performed roles from guides, to cooks, to waiters, to boot fixers etc with a smile and pleasant nature.
In regards to the trek itself, it included beautiful country and challenging terrain towards the top. I would personally probably prefer bigger days in the lower country and reducing the number of days over over the trek or including a few more days in the Annapurna region towards the end. Overall great trip with some great people.

The platform provided by Kimkim is innovative in its simplicity and ease of use. We were immediately linked to a local expert Amanda who put together the trip for us. With patience and enthusiasm, she tailored the trip to our needs and wishes. In the end we had the perfect mix of local culture, sightseeing and relaxing. Babu is a professional and safe driver and was always on time and helping us with our bags. We also learned a lot from our local guide, Rajeev, who answered so many of our questions and introduced us to several local restaurants. Great service!

Our trip was truly amazing! We saw so much of Nepal and its people. Amanda was truly wonderful in crafting an experience that perfectly incorporated our adventurous spirits, need for a little rest and relaxation, our want to be immersed in the local culture and excitement about visiting a new country. She was quick to respond to all my concerns and questions during our planning process, prior to our travel dates and during our trip. She was able to make adjustments to our itinerary of... read more

Our trip was truly amazing! We saw so much of Nepal and its people. Amanda was truly wonderful in crafting an experience that perfectly incorporated our adventurous spirits, need for a little rest and relaxation, our want to be immersed in the local culture and excitement about visiting a new country. She was quick to respond to all my concerns and questions during our planning process, prior to our travel dates and during our trip. She was able to make adjustments to our itinerary of the fly without hesitation.
All of the guides were incredibly knowledgeable, patient, polite and eager to share their culture with us. Amanda arranged drivers, pick-ups, guides, hotel stays, a trekking itinerary, tea house stays, meals, sight seeing suggestions, in-country flight tickets and more. We had no worries at all and felt safe every step of the way.
We arrived in Kathmandu, were picked up and brought to the Hotel Manaslu - very nice, clean with modern bathroom and breakfast was provided. After a brief rest our guide picked us up and took us on a walking tour of Thamel and other sites in the area. We even got a very rare view of the Kathmandu Kumari coming out of her house to attend a celebration. We stayed in the Thamel area and had dinner before walking back to our hotel. The following day our same guide picked us up with a driver and we toured UNESCO sites and more in the city and Patan.
We trekked for the next three and a half days, staying in tea houses along the way to Pikey Peak. It was a little disappointing that it never really cleared up, therefore we didn't get a clear view of the Himalaya mountain range. The trekking was very hard and technical (we bit off a bit more than we could chew but our guide Reeche (I'm sure I didn't spell that right) was amazing. The mountains were so lovely Its hard to describe. My suggestion regarding the trekking would be to get more detailed information as to the difficulty and technical aspects of the trek. We were not prepared for the very long days and technical aspects of the trails.
We spent a full day rest at the Panorama Charikot resort after trekking. Wonderful, wonderful place with great views and amazing staff. Food was very good.
The only hiccup of the trip was the horrible jeep ride from Charikot to Namobudda monastery. It was extremely terrible roads and took 7 hours to get to the monastery. The trip was only suppose to take half that time. Our driver didn't speak English so it was hard to know what was happening along the way. We loved the monastery but probably would have passed had we know how long of a jeep ride it was to get to it.
Off to Bhaktapur were we stayed at the Milla Guesthouse. I can't say enough about this beautiful boutique hotel in the heart of the city. Its an oasis and the breakfast on the roof terrace was the best we had on our trip. Our guide and driver took us to all the heritage and culture sites in the area and well has some shopping at various artisan places.
Next to the Chitwan Jungle were we stayed at the Jungle View Resort. We had a private bungalow with lovely views of the Rapti River were Rhinos freely roam. The field guides were knowledgeable and able to answer all our questions. We took an elephant safari ride, canoe ride and visit to the crocodile breeding reserve and jeep safari. The animals were a site to see; rhinos, sloth bear, bison, wild peacock, various deer, crocodiles and many birds
Lastly on to Patan where we stayed at The Inn- Patan. Amazing old Newari home redone into a lovely boutique hotel with a courtyard that reminded me of Italy. The original wood carving throughout was stunning. Great service and food in the heart of the city but yet quiet. We were lucky to get a large room with a small balcony overlooking the courtyard.
We ended our trip with a flight around Mt. Everest. Again, it wasn't super clear but we were able to the see the peaks and Everest. It was a pleasant end to our trip.
Overall, it was an amazing trip and I would highly recommend Amanda, KimKim and Himalayan Adventure travels and tours.

