Guided Trekking Unlike Anywhere Else in Nepal

  Magical Trek with Himalayan Tahr – I planned to do a trek with Himalayan Tahr to Nubri Valley. This sacred valley known as Kyimolung certainly lived up to its name as the valley of happiness. I… read more was warmly greeted by the local community and enjoyed a hidden and unique part of the world. Indeed, in many ways this area featured well preserved cultural and religious heritage. Furthermore the circuit gives trekkers splendid views of majestic mountains, waterfalls, and traditional villages. While on the trek I also got to witness natural landscapes, flowers, and wildlife such as the himalayan tahr, monkeys, and musk deer.

The expert guides of Himalayan Tahr were capable and we always had many guides for each trekker. Each guide had a strong command of the English language and were quite experienced in leading us along the trail. They assisted us in cultural experiences and were knowledgeable about cultural practices and the local geography. Each place we stayed at along the way had good accommodations and was comfortable.

The destination of Serang Gompa was truly incredible. Every day felt like a dream with breathtaking views from every angle. Volunteering was a truly enriching experience and I enjoyed teaching students and monastics alike. I felt very warmly supported by the people there and enjoyed my stay.

Overall I would highly recommend Himalayan Tahr for anyone coming to Nepal. This tour company made a truly memorable experience and made me feel supported and safe. The itinerary was well designed and the destination was truly memorable. I would definitely trek with them again.

  Highly recommend! First time trekker friendly – As a first time trekker, I had a great experience with Himalayan Tahr. They provided very detailed information for me to prepare for the trip. The pickup at the airport… read more was very smooth and our guide Lhakpa is so experienced and helpful along the trail. In the middle of the trek I suffered from fever and other sickness, so I needed to be evacuated by helicopter. The arrangement was seamless and I knew I was in very good hands. I will definitely try the route again with Himalayan Tahr!

  Incredible guides and people! – I had the pleasure of trekking with Tenzing and Lhakpa in 2017. They are both incredibly knowledgable about the Manaslu region and have connections left and right. They are both… read more quick thinkers, expert planners and joyfully energetic people. I felt comfortable and safe every second of this trek even though I was half way across the world in a foreign culture and environment. As far as guides go, you could not be in better hands. They will provide you with an authentic Nepal experience that you’ll remember forever. Can’t say enough nice things about them and the experiences they provide every second of their treks.

  Attentive, professional local trekking company Himalayan Tahr Treks – Three things I like: travel, experiencing culture, and supporting locals economies. Himalayan Tahr Treks checks all three of those boxes for me!

They worked with me to create… read more the ideal itinerary so that I could maximize my time in the Nubri valley. Our guide, a local named Lhakpa from a village called Lho , was incredibly fun to be around, genuine, helpful, attentive, and knowledgable. Not only are the owners of Himalayan Tahr Treks from the Nubri valley, so are their guides! I like that the money I spent on the trek went directly to the local economy.

I had a couple of last minute changes that Himalayan Tahr Treks efficiently managed: hiring a porter and chartering a helicopter. They remained attentive to our needs and delivered on everything asked of them. Five star service that I would recommend to anyone looking for an amazing trekking experience.

  I’ve been lucky to trek a few times in different areas of Nepal — but Nubri with Himalayan Tahr Treks was by far my favorite experience. They hire the most… read more knowledgeable, competent, and fun guides. Our days at Pungyen Gompa and Serang Monastery (and a few other secret places off the beaten path!) were some of the best days of my life and I’ll cherish the memories forever. Himalayan Tahr also worked with us on a custom and flexible itinerary, which was important to us.

I’m so grateful to Lhakpa, Dawa, and everyone at Himalayan Tahr for inviting us to be part of their community and philanthropic work. I can’t wait to go back!

  Trekking in fantastic nature and with friends – Our small trekking group enjoyed absolutely competent and lovely individual care throughout. We had a beautiful time in Nepal.

  Unforgettable authentic trek – as close as you can get to the local culture and nature! – In General:
Doing a trek in Nepal with the Himalayan Tahr Trek Company was honestly the best choice we could ever have made. The whole team did everything they could… read more to make our stay in Kathmandu and during the trek in the remote and less touristic Manaslu region as special and as comfortable as possible. We certainly had a wonderful time – especially thanks to our amazing local guides Sonam and Sangay! Thanks to them we not only had a breath-taking trek and got a great, personal and authentic insight into the local culture of the Manaslu region and Nepal, but we also could support the local community by hiking with guides originating from the Tsum-Nubri-Valley. This cooperation with local guides is something very unique compared to other trekking companies in Nepal and we appreciated it a lot!

Before the trek:
Even before the Trek even started, the team of Himalayan Tahr Trek already offered great service, thought of every little detail and made us feel like a part of their family: they picked us up at the airport and gave us a very warm welcome in Kathmandu; they organized SIM-Cards for our stay as well as a briefing and dinner with our guides in preparation for the Trek, so that we could ask any unanswered questions – everything was, and we felt, well prepared.

