Trekking in Nepal & Trekking Guides and Porterguides in Nepal On this page you will find a text from my friend Daniel Ionita who has been trekking several times in Nepal and whose comments in the Nepal forum are a pleasure to read. He describes the various possibilities organising a trek in Nepal from going on your own, employing a porter or Porterguide to joining a organised tour.
 you can also find the names and E-mail addresses of Porterguides and Guides who were recommended by other trekkers : go to Guides and Porterguides


The following text is from my friend Daniel, known as yakshaver

How will I trek?

As you prepare to travel to the amazing country of Nepal for the first time, to follow in the footsteps of the exploring pioneers, not to mention the hundreds of thousands of other tourists before you, there are a couple of questions you will most probably consider. One of them will be whether you will go alone trekking in Nepal, or with friends, companions, family etc. Once you have decided that out of choice or necessity, you will trek alone, or with a companion, a small group, a large group, etc., another issue is bound to pop up. ”Will I (we) go unaided? Will I employ a guide or porter? This may sound simple enough, but than all the possible alternatives pop up their head, and making decisions may not be so easy. Well, at least for some. I am sure that many people would have done their homework, read all the possible guidebooks, and consulted all the good web sites (like this one, say… or trekinfo.com), and annoyed anyone who’s been within three thousand kilometers of Kathmandu with millions of questions… If you are one of these people, you would be very sure about the way you wish to trek in the Nepal Himalaya. For those still pondering, you will find some points below to help with the decision making process. These are by no means all the possible alternatives, just my pick of what I consider the main ones:

  • Going unaided – trekking by yourself and carrying your own gear.
  • Employing a guide or porter independently (I bunch these together as I see more similarities than differences between them)
  • Employing help in the form of a guide or porter through a local Nepali based agency
  • Join a trek with one of the major tour operators from your country of origin, or some other ”developed” country.
  • I will discuss the various alternatives, as well as possible variations as appropriate.

    Go unaided – trekking by yourself, carrying your own backpack (or Samsonite suitcase…).
    oOn treks like Lukla to Gokyo or Everest Base Camp, Annapurna Base Camp, Annapurna Circuit, Langtang – you will not get lost, or you have to try very hard to achieve this feat. You don't need a guide for showing you the way as such. But the chance of loosing your way is not the main reason why people get a guide and/or porter (more about this in the next section). Secondly, going to Gokyo, or Everest Base Camp or the Annapurna Sanctuary is not a wilderness experience, or not for the most part, anyway. Lodge owners and village people will show you the way if you ask.

    Some people prefer not to employ anyone to carry their luggage. For whatever reason. These can range from trekkers wishing to walk alone for a change (fat chance on Lukla to Namche, for example), to being total introverts who don’t like making too much contact with people, to macho attitudes like “I always carry my own stuff”, to feeling uncomfortable and guilty about paying someone to carry one’s load, to simply being stingy with the money, or whatever other reason.
  • One issue to consider here, is that there is a big difference in carrying 15 kg at 2500 meters altitude, compared to 4000 altitude. The effect altitude has on your body, no matter how fit you are, is serious, and you will pant for breath even if you take it very slowly.
  • For me, on the Gokyo trek say, trekking mostly in the rarefied air above Namche Bazaar (3600m) and up to 4800 (Gokyo), or in the Annapurnas going over Thorong La (5400m), carrying a 15-20 kg pack, reduces a lot of the fun. Hence, spending somewhere between 10-40 US dollars a day, depending on the kind of arrangement, on a porter and/or guide, or perhaps an organized trek may be good value for money. After a few days of going up, and up, and up, and down and down etc, you will understand what I mean. But that's not the only reason for employing a porter or a guide. I employ them even if there is just me, or if I trek with one other person. I find it fun to trek having the companionship of a Nepali.
  • I own up to it, I guess this is a bias of mine, to some extent.
  • (Regarding my quip about the suitcase, Dano, a seasoned trekker whom I trust, swears he’s witnessed a porter carrying a silver Samsonite suitcase in his doko on the Annapurna circuit somewhere near Manang. I certainly saw a lady, full Hollywood style make up wearing a bright yellow top (not leaving much to the imaginantion), with white poodle on leash going up from Jomsom towards Namche Bazaar. You see that, and you go: “that’s why I cam trekking!” Forget the mountains…)

    2. Employ a Guide/Porter Independently.
  • Having a good Guide (meaning knowledgeable, friendly & communicative) with you can make a major and positive difference to your trekking experience. Apart from ”getting more” in terms of knowledge and better understanding of the area and the People, the guide will look after logistics - like paying your ACAP fee (for the Annapurna region, say), organising your transport to the trek head – weather you go by bus or plane, liaising and directing the porter, etc. These are important issues. You can perform these tasks yourself of course. However for the first (or maybe only) trip to Nepal it’s good to consider reducing the stress and increasing your time to enjoy the experience. More importantly, having a Nepali sharing the trip with you brings so much more to the trip, things that are difficult to quantify. In addition, you usually need a porter, and not many porters speak good enough English (or any other foreign language), and not many of them relate well to the western tourist. There is a certain hierarchy in Nepal which still holds for trekking especially, although some of the old ways are dying with various degrees of speed.
  • Sometimes you can find a porter-guide, which might be ideal if you are trekking alone or if you have only one other companion. This is usually a porter who has been on a number of treks, speaks some English, and aspires to graduate to the guide status. It’s not that easy to find a porter-guide, especially in peak season.
    Some information about employing a guide/porter-guide independently (!! Beware of ”information dating” regarding any price estimates!!)
  • Most people employ a guide, who then employs his porter or porters as required by the size of the group and the stuff they wish to carry on trek. Porters usually carry up to 20 kg.
  • Very generally the figures I have seen negotiated for hiring a guide independently vary between USD 10-25 per day. Quite a large variation, but probably 15-20 a day in most cases. Porter fees could be anywhere between USD 7-15 per day. From this the guide and porters pay their own food and accommodation (or rather many lodges give them their dahl-bhat and bunk-bed accommodation for free). These are only guideline figures and would obviously date, so make your own enquiries prior to departure.
  • A few things to be aware of when you want to employ guides/porters independently (not through an agency)
  • Some independent guides registered and sometimes covered by insurance; sometimes this is not the case. You are responsible if anything happens to them, as they are in your direct employment. If they are insured, this is not a problem. Getting insurance cover in Nepal for your guide/can be done, and is no longer as difficult as it once was - just the usual administrative hassle of filling out paperwork and paying some money. Hiring through an agency (from overseas, or a Nepali based one in KTD when you arrive), generally means they are insured, but please ask. Usually it’s not a major issue if you don’t have insurance for your porter or guide on the popular treks as the risk is minimal. Remember the popular treks in the Annapurna, Everest and Langtang areas are NOT, in the main, a wilderness adventure, and these days the quality of accommodation (even for porters) has improved, compared to twenty or thirty years ago... Many of these treks have been trade routes for hundreds of years. In more restricted areas like Naar Phu or Dolpo, trekking permits will require you to have registered guides, from registered agencies. (Please check the validity of this information, as at the time of this update some restricted areas are becoming more “lax” in the application of these rules).
  • Guides and porters will charge you for time spent, whether on trek or not, e.g. if you hire a guide in KTD and go to Annapurna, you will have to pay the extra day spend traveling by bus to Pokhara, unless you decide to fly yourself and the guide there.
  • You may have to pay the guide or porter’s bus or airfare to and from the start/end of the trek , e.g. Kathmandu-Pokhara, or Kathmandu-Lukla return, as well as any other travel for the purpose of the trek, e.g. airfare from Jomsom etc.
  • Customarily pay part of the agreed amount at the beginning and the rest in two or three other installments along the trek. Usually you pay the guide for the porters’ wages as well. However when it comes to tipping at the end of the trek, tip everyone individually (see notes at the end). Don’t give the guide the tips meant for the porters.
  • Get a guide/porter recommended by other trekkers, or the hotel or lodge you are staying in Kathmandu, Pokhara, Lukla etc. While most guides are honest, it is safer than just getting someone of the street.
    oI suppose apart from the money-saving aspect, and the more personal nature of the transaction, there is the fact that you know your money is going directly to ordinary Nepalis and flowing on into the local village economy (most guides and porters are from the rural areas) where it is mostly needed.

3. Organizing a trek through a Nepali based trekking agency:

  • This can be organized easily through the internet from your home country these days. There are good reputable agencies that have been there for a number of years, and there is the odd operator about whom trekkers relate unhappy incidents. Going with a recommended Nepali based agency is a safe option. Usually the cost is about close to half of what you would pay a tour operator in your home country, but maybe a bit more expensive than employing a guide or porter independently. Usually the reputable Nepali based agencies are very good in organizing your trek, from picking you up from the airport, to all other logistical requirements. It takes a lot of the hassle out of the exercise. Another advantage is that, provided you go with a reputable and well recommended agency, they have their guides and porters insured. Hence if anything happens to them you are not liable. This does not absolve you of the moral responsibility towards your employees on trek, and you still need to take due care (e.g. that they have adequate shelter, clothing etc). Obviously on the down side, you pay a bit more than for alternative 2 (employing your guide/porter independently), and your guide and porters get a bit less than if you employ them directly. Still, even with this arrangement your full money for the trek remains in Nepal.

