
Mads Mathiasen
A veteran in the adventure travel business Mads has organized and led trips in Turkey, Morocco, Tibet, India, Cambodia, Bhutan, Australia and Sri Lanka but Nepal remains his true love, where he spends his time trekking, biking and guiding people through Kathmandu’s narrow alleys.
What places and activities do you specialize in?
"Anywhere off the beaten path in the Himalayas"
How did you get involved in travel?
"Born in Denmark with an unbroken lineage to the Vikings, Mads wasn’t the most likely person to become a mountain man of the Himalayas. After high school he spent a year traveling South Africa, then continued to Asia and fell in love with Nepal. What was to be a one-year trip turned into a new life and adopted home. He began his career as a mountain bike and hiking guide in the Kathmandu valley and the years flew by. Soon he found himself guiding and arranging trips across the Himalayas from Ladakh to Bhutan reveling in meeting local people and learning about their cultures."
Please share a unique travel experience you will never forget.
"There are so many I don't know where to begin..."
Mads's favorite itineraries and travel advice
Top itineraries and travel advice

Sir Edmund Hillary claimed that the view of the lower Everest region from Pikey Peak is the best in all of Nepal, and we're inclined to agree. This short trek has the advantage...

Venture out on a timeless journey through the Kingdom of Lo, an off-the-beaten-path region that was a hidden Tibetan Buddhist enclave forbidden to foreigners until recently....

The classic picture of Nepal includes huge mountain landscapes featuring icy peaks against a crisp blue sky, and possibly a yak or two. We love this picture, but we like it even...
Recent trip reviews for Mads
Manaslu and Tsum valley trek
Nepal
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Feb 27 - Mar 21, 2018
Mads, his team and especially our guide and porter could not be faulted when it can to looking after us. A dream trip
Group departure - Three Passes Trek: Ultimate Trek in the Everest Region - 22 Days
Nepal
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Mar 10 - Mar 29, 2019

Tough, upexpected weather overall. Guide was great and knowledgeable, and accommodating. Had a good memorable trip as such.
Group departure - Manaslu Circuit Trek - The Ultimate off-the-beaten-path Trek in Nepal - 13 to 19 days
Nepal
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Nov 12 - Nov 26, 2018

The Manaslu trek was excellent. It had great changing scenery, interesting people, nice teahouses and good food. We visited a remote school by chance on a Sunday and meet one of the teachers, and some of the kids, which was a real highlight of the trip.
Our guide Nawang was excellent, always making sure we were enjoying ourselves and full of information and a good sense of humor. He was helped by two great porters in Ngima and Gelbu, and this team of 3 made our trek so enjoyable, thankyou!
Thanks Mads and Amanda, organisation was great and thanks again for your time and efforts.
Culture, trekking and wildlife in Nepal
Nepal
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Oct 21 - Nov 7, 2018
The brief for our trip was culture, trekking and wildlife. The itinerary was finalised months beforehand, apart from the very end which was subject to confirmation. Mads suggested various options for earlier in the trip depending on how we departed from Nepal but being realistic, this was never going to happen as it would have meant changing the whole itinerary. In the end, we agreed to go to Suklaphanta but this was the most disappointing part of the trip. October is the wrong time of... read more
Kathmandu, Nepal
Nepal
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Oct 9 - Oct 13, 2018

Overall experience was good. There was one time it took almost 3 days to hear back from Mads regarding what gear I should bring on the trek so I had to wait to know if I needed to buy anything or bring anything that I didn't have on my list. My 2 guides is Nepal were great -- Dawa and Prathicksha. Both were knowledgeable about the areas they took me. The best part of the trek was being on the trails. The worst part was trekking on the roads, especially the 30 minute walk when it was hot... read more

Dear Marlynn, that is terrible that the infection turned so bad, never heard of this bacteria before, really strange. Too bad you had to cancel you trip to Bhutan but at least there is something to come back for :-) Very happy to hear you did enjoy your time trekking and seeing Kathmandu with us. Thanks for the feedback. Kind regards. Mads
Varied trip for a family
Nepal
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Aug 5 - Aug 13, 2018
Mads was really helpful from the outset and helped me work out a fantastic itinerary for myself and my family. We thoroughly enjoyed it all from the trekking with our lovely guide chheering, the white water rafting expedition and our luxurious stay at Chitwan. Our adventure to lumbini and across the border was fun but would maybe fly from Kathmandu next time! Amanda, our contact in Kathmandu was faultless- giving us excellent recommendations for meals and providing us with a phone so we could... read more

Ask, I am so happy we have been part in making your 3 children fall in love with Nepal! Also nice to hear that you loved it as much this time as 20 years ago, so much has changed since then. I am glad you liked the place in Chitwan, I think it is amazing. We would love to see you back in Nepal, maybe try the Christmas holidays next time and see the super clear mountains views. Thanks, Mads
Nepal trip 2018
Nepal
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Apr 27 - May 13, 2018
I cannot speak too highly of the team at KimKim. From the moment I first made contact to the very end of our trip the service was outstanding. They focussed on finding out exactly what we wanted and then provided way above expectations. Mads put the trip together checking throughout if it was exactly what we wanted. The city guide Rajive was very knowledgeable and informative. The Inn Patan was a great place to stay.
The trek was just the right level for us. It stretched us. OK some... read more