Gelu, the cheif guide and Nurbu were both amazing. Incredibly helpful, and caring.

I'd like to add that Gelu's insight when tweaking the itinerary really helped make the trip even better- affording us better rest, to save time and to make it to the pass on a much better (sunny) day. Gelu was also very good at crisis management- I had issues with my knee, did not manage to get a raincoat for the trek and a friend really struggled. Gelu was incredibly patient and helpful with all of us.

Nurbu... read more

Gelu, the cheif guide and Nurbu were both amazing. Incredibly helpful, and caring.

I'd like to add that Gelu's insight when tweaking the itinerary really helped make the trip even better- affording us better rest, to save time and to make it to the pass on a much better (sunny) day. Gelu was also very good at crisis management- I had issues with my knee, did not manage to get a raincoat for the trek and a friend really struggled. Gelu was incredibly patient and helpful with all of us.

Nurbu as well, with better experience would be a good guide.

The porters were all amazing and incredibly helpful, even with/ without the luggage being carried.

This was my first time using kimkim, and I'm so glad I did! Amanda was great to work with, she gave me great tour options to fit my needs and advice to go along with it. I was able to customize the trip I wanted, and it was super easy when we had a few hiccups along the way (adding additional travelers, dealing with a flight cancellation). As planning became reality, my friends and I spent 3 days trekking east of Kathmandu through quaint villages and beautiful steppes from Dhulikhel to... read more

This was my first time using kimkim, and I'm so glad I did! Amanda was great to work with, she gave me great tour options to fit my needs and advice to go along with it. I was able to customize the trip I wanted, and it was super easy when we had a few hiccups along the way (adding additional travelers, dealing with a flight cancellation). As planning became reality, my friends and I spent 3 days trekking east of Kathmandu through quaint villages and beautiful steppes from Dhulikhel to Panauti. After our trek, we were able to enjoy a few days in Kathmandu exploring. One of Amanda's recommendations was a highlight and a visit I won't soon forget - Pashupatinath, a Hindu crematorium. In a place surrounded by death, there is so much life as well, and in a way that I never imagined. As an American, it really opened my eyes to a different culture and perspective.

My son and I had an absolutely amazing experience on the Nar Phu Valley trek. Our guide Chhiring and porter Nara, were fantastic. Chhiring provided us with a lot of commentary about the places, people, and social and cultural influences both past and present. Visiting the villages of Nar and Phu, particularly when there were very few other trekkers, was a remarkable experience but of course the stunning scenery the entire way, was the highlight. When it snowed heavily the night before we... read more

My son and I had an absolutely amazing experience on the Nar Phu Valley trek. Our guide Chhiring and porter Nara, were fantastic. Chhiring provided us with a lot of commentary about the places, people, and social and cultural influences both past and present. Visiting the villages of Nar and Phu, particularly when there were very few other trekkers, was a remarkable experience but of course the stunning scenery the entire way, was the highlight. When it snowed heavily the night before we were to ascend and cross the Kangla Pass, we were prepared to turn back but Chhiring, having monitored the situation, confidently led us on to the Pass. We often lost the path in the snow but Chhiring expertly picked a line and despite the oft times deep snow, we made it in good time and it was truly an exhilarating moment to reach the top!
Amanda was extremely informative and addressed all our concerns promptly. She was very helpful in both the initial planning stages and very amenable to any changes that we considered. I felt completely confident that the trek was well organized and safe. It was also a pleasure to meet with her and Chhiring before the trek. I would highly recommend Kimkim and Amanda from Himalayan Trails.

Summary

These guys know their stuff and can handle much more difficult challenges than ours.

Background

John and I started walking about a year ago and decided that it would be a good challenge to go trekking in Nepal. We are 67 and 64 years old and no previous trekking experience.

We first looked at holiday packages to Nepal, many are 14 day packages with 3-4 days trekking. That wasn’t enough trekking for us. Google search recommended using trekking companies being members of the... read more

Summary

These guys know their stuff and can handle much more difficult challenges than ours.