4. Joining a trek with a major Western Tour operator

  • For those who want adventure but not too much of it (!), and what absolutely everything done for them, joining a major tour operator from in your country might be the way to go. Usually adventure tour operators in your country are in partnership with travel/trekking agents, often they have their own “old trekking hands” from the likes of New Zealand, USA, Australia, UK, Switzerland or Germany etc – who’ll accompany you on the trek. Sometimes this is not the case, as local Nepali representatives handle the trek leadership. Still, the setup is more or less the same. What are the advantages? As I said, you pay the money, and than almost everything is done for you, almost in spoon-fed fashion, from the customary slide-show before the trek to tying up you shoe-laces in a cold morning at Gokyo. Most of the organizations are quite professional, and most people using them report positive experiences.
  • Some of the disadvantages now: the price is usually more expensive than if you organize your trek on the internet through a Nepali based agency. Secondly, while the ”western” tour operators will offer some tea-house treks in the lodge-trekking areas, some of them will sometimes try to glamorize and sell you a fully-serviced tent trek, even on the popular lodge serviced treks like Annapurna Circuit or Gokyo. Apart from being far more expensive than lodge (tea house) treks, I fail to see why you would sleep in a tent (usually next door to a lodge, or in the middle of a village) when there are perfectly good lodges nearby.
  • However if you do a trek in a more remote area ( e.g. around Dhaulagiri or Kanchenjunga, or Naar Phu, or even Manaslu) it is necessary to accommodate in tents, as there are not many lodges in those areas. Personally I would not sleep in a tent for treks like Langtang/Helambu, Gokyo/EBC in the Everest Region, or the Annapurna Circuit or Base Camp treks. In April 2004, I woke up on a cold morning at Machermo (4400 m) and witnessed some Canadian tourists gingerly getting out of their tents (camped on our lodge’s front lawn) and making his say through the fresh snow to the lodge kitchen for a cup of tea… I am willing to bet that even Sir Edmund Hillary would sleep at a lodge these days, where he could do so… Still, there is a great mystique on “tenting it”, having hot breakfast cooked and dinner cooked for you by excellent cooks over the kerosene stove at the camp mess, and feel like an explorer from the 1950ies. As mentioned, on some treks like Makalu, Kanchenjunga, or Dhaulagiri, this is the only option.
  • Probably the most difficult aspect – for me – with large tour operators, is the fact that they are, out of necessity, inflexible with the schedule and itinerary. This is understandable, as they have to deal with larger groups, comprising mostly of busy People who have fitted the Nepal adventure holiday between important work projects, dental work or major surgery for their pet (or perhaps minor plastic surgery for themselves…). Hence, if you get sick on days other than the pre-determined rest days, tough luck!! You will get a porter assigned to you and your luggage, and you head down, or maybe stay put in a lodge until everyone else return to show you the nice pics. You won’t get any money back (it is in the small print of the contract). The program is reasonably inflexible. I am willing to stand corrected if things have changed in this area, but it would be very difficult for a large group of trekkers to be managed in any other fashion.
  • There are also obvious advantages in being in a larger group, wether you’re with a Nepali based or a foreign based trekking agency. Many People live the group dynamics developing and make friends for life on these adventures.
  • In conclusion, as the clichés go there are horses for courses, each to her own kind of yak shaving, if you like - there are alternatives for different preferences and pockets.

Some notes and comments

  • This advice only deals with different trekking alternatives. Nepal is far more than just mountains, majestic as they might be. There is an intriguing cultural/religious mix unique in the world, as well as many diverse opportunities to spend your time. Planning for some time to visit the Kathmandu Valley, and Chitwan National Park makes the trip to Nepal far more interesting, exciting and varied than purely going there for trekking. You get to see more aspects of the country, it’s culture etc, as well as meeting a far greater variety of Nepali people from different regions (there over 30 ethnic groups in Nepal).
  • Note on emergency evacuation, mostly for independent trekkers, or trekkers going with independent guides/porters: If you or one of your trekking colleagues need emergency evacuation by helicopter, usually you will have to pay this upfront regardless if you have travel insurance or not. You get a receipt and claim this once you are back in your country. Helicopter companies will not come to pick you up, no matter what danger you are in, unless the cash or credit card payment hits the till… This is apparently because to many westerners dying from altitude sickness or some other ailment, once safely in Kathmandu or Pokhara absconded without paying. There is one exception and one variation to this. The exception is when you trek with one of the large western tour operators. They usually have you covered by insurance and will charge you any excess later. The variation is related to Nepali trekking agencies. Good trekking agencies have a relationship with one of the helicopter companies, and when your guide phones base, they are able to summon a helicopter immediately. Usually you don’t have to fork out money on the spot, but when you are safely out of danger, you will repay your agency (can also be done by credit card with the better trekking agents). You will and than claim the cost from your travel insurance in your own country.
  • If you go on a trek organized though an agency (Nepali based of otherwise) ask about how evacuation is handled.
  • A cultural note: it is customary to tip the guide and porters. These people put a lot of effort in to make your adventure holiday memorable, look after you, even protect you and may safe your life. Usually somewhere between 10-20 percent of the fee you have paid to the guide and porter respectively is acceptable. If you have organized your trek through an agency, you can still calculate an average amount of what an independent guide or porter would get and give them 15-20 % of that sum. Pay the tip to each individual personally, and thank them personally. Don’t just give it to the guide to give it to his porters.
  • Whichever way you choose to trek, whatever you chose to do, enjoy Nepal. It is an amazing place.
  • Written by yakshaver - updated November 2007


Take care of your Nepali Guide and porters!
 When your are trekking one of the higher treks, like Everest base camp, Thorong la or ABC please make absolutely sure that your porters and guides are well equipped. If they are independent they might say that they don’t need good shoes or warm jackets, as will maybe tell the agency. I have seen porters in the very cold, whose equipment was ashaming and till nowadays porters die because of lack of warm equipment.
Please be aware, that it is an egoistic reason to have an well equipped porter. You need him in case of problems. If he’s in trouble, this means that your are double in trouble!.
I’ve met once a organised tour of Germans who had crossed Thorong la. It was End of October but there had been 5 days of snow the days before and the temperature was maybe -15 or 20°C. The group was leaded by the sirdar with the kitchen crew from the agency and several porters just hired for this tour and not equipped properly at all. (Normally in October Thorong la is easy without snow). About half an hour before reaching the top, the porters got in panic, threw away every thing and run down. This may have saved them a few toes. While the sirdhar was completely busy collecting all the load, one of the Germans got problems with his feet’s, but didn't realise that there where already freezing. The next morning, when I met him in Muktinath, both of his feet’s where looking like big balloons with big cracks in it. We brought him by horse to Jomsom and he flew out to Pokhara/Kathmandu. Fortunately his feet’s are OK again.
The same day many other Tourists with mountain boots got frost blisters, imagine what this means for Nepalis with tinny cloth-shoes or slippers.
.When I ‘m going the high trails with possible days in snow or in the late season my porter guides have always good shoes and a warm Jacket and sunglasses. You have to check this carefully before leaving for the trek, even. if your are going with porters from an agency.
See also the web site of the International Porter Protection Group

Looking for an independent porterguide or guide:
A very nice site to find independent porters is the web site of Fergal O' Ceallaigh “Hiring your independent porter” 
See also portersprogress, they help porters in many ways. After your trek you can give  not anymore needed mountain clothes either in Lukhla or in Kathmandu and they will lend it to porters.
If you like to suggest a Guide or porter with whom you have trekked personally please send me an E-mail and a photo at namaste(at)nepal-dia.de

Independant Himalayan porterguides and guides recommended by trekkers


Bachan 60mmMy friend Bachan Rai / Guide
I met Bachan the first time in 1999. I had asked in my hotel for two porterguides, and one of them was Bachan. I realised very fast how reliable and friendly he was and trekked till now five times with him. Our longest trek was seven weeks and we crossed Tilicho lake. Bachan has a deep knowlege of the whole Annapurna region, including Tilicho lake and the villages around Muktinath (see my magic places) and he knows all my favorites lodges. Bachan knows many nice and good other porterguides, so he can also organise a trek for a group. In the last years Bachan has worked for many of my friends and other people, who liked him too and where very satisfied. In 2004 I trekked twice with him in the Everest area. We visited Phaplu - Namche Bazaar-Tengboche-Chukung-Kongma la- Gorakshep -EBC-Kalar Patar-Cho la-Gokyo fifth lake-Renjo la-Thame-Nangpa la-Jiri. in Nov/Dec 2005 Bachan organised and guided our 4 person group for the Manaslu trek. He also organised a larger trekkingtour in the Annapurna for an Austrian friend with a group of 12 persons
Bachan has an official trekking guide license. he does not carry luggage.

Jason McPherson from Adelaide, Australia, wrote:
We met Bachan in Pokhara after organising with him via email for him to be our guide on the trek from Jomsom to Beni (via Kagbeni and Muktinath). From the very beginning we found him to be friendly and extremely helpful. He helped us to organise plane trips, park permits and anything else we needed help with before embarking on our wonderful trek with him. On the trek he was a great companion and guide, pointing out things of interest, giving us more information if we wanted it, teaching us Nepali phrases and songs when we wanted too. He also seemed to know the best lodges and we met a great many people through him also. Bachan is reliable, honest and professional whilst also being a great trekking companion and I would recommend him highly to.
George from Hungary wrote
I would like to recommend Bachan Rai as a reliable, trained and prepared trekking guide. We, four Hungarian guys, were informed on independent trekking guides by nepal-dia.de and contacted Bachan via email 2 months before starting to Jomsom trek in the Annapurna region. He answered immediately and helped us very much in selecting accommodation, travel options and accessories for trekking. Although our original time schedule was changed because of a canceled charter flight and also some significant delays of domestic flights, Bachan was flexible and reorganized the trek accordingly. During these days (March 2005) the situation in Nepal was hardly predictable, so I am pretty sure that without Bachan we might face with serious problems. He was very kind and tactful when exploring our physical condition before the trek. He had very useful suggestions when partially redesigned the trek: we felt that he carefully balances safety and adventure
Bachan xx
He organized the best places for eating and lodging during the trek, we saw Bachan as a guide recognized by local people as well. He has good communication skills and a very good sense of humor that made the whole trek full with fun. We are all grateful for the huge amount of information he shared with us that could never be extracted from books. These included not only geographical, zoological and botanical data but also some historical, cultural and religious information that helped us very much to understand Nepali culture and people.
I hope visiting Nepal in the nearest future and I am sure that Bachan is the first guide to be asked to join us again. 