Hi Peter, thanks for taking the time to provide such detailed feedback. It is wonderful to hear that you loved the trip and specially that you formed such good relationships with the guides. I have shared this with the entire team and everyone is very happy. Thanks for traveling with us and we hope to see you back. Mads.
Return to Langtang - 8 Days
Nepal
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Apr 27 - May 4, 2018

The Lang Tang trek was exactly what I was looking for! Following a beautiful blue river through the jungle like forest, past a variety of rhodedendron and finally up, up, up to the Himalayas was spectacular. Rishi our guide was lighthearted and fun. Susan our porter not only carried some of our weight but added to our enjoyment throughout our journey. By the end of the trail we had become friends, sharing laughter and life stories. It was refreshing to get away from the crowds of people and... read more

Hi Sadye, thanks for taking the time to provide some feedback and your kind words about the team! I am so happy you had a great trek and loved it up in the Langtang valley, it is one of my own favorite places and it means so much that people are going back there now, I am sure you also felt that! Thanks for traveling with us and we hope to see you back in the Himalayas some day! Mads
Family trekking
Nepal
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Apr 23 - May 1, 2018
This was truly a trip of a lifetime for our family. We spent 9 days just below Everest and had a wonderful time. Our guide Tendu was excellent and his attentiveness and personal touch made this trip unforgettable. He worked hard to make sure we were all looked after and that everything went smoothly.
Sadly, the weather was much colder than predicted which impacted us on the last few days. The teahouse in Panbouche was below standard and the ownership seemed indifferent to the comfort of... read more

Hi Amar, thanks for your feedback and taking the time to provide it, it is very important for us to get it and hear what we could have done better. I had already heard about the tea house in Pangboche from Tendu and we will not be working with that particular tea house again, sorry it wasn't up to the standard of the rest of them! Great to hear that you loved the trail from Pangboche to Phortse and the Phortse village, it is one of the best trails in all of the Everest area in my opinion, it... read more
Trip to Nepal
Nepal
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Mar 20 - Apr 4, 2018

Another epic trip! Mads and his team are first class. Not only great guides but great friends!
Off the beaten path adventures. Lifelong memories.

Great photos Christian, so happy to hear you had another great trip and got Greer hooked on Nepal as well :-) Next time I hope to see you in Kathmandu! Thanks, Mads
Views of the mountains
Nepal
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Mar 15 - Mar 19, 2018

Overall excellent. Good hotel in Kathmandu (Shankar). Amanda and team came to brief us. All well organised and implemented. Day trip around K was not enough (so we spent some more time on our own later). Requested "old folks" walking trip in hills near K was well organised and guide (Dawa) was sympathetic and adjusted pace to suit our knees. Very interesting and comfortable places to stay along route. We requested "view of the mountains" and it was provided! (courtesy of some rain which cleared the smog).
Overall - excellent.

Hi David, thanks for your review, I am happy to hear you enjoyed the company of Dawa and the trek. Always good when we get some spring rain to clear the haze, I am glad you got to see the mountains, it makes it extra special. Thanks for traveling with us and we hope to see you back in the Himalayas soon. Mads
Ghandruk Trek - Scenic 3-4 day trek through the Annapurna Foothills
Nepal
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Mar 16 - Mar 21, 2018

Mads was so quick to suggest the great trek designed specifically for my 10 yr old daughter and I. He responded fast to any questions we had in the organisation phase too, nothing was too much bother for him.
Amanda contacted us in Kathmandu and it was lovely to meet her and Niresh (our guide) prior to commencing our adventure the next day.
Niresh was a gentle, knowledgeable guide who answered all of my silly local questions and shared so much of his knowledge and experience with us. He... read more

Thanks for such nice feedback Clare, I am so glad you and your daughter had a good time trekking with us. Very happy you enjoyed your time with Naresh, I don't know if he told you but my son spent his first 5 years, having Naresh around to play with most of the time :-) We would love to see you both back for another trek, just let me know when you are ready to plan. Thanks, Mads
Introducing family to the Kingdom
Nepal
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Jan 11 - Jan 24, 2018
We had the experience of a lifetime with 2 teenagers.
Chhring and the porters Kobe and Kancha deserve a special mention for their empathy when we were feeling under the weather and their changes to the trek which made the trek more suitable to our needs. When there was any issue Raj , Surendra , Mads and Chhiring could not have been more accommodating. Thank you Chhiring!
The trek was everything we could have hoped for and I am coming back to do another one once I am fitter and will be using... read more

Thanks for taking the time to post a review and your kind words Giles. Glad you had a good time with your teenagers and that everyone enjoyed the places you saw and the company of our guides! We would love to have to have you back and show you more of Nepal in the future, thanks for traveling with us!
Balthali Village Trek via Namo Buddha and Panauti
Nepal
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Jan 7 - Jan 11, 2018
To be honest, we put a lot of trust in Kimkim as we weren't paying a great deal of attention to the finer details prior to heading OS. So in reality, it could have all gone very poorly!
Luckily for us our faith and confidence in the service was not misguided and we had a great time. Being unfamiliar with a place like Nepal can be very daunting when it comes to planning a hike / trek so we appreciated the insight and experience offered by kimkim. I would also recommend the specific hike we... read more

