Reviews

I did the EBC + Gokyo trek with Himalayan Masters in May 2024. My tour booking took place through Sandip (the owner), my guide was Himesh, and my porter was Ravi.

I could not possibly recommend Himalayan Masters more. After having done a 16-day tour with them, I can see why their reviews are so consistently excellent.

Here are five main reasons to choose Himalayan Masters:

1. Integrity and honesty—if, like me, you are travelling to a new country for a non-inexpensive tour and perhaps even doing it solo, the #1 concern on your mind is whether you are dealing with a legitimate and honest party. You are in this case. At every turn, they have acted in my best interests, even when it was probably at an additional cost to them
2. Client-centricity: these guys are very passionate about their work. Every little detail of the trip was executed in a way that would optimise my experience. From the airport pick-up to the hiking experience, etc. For example, Sandip insisted on arranging my drop off at KTM airport even though I stayed in Kathmandu for several days beyond the trek. Another example – when there was something minor I didn’t like about one of my tea house rooms, Himesh immediately got me moved to another room that he felt would suit me better—without any question
3. Cost: Sandip and Himesh did not cut any corners with costs. They put me up in the best teahouses along the trek. They arranged for me to fly from Kathmandu to Lukla by helicopter instead of driving four hours to Ramechap for a flight to Lukla, which was what other hikers had to do at the time. This helicopter ride wasn’t part of my package and probably came at an additional cost to them, but at no extra cost to me. They also gave/lent me a lot of necessary gear for free: – a t-shirt, cap, down jacket, trekking poles, water bottle, water purification tablets, crampons, sleeping bag, etc. All of these make their already competitive pricing even more worth it
4. Skill and experience—their guides and porters are very good at what they do and will look after you well. They will be your best friends on the trek. Himesh was an absolute legend; the hike wouldn’t have been the same without him. He looked after me very well and made the entire trip more enjoyable thanks to his deep knowledge and engaging personality
5. Miscellaneous benefits of having a well-connected tour operator—for example, getting me onto a helicopter/plane when other hikers were unable to get onto one themselves!

It was a fantastic experience with Himalayan Masters, and I’ll be referring family and friends to them for future Nepal trips. I should add that at the start of my hike. I encountered a couple of trekkers who had just finished their tour with Himalayan masters and gave me the same feedback as above.

World-class tour operator, without a doubt I’ll be back and hiring them againsingapore 🇸🇬

We have completed the Annapurna Circuit with Himalayan Masters, and it was great! The team assists you with planning and organization from the start, and even if we could only do it in the off-season during the monsoon, they took up the challenge! Trek was excellent and well organized; our guide, Dipak, was the best, funny, and generally great to have around with the “boys,”  Sebas and Nabaras! We would not have completed it without them! I can only recommend them for trekking in Nepal!

Annapurna Circuit trek with Himalayan MastersFrance 🇫🇷

The Annapurna Circuit in August was a great experience! We were lucky to have clear views, sunny days, and great temperatures while hiking.

From planning to completing the trek, the experience was smooth, and I’ll remember it for a lifetime.

Sandip and the team helped us with the professional booking process, including swift communication and a detailed prep list. Upon our arrival, Rajendra welcomed us at their office, and we went through the trek day by day. He explained the route, which was planned according to the road and weather conditions during the monsoon season.

We then hit the road and met our guide, Dipak, and our lovely porters, Subash and Nobaras, and the real fun started.

Dipak is extremely professional and has years of experience guiding people through this amazing nature. It felt comforting to know that if anything happened to us, he’d be able to help! Thanks for your positive attitude and for guiding us through this trek like a champ, Dipak!

The final thank you goes to our porters. You were amazing, and I couldn’t have completed the trek without you! Subash and Nobaras are the kindest and most humble people. I wish you guys all the best in life!

Himalayan Masters is a company that puts heart and soul into its trips. Its crew is great, and I highly recommend choosing them as a companion for your Nepalese adventures!