Background

John and I started walking about a year ago and decided that it would be a good challenge to go trekking in Nepal. We are 67 and 64 years old and no previous trekking experience.

We first looked at holiday packages to Nepal, many are 14 day packages with 3-4 days trekking. That wasn’t enough trekking for us. Google search recommended using trekking companies being members of the Trekking Agencies Association of Nepal. Himalayan Trails is on the members list and are also a travel agency with excellent reviews on TripAdvisor. We live in Australia and Himalayan Trails has a sales representative from Australia, Amanda Delecca who handled our package.

Package Development

Contact and financial control was through the US online travel agency Kim Kim website portal. Amanda considered our inexperience, age and general health to design options for us. We chose the lower Annapurna Circuit. After several “conversations” through the Kim Kim portal we extended the 6 day loop to 8 days with a “rest” day at Ghorepani.

On the lead up to our trip Amanda communicated with us giving encouragement and sent helpful tip sheets for arrival and departure, what to pack, etc.

We wanted some cultural experience in our package. Our final itinerary is below.

Day 1. Arrive from Australia.

Day 2. Catch-up day in Kathmandu to meet Amanda and our trekking guide to help us get those last minute items - buy or hire.

Day 3. Sightseeing Pashupati Ceremonial area, Boudhanath Stupa and Swoyambhunath.

Amanda suggested we fly to Pokhara. The flight takes 25 minutes and saves a day on the road. So for about $200 we saved 2 full days travel.

Days 4-11. Fly to Pokhara and drive 45 minutes to start trekking at Phedi to Potana, trek to Landruk, to Grandruk, to Tadapani, to Ghorepani, up Poon Hill pre dawn and return to Ghorepani, to Tikhedhunga, to Hile (20 minutes to catch vehicle for 2 hour drive to Pokhara). This direction around the loop avoided the huge number of steps on the first day ensuring our continued enjoyment.

Day 12. After our trekking we had 2 nights in Pokhara, giving us one and a half days sightseeing on our own.

Day 13-15. On return to Kathmandu, Himalayan Trails met us at the airport and took us up to Namobuddha, the next day to Bhaktapur, then we were off.

The Actual Experience

I have travelled a little bit now and my wife and I often book a package at our country destination, such as in Jordan, or Morocco. It is always a consideration as to whether we would be met at the airport. In this case the guide and driver were there holding a sign so we knew we had “landed”.

From there everything went as promised. Guides and drivers were all very good, not rushed, knew their stuff, and were patient while I took photos, or had to repeat information. All vehicles were modern and clean in as new condition. We got the sense that they considered it a privilege to work for Himalayan Trails. We had a different guide and driver on our return, they knew their areas, being a Buddhist and living in Bhaktapur.

The most important people were our trekking guide and porter. Turns out they were both from the Sherpa region. Our guide “No-wun” was very experienced having been on mountaineering expeditions since he was 14, on Mt Everest and leading climbing expeditions on other mountains. No-wun checked everything we hired, bought, or used. On the trail he set a comfortable pace for us, rested us when needed, checked our rooms, monitored the kitchens, looked after all our needs.

Our porter “Peppi” walked with us following up behind, waiting when one of us stopped. Eventually Peppi joined with John and I singing on trail.

All four of us easily interacted like old friends.

Each day we trekked 3-5 hours with two 6 hour days. It meant we were checked into our tea house most days by 2pm avoiding the need to trek in the afternoon storms. In March the sun shines in the morning and clouds and rain come in the afternoon. We had plenty of time to dodge the hail and explore local villages on our own.

Accommodation Food and Facilities

The hotels and resorts in Kathmandu Valley and Pokhara were excellent. Our first was The Inn Patan right next to the central square. It was originally a large family home. So convenient to historic sites. John and I walked around at dusk. The room was big and faced a back courtyard so very quiet, beds very comfortable and menu cosmopolitan enough for us both.

In Pokhara we stayed in the Temple Tree Resort. It was definitely a resort! Beautiful property, big rooms and really hot showers. Prices for food and clothes washing were high, so we ate out at Moondance cafe each meal and I got my washing done across the street in a small laundry opposite the entrance for next to nothing, so I gave the lady double. We visited the Gurkha Museum and the International Mountaineering Museum on our first day; and went for a boat ride on Lake Fewa and shopping the next.