If you contact  Bachan Rai at bachan4himalayas@gmail.com  , please have in mind, that he is often on a trek for several weeks, where he can not answer your E-mails.

his mnobilphone in pokhara is 9846103061

Porterguide Bir Kumar Rai

Bir Kumar 0250   Bir joined us in a January trekking tour around Annapurna. My German friend Hans knew him from the Austrian Alps, where Bir is working since some years during summer in a mountain lodge. The owner knew him from some mountain expeditions when Bir worked as a expedition cook.

But he has also a guide license and works as an independent Porterguide. He knows :Annapurna and Everest region , round Manaslu , round Daulagiri,  Rolwaling and even Makalu area.

Bir is very strong and would carry 15 kg. He is very friendly and I enjoyed every day with him. Other friends of me were also highly satisfied when they trekked with him.

Bir’s brother has a little trekking agency, so he can organise also bigger tours.

Bir knows the areas of Annapurnaa, Langtang, Everest and Manaslu, Rolwaling, Makalu, Ice Col Route!

Contact him at raibk@hotmail.com 

his mobilephone in Kathmandu is 012327161

Porterguides Prem and Maina Rai - the perfect family business

Prem Rai 2007 MainaP 0150Premrai klein P 150Prem was already recommended by a German some years ago to my site. As he is a friend of Bachan I met him in 2005 when we just had finished our Manaslu tour. When i wanted to go for a Annapurna trek in September 2007 neither Bachan nor Bir could go with me and I remembered this nice guy. Well i was not disappointed. Prem was very helpful and a perfect companion. Based in Pokhara he knows all Annapurna area including Tilicho lake. He showed me Ice lake and Milarepas cave near Braga. Prem knows the shortcut from Muktinath directly to Kagbeni over the little villages of Jhong and Puttak avoiding the motorway. He knows also Everest area.

Prem not only carried a heavy part of my luggage but was also a perfect photo assistant, having always the tripod at hand or lenses if needed. I

Back from our 4 week trekking tour I met his lovely wife Maina at his home. Maina worked several years as a guide or porterguide for the well known three sisters trekking agency. She has many certificates for training courses and also knows the whole Annapurna area very well. She can carry up to 15 kg.

Prem and Maina have also a massage salon in lakeside. In March 2008 i took my mother with her 78 years to Kathmandu and Pokhara. She got 3 Massages from Maina and felt at least 5 years younger. According to my mother, Mainas massages where much better than any she ever got in Germany

In March 2008 German Jakob Flechtner went with Prem for 4 weeks to remote villages in eastern Nepal where Prem is coming from. So they could visit many of hei Rai relatives and it must have been an unforgetable trek!

you can contact them at premmainarai@hotmail.com

his mobilephone in Pokhara is 9804115956

Peter Nashak wrote me:

I wanted to send a recommendation for Prem Rai to anyone who reads your site. We used Prem to help set up our Annapurna circuit trip March-April 09. I found him on your site, contacted him, and he became an immediate asset. I also contacted various other independent guides, but Prem was the most detailed, helpful, and responsive - he was also a good value!
 Unfortunately Prem was not available to be our personal guide, but he arranged a terrific guide porter to assist us. I was trekking with my wife and 75 year old mother and Hari, our guide porter, was an amazing companion. We started near Pokhara at Begnes Tal lake and took four days to get to Khudi and the main circuit trek. From there we followed the main circuit, via Gyaru (upper trail near Pisang), to Tilcho (which ended up snowed out), up over Thorung La, and finishing in Jomsom. The whole time, Hari was attentive to my mom, split heavy loads with me as my mom encountered problems, and went with me on all of my indulgent excursions up side trails. During our trek we were alos lucky enough to meet up with Prem and his group and for three days we enjoyed each other's company and had a lot of fun. Prem even gave my mom a much needed massage near Tilcho Lake!
 
I can't say enough about Prem and his family. They were conscientious, courteous, and fairly priced. They took care of all our arrangements from Katmandu to back. Incredible service at prices no western guiding outfit would ever offer. Prem is a true professional and deserves anyone's business. And if Prem is not available, ask him for one of his talented and friendly associates.
 
P. Naschak



Birding Guide Khanal Gorkhana
 Khanal, G kleinprotraet Kahnal G. was suggested by a german trekker who met him in a lodge in Gorepani. He was impressed by his knowledge and all the informations Khanal could give. Khanal is spezialized in birding:
This is my almost 15th year working with tourist. I have goverment  licence for safari,Treking and bird watching.My proffesion is bird watching. But not many tourist are bird watcher. So, when I doesn't have bird watching tourist, I do work with treking and safari people.With all my tourist I go my self on the fild.I don't carry things my self, but I do organize every thing what tourist need through my travel agency.I am a free lance guide but I do conect to my all tourist to this ageancy,
GOKARNA KHANAL,
PLAN HOLIDAYS Travel and Tours(p)Ltd.,Gpo.Box:11380,Thamel,Kathmandu,Nepal.
green_societynepal@hotmail.com
Untill now I have been doing Annapurna region: Annapurna round,Annapurna sanctuary,,jomsom muktinath, ghorepani. Everest region: Jiri to kalapathar,Everest bascamp, All Lantang area and safari.Also North india,south india and tibet mt.kailas .
I do regulary guide in the nepali mountains. For language,I can write and speek english,nepali and indian.Beside,I can simply guide with German and Japanese language. This is I was just learn 4month. But still I like to learn this two language whenever i will have sweetable time.


SantamanSantaman is a guide and recommended by my Australian friend Daniel Ionita, who wrote the text on top of this pageand says:
I have employed Santaman as a guide for three of my four trips to Nepal. I found him to be excellent professionally as well as a great person to be with on an adventure holiday. Santaman is 100% reliable, very knowledgeable and skilful as a guide, a very good communicator and an intuitive listener. I have witnessed him making decisions under pressure (my 10 year old son got an acute case of Altitude Sickness on one of our treks in the Everest Region), and found him to be a good and quick thinker and a very good decision maker. He will trying everything to accommodate your needs and wants during the trek, but will be quite assertive and firm if there is a situation where safety is an issue. He seem to have a pool of very good porters that he works with, and treats them well. Santaman is 28 years old, is married and has two daughters, aged 7 and 5 years. He is studying sociology part time at Tribhuvan University, as well as going to his village during the monsoon months to help his parents with the farming. He is an excellent guy, and I have no hesitation to recommend him
Contact him at santamn@hotmail.com 
Recently, my friend Silvia from Germany contacted Santaman for a trek to Khumbu, Unfortunately he could not go himself but he recommended a friend which whom Silvia was very happy.

his Website is www.nepaltrekguide.com/


tr-raju tilak Tilak Thapa “Raju” is recomendet by Ms. Katrin Ertner  from Danmark
I'm very much pleased to recommend my Guide to those peoples, who are going to Nepal for a trekking purpose, and are planning to hire a guide for Annapurna, Everest, Langtang or Kanchenjunga.
I've already trekked twice with Tilak. My first trek with Tilak was Kanchenjunga in 1995, and second trek was Everest Base Camp this year (Nov. 2002). I'm very much impressed by his skill of guiding. He has graduated in English Literature, and Social Science from Tribhuwan University, Kathmandu. He also has been trained by Ministry of Tourism Nepal, and has got Trekking Guide licensed. Thus, he is well- educated, well- trained Trekking Guide, and good English speaking guide, and knows so many things about aspects of his country Nepal, and that helps you to make your trek much more interesting. During my trekking period and staying in Nepal, he took very good care of me, and I am fully satisfied by his excellent services .I'm greatly looking forward to returning to Nepal next year for the Annapurna trek with Tilak.
Once again I would like to highly recommend Tilak to the peoples who are planning to trek in Nepal.
Katrine L. Ertner ,Copenhagen, Denmark
Contact him at nepaltrekkingguide@hotmail.com

tr-hari

trekking guide Hari

Hello from Belgium!!
I have been in Nepal with my friends for 3 times in 1996, 1998 & 2000. We did a trek to Annapurna Region two times & Gokyo in Everest region with guide Hari. During our trekking period and time in Nepal he did everything what we needed for travelling in Nepal. He is very honest, helpful, reliable, friendly, well-educated and a well trained guide. He has been trained by the Ministry of Tourism of Nepal, and became a trekking guide license in 1993. He has graduated in history and in english literature. He has been attended the classes about high altitude sickness, first aid training. Hari has  got great knowledge in history of Nepal, culture, life style, altitude sickness and makes the right decisions in case of emergency, bad weather or sickness. As we experienced in 1996 at the Annapurnatrek where Hari succesfully succeeded to arrange a helicopter in very difficult circumstances to rescue a very sick friend. For this we are still very grateful.
Of course he did help us with plane tickets, permits and for all other necessary things. He speaks fluent English as well as Japanese. I found Hari a real professional trekking guide.
I have already recommended Hari to many people in Belgium and also to many of my friends and they all enjoyed him a lot and liked his professional work.
My wife and I are planning to do the Mustang Trekking in the end of 2003 of course with Hari.
His address: Hari Sitaula ,Thamel, Kathmandu, Nepal
Email: nepalfriendlyguide@hotmail.com
I would not hesitate a second to recommend him to everybody who is planning a trek in Nepal. I will be glad to answer your email, if you want to know more.
Patrick de Saegher : p.de.saegher@pandora.be


tr-KB klein 50Porterguide KB
David Chidell from Camborn UK recomends the porterguide KB:
I returned from a trek in the Annapurna region of Nepal last October (2002). The scenery was fantastic. The people we met were friendly, welcoming and helpful. But, I have no doubt in my mind that the best part of our holiday was our choice of guide. He went by the name of "KB".
I managed to contact KB by e-mail before leaving England. Everything was arranged in a week. On arrival in Pokhara, there he was, all as planned! After arranging the trekking permits for the four of us, the trek to Annapurna Base Camp - and back - began.
I grew to know KB very well & can honestly say that I have seldom met anyone I have as much respect for as a person. Totally honest, humble yet decisive, conscientious at all times, and full of local knowledge & stories. In the evenings, his laughter was infectious. He knew how to keep us safe, minimise what we spent, entertain us and educate us.
KB lives in Pokhara. His e-mail address is k_baba2002@yahoo.com