Annapurna Circuit- Memory for life with Himalayan MastersDenmark 🇩🇰

We’ve done the Annapurna Circuit trek with our guide, Dipak, and porters Nobaras and Sebas. We had an incredible time, which will be a memorable experience. It is not expected to do this trek during the off-season, but the boys did not hesitate and helped us arrange and experience this trek with us. Each day was very different, and we all got sick at some point. Dipak was always very attentive to and helpful in managing our health issues, so in the end, we all had a fantastic time. We would not have been able to do this without our porters, the lovely guys, and Dipak, without whose humour we would not have gotten too far. Thanks for everything!

Best experience on Annapurna CircuitGermany 🇩🇪

 The Himalayan Masters have been excellent from start to finish. Sandip (the owner) helped me a lot before going on the hike, from explaining the schedule in detail to what I needed to pack to buying insurance to even taking me to sort out my broken hiking boots and purchase medicine from the pharmacy. I felt very ready and prepared before going. The trip itself was terrific. It is a crazy landscape combined with lots of traditional villages. The accommodation was basic but very cute, with the option to purchase warm showers and wifi. The guide, Ramesh, was very nice and helpful with everything we needed. I recommend this agency, it is excellent value for money.

Amazing Manaslu ciruit hikeRomania 🇷🇴

First hiking experience at an altitude over 5000 metersIndonesia

Incredible once-in-a-lifetime experience. You must do this if you are tight on time and want to experience Everest to its fullest. The Himalayan Masters is the best company for the Everest base camp helicopter tour with landing service. 

Everest Helicopter tour with Best local CompanyUSA

We did the Manaslu circuit with Himalayan Masters in a group of nine people and couldn’t have found a better company to do this with!

Before the trip, we emailed and backed them up, and Sandip was super helpful and patiently answered all of our questions (in peak season, sometimes it could take a bit longer since he is still leading tours himself). The communication was very professional, and we felt well taken care of! Once we arrived, Raj, the office manager, explained the itinerary and provided us with the down jackets and sleeping bags we needed at higher altitudes. He is a lovely guy, and we ended up chatting with him over some masala tea.

During the tour, our guides Dipak and Arjun went above and beyond to ensure we had the most incredible experience possible and turned our group into a small trekking family, sharing laughter and some challenging moments! Dipak is an experienced and knowledgeable guide with many connections in the villages in the Manaslu region. He would ensure we get the best accommodations, restaurants, and tea houses for our breaks! Every evening, he gave a detailed briefing about what to expect the next day and a motivational speech when needed. Arjun, our assistant guide, spread joy to the whole group by always having the biggest smile and ensuring everyone was comfortable (thank you so much for bringing tea and apple pie to base camp!).

The trek itself is just stunning. Before coming to Nepal, we were indecisive about whether to do the Annapurna or the Manaslu circuit, but after the trek, we can wholeheartedly and 100% recommend the Manaslu circuit. Opposed to the Annapurna circuit, you never walk on roads with jeeps (just donkeys), and from day two on, it’s all hiking trails. We were so happy that the Himalayan Master’s itinerary allowed for Pungyen Gompa and a day trip to Manaslu base camp. Those were two highlights of our trip. Almost all the other groups we met had to choose between the two. The day trip to Basecamp was challenging but so rewarding (and we felt very well acclimatized for the pass afterwards!).
We didn’t have a porter, so we carried the backpacks ourselves. For us, it wasn’t as complicated as we expected (we are used to doing multi-day hikes in the Alps), and it felt like an outstanding achievement carrying our stuff over Larke Pass (be sure to pack as light as possible).

Overall, the trek was one of the best experiences of our lifetime! If you are still looking for a trekking company to go with, don’t look any further and go with the Himalayan masters! Thank you so much to the whole team; we’re already thinking about which trek to do next with you guys!

Manaslu Circuit – Absolutely amazing!Germany 🇩🇪

I had a great adventure during this expedition. The first plan is to go to EBC but during the bad weather, there is no flight to Lukla. During dalbhat lunch, Sandip helped us to change our route: ACT. We hiked into many kinds of treks, all of them are very beautiful. Sandip, PK, and Binot helped us a lot and nurtured us with all our conditions. Thank you, Himalayan Masters!