We stayed at the Namobuddha Resort high on a Hill. It was very unusual with separate buildings, vegetarian food, and a sense of serenity. We sat outside having a vodka before going to the main building for dinner. Rooms were generous, the bathroom was in a separate building and massive! Loved the food there.

Our last few nights were at 1905 Suites. We were blown away by this boutique property. We ate dinner in and the food was amazing.

Some summing up the hotel and resort part of the package - all properties were privately owned and offered completely different experiences, rooms and food excellent, bathrooms functional. We would recommend any of them to our friends.

Accommodation on the trail was “Tea Houses”. All offered us twin rooms with a simple, but comfortable bed in dormitory style accommodation. Meals were limited, with the same menu appearing almost everywhere. All the food we tried was good - especially given where we were! The Chicken Dal Bhat was my local favourite. Those with sweet tooth can try mars roll, or chocolate pudding!

We had a mix of washroom arrangements, but most were ensuite. All places had an English type toilet in the room, and at least one English communal toilet. Hot water ranged from almost cold to scolding, so test your water first. We trekked early March so we had limited number of other trekkers. The only Tea House that was a bit average was the one a Tadapani. Our favourite was the one in Ghorepani called Superview Hotel. All Tea Houses had wi-fi, but power was not reliable. If you take a lot of video then take a power bank with you. I used mine once to recharge.

All our expectations for a great trip and trekking were well exceeded.

We had a debrief with Amanda on our last day - just where we started at Himalayan Java Coffee at the entrance to Thamel. Great place. We spent an hour with her going through all aspects of our trip before saying goodbye. It was evident that Amanda had been in contact daily with our guides and hotels/resorts and was across our whole trip.

Conclusion

Well there is much that I cannot say in this short space, but our experience with Himalayan Trails was outstanding. Although our trekking was simple and easy (compared to others) we felt we were treated with the same high levels of service and safety. We would confidently recommend them to any of our friends.

Other Things You Should Know

If your going that far to Nepal, take a scenic flight to Mt Everest, after all it is the “big daddy”and see the top of the world go by. We tried it on Day 3 but due to cloud got cancelled on the runway. Himalayan Trails rescheduled us with Buddha Airlines on Day 15. We saw it. Truly awesome experience.

When in Nepal, use taxis. They are not that dear. Negotiate a price up front and get to where you need to be fast. Don’t waste your time travelling - you’ve paid to be there so get to where you want to be quickly.

Be generous. Tip for good service. You don’t have too, but a small amount in European, American, or Australian is nothing to you and is a great deal to the Nepalese.

Happy trekking.

Phil Hewitt
Adelaide Australia

We had a wonderful 8 days in Nepal. Our itineray was very professionally organised by Amanda Delecca from start to finish. I could not fault her communication skills which was the reason we chose Amanda versus other tour operators. Amanda even arranged to meet us personally on arrival at our hotel to make sure everything was ok for the trip and to introduce us to our guides. Because of our limited time in Nepal Amanda had a good understanding of the amount of time we would need in each... read more

We had a wonderful 8 days in Nepal. Our itineray was very professionally organised by Amanda Delecca from start to finish. I could not fault her communication skills which was the reason we chose Amanda versus other tour operators. Amanda even arranged to meet us personally on arrival at our hotel to make sure everything was ok for the trip and to introduce us to our guides. Because of our limited time in Nepal Amanda had a good understanding of the amount of time we would need in each place including Kathmandu and Pokhara and our 3 day trek to Dhampus and Astam. Every detail was taken care of including pickup and drop off at the airports, our accommodation at Mums Garden in Pokhara and hotel Manaslu in Kathmandu which were both comfortable and clean and the Eco lodges on our trek even had hot water. I would like to make a special mention of our amazing treking guide Tendu who was very caring and went out of his way to make sure everything was ok throughout our time away and also the lovely quietly spoken sherpa Lakpa.They both travelled 8 hours on the bus from Kathmandu to Pokhara to accompany us on the trek. The highlight of the trek was to wake up early on our last day at Astam Ecco Village to see that the rain and mist had cleared and we had a magnificent view of the Annupurna mountains. Thank you all concerned for a most memorable time in Nepal. Helen and Ralph Arbon

We had a fantastic trip! - Thanks so much to Amanda, Pemba and Nima for all their support and looking after us before and during the trip. The trek was spectacular -in particular, watching the sunrise at Muldai point! The planning and logistics when we were there, were seamless. I would highly recommend Himalayan Trails!