prem khatri kleinTrekking guide Prem Khatri

 Mr. Joy T.Y. Hung from Burnaby, B.C. Canada recomends Prem Khatri
I would like to recommand an excellent trekking guide. I met Prem K. Khatri when I went trekking to the Annapurna Base Camp. Prem is a 20 year old young guy who is full of energy. He speaks excellent English, and will be able to communicate with trekkers regarding their concerns along the trek.
Prem has been a very experienced trekking guide, through his work as a trekking guide and his background of growing up in the mountains. He is certified by the Trekking and Tourism authority He is very knowlegable about the mountains, the trekking routes, and the environment. He is very attentive and sensitive to client's needs, and had made my trek a very pleasant and comfortable one. Prem is young, energetic, humorous and very imaginative, and trekking with him was a very fun and interesting experience for me.
Prem is an honest,responsible and conscientious person, at the same time very warm and caring. He has become a very close friend, and keeps regular contact with me. I will not hesitate to recommand Prem as your trekking guide. If you are looking for someone who is full of energy, humor and imagination, Prem will be your guide. Please feel free to contact me via email if you have need more information regarding Prem.
Prem K. Khatri. EmaiL: nepaltrekguide@yahoo.com

 see also his own website http://www.geocities.com/walkingnepal/mypage.html


Trekking Guide Jagat Lama
Jagat_Lama p 175Antje Kharchi from Arlington, Virginia, USA recommends Jagat Lama
I did consider trekking when I first arrived in Nepal with only vague plans for my Indian visa break. But after having battled touts too often, the prospect of finding and hiring a trekking guide seemed daunting. Through a string of fortunate coincidences a mutual friend introduced me to Jagat Lama, an independent government-licensed guide with lots of experience. After considering my desire to see mountain village life, and my limited time span, he suggested the comfortable entry-level Ghorepani trek in the Anapurna region. Together we arranged the logistics, such as bus tickets, trekking license etc. At every step he showed me the tricks of the trade, and made sure that I paid fair prices for everything.
During the trek itself he took the lead in his quiet, unassuming manner, observing my physical abilities and adjusting the pace accordingly, never making me feel uncomfortable for my slow ascents on steep climbs. Instead, he encouraged me to find my groove and stick to it, so that even the hardest hikes were a joy.
His itinerary was perfect, a good balance of walking and rest stops, and he chose lovely places for the night halts, never the sleekest ones, but inexpensive places with lots of charm and hospitality. It was very cold during this pre-season, and every night we found ourselves sitting by the kitchen fire, chatting with the proprietresses and eating delicious Dal Bhats. Once we encountered a festival in a Gurung village along the way and decided to stay, adjusting our plans accordingly to enjoy an afternoon of singing and dancing.
Jagat is everything I could have wished for in a guide. He is professional, respectful, courteous, kind, and knowledgeable, has a subtle sense of humor and is a great travel companion. We had wonderful conversations along the way, as well as long stretches of comfortable silence. His second profession as a singer is an added bonus because on many occasions he lent his voice to an entertaining evening by the fire. He taught me many Nepali words and phrases and gave me a great introduction to the various cultures we encountered along the way. Already halfway into our trek I decided to return in April to tackle the Annapurna circuit with him. His prices are very reasonable, and in fact, he decided to work independently to avoid exploitation of both client and guide by agencies. He renews his license every five years after undergoing additional training.
I will be more than happy to answer any questions you may have. My e-mail address is ntjekharchi(at)yahoo.com . please remove the stars before sending the email Better yet, you can contact Jagat at jagatlama(at)independent-trekkingguide-nepal.com  on his Kathmandu mobile number at 98510-76386

Jeff Lam wrote:
I used the services of Jagat Lama in October 2008 and found him to be excellent. He has been guiding for over 15 years, so everything he arranged went smoothly, his local knowledge was extensive and he really looked after our group (this included making sure that our food was
cooked properly, that the slow walkers were kept company, and that our accommodation in teahouses was secured in advance).
Jagat speaks excellent English and is exceptionally outgoing by Nepali standards- during our trip he ould describe the local culture and history which added to our experience.
Importantly, Jagat also looks after his porters. He was quite firm about the maxiumum weight they could carry, and ensured that they had packs that also used shoulder straps rather than just the older -style head straps. This was in sharp contrast to groups that I saw organised by better known Western guiding companies, where the porters had much larger, heavier and more primitive packs.
Jagat's site is: http://www.independent-trekkingguide-nepal.com/

Rajan Pulami kleines Ausschnitt Trekking Guide Rajan Pulami
Linda Reid recomends Rajan. I am writing to recommend a really great guide we have trekked with in the Annapurna mountain range four times now. He is called Rajan Pulami and he lives in Pokhara with his wife and two children. He is 28 and has recently gained his guide certificate. My partner Allan and I have visited Nepal twice and each time done two treks with Rajan and have found him to be great company and very easy going. He has a great sense of humour and is so interesting to talk to and has helped us to learn so much about Nepalese culture. He knows the Annapurna area so well and has also taken us to more off the beaten track places too that he knew we would find interesting.
He is very professional in his guiding and always takes us to great places to stay and is very popular in all of the lodges we stayed in. He loves to sing and play the drum and quite often we will join him in the evening sitting around the fire whilst he plays music with other Nepalese people. He is 100 percent reliable and speaks excellent english. He has trekked with people of all nationalities and many of them have trekked with him several times. He is very experience in guiding and is very capable in all situations.
We have been invited round to eat with his wife and two lovely children on several occasions and we stay in touch with him by email.
I would recommend Rajan to anyone thinking of trekking in Nepal. He is very honest and a very caring person too besides being lots of fun.
His email address is rajanpulami46@hotmail.com  please remove the stars before sending
Linda Reid and Allan Harris of Congleton England.linda(a)reidl.freeserve.co.uk 

Jagat Lama was also highly revcomended by Jeff Lam

agasta_groáTrekking Guide Agasta David Klett from Germany recommends Agasta
In autumn, 2003 Agasta Mukhiya led us around the Annapurna-circuit. Already when doing the preparations of the trek Agasta turned out as extremely prudent and conscientious. He absolutely took care of everything, checked our equipment, helped us to procure missing pieces of equipment, and cared for the necessary permissions. On the trek we got to know Agasta as a dear-dignified and prudent road companion. He paid attention to our step speed very exactly, cared for the fact that we drank enough and didn't arise by bigger heights too quickly. When a cook fell out in a Teahouse, he cooked for us and at a half ragged suspension bridge he performed stirring psychological support. He helped in smaller hurts and wounds with his extensive outdoor-pharmacy and an actually staggering effective miracle toothpaste. Altogether Agasta is equipped professionally.
Without Agasta we would have got to know only little of the country and the people in Nepal. In excellent English he told us everything we wanted to know and helped us to get into conversation with natives. Besides, it was of great help that Agasta had been leading groups in this region for many years and has friends almost everywhere. For us this turned out to be of essential help, when one of our journey pals fell ill with Paratyphus.
Agasta, with the help of an Ex-Gurka-Captain, convinced an airline company in Katmandu via satellite telephone to send a helicopter to Gorepani, i.e. in the middle of the Maoist's area, during the most important day of a Hindu's-festival. Agasta leads groups around the Annapurna, to mustang and Tibet, organizes very fine rafting-tours, and also leads trips on Peaks like Chulu west, Chulu East, Iceland Peak, Mera Peak and Annapurna IV.
His E-mail address is: agasta_mukhiya@hotmail.com
In case of any querries feel free to send an E-mail to david(a)klickmaschine.de.

Thakur timalsina kleinTrekking Guide Thakur Timalsima Marty Brill from California recomends Thakur Timalsina
Thakur was my guide for the trek to Everest Base Camp and he was truly amazing right from the start. He picked me up at the airport and facilitated everything for me in Kathmandu prior to our departure. The following day, when the trek began, is when I really got to know Thakur. He is very smart, knowledgeable about world affairs, his country, politics, and of course, the Himalaya. He is also funny, outgoing, friendly, and in tune with his clients needs. He has been guiding for over eight years, including all of the major treks in Nepal, many peaks, and has guided the Everest Base Camp trek countless times. On our trek, he pointed out the name and height of every peak we saw in the Khumbu Region which was very impressive. Thakur is also very cautious and aware about AMS (Acute Mountain Sickness). He is very familiar with all of the symptoms and knows how to handle situations involving mild and/or serious AMS. He is also very experienced with weather patterns/conditions and safety precautions and he demonstrated excellent judgement on our trek.
In the tea houses, Thakur facilitated my breakfast, lunch, and dinner orders with the tea house owners. He always had us stay in the best tea houses, always made sure my room was suitable, then in the evening he would help me filter water for the next day and we would relax and play cards. Thanks to Thakur, every detail in the tea houses was taken care of and I never had any problems or uncomfortable situations. Thakur always had everything under control and provided service that far exceeded my expectations.
All told, I highly recommend Thakur and his trekking agency. I am very thankful I hired Thakur to be my guide, and on my next trip to the Himalaya, I will certainly call on him again. He is a very experienced, speaks English very well, and is always thinking about his client's needs and well-being. He provided me with the experience and service of a lifetime. I had a wonderful experience trekking in Nepal thanks to Thakur.
Email: thakursina@gmail.com 
Recommended by: Marty Brill, San Francisco, California, USA

Bishnu Dharel P200 Trekking Guide Bishnu Dharel, Randy Cronk from USA recommends Bishnu Dharel
In October 2004, Bishnu and I met for the first time. Although I have extensive experience in wilderness and adventure travel around the world, this was my first time to trek in Nepal. The primary reason for wanting to travel with a guide was the companionship that I desired to have while trekking the Annapurna Circuit. I was not disappointed. Bishnu has an excellent command of English and a good sense of humor. We were constant companions; yet he was sensitive to my desires to be alone at various times each day. He is flexible and patient. He was always mindful of my safety as well as his own – anticipating and warning of potential hazards such as a slick stone or low doorway. We passed many an hour talking about Nepali culture, politics, economics, religion, and family life. He never tired of my questions. He conducted himself in a most professional manner at all times and made sure my needs were met. I quickly grew to trust Bishnu as a friend. Near the end of our trek, Bishnu suggested we travel to the mountain village he grew up in between Pokhara and Katmandu. Our 3-day visit to his home, well off the tourist track, was a highlight of my month in Nepal. His parents graciously received me as a guest in their humble home. I have employed many guides across the years in East Africa, China, Papua New Guinea, Thailand, South America, and North America. Bishnu’s services were second to none. He is number one on my list of preferred guides to trek with.
Bishnu’s email address is: bishnudharel@yahoo.com 
If you have questions, please contact me at: rcronk@mvnu.edu (Responding to your queries may not be immediate if I’m traveling. You understand.)