During the trek:
The best part was of course the trek through the Tsum-Nubri-Valley! Stunning mountain ranges, invitations for tea by relatives of the company members, Baby-Yaks or huge Rhododendron forests – there are countless unforgettable memories. One of them was definitely the completely remote Serang Monastery just below Himal Serang: Arriving at the unique atmosphere of this sacred place and being welcomed by the kind nuns and monks with a warm cup of tea after a strenuous hike was already a very touching moment for us – a feeling which grew even more by the view of the majestic mountains surrounding the monastery in the morning light or the talk with the Rimpoche about Tibetan Buddhism. It was at this monastery where our guides also taught us how to cook Momos, the famous and yummy Nepali dish! In general, a great part of what made the trek so extraordinary for us was the kindness and professionalism of our guides Sangay and Sonam: They did not only take care for our well-being, but also included us every day in the planning for the route to make sure everyone felt comfortable with it. Sangay taught us a great deal about Tibetan art and Buddhism, while Sonam invited us to her family home and taught us how to make Alu Parata. During the whole trek we felt very safe and even if something unforeseen happened we always found good solutions as a group. And – maybe most importantly – we had a lot of fun, inspiring, good talks and it felt more like hiking with good friends!

After the trek:
Even after the end of the trek the efforts of the Himalayan Tahr Trek company still went on! For example, they again organized a pickup at the bus station and after some days of rest a very nice Farewell-Dinner together with our guides.

Long story short:
Whoever is looking for an authentic insight in the local culture and community of the Manaslu region, for extraordinary places (away from the typical touristic hotspots!), amazing experiences in the nature of the Himalaya and for a company which is as professional as good-hearted and supports the people of the Manaslu region in an inspiring way, should definitely book with the Himalayan Tahr Trek Company! We want to say Thank You! And we will definitely see each other again 🙂

  Colorado College Trip – Himalayan Tahr did a magnificent job in setting up our visit to the remote and beautiful Serang Monastery. There were 20 people in our party, yet the Himalayan Tahr guides… read more and staff at Serang arranged tasty food and comfortable lodging, and were attentive to our needs. The opportunity to visit and stay at Serang is a unique privilege, and we felt supremely blessed by the experience.

— Broughton Coburn, Visiting Assistant Professor, Colorado College, USA

  Local guides and truly authentic experience through Manaslu Region – I loved my trek with Himalayan Tahr! We started with a pre-trip dinner, where we met our guides, got all of our questions answered, and went over packing and logistical… read more details. Dawa, the owner, ensured that we were all squared away and checked in with us throughout the trek. The trek was the highlight of our travels. Sangay, our lead guide, was very knowledgeable about local customs, Buddhist traditions, and the plants of the region. He took the time to explain to us his heritage. We also had an assistant guide, Sonam, from the village of Prok. In Prok, she brought local dresses for us to try on and invited us into her home, and taught us how to make aloo paratha (Indian bread with potato in the middle). We drank the local alcohol and visited with her family. Next, we went up to the Serang Monastery, which was my favorite part of the trek. On the way, we saw Langur Monkeys and were greeted by young school children and nuns/monks. We stayed a night in Serang Monastery and had delicious food cooked by the nuns. The next day, we met Rinpoche, the leader of the monastery, and he answered lots of questions with the help of Sangay’s translation. He blessed us with Kata, the traditional scarves. Then Sangay gave us a tour of the Monastery and School, where he lived and worked for 3 years. His knowledge really helped us feel connected to the culture and understand the traditions. We visited the school, which was adorable. Then we all learned how to cook momos (the local dumplings). Then we continued along the Manaslu circuit. We stayed a couple of days in Sama to do some day hikes and acclimatize. We went to Pungyen Monastery and Brenda Tal Lake. Every step of the way, we continued to learn about Himalayan culture from Sangay and Sonam. Especially after meeting other trekkers with non-local guides, we realized how much trekking with local guides allowed us to feel more connected to the culture and we learned so much about the way of life there.

If you are looking for a truly authentic experience, definitely choose Himalayan Tahr. All the guides and owners are local to the area, and a big portion of proceeds go to local projects around the Manaslu region. The trek was truly life-changing, I can’t wait to go back!

  Best of the best! Incredible! Beyond expectations – the 2 most memorable trips
Serang, Tsum, Nubri, Serang

