Hi Thomas,
I am so sorry that there came a huge lot of misunderstanding although we tried to be much clear in informing all the aspects to you. Apologies for my late reply as I was waiting for your trek guide to come in contact with me since he was in the mountains for trek.
I guess you did not refer to the cost include and exclude part described in the program itinerary sent to you in the link : https://www.kimkim.com/tp/m2MLa7bk
If you see, the program states below mentioned include and exclude parts :
Price includes
- 13 days lodge trek on full board twin sharing basis. (breakfast, lunch, dinner with tea/ coffee )
- Domestic airport pick up and drop in private vehicle.
- Kathmandu – Lukla - Kathmandu Airfares* and domestic airport tax
- Trek permit fees and NP fees.
- English speaking local expert guide and porter on the trek.
- Equipments, clothing, salary and insurance for staffs.
- Trek guide's airfare* and kitbags
- All government taxes
Price excludes
- Accommodation, Lunch and Dinner in Kathmandu
- Soft Drinks and Alcoholic bevarages like Coke, Beer, etc.
- Entrance fees for monasteries and museum
- Nepal entry visa fee
- Personal natured expenses like phone, laundry, gratitude, etc.
- Your personal trekking gears and equipments.
- Hot shower and hot drinking water during trek.
- Your insurance and emergency rescue evacuation if required.
- Any items not mentioned in "Service included section"
* Note : Airfares are subject to change without prior notice.
Regarding your comment on drinking water, hot shower, wifi and battery charging cost, please refer to the 5th and 7th points on "price excludes" section which clearly defines that hot shower and drinking water is not included in the given cost. Also your personal expenses like wifi and battery charging related to phone are also not included in the given cost. I hope you realize that we had informed everything in advance before you book your trip.
Regarding meals, I had a long meeting with your trek guide Mr. Mingma Gyaljen Sherpa regarding this issue and he informed me the exact scenario on what actually happened. I hope you are well known about the fact that breakfast, lunch and dinner are given one time each per day and is also mentioned in the cost include section. Tea/ coffee is provided with breakfast, lunch and dinner (which comes out to be 3 tea/coffee per day) but I suppose you were served tea/ coffee more than 3 times a day. Your trek price was also budgeted based on 1 time breakfast, lunch and dinner per day. Any extra expenses besides these three meals should be born by trekkers themselves which is obvious. The guide informed me that he had informed everything regarding your meal plan on trek briefing after you reach Lukla.
And lastly about tipping, gratitude is also mentioned in cost excluded section. Tipping is a private matter and decision based on your level of satisfaction. The tip of $250 shows that you are very very happy with the trek and services of our staffs and our company.
I hope my above clarification is now able to erase all your confusion and assure you that you were in the safe hands during your visit in Nepal. I appreciate your honesty in placing forth your feelings and experience without any exaggeration besides the confused points.
Thank you for travelling with us.
Best wishes,
Ngima.