Suajn P 200Trekking Guide Suajn ,WG Gates from Uk recomends his guide Suajn 
I have just returned after a few weeks trekking around Nepal and would like you to add our guide to your list-
I would like to recommend Suajn who took me and my brother for a trek to Annapurna Base Camp. We met in Kathmandu where we agreed on the scope of out trek and he ably organised everything from there to our return some 2 1/2 weeks later. Thrown in was a days tour of Kathmandu before we left and then on our return a days tour of the other cities in the Kathmandu valley.
He was cheerful and patient throughout, despite having to pit up with arguably the slowest walker in the world, and kept his sense of humour throughout.
He knew many of the T house owners well and when I go back next year I will avail myself of his services again.
Suajn Babu Devkota GPO Box : 3283, thamel Kathmandu, Nepal
e-mail mountainguide_s@yahoo.com 
bill.gates@fscan.co.uk


Ram kleinTrekking guide Ram, Mikael Person from Sweden recomends Ram Kamal Sapkota
 During the past 20 years I¹ve visited Nepal nine times, yes you are right, this is my favorite country! I have been here for many reasons, for writing articles, bird watching, visiting Nepali friends and of course trekking. The latter has always been brilliant experiences, mainly thanks to a very knowledgeable and polite guide Ram (Kamal) Sapkota, who is since more than ten years back become one of my closest friends. We have been trekking together to remote chepang villages (a kind of "stone age" people), Panch Pokhari (Lang Tang Region), Annapurna, and more obscure areas outside normal maps and tourist destinations. Two years ago we went to Api Himal in far western Nepal, an extremely remote and beautiful area with very interesting ethnic diversity. This was very much possible due to Rams (Kamals) knowledge.
Ram (Kamal) Sapkota has besides a vast trekking experience a great knowledge in nepali culture, history and politics (from university studies) and wildlife and nature from guiding many Scandinavian groups through the Nepali mountains. I use to recommend him to all my friends. Everyone has been so pleased with all his arrangements. Ram is gentle, easygoing and full of respect for his owns country and culture. He is 100 % honest and trustful, he never drinks alcohol (wich could be a bonus for single woman traveling alone. 
I would gratulate anyone fortunate enough like me going trekking with Ram (Kamal) Sapkota. Besides everything above, his pricelist is extremely reasonable. He can arrange all kind of trekks in Nepal plus trips to his beautiful, native home village Jyamrong (and a rare opportunity to stay for a few days in a nepali home).
If you want to reach me, please use my e-mail address:
mikael_minla@hotmail.com 
Yours sincerely, Mikael Persson, Kungsvagen 124 A 352 44 Vaxjo Sweden

krishna adhikari x 175Trekking Guide Krishna Adhikari , Graeme & Lucy (South Africa) recomend Krishna Adikhari lucybarnes00@yahoo.com 
Although we didn't initially have Krishna as our guide, we met him at Kathmandu airport and were drawn by his charisma. We ended up trekking along a similar route to Krishna and his clients for the first 10 days in the Everest region (Namche- Godkyo). His good sense of humour made for some very memorable evenings. He had a good general knowledge of the area and was able to communicate well in English. He appeared to be up for a challenge but conscious of safety. His enthusiasm for the trekking was not overwhelmed by the attention given to his clients. He didn't come across as overbearingly attentive. Must say, we sometimes wished we had the option of his offers of tea in bed at -10 deg C. We've formed a good friendship and wish him well with this recommendation.

Krishna Adhikari, P.O.Box: 23044, Kahmandu, Nepal
Mobile Phone: 00977-9841433205, guidenepal@gmail.com
www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1435517963&ref=mf

David and Eve from Belgium wrote in 2009:

Krishna was recommended to us by a friend who had been hiking with him in the Annapurna a few months earlier. From our very first exchanges through email with Krishna it was already clear to us that we were dealing with a very friendly and professional person. The evident enthusiasm with which he was talking about the beauty of hiking in Nepal made us even more impatient to pack our bags and go.
Once we arrived in Kathmandu, Krishna was already waiting for us at our hotel to welcome us. After we dropped our packs off in our room, he took the time to go over our hike to Kala Patthar. Two days later we were flying over the Himalaya's, to Lukla, the starting point of our hike. From the get-go Krishna showed he had organized everything perfectly: flights, porter, accommodation, food, He had it all covered. It was great to know that after a day's hiking we could just collapse in a small tea house knowing that Krishna would take care of us and get us ready for the next day. It was our first hike at such high altitudes, and coming from sea level, we felt it! Krishna's drive and relentless enthusiasm gave us an extra boost during some of the harder parts. His playful interaction with the locals which he has gotten to know over the years was heartwarming and gave us plenty opportunity to join in on the banter. The hike itself was extraordinary, and Krishna's knowledge of the environment made it even more enjoyable. Krishna got us back to Kathmandu in one piece and one heck of an experience richer. Krishna is an excellent guide and a beautiful person. We couldn't recommend him more.
David & Evy, Belgium

 



amar kleinTrekking Guide Ammar, Martin Breunig from Germany recomends the trekking guide Ammar
I would like to recomend you a wonderful trekking guide. I met Ammar by chance during dinner. He was very reserved and it took a long time until I found out, that he is leading people over the mountains. After eating and talking I decided to hire him as a trekking guide, and it was the right decission.
Ammar and I spend twelve fantastic day´s togehter. We went to the Annapurna Base Camp and to Poon Hill. Ammar is an excellent, honest and reliable guide. He is independent and well edjucated as a goeverment guide with licence.
He speaks fluently english , so that it was great to listen to him when he was telling me about his various knowledge about Nepal, the culture, the people and especially about the stories of the different places we where passing by.
He always find great places to stay and we had close contact to the local people. His timeing and organization of the sigle day´s was so good.
During the trek he was watching with eagle eyes for my safety. He was so sensitive and careful troughout the day and his smile and humor where a great companion.
Right now he finished his graduation in Tourism and Hotel Managment. Ammar became a good friend and we still have contact by e-mail. So I will not hesitate to recomend you Ammar as a very good trekking guide.
Please contact him at: yourfriendlyguide@yahoo.com , ammarguni@hotmail.com , www.geocities.com/yourfriendlyguide
If you have any questions please contact me at: Marbreu@gmx.de 


Bijay raiTrekking Guide Bijay Rai , Sue Mac Rae recomends Bijay rai
"In the spring of 2001, my girlfriend and I arrived in Pokhara to "trek". Being two women travelling alone we decided that we wanted to employ a guide to ensure a safe and enjoyable trip. We were so lucky to find Bijay to be our trekking guide. Bijay was a true gentleman and was always very conscious of our safety. He was also very knowledgable about the sites and cultures we encountered and always went out of his way to find experiences for us that were "off the beaten path". Furthermore, it must not go unnoticed that Bijay is very strong, carrying the bulk of our gear all day long for ten days. In retrospect, I can't imagine what we would have done without Bijay's expertise, support and knowledge during our trek. I would highly recommend
him as a trekking guide."
See more in the website they created for him www.trekplanner.net

contact him at gofortrekking(at)yahoo.com

Sue MacRae
Toronto, Canada
suemacrae(at)hotmail.com 

further recomendations:

Wendy Smith from Kent wrote in May 2009:
I strongly recommend Bijay Rai as a guide having trekked with him to Annapurna Base camp in 2005 and with his company Beauty Nepal Adventure on The Annapurna Circuit in 2008. I was extremely impressed with the logistics and organisation of both trips and Bijay’s reliability. When travelling on your own it is important to feel secure and confident with your guide, that they have excellent knowledge of the mountains and the trek is planned and organised accordingly with safety being the main priority.
Both occasions have been unforgettable experiences and unique journeys exploring the amazingly beautiful landscape that Nepal has to offer. In addition Bijay has great integrity, excellent communication skills and a deep knowledge of the varying cultures, plants, birds, animals, natural habitats and land formations. He is very happy to answer any questions you may have. He is great company and has excellent interpersonal and social skills. Being a good communicator he imparts knowledge easily and with clarity but also knows when to give space and your own time, for reflection.
I work as an artist and enjoy identifying and observing plants, so spent much time stopping to photograph and sketch. Bijay was always very patient with me and I never felt rushed, this only added to the immense enjoyment of the trekking experience.
I do not hesitate to highly recommend Bijay and his company Beauty Nepal Adventure and I am happy to answer any questions.