Just before COVID, I made a trip with my daughter and son to Nepal.
The first real trek… read more in my life. I brought my teenage kids to Serang and went directly to Tsum accompanied by Dawa, Sangay and Tenzin. It was my first journey in a Himalayan village. I have heard that Tsum people are cold, but Tsum is Sangay’s home, it made the connection much easier, the owner of the tea house is calling Sangay Bo(son). The acclimatassion on this beautiful plateau was smooth, we were invited for tea in several houses, visited Milarepa cave. The houses are beautifully decorated with large copper water tanks and wooden chests.
But on the 3rd, it’s totally another story. After visiting Tsum, we were heading to Nubri, 20 km with a stop for lunch. There was no other way. No tea house in between. I wanted to cry, but no use I still had to walk if I wanted to have a place to sleep.
On the way, Sangpo, Sangay’s brother-in-law who helped me carrying my baggage, knew everyone passing by. And when we reached Nubri, home to Dawa and Tenzin and it’s also the area where Serang monastery is located, we kept on seeing their relatives, friends and people related to the school or monastery.
I really have to thank these wonderful young men for their patience towards the old grumpy old woman who walked so slowly. Frankly I really had difficulty climbing the slopes. We went all the way from Bihi to Loh. This part was beautiful too, we passed through beautiful and cool forests, stopped at some nice tea houses, met some lamas relatives on the way. And we all had a hot shower in Namrung, what a luxury, they even had a sauna. After reaching Loh , Dawa’s village, we turned back to Nubri where the hardest part awaited me. It would have taken 2 days if Dawa’s father didn’t come to my rescue. There’s no village, no tea house between Bihi and Serang. Dear Dawa’s father brought a horse from the monastery. Even though we had to leave very very early to be able to reach Serang before night. We had to bring some food along. And Tulku Jigme joined us for this rainy snowy journey. And about 2 hours after departing Bihi, we saw young lamas, I was wondering if there was another monastery around, no no, they were sent by Serang to bring us hot tea and pancakes. So so sweet, so so touching. I was eager to get to the monastery and see my dear children I haven’t seen for 12 days and only had scarce indirect news that they were ok. I was almost dark when we reached Serang all wet, cold and tired. And I felt so relieved when I heard the laugh of my daughter and to see the 2 of them mingled so well with the lamas and anis.
Thank you, thank you, thank you, Dawa, Sangay, Tenzin and Sangpo. I would never have made it without you, your patience, your attention and your care.

Kathmandu Chitwan Tsum Serang Pokhara Kathmandu valley

I am in the middle of my 2nd trip organized by Himalayan Tahr, really last minute trip, we decided 4 days before our arrival. I am traveling with my very dear friend and my 2 godsons who are her sons.
Dawa was incredible, in so short notice, he made Sangay come down from Tsum, hotel reservations, domestic flight, plane and helicopter.
Upon arrival we had lunch with Khenpo Gyatso who gave my boys and their mother an introduction on varjayana Buddhism and answered their questions.
2nd day, Tulku Jigme took us to Swayambhu and deepened their understanding of Varjayana and the history of that Stupa, over a delicious Nepalese meal. We visited Boudha stupa, lit butter lamps there, got into a Sakya temple with a magnificent statue, roamed the street around and took a flight the next day to Chitwan
Dawa sent Sangay along to take care of us and made sure everything went well, he even negotiated with Meghauli Serai we will choose our room when we get there.
So we took a domestic flight to Barhatpur where 2 jeeps were waiting for us with a conservationist guide in each car, welcoming drinks and cold towels!
I didn’t expect too much from a hotel lost in the middle of the jungle. I brought a sleeping bag, disinfectant spray, essential oils, alcohol etc
The ride took 45 minutes with a very knowledgeable guide who could answer all kind of questions, the different crops they were growing in this area, how many times they harvest rice a year, the name of trees, birds we encountered on the way.
And what a welcome we had: the general manager and his staff was at the entrance. We chose the villas facing the National Park, the hotel Dawa chose for us was just amazing, in no way I would have thought Nepal had hotel of this standard.
After 3 incredible days, Himalayan Tahr treks sent the helicopter directly to the hotel to pick us up, so we didn’t have to wait in the very basic domestic airport under the torrid climate of Chitwan.
We made a stop in Tsum to Sangay’s house to have tea and reached Serang monastery where we were welcomed by dear dear Karma rinpoche. It was very emotional for me, after 3 years of pandemic, I was reaching home. A valley blessed by Padmasambhava and his consort Yeshe Tsogyal.
Our short stay was very busy, visiting the school where Nuptul rinpoche supervised all the details to make sure we felt at ease.
We had tea at Ashi’s house and she showed us her green house.
Dorje and ani Konchog Dolma to very good care of us. We were invited at Karma rinpoche’s house. We were invited at Nuptul rinpoche’s cute house by his father. They taught us how to make momos.
We are so grateful to Karma rinpoche, Nuptul rinpoche, Tulku Jigme, all the sangha, school teacher to make our stay so meaningful.
The departure was delayed due to weather conditions, but we had a wonderful flight to Pokhara with different sceneries. And got to Pokhara, but we accumulated to much emotions to assimilate, we were not able to appreciate the City. Poor Dawa, we just got to Pokhara late afternoon the we wanted to leave the next morning. Marielle who is so scared of helicopter wanted to take the helicopter right away to Kathmandu.
Himalayan Tahr treks had to make last minute changes again, book helicopter then change to regular flight, book hotel in Dulikhel and change to Dwarika’s Kathmandu. Organized airport drop off in Pokhara and airport pick up in Kathmandu. And then rebook Dulikhel and transportation.
Hopefully people seeing this review won’t choose Himalayan Tahr for their ability to handle all these last minute changes. I feel really very sorry to keep him awake to solve all our problems.
They did it, everything was perfect. Thank you, thank you for making all my stays so nice. Just hope you will continue to handle my trips in Nepal.
My sincere gratitude