Annapurna Circuit Trek with Himalayan MastersIndonesia 🇮🇩

Himalayan Masters made my trip to Nepal phenomenal. From the start, I was a bit nervous about travelling alone as a 22-year-old female in Nepal especially on a two-week-long trek through the Himalayas. I reached out to Sandip a few weeks before my plans to arrive with my concerns and he made every effort to try to find someone who would be interested in my same dates when we did not find someone, he made me feel completely comfortable going alone and made sure my needs were met. Upon my arrival in Kathmandu, Sandip picked me up directly from the airport and took me to get gear. He was so sweet and even lent me some of his gear (his beautiful summit suit and other items) since he had just gotten back from a trip himself. He even offered me his own trekking boots to borrow for my trek but they were a tad too big. He was so generous and helpful with the preparation of my trip and truly made me feel like I was valued as a customer, I could not be more grateful, especially being a solo female backpacker, I was used to very different treatment. When my trip started, we had a one-day delay from a storm, and because Sandip knew of my tight date restrictions, he made sure that I was put on the first helicopter the next morning to start my trek. My guide was Pradip, who was equally fantastic. He was really fun to talk to all day and always included me when meeting with the other guides. He was very attentive and super kind, I felt very comfortable the entire trip and had so much fun. I was impressed by the accommodations, with my EBC package purchased, I always was able to get whatever meals I wanted and I could see both Sandip and Pradip were always working to be sure I had a comfortable or private room if available. At one point in the trip, I was debating extending to Gokyo Lakes in addition to EBC, Sandip was incredibly helpful with calling places for me to see if this was possible with my date restrictions. I, however, decided to not extend because I was feeling ill from altitude sickness, which Pradip was so helpful with and supported me through reaching Everest Base Camp. Pradip was especially helpful when on day 13 of 15, I became incredibly sick when we reached Namche Bazaar for the second time on the way down. I could not stop throwing up, getting sick, and passing out. I believe that this was a mix of altitude sickness and food sickness. Sandip was incredibly helpful when helping me with this, he was in contact with my father who was back in the US giving him updates on my condition and he organized a helicopter to get me from Namche and take me to Kathmandu to the hospital. Sandip met me at the airport there in an ambulance took me to the hospital and made sure that I was well taken care of. I had to stay four days in the Kathmandu hospital before flying home, and Sandip came every day to check on me and to be sure that I was getting everything I needed. He even drove me back to his office and got me a hotel room so that I could nap for a few hours before my flight after my hospital discharge. He then drove me to the airport and left me with very kind words. I cannot recommend Himalayan Masters enough, they are a phenomenal company that obviously truly cares about their patrons. Sandip is a wonderful human and I would trust him to make the best trip for anybody!

Intense Experience on EBC Trek Made Incredible Thanks to Himalayan MastersUSA 🇺🇸

We hiked the Manaslu Circuit with Himalayan Masters in April and felt very well taken care of from the first Email contact through to the hike itself. We’d recommend them to anyone who wants to have the planning certainty of booking from abroad but still get a small local agency with a good price and service package.

We made contact from home already but committed only once we were in Kathmandu and able to compare on the ground. The communication with Sandip was excellent also via email: prompt, in good English and knowledgeable. We later learned he is an experienced guide himself, still leading summit hikes, which we think is positive.
H.M. helped us pick the trek and get all the necessary equipment in preparation.

We (as a couple) hiked with a guide and a porter, Ram and Baikuntha, who turned out to be the best company we could have asked for on the hike. Baikuntha brought our belongings quickly and reliably across the mountains and was also one of the more ‘present’ porters, trying to learn English with us, walking by our side and not always sprinting ahead. We had those typical stomach issues early in the trek and Ram and Baikuntha quickly figured out a way for us to adapt our stops and route to something manageable.

Last but not least I want to send a special thanks to Ram who supported us every step along the way, coaching, sharing knowledge, and entertaining. He was approachable, reliable and dedicated to his work, available for us whenever we needed help. Thank you!

Highly recommended: Local agency, great communication from home! They’ll take care of youGermany 🇩🇪

Great service & communication and high standard in all that they do.

We did the Manaslu Circuit in April and it was a life-changing experience. Preparation,
permits etc were flawless and our guide Dipak really made it a wonderful time for us. He was very attentive and took care of us, also going the extra mile in terms of choice of tea houses, planning of itinerary and fun. Thanks a lot!!