Amanda was really helpful and flexible with our change in plans. I was so busy in the run up to the holiday that it was great to have someone else taking care of all the details. Our guide Mingmar was very experienced and professional (hugely overqualified for taking us up a 4000m peak which for Nepal is no more than a hill...) and the views were spectacular.

The whole trip was fantastic and thanks Erin for putting me in touch with Amanda!

Amanda (with Himalayan Trails) was very helpful throughout the trek coordination process. She had timely replies, good advice, and helped me suss through all the many options for my Nepal hiking experience. Plus, she made the time to meet me in Kathmandu before I left with my guide. I'll strongly consider booking my next trek with Himalayan Trails.

We took months to plan our trip and Amanda was patient and quick to reply to any question we had. Once we arrived in Kathmandu, everything was taken care of. Our guide and porter, father and son duo Mingma and his son Darje really went out of their way to take care of us during the entire trip. The Khopra Danda community Trek allowed us to visit many local villages, with Mingma and Darje explaining the local custom, we learnt so much about Nepal. We are very impressed with Himalayan Trails as... read more

We took months to plan our trip and Amanda was patient and quick to reply to any question we had. Once we arrived in Kathmandu, everything was taken care of. Our guide and porter, father and son duo Mingma and his son Darje really went out of their way to take care of us during the entire trip. The Khopra Danda community Trek allowed us to visit many local villages, with Mingma and Darje explaining the local custom, we learnt so much about Nepal. We are very impressed with Himalayan Trails as a tour company, even the staff members who picked us up at the airport or hotel were very professional and friendly. If we decide to go on another trekking tour in the future, we will not hesitate to travel with them again.

Nepal is absolutely amazing! We had lots of great moments there and it's best lifetime memories, thanks to kimkim, Himalayan trail, our best guide Cheppal and porter Zambu, guys you made it all really unforgettable and cool! Pikey Peak trek is an authentic experience that still exists in Nepal, it's a pretty wild path with very little amount of trekkers and just local life and beautiful nature along the way. Scenery is great since you can see the whole range of mountains from Annapurna to... read more

Nepal is absolutely amazing! We had lots of great moments there and it's best lifetime memories, thanks to kimkim, Himalayan trail, our best guide Cheppal and porter Zambu, guys you made it all really unforgettable and cool! Pikey Peak trek is an authentic experience that still exists in Nepal, it's a pretty wild path with very little amount of trekkers and just local life and beautiful nature along the way. Scenery is great since you can see the whole range of mountains from Annapurna to Everest from the peak summit. Trek is tougher than the more explored ones with changing altitudes, very basic lodges and no reception. But it gives it's own pleasure to be disconnected from the busy outer world and live the most simple life for a week and then come back home and appreciate all the small things that you forget about having everyday. We will defo send our parents to Nepal for the easier trek iuring spring time to see all the blooming orchids and rhododendrons and will come back in some years to do round Annapurna or EBC one.

p.s. many thanks to all Nepali people that hosted us during the trek, every night was the best food ever and always different organic experience, everything comes from the garden to your table! We are coming back for momos and dal bhat!

We had a wonderful experience with Kim Kim and Amanda Delecca from Himalayan Trails from the very beginning. Great communication was one thing we never had to worry about. Our guide was Mindu (sp?) and our porter was Chhong Nuri Sherpa. Amanda was very helpful answering all our questions before and during our trek. Our guide and porter were fantastic, knowledgeable and fun to be with.

Highlights were amazing views of the Himalayas, visiting the tea houses for lunch and spending the night... read more

We had a wonderful experience with Kim Kim and Amanda Delecca from Himalayan Trails from the very beginning. Great communication was one thing we never had to worry about. Our guide was Mindu (sp?) and our porter was Chhong Nuri Sherpa. Amanda was very helpful answering all our questions before and during our trek. Our guide and porter were fantastic, knowledgeable and fun to be with.

