Dev Raj Giri

In 2018 I had a significant birthday - i.e., lots of years under the hood - and wanted to do something special to mark the occasion. Some friends had trekked to the Everest Base Camp in 2017 and that got me thinking of a similar adventure. After looking at reviews on Trip Advisor and studying the Himalayan Glacier (HGT) offerings, I decided to go with the company. A decision for which I have absolutely no regrets. My first plan was to do the Luxury Lodge Everest Base Camp trek followed by the Annapurna Circuit. Fortunately, wiser minds at HGT prevailed, suggesting that an old geezer might find more enjoyment and a longer life with a more modest second trek. I then compromised between their recommended Annapurna Sunrise trek and the full circuit by choosing the Annapurna Sanctuary Trek. All I can say is WOW, what a combo. My guides (Giri for Everest and Shiva for Annapurna) were the best. Both adjusted the pace and stops to accommodate the trekkers (four of us on the Everest trek and two on the Annapurna hike). The assistant guide on the Everest trek, Chitra (sp?) was also of great assistance; as was the porter, Bishnu, on the Annapurna trek. In all cases they were backed up by the office staff - Narayan, Pramesh and others. Charlie in the U.S. office was also very helpful in enabling me to understand the details of the trek before I even got to Nepal. Both guides also had to deal with some problems in room availability when we arrived at various tea houses. In all cases they resolved the problems quickly and effectively. In fact, the alternative housing was better than the rooms we expected to get. On the Everest trek, the weather created travel problems in returning from Lukla to Kathmandu. Our guide Giri promptly set up a helicopter ride for all of us to get back to Kathmandu - while he had to stay in Lukla as the helicopter was not large enough to accommodate all of us. His first concern, as was the case with Shiva, was the welfare of the trekkers, not his own comfort or convenience. The treks were designed to provide the greatest chance of success, allowing for acclimatization to the high elevations. Once you start walking, the natural beauty of the land, the friendliness of the Nepalese people, and the camaraderie of the fellow trekkers quickly turns the hiking into an adventure with memories to last a lifetime. The treks were well organized, from the initial pick-up at the Kathmandu airport to the final transportation to the airport for the homeward flight. Our duffel bags always magically appeared at the tea houses as we walked the trails. I will admit that the tea house menus do get repetitive after a while, and one does start to long for more variety. However, it is substantial and designed to fuel a hard working body. I am more than happy to recommend Himalayan Glacier to anyone considering a trek in Nepal or its neighboring countries. They will treat you right.

Himalayan Glacier took care of everything for me to have a once in a lifetime experience. Giri, our experienced guide, became a coach, a doctor, a psychologist, and a friend. Trekking in the Himalayas sounds glorious, but without a great trekking company you put yourself at serious risk. We faced winter temperatures and a snow storm, that added to the already challenging journey, could have become a disaster. Giri constantly kept a clinical eye on our health, pace, food, our supplies and layers optimizing everyday all factors. I have firm in my memory the evening briefings when we reviewed the strategy for the following day. Trekking in remote areas comes with limited living conditions. As we were getting closer to Everest, the lodges became colder, without water and with limited supplies. Once you trekked in the area you appreciate the monumental effort the sherpas have to make in order to move supplies from downhill communities to altitudes of 18,000 feet. Himalayan Glacier selected the best lodges, inspected the kitchens and provided accurate advise on what to do and what not to do. When I return with my family to the Himalayas I will hire them back without hesitation.