Wendy Smith Kent, UK Contact: wendyart(at)gmail.com
 

 


rhajan DhunganaTrekking Guide Rhajan Dungar, Bary Lindemann recommends Raj Dhungana
I am writing to recommend an excellent trekking guide with whom we recently trekked the Jomsom and Annapurna Sanctuary during October and November 2005. Rajan Dhungana (Raj) is nearly 30 years of age, very fit and is certified by the Trekking and Tourism authority. 
Raj speaks excellent English and I have found him to be great company and very easy going. He has a good sense of humour and is well educated and informed about Nepalese culture.
Raj is well aware of the need to ensure the safety of trekkers especially about AMS (Acute Mountain Sickness) and is very experienced with weather patterns/conditions and known precarious sections of the trek.
He is well experienced in the Annapurna region and is highly regarded by his peers and was very popular in all of the lodges we stayed in. On many occasions during the trek there was healthy dialogue between guides and porters about the trekking and weather conditions and Raj’s opinions are well respected.
One of Raj’s great qualities is his ability in planning and organisation to meet our special requirements or change of plans during the trek but also to ensure our accommodation in advance. He was always very attentive and sensitive to our needs and made sure our room was suitable, schedule our meals and that our meals were of good quality. He demonstrated excellent judgment on our trek in and was always cognisant about our safety, walking rate and regularly checked with each of us to see how we were managing the trek.
Nothing was ever too much trouble for Raj and he was always there to meet our little requests. At the end of the trek, we stayed in Pokhara for a few days and Raj at his own expense accompanied us again sharing his wealth of experience and knowledge about the area and Nepalese culture while taking us to more off the beaten track places too that he knew we would find interesting.
Barry Lindemann Australia
 http://www.geocities.com/alpinetrekkers  E-mail: spacetrek77@yahoo.com  rajandhunganaa@hotmail.com



ming gurungPorterguide Ming Gurung, Annemiek and Peter from Holland,
We would like to recommend Min Gurung as a porter. He is a very kind, friendly and helpful person. October 2005 we did the Annapurna Circuit trekking with him. On that trekking we had the experience that he has the same knowledge about this area as a guide. He was able to give us all the information we need and made that we had an unforgettable time.
In the two months we were in Nepal we did several short trekkings with him and became good friends.
He also knows much about the Kathmandu Valley, religions, holy places and the history of Nepal.
When you decide to make a trekking with Min as your porterguide, we are sure that you will have a very good time.

You can contact him at : gurung_min@yahoo.com

 

 


tr.tikaram subediTika Ram Subedi. , Mountain Trekking, Independant licensed guide.
We want to thank Tika Ram Subedi for the eight fantastic days we spent with him (october 2007) on a short trek and to Poon Hill.

Tikaram is an excellent, honest and reliable guide. He is a true gentleman, funny, good sense of humour, cheerfull, reliable, patient, discreet and he was always very conscious of our safety.
He find great places to stay and we had close contact with the local peoples. His timing and organization of the day´s was very good. Everybody knew him and when he was arround there was always happiness.His great with kids to.
Tika Ram speaks good English and we have found him to be great company and very easy going. He is well educated and informed about Nepalese culture.
If we ever have the chance to go back to Nepal, when trekking...... he is our only option without any doubt.
  Tikaram we miss you!
  Bea & Danny from Belgium

 You can mail him at tikaram123@yahoo.com

 You can phone him on(00)977 98462 83310

Tika ram Subedi Talx250Sally Eathorne wrote 2010

My partner Paul and I have been to Nepal several times and have always trekked independantly, however we wanted to trek the Manaslu region in November 09 and by Nepali rules we had to employ a Guide as a minimum to qualify as an official group. Initially we were not keen on the idea of having a guide, being free spirits as we are but we had to if we were to do this trek. We used teahouses and lodges all the way around except for the night before the pass in which we had carried a tent to use.
After much deliberation and writing to several on your website we decided to go with Tikaram Subedi. He sounded very amenable and flexible to our requirements. He turned out to be perfect for the trip as we wanted our independance and to be able to walk and take photos on our own at times, he was very agreable to this and would walk ahead or behind observing and making notes of the trip for his own use.
He has a wonderful sense of humour and is honest, patient and very trustworthy and quickly picks up on what is required of him. We would highly recommend Tikka for trekking in Manaslu along with the Annapurnas of which he has a great deal of experience and tremendous knowledge. If you need to know any more details or would like to ask anything about treking around Manaslu, please feel free to contact me on: sallysparkle2(at)hotmail.com

tr-rajan dongolTrekking Guide Rajan Dongol is recomended by Hana Tejmlova

I would like to highly recommend Rajan Dongol with whom I spent three weeks on the Thumang and Gosainkund trek. Rajan has a huge experience in trekking. He is 35 years old and his second profession is a teacher. Rajan is an honest, mature and very considerable trekking guide. He has been a guide for more than 10 years and has extensive knowledge of all trekking routes. He has a sense of humor and is a great travel companion.

I was very lucky to meet Rajan on my first trek to the Langtang region. Rajan was guiding a group of Dutch people and became very concerned about me as I was trekking on my own. Although I wasn’t his employer he simply acted as though I was – arranging accommodation and food, explaining things, and cheering me up.

The following year when I returned to Nepal I hired Rajan and we did the Thumang and Gosainkund trek. I found him very needed as people in Rasuwa region don’t speak Nepali but Thumang and Tibetan languages. Rajan is fluent in both languages not to mention that he speaks very good English. I was also impressed by the way he treated the local people, especially children. They just loved him and because of this people became very friendly and helpful towards both of us. He always ensured that the pace of the trek was compatible with my ability and even offered to carry my stuff for a couple of days when my backpack started to get a bit heavy. He taught me a few Nepali words and phrases and gave me a great introduction to the various cultures we encountered along the way. I am sure I’ll be back to trek with him again.

I will be more than happy to answer any questions you may have or you can contact Rajan directly at his e-mail address rajan.dongol@hotmail.com .

I wish you beautiful trekking, 

Hana - hana.tejmlova(a)seznam.cz

tr- tulasi großTrekking Guide Tulasi Ram Paudelrecommended by Janine Buttig from Germany We`ve had a wonderful holiday time for a month to do travels in Nepal.

We made the plan to do trekking with the recommended guide Tulasi.

He took us for a twenty five days trek up to Tilicho Lake and Throng-La pass (round Annapurna).

The trek to Annapurna sound and Tilicho Lake trek were fantastic with our guide Tulasi. He was fully insured, trained, excellent, trustworthy, helpful. He has a wealth of knowledge regarding the geography, different cultures, traditions, wild life and about the Himalayan region.

He is physically fit, experienced and responsible to the client in respect to safety, health care, team spirit, the conservation of the landscape, understands rules and regulations in respect to effective management and environmental safe guards. He is professional in figuring a trek to suit our interests . We had our Conrad Stein book and lonely planet book – but no need to use it once, because he knows all the places with good food and the lodges on the way were lovely.

He has a great sense of humour and can make you laugh even after a hard day of trekking!!!

He is very well respected and gets along very good with the other guides, porters and lodge owners. We were very happy to make this Himalayan experience with him and he became more a real good friend than being “only” a guide. We already miss him!

He can do many kinds of organized treks as tea house trek, guide, porter services, camping trek. Especially in the Annapurna region such as Tilicho Lake trek, Nar-phu trek, Mardi Himal trek, Throng -La pass, Annapurna Base Camp trek, etc.

Book him! You won’t regret your decision!

Tulas Ram Paudel is also recomended by< Pro. Gentil de Faria from Brasil:

Trekking Guide Tulasi Ram Paudel recommended by prof. Gentil de Faria


Reading the page on recommended trekking guides – www.nepal-die.de – I chose five names and wrote to each of them. I got three answers and one of them was from Tulasi. Immediately I decided to take him as my guide. From the very beginning I found him to be very friendly and helpful. He helped me to organize my trip to Nepal, especially to Annapurna Circuit. He took care of everything, park permits, and all kind of information I need, such as what to take along, what to buy, to rent, etc.

He wrote to me frequently before my embarking on that wonderful journey with him. He proved to be so confident that I did not hesitate to fix an appointment with him right in Besisahar, very far from São Paulo, Brazil.

After a quite exotic trip by bus from Kathmandu to Besisahar, I was delighted to see his smiling face asking me if I were from Brazil. The date was November 5, 2008. From that moment we stayed 18 days together. I took advantage of his companionship and made an extension of my stay to Lumbini, the birthplace of Buddha. We said good-bye for the last time on my way to Chitwan National Park, recommended by him.

I was amazed by his deep knowledge of the whole Annapurna circuit. He knows the region, all the lodges, lodges owners, and has an excellent relationship with other porter guides. Seeing them talking together I realized that he was a leader and respected by his friends.

We had marvelous pleasant moments, and I took advantage of his solid cultural background, which includes historical, geographical, cultural facets. I profited from his ability to teach me Nepali, a language I had tried to learn by myself before leaving Brazil.

Although still in physical good shape, I am a sixty-year old man, professor of Comparative Literature. Tulasi knew how to keep me safe and took good care of me in the simplest details. After the 12th day of trekking, I was extremely exhausted in Thorung Phedi. I could barely move my feet up to climax of our trekking: Thorung La. Tulasi took all my stuff on his shoulders, and so I could finally reach the top of the mountain.

He is a very talkative and easygoing guy. We talked about everything: our families (he had a daughter of only one month!), religion, politics, cultural shock, etc. He is totally honest, respectful, courteous, patient and very kind, besides being simple and a humble human creature. He returned to me all small coins of change.

In Pokhara, where he lives, he invited me to dinner with him in his humble house. Wow, the chicken was delicious (mitho cha!).       
  