Highlights were amazing views of the Himalayas, visiting the tea houses for lunch and spending the night and visiting the monasteries. We loved the scenery on this trek and it's not as populated . The tea houses were humble and we really enjoyed the hospitality. Being able to visit the monasteries was beyond imaginable. That is something we will never forget. We had a great trip and would love to do it again one day. Thanks so much!

Bishnu was amazing and so was the porter Sujan. They were unbelievably friendly and made the whole trip amazing. I would recommend them for a raise. Bishny heeled us feel like locals in no time.

The only thing that really wasn't Amanda's issue but would have helped us plan a little more. Was the 15kg bag limit per person. It made it a little difficult on Amanda to organise last minute bag storage for us. Maybe that info cold be added to the Trek gear info so it can be sorted out before the trip starts.

Amanda was extremely helpful throughout the process, from assisting us in choosing the right trek to answering all our questions. Her local knowledge was invaluable. She met us in Kathmandu at the start of the trip to ensure that everything was in order. The itinerary that she put together for us was excellent, and worked out as planned.

Everything ran very smoothly on KimKim, Amanda was very responsive and answered all questions I had. The trip was organised with no fuss or hassle whatsoever.

Amanda provided a brilliant service - we were v impressed with Amanda and Himalayan Trails

The weather was hot and humid and I was unprepared for that. The walking days were longer than I expected.

Amanda was friendly, informative, and punctual. She was great!

The tour guides, the excursions, the experience was fantastic. We really enjoyed our trip and it was economical too. Only thing that could have been better is it would have been nice if everyone knew it was our honeymoon. No one knew and that would have made it a bit more special. The last hotel didn't even book us a double bed on our last 2 nights. Other than that, it was a great and memorable trip.

Fantastic trip. Amanda did a great job getting everything set up for me. And Suman was an excellent, conscientious, and able guide. I was very happy with everything.

We were delighted with the quick response to our request on kimkim for a short trek in Nepal. We had a delightful time and the company that supported us was wonderful! They did a great job in setting up our trip, responding to numerous questions and then being at every hand off along the way in our trip. Our guide was wonderful, helpful, patient and filled with good information.

Amanda was most helpful. We had a lot of last minute questions and she was very responsive. At the end of the trip she made sure she got all of our feedback. A very positive experience!

Our 3 generational family trip into the Tsum Valley and Manaslu Circuit was absolutely stunning!! From beginning to end, we were impressed with the input from Amanda in the organisation/communication with loads of questions promptly answered. She was very friendly and helpful and met us both before and after the hike - we would not hesitate to book through kimkim again and use Himalayan Trails. Both hotels were perfectly suited in both location and budget, we particularly enjoyed 'Mums... read more

Our 3 generational family trip into the Tsum Valley and Manaslu Circuit was absolutely stunning!! From beginning to end, we were impressed with the input from Amanda in the organisation/communication with loads of questions promptly answered. She was very friendly and helpful and met us both before and after the hike - we would not hesitate to book through kimkim again and use Himalayan Trails. Both hotels were perfectly suited in both location and budget, we particularly enjoyed 'Mums Garden' in Pokhara after the hike - a sanctuary to rest weary legs!

As for the hike itself - we were extremely grateful to our fantastic guide Chhiri. He was both very professional and knowledgeable and good company. He and the two porters, Sam and Siri made our hike all the more special. They did far more than meet the minimum requirements of a guide/porting service, they became good friends and went out of their way to share their culture, country and themselves with us.

17 days hiking with 3 generations couldn't have been done in a more special place. The days walking were well mixed with some longer and others shorter, when altitude became a factor. The weather was perfect which always is a bonus and the Tsum valley was probably the highlight (just ahead of Larke Pass) - The mix of monasteries and walking through ancient villages was very special. Chhiri was also very caring and conscientious with the responsibility of taking my 10yr old daughter on such a long hike. While she had done long hikes before, she'd never been to this altitude at 5100m - she loved the experience and Chhiri again took great care with all of us.

Thank you does not quite cover it!!!

Amanda was incredibly helpful, both online prior to booking in answering a myriad of questions and once in Kathmandu, meeting with us both before and after the hike. She made sure the trip was seamless from start to end and was very friendly and knowledgeable.