Hi Doug, thanks for taking the time to provide such great detailed feedback! I am glad you liked all the guest houses, I think this is a wonderful little trek, where you have a chance to really get to know this part of Nepal if you stay in these places. Also happy to hear you enjoyed the extra time in each place, getting to really see a place and spend time with the people is such a big part of travel, I think, so awesome you enjoyed it! Great that Dawa and you got along and you had fun, thanks for traveling with us and we hope to see you back in Nepal soon. Cheers, Mads
Short Trip to Nepal
Nepal
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Nov 2 - Nov 7, 2017
I could not have asked for a better experience! Mads arranged a perfect 6 day trek for me on short notice and it was absolutely perfect. All details were taken care of and he was extremely responsive and helpful. The entire team I interacted with were amazing, and the guide they paired me with could not have been more helpful and knowledgeable. The entire experience was amazing and one which I can't wait to repeat for a longer period of time. When I do, I'll definitely use Mads again - the service and experience I received were exemplary.

Thanks for taking the time to write a review Jeremy, it was indeed a pleasure to help you plan your short trek. I am happy that you enjoyed the time trekking and the company of your guide. We would love to have you back on a longer trek, just let us know. Thanks for traveling with us!
Nepal and Bhutan
Bhutan
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Nov 17 - Dec 5, 2017

My 6 days in Bhutan were amazing . My guide Sonam was so wonderful , full of knowledge and patience. I loved talking to him and I learned so much about the country , the people and the culture . My hike up to Tiger’s Nest was the biggest highlight of the trip. I didn’t think I could hike all that way , but Sonam had confidence in me and I did it! I am so proud . Thank you for a trip of a lifetime!

So glad you enjoyed your time in Bhutan and congratulations on making it up to Tigers Nest it truly is an amazing place, so I am glad you got to see it. Thanks for taking the time to write this review and traveling with us, we hope to see you back in the Himalaya soon!
Nar Phu Valley Trek - 9 Days
Nepal
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Nov 27 - Dec 9, 2017

We were a family group of three people with 15 days in Nepal. Based on our own research and in-put from Mads we selected the Nar/Phu trek.
We had a wonderful trip that completely lived up to our best expectations.
The process of selecting a trek and booking our holiday was highly efficient and very flexible. Responses to any questions were received rapidly.
Our guide (Cheeri) and two porters were outstanding and are highly recommended. Cheeri was true to his name and clearly a very... read more

Dear Jane, thanks for taking the time to review your trek with us I am glad you liked the trek and had a good time with Chhiri. You are right the drive is long, which our trip plan also lets you know and I agree it would be nice to have the time to spend a night somewhere along the way. This adds to the cost and also most people would rather spend the extra night up in Phu or Nar which you rightly say is worth the extra day.
Thanks for traveling with us and we hope to see you back in Nepal or somewhere else in the Himalaya one day. Kind regards, Mads
Doug and pat nov. 2017 in Nepal
Nepal
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Nov 17 - Dec 5, 2017
We had an extraordinary trip, including amazing cultural and architectural experiences as well as a day of rafting and a multi-day trek.
Mads worked with us for months to set up itineraries for the various members of our four person group , since we had different arrival dates and did not always travel together. He arranged a wonderful visit to Bhutan for one of our group while the others did the Poon Hill trek. We loved the traffic-free stay in Bandipur, also the medieval cities Bhaktapur... read more

Hi Pat, sorry it has taken me so long to respond to your lovely review above, thanks for taking the time to do it! So glad it all went according to plan and that you loved it, it was a pleasure working with you and the rest of the group to get this all perfect for the 3 different trips it really was.
Glad you had a good time with Suman and liked whoever you meet on the team, thanks for traveling with us and we hope to see you back in the Himalaya soon! Mads
5 day Pikey Peak Trek
Nepal
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Nov 15 - Nov 19, 2017
Wow! Where do I begin?
My wife and I were a little short of time, having only around 8 days in Nepal but not wanting to miss out on the full Nepal experience; namely trekking, Himalayan views and the fascinating culture that the country has to offer.
Mads was immediately able to assist and his expertise and quick response time made it very easy to quickly establish how we could maximise our short time in Nepal. His obvious knowledge and experience was a reassurance in itself that we would... read more
Gokyo Ri Trek - The best of Khumbu
Nepal
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Oct 28 - Nov 13, 2017
We had a fantastic time on our trek to Gokyo Ri and over Renjo La. From the time we landed in Kathmandu we felt safe and very well cared for. Naresh was a wonderfully thoughtful guide and we couldn't have asked for a better experience trekking through the mountains with him. The views of Mt. Everest and the other 8,000m peaks from Renjo La were even better than advertised. The lodges in Lungden and Thame were especially comfortable and welcoming, with the best Sherpa stew and momos in the region.