Best adventure company I’ve worked with so far!Germany 🇩🇪

I can just thank you! 🙏

Had an incredible experience. Sandip and Dipak did the best possible job I can imagine.

Sandip organized the trip to Manaslu to our needs. Quick response and perfect planning.

Dipak was our guide and well-informed about the area because it is his home area. Always made us very comfortable and gave us the best rooms and free wifi (normally you have to pay for that!).

Can recommend both from my heart.

Best experienceGermany 🇩🇪

Good experience with Himalayan masters.
Clear and quick communication beforehand with Sandip. Everything was organized by the time I arrived in KTM. Flexible and reasonable organization.

Surjie, the porter-guide on this trip, is a very caring, kind and happy person. He took care of all practical matters during the trekking.

Manaslu Circuit – very good experienceBelgium 🇧🇪

Our Manaslu trek was fantastic with Surje Lama. Helped out immensely when I got sick, and when we had a very challenging pass day. Sandip was fantastic on the organising end from start to finish. Changes to the plan were no problem. We had a great trip. Thanks, Surje and Sandip

Manaslu circuitAustralia 🇦🇺

We enjoyed a great experience with Himalaya Masters. Sandip, the owner, provided us with clear and detailed information from the moment we reached out to him.
There is a lot to consider when coming to Nepal to trek for the first time and Sandip really helped put out minds at ease with his patience and advice.
We ended up trekking the Manaslu circuit with Raj as our guide. It was such a lovely experience and it was great to have such an experienced guide with us on our journey. Pit was also part of our group, as a porter but he helped us all and provided us with fresh fruit and sometimes apple fritters!
It was a legendary experience and one that we’ll not soon forget.
Make sure you bring your warm clothing for your trip – the weather can fluctuate and be unpredictable in the mountains!
We’re already looking forward to returning and doing more trekking in Nepal!

Epic trek on Manaslu CircuitCanada 🇨🇦

With the recent change to Nepal’s solo trekker policy, I was initially sceptical about seeking the support of both a trekking company and a guide. I can say upon reflection on the Manaslu Circuit those fears were completely unfounded.

Himalayan Masters and the owner Sandip were incredibly attentive, making the entire planning and arrivals process effortless.

On the trek, I was paired with Govinda, one of Himalayan Masters’ most experienced guides, who have, at the time of writing completed 31 Manaslu treks. I could not have asked for a better guide to give me the full experience of the trek and of Nepal. His attention to detail, appreciation of risk and willingness to share both language and culture have been outstanding.

For anyone considering choosing Himalayan Masters or wavering over whether they should employ a guide; I can assure you, it will be the single best decision you could make if you’re coming to trek in Nepal.

I have left Nepal having had the most wonderful of trips and am looking forward to returning in the future to trek with Mero bhai (my brother) Govinda.

Outstanding trek, flawless from start to finish.England 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿

Travelling with Himalayan Masters and doing the 12-day Manaslu circuit trek has been a fantastic journey.
The owner, Sandip, has been very professional and has provided us with all the information we needed to travel in safe and comfortable conditions. He has arranged all the details (picking us up and dropping us off at the airport), and has always been very prompt in replying to all of our questions prior to our incoming flight, which was very valuable and made us feel fully accompanied. Also, the price was quite fair for all the services provided.
Our guide Dipak, and our two porters, Ramesh and Sujan, were very professional, cheerful and caring at all times. We felt constantly safe with Dipak who has a valuable mountain experience, and we trusted him with everything. Unfortunately, due to bad weather, we could not go up to the Manaslu base camp, but we made it to the Larke Pass successfully and we will never forget it! I strongly recommend Himalayan Masters!

Amazing Manaslu circuit trek with Himalayan MastersFrance 🇫🇷

Amazing experience. My favourite part was Larke Pass. Ask for Ramesh, he’s an excellent guide and very knowledgeable.

Manaslu CircuitAustralia 🇦🇺

Be surrounded by incredible landscapes, exchange with the local population, contact with Tibet culture… and all that feeling safe during the entire trip. Dipak and his team provide 100% assistance and support during the itinerary.

Amazing experience!Brazil 🇧🇷