In wanting to take my 10yr old daughter on such a long hike and to 5100m, Amanda was very careful in giving advise and ensuring that we had a senior guide who had experience with children. This proved to be possibly the making of the hike with Chhiri being an excellent guide -and the envy of other hikers!

Thank you very much to Amanda for giving us such special memories. We would love to be back in Nepal one day!!

We appreciated the open communication and prompt replies to all our questions. Amanda very quickly gauged our interests and capabilities and planned a trip for us accordingly.

Amanda was a gem. Unfortunately I requiredhospitalisation early on in the trip. Amanda was so supportive and understanding. She guided us through the process and after resting she quickly rescheduled our trip so we could maximise our time. This involved organising an alternative trek more suited to our needs at this time. All our drivers, guides and accomodation were top class.

Amanda was extremely helpful, the trip was very well organised and she was prompt to answer any queries we had

The only thing that would have made this better was that would have liked to have a trekked a little longer most days, but we realize that the trip has to account for: 1. lower fitness levels, and 2. altitude.

Our guide was wonderful and Amanda was very responsive. The trek was a whole lot harder than we expected, and we didn't realize how difficult it would be with the altitude. We were glad to have chosen a trek a little off the beaten track, and had a memorable experience.

Great guides, great itinerary

Amanda was the best and most helpful especially when things didnt go as planned. Like when the airport was closed 8-)

The actual trip itself was amazing - can not fault it, and the guide and porter could not have been better. There was good communication, and Amanda was helpful with all of my questions along the way. The only bit of advice I would offer is around clarity - for example, at the start (not having ever done this before) I didn't realise I was signing up for a solo/private trip. In the end, someone joined, which made the trip 500% better than it would have been, as there were not the... read more

The actual trip itself was amazing - can not fault it, and the guide and porter could not have been better. There was good communication, and Amanda was helpful with all of my questions along the way. The only bit of advice I would offer is around clarity - for example, at the start (not having ever done this before) I didn't realise I was signing up for a solo/private trip. In the end, someone joined, which made the trip 500% better than it would have been, as there were not the opportunities to talk to other trekkers at the teahouses that I imagined there would be. The other one is around timeliness - the actual details (pickup time and where etc) I didn't receive until I was en route to Nepal - a bit nerve wracking as I wasn't sure what kind of internet access I would have. Might seem silly from the point of view of someone living in Kathmandu, but I like to have everything locked in as much as in advance as possible. But these are just very minor points to consider, especially for first time trekkers, and more than made up for by the quality of the trip itself.

Aside from previous comments = always helpful, always as quick as possible in the replies, met with me prior to both trips (trek and half day trip) .

We highly recommend Amanda and team. We had a fantastic trip and everything was organised seamlessly​

Amanda and team were always there looking after us. We really didn't need to worry about a thing. Our trekking guide was the envy of the rest of the group's we met on the trek so we felt very well looked after and in capable and safe hands.
We highly recommend a helicopter to get you to the where the best trekking starts if your budget allows.
Amanda and her team went above and beyond to make our trip to Nepal unforgettable.

The group chat option made planning very easy for everyone to be involved in real time, and Alex and Amanda were both always immediately responsive.

Amanda was wonderful during the planning process in making suggestions, fulfilling our requests, and providing insight and advice on the local area. Again, she was also always available to us prior to the trip, and she made a point of seeing us three times when we were actually in Kathmandu, which was totally above and beyond what she needed to do and very much appreciated.

We had soooo much fun and learnt a lot so it might just be that these are things we know for next time but a heads up about the timing between getting to Pokhara and actually starting the trek would have bee nice, just to allow us to maybe leave more stuff behind. Then again we too way too much for the whole trip so will definitely do that better next time.

Amanda we immensely helpful and just so nice as well. She tried to accommodate all our requests and we felt very safe in her hands

Our trip was near perfect and we had a wonderful time.

Our only hiccup was the trek. We understood that we would just meander through the hills slowly rising, whereas this was not the case.

Amanda was really helpful and answered our questions promptly with lots of detail.

Great to have someone with first hand knowledge.

Our only suggestion would be that she does the treks as we were told there was only a few steps. Debbie's had a knee replacement so she was quite concerned about there being steps.