Tulasi speaks very good English, much above the average. He is well educated and has a college degree. It is impressive that he is only a trekking guide in that far remote land


Tulasi Ram Paudel independent trekking guide
Email: tulasip@hotmail.com
Tel.: 00977 98460 58846

further recomendations:

In april 2009 we made our first trip to Nepal, but it will certainly not be our last !!
The first trekking we did was a bit disappointing, because my friend got so sick that we had to terminate our trek in an early stage.
But we gave it another go, this time with Tulasi Ram Paudel as our guide. The best decision ever. Tulasi made sure we had a wonderfull experience.
We only did a 8 days trek in the Jomsom area, but we will certainly come back in a few years en take on a longer trail, with Tulasi as our guide if possible.
Tulasi has a great sense of humour, he is energetic, intelligent, he knows a lot about the area and always did the extra mile for us. He's a confident en pleasurable guide to be with.
Almost every evening we had interesting and long talks about Nepal: the daily life, religion, politics. During the day Tulasi took us of the beaten tracks, pointed out interesting sights, took us to monastry's and temples. He deserves to earn a good living and we recommand him to everyone who can appreciate a guide that gives you an insight in the Nepali lifestyle while enjoying Nepal's nature by foot
 With best regards, Audrey Claes and Gijs van Steenis, The Netherlands

tr-puru tTrekking Guide Puru Timalsena recommended by Jenny Claton from Australia

All my thanks goes out to Puru for being such a fantastic guide. we did a trekking to Annapurna with Puru in 2006. It’s been a year since I went on my Trek with Puru but I remember it like it was yesterday. What an unforgettable experience! The scenery of Nepal is absolutely amazing and the Nepali people so kind and genuine.
Puru is a great guide being very knowledgeable about the history, culture, geography, politics and the people of Nepal. His English is excellent and he is very friendly and inspiring. Before the trek we had all the details provided in writing and they were discussed with us well so we all knew exactly what we were doing. Each evening, while trekking, we were told what to expect the next day in regards to terrain, time, weather, what to wear and carry etc. Puru was never wrong!
I couldn’t have expected more from a trekking guide. Puru was so enthusiastic about his job, he took the time to teach me about Nepal, it’s people and it’s flora and fauna. Everything. To have such a guide was a real privilege. To leave a country with memories and photographs is good. But to leave a country with a true friend is great. So thank you Puru. I have said it many times and every time I mean it. I sincerely hope to come back to your beautiful country. Any body are looking a guide with lots of knowledge of country and with excellent english contact puru at tpurushotam@hotmail.com .
 
Jenny Claton
 Australia
 


ngima Dorje Portraet klein jpgTrekkingguide Ngima Dorjee Lama

We've known Dorjee since we met him on the Annapurna Circuit in 2002. He was guiding an Australian couple. We spent much time together (as often happens on the AC) and we were impressed with him as a guide and friend. Subsequently, we've recommended him as a guide for several friends, and he again proved excellent (and they are now also recommending him to their friends).

We visit Nepal and trek regularly (7 tiimes so far) and have observed many guides (many very good; some terrible). Dorjee is among the best.

Learn about Dorjee on his company's website (he IS the company...):
http://www.letsgonepalnow.com/aboutus.php

Dorjee can be contacted by email: lamand@ccslnp.com

David & Michelle, Vancouver, Canada


My husband Chris and I went did the Annapurna circuit trek in October of
2003. We hired Mr. Nigma Dorjee Lama as our guide. We had an
excellent experience doing the Annapurna circuit. Having Dorjee as our
guide made our trip easy and relaxing (well, as relaxing as a 300 km trip
can be!). Dorjee recommended much of our accommodation and we were
pleased his choices. Dorjee also helped us with any paperwork and
translation required at various check points. He was a wonderful and
helpful companion during the day and played a mean game of cards with us
in the evenings. We would highly recommend Dorjee as a guide to those
interested in doing a trek in Nepal.

Anna Van Maanen, Vancouver, BC, Canada

Dorjee can be contacted by email: lamand@ccslnp.com

Kushang kleinportrait Porterguide Kushang Tamang

Kushang has many recomendations from german trekkers. here is one who wrote me on ein English. i have met Kushang once on Ac and can confirm that he is a really nice guy. Daniel Groeber from Germany wrote:

We can recommend Khushang as a porter-guide very much. He carried for 2 persons on the Annapurna Circuit incl. Tilicho Lake and the weight didnt even seem to bother him very much. He is very strong and very experienced. He knows the whole area very well. His englisch is very good and he even speaks a few words german. He is very interested in whats going on in the world and you can also have a lot of fun with him in the evening.
The walking with him was very nice. Sometimes we walked together, sometimes we went ahead and then met at a defined places for lunch or overnight stay. The lodges and restaurants recommended by him were always very good - always among the best in town. Often they were some of the newest (and most modern) which are not in any guidebook yet.
On the whole it was a lot of fun walking with him and we can highly recommend him.

Daniel

contact him at khushang_tamang@yahoo.com.sg  

Hem Adhikari klein

Porterguide Hem Adhikari

Nicolas de Kerkchove wrote
:Namaste,
We would like to thank and to recommend our friend Hem Adhikari as independent trekking porterguide. We have been trekking with Hem for 10 days in the Annapurna region, among others we went to fantastic places like Muktinah, Beni, Kalopani,...

He is a local guide from the Pokhara Valley and has the appreciable capacity to adapt the itinerary and the accommodations to your desires. Some guides will only take you to pre-arranged places because they receive advantages there regarding the food and the accommodation. As a result, you don’t feel really free. Hem will always take care of your own happiness before his own. Moreover, all the days we spent together he was smiling and taking care of us, same in the moments where we were all very tired.
Finally, he will be able to adapt the itinerary according to the physical strength of everyone.
Hem speaks an excellent English and is now a friend of us with who we stay in close contacts.

Tina from Brazil, Patty from Peru, Nicolas from Belgium

Serge Verliat wrote Feb 08:

I went to Nepal many times from 1980.
I spent around two years in this country.
I did some research in the Tamba Kosi area in human geography and anthropology.
Last year I spent 5 month in the Himalayas and my road cross the road of Hem. 28 years. He is from Pokhara and knows very well the Annapurnas. The first day, he was quite surprise to work with a foreigner who can speak nepali. .. but he speak also a very good english. So you can talk with him about all subjects. I appreciate particularly his good contacts with every kind of people, foreigners, porters or simple nepali.
 We had very good moments together. This man is very friendly. Always happy with every day a large smile and a good feeling of communication.
 One more time, I come back to Nepal with 8 friends and Hem was our guide. He choose himself 4 friends who worked as porters and we had a very good winter trek. Hem was just perfect: He takes care about everything and everyone with the good distance. All of my friends were so happy that we invite Hem and his wife to join us to Kathmandou It was for them an unexpected and enjoyable honeymoon journey. 
Two month ago, I came back to Népal. I was really happy to meet Hem again and to give him an opportunity of work.... because he is now a father of a nice baby. I know all his family of honnest Brahman. 
I can recommand Hem to anyone. This man is reliable, honnest, friendly...Every body who can make a trek with Hem will be really satisfyed.
Serge VERLIAT, 35 chemin Concession 97432 Ravine des Cabris.
La Réunion. France.
Serge Verliat

You can contact Hem by email at hemtrecknepal@hotmail.com and/or see further information on his Blog: http://www.trekkingannapurna.blogspot.com/

his Website is: www.nepalteahousetrekking.com 

Lindsay grey wrote:
"I would strongly recommend taking Hem as your guide through any section of Nepal. He is safe, articulate, well informed and works very hard. My girlfriend and i completed the Annapurna circuit with him in October 2008 and were very impressed by his can do attitude. My girlfriend got altitude sickness at the top of the pass and Hem practically carried her down the mountain. As a doctor i was also impressed by his medical knowledge throughout the trip.. He is also very good at selecting porters who tend to be family members and are equally fun and enthusiastic.
Email me at linzgray(at)googlemail.com if you have any questions.
 Lindsay Gray from Edinburgh

Maggi Rowell wrote in Mai 2009: I spent a delightful 8 days with Hem as my trekking guide in the Annapurna region in March 2009.
He is an excellent guide with a good sense of humour and the ability to ensure all your trekking needs are met. Hem arranged my trek to suit my individual requirements and took great care to ensure I was comfortable and well looked after at all times. He is reliable, punctual, well informed and he is also very trust worthy. It is advisable to forward him an advance payment to guarantee his availability as he is usually very busy during the trekking season and it would be a shame to miss the opportunity to have him as a guide. i look forward to meeting Hem again and would readily have him as my guide any time I am in Nepal.

Nigel Evans wrote in may 2009: My girlfriend and I booked Hem over the internet for a trek in April 09. We gave him our requirements and he sent us back an itinerary that he thought would suit us, this looked good and we sent a deposit to book the dates. He was waiting in Pokara for us when our coach arrived with a lovely smile and welcome.
The itinerary was perfect for our needs and he was very attentive for the full trek. I would not hesitate to recommend him to any individuals that wish to trek the Himalia (including lone lady walkers ) equally he is quite capable of organising a large party and has the relevant contacts in his locality to do this, including food and accommodation, in short he is an excellent guide with a good knowledge of all treks and the flora and fauna. Thank You Nigel Evans / Ann Skila

Shiva Thapa P 200Guide Shiva Thapa is recommended by Jo Foster

I am writing to recommend Shiva Thapa as an excellent guide. I went on the "Royal Trek" with him in October, 2008, and he impressed me as a very pleasant, experienced, and dedicated professional who loves his work.

 I have strong ideas about the kinds of experiences I am looking for while trekking. Shiva listened well, better than any other guide I have hired, so he developed a great sense of what I wanted to see and do. He was always thinking about finding those kinds of experiences for me, so it was a wonderful, personalized trek. Shiva's interactions and involvement with local people along the way helped bring me closer to them, and have a lot of fun, too. He was also great about translating interesting little exchanges that he had with people, and adding in cultural context and insight when appropriate.

 Shiva is a thinker, his knowledge of the culture is deep, and his English skills are strong, so conversations with were very interesting and a big part of the experience. This and his fun and positive attitude make him great company, but he also knows when to allow space and quiet. He also has great integrity, so a single woman will have no worries with Shiva as her guide.

 The pacing was just right for my needs, and Shiva always was vigilant about health and safety. In my trek this primarily meant being very careful to be sure that food preparation and sanitation standards were appropriate in an area not all that used to Western tourists. This particular route was an easy one, but Shiva has many years of experience and very good training so I would not hesitate to recommend him for a trek of any length or difficulty level.

His website is www.treknepalwithshiva.com , Jo Foster (American), Al Ain, United Arab Emirates
 

he is also recomended by dutch ladys

October, 2005, we (3 elderly ladies 69, 60, 57 years old) came to Nepal to walk the Annapurna circuit. Two of us had made treks before in Nepal, but without a guide and porters.
This time we decided to walk with a guide and porters and it really was a fantastic trip! The guide, Shiva Thapa, speaking fluently English, made the country become much more alive by his knowledge of the background of the culture, fauna, and flora of the Himalaya’s. On the way to Manang there was suddenly a heavily snowfall, so we had to return. We were very glad to have Shiva with us to lead us safely through the places where avalanches were coming down and to know where the trail is in heavy snow!
Due to this fantastic experience we decided to ask him to guide us again for another trek in spring 2007 to the Tamang Heritage Trail, Langtang, Gosaikunda and Helambu.
Again we had a wonderful time and the same great experience as the other trek with him. He also became a very good friend of us.
He really is a very, very responsible guide and takes care of everything you need or is important for you. Besides that he is a very modest and lovely person!
He also is a very experienced guide: he guided more than 150 treks in the last 12 years!  Both trips made such an impression to all of us; thanks to the expertise of Shiva. We warmly recommend him for being your guide! He simply is great!

If you want to know more about him or contact him, please logon www.treknepalwithshiva.com 
 

Martha Bisselink-Bakker
Miek Dornseiffen (dornseiffen(at)hotmail.com )
 

And recomended ba David and Simona Melviez:on 1/09

We wanted to recommend Shiva on your website with the following :
Our trekking with Shiva was more than an amazing experience and Shiva is more than a wonderful guide. He will help you choose the best trek for you, by taking into account your interests as well as your physical condition. He will show you all the hidden beauties which caracterize Nepal and its mountains. Consequently, at the end of your trek, you will recognize all the plants, trees and animals and will have incredible experiences to tell your friends.
Thanks to Shiva, we have been able to experience few evenings among native Nepalese people with whom we have shared a glass of the local alcool and food.
We recomend you to get Shiva's help if you are planning to trek in Nepal, as he is the best!
Have fun,
David and Simona

 

Sam Stearman recomends Bhakti Devkota

bhakti devoktaIf you are fortunate enough to travel to Nepal for a month or more - spend as much as possible here. A 10 day trek will take you to the Anapurna Base Camp; a 30 day trek totally around the entire Anapurna Circuit. If you only have a few days, you can get a good flavor of the Anapurnas with as little as a 2 – 3 day tour.

If you choose to come on your own, I would strongly recommend getting a guide, and if you do, I warmly recommend my guide and personal friend: Bhakti Devkota. He knows these mountains like the back of his hand as he still lives there today with his wife and young son, his English is excellent and he is knowledgeable, courteous, helpful, and reasonable. If you are interested, you can reach him by phone at 98 0411 6389 or email him at bhakti8848(at)gmail.com .  Tell him Sam said Namaste (Nepalese for hello)

You can find additional information about Bhakti from the following websites:
http://www.bhakti8848.multiply.com  
http://www.gotonepal.tripod.com
http://www.samsays.com/Anapurna.htm

further recomendation by Dave Allan: I trecked to Annapurna Base Camp with Bhakti in February 2009. He's a fantastic guide and a fantastic person. He is an absolute natural as a tour guide. He knows all of the routes, he is great with people, he likes to laugh, and he just makes everything very easy. He is very popular at all the lodges and he will arrange everything that you might want, from boot repairs to special meals. 
He also knows many of the best sites for rare birds and he has incredible eyesight.
 I trekked with two English friends, and we used Bhakti, his brother, and a friend of Bhakti as guides/porters. Soon we were 6 good friends, and I had great times learning the Nepali language and learning about Nepal.
 When I visit Nepal again I'll be delighted to meet up with Bhakti again and spend more time with him in the hills and mountains.
 I have no hesitation in recommending Bhakti as your guide or porter-guide.
 Dave Allan Lancashire, England,  bobolink(at)talktalk.net

Guide Bhakti Ram Devkota is also recomended by Charlie Stainforth
Bhakti Ram Devkota – Brilliant Trekking Guide NEPAL
I spent 14 days with Bhakti trekking through the remote and magical Kingdom of Mustang and I can honestly say that he was the best guide I could have possibly had.
Not only did he guide me through the terrain with the ease and ability of a professional, he lead me through the culture, customs and history of an incredible land that can only be reached by foot or horseback.
Bhakti speaks perfect English, and even over days of walking we never ran out of anything to talk about especially my specific interest in the area, he interpreted for me perfectly and had some interesting questions for the locals, which I still think about.On the way to the trek my bag fell off the top of the jeep because I forgot to tie it down. Bhakti not only noticed and stopped the jeep; he jumped out and ran back along the dirt track to find it, not knowing if it had fallen minutes or hours ago! Legend! After that I knew I could trust him to look after me over the coming days.

If you are planning any trip to Nepal even without trekking intentions Bhakti knows everything and can give the best advice from a truly good guy, who will do everything he can to make your experience in Nepal the best it can be.
I spent a long time in Nepal and BHAKTI WAS BY FAR THE BEST GUIDE I HAD AND THE MOST EXPERIENCED and if you are planning to go to Mustang or anywhere with him you will have an incredible time and tell him Charlie says hi. I will be going back soon anyway! If you need anymore info contact me at c.stainforth@gmail.com .see also her  Worddocument with pictures

Kim Hung from honkkong recomends Porterguide Min Gurung

Min Gurung klein I am Kim Hung, from Hong Kong, China. I had a special Chinese New Year 2009 in Nepal. Min Gurung as our porterguide on the trek in Ghorepani Circuit (Poon Hill). I searched him also on internet. I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to Min. Below is my description on Min.

Min Gurung is an honest, helpful traditional Gurung, he comes from famous Gorkha, the village of the bravest soldiers. He is experienced in trekking especially Annapurna area. Min now lives in Lakeside, Pokhara. On the way of trek, you can see he sing and joke. He will also give a little local wine to you. For safety and work, he just drinks a little. That time we were on budget, and he helped us with the very reasonable prices.
He gave us the best offers and willing to give suggestions and information. We learnt a lot from him, from local culture to local politics.

He is a wise and friendly person to me. Once we finished our trekking, we were invited to his home, had dinner together. You will sure enhance your experience in Nepal with him as a porterguide. We become good friends now.

Min Gurung can be contacted by gurung_min(at)yahoo.com,
his mobile number is 9846118628.

Kim Hung (kimcheq(at)yahoo.com.hk) & Afred Wong (keafred(at)gmail.com), from Hong Kong.

Narayan BhandariTrekking Guide Narayan Bhandari is recommended by Hans & Heleen van 't Zand, Holland
We highly recommend Narayan as a trekking guide. We first met him in October 2003, when he guided us to Annapurna Base Camp, and we became friends at that occasion. We met again during our visits to Pokhara in 2005 and 2006, and recently, in April 2009, he was our guide once more. He was great company to us, patiently and with humor answering our many questions about Nepali nature and culture, managing to get us the best rooms in guesthouses with a good kitchen, always offering a hand at a difficult or rough passage and encouraging us when we got tired.
He is very well experienced in the Annapurna region, respected by the other guides we met on the treks and popular in the lodges we stayed in.
You find Narayan or his wife at Pokhara Lakeside, the Northern part, in Nabin's Cold Store.
Read more about him on his website, http://nepaltreks.freehostia.com , or mail him
at bhandaritrek(at)gmail.com . Be aware that he may be on a trek and not be able to answer your e-mail right away.
Tek Rai Porträt 150Guide Tek Rai is recomended by Dirk Hansen Ruether from Germany

Thanks to our Guide TEK BAHADUR RAI the Annapurna Circuit has become a beautiful and unforgettable experience to us. He was a competent and sensitive accompanist, who has always found ways to meet our wishes and requirement.
TEK speaks fluent English and is open to every conversation.
At the same time he has a good flair for nearness and distance, so that we have always felt uninhibited and free.
TEK has plenty of experience with the routes around Annapurna and in the Everest region. His good contact to the population has opened us quite a few doors and hearts.

Kontakt Tek: raitek2006@yahoo.com

Surendra lamichane y200Guide Surendra lamichane is recomended by Vered

We would like to recommend Surendra lamichhane as a guide to Nepal. We traveled with him on November 06 and have since then kept in touch with him. We believe that he is a very responsible and reliable guide, and we know that he took excellent care of us during our stay.

Following our good experience with Surendra, we also recommended him to our family and they also had an excellent time with him. They trekked with him with 4 young children and had a great time.

 Enjoy your stay, Vered and Eyal Duenias.


Surendra lamichhane: sdhawa6@hotmail.com


 mingma sherpa kleinMingma Sherpa is recomendet 2009 by Silvia mathaler vom Switherland :

I would like to recommand my Guide Mingma Sherpa. I was trekking twice with him. The first time the Annapurna Circuit Trek and the second time the Annapurna Sanctuary Trek. Of course I will also do my next trek in the Everest region with him again.
Mingma is 32 years old and comes from the Everest region. He lives in Pokhara and works for 15 years as a guide. He has great experience, knows the Treks in whole Nepal (Everest, Helambu, Langtang, Upper Mustang, Annapurna, Kanchenjunga, Upper Dolpo and others) and can arrange all kind of treks.
I appreciate that he speaks very good english and is an interesting person to talk to. He is professional, reliable, helpful and has a good sense of humour. Mingma found always the best places to have a rest and to stay overnight. When I fell ill, he took good care of me and was very flexible. I always felt safe and comfortable with him.
Please contact him at: migmasherpa2005@yahoo.com
His mobile number is +977 9846221214
Sylvia Marthaler from Switzerland
If you have any questions, you can contact me in german or english at: smarthaler@gmx.ch