Himalaya Journey - Olympia, Washington

Chris B.

I just got back from an amazing trip to Tibet and Bhutan, with a quick stop in Nepal in between. I've been to over 90 countries, and this was unquestionably one of the best experiences I've ever had; I can't say enough good things about Jamin York, Ashok Shahi, and the whole team at Himalaya Journey.

I should note upfront that I almost always travel independently, and was a bit concerned when I realized in my planning for this trip that you simply can't go to Tibet and Bhutan without the involvement of some sort of tour company. I did a lot of research before settling on Himalaya Journey, and I'm incredibly glad that I did. Jamin worked with me to custom design an itinerary that would get me and my travel partner to all of the places that we most wanted to see in Tibet - and provided loads of helpful input on spots that we might want to add or delete from the trip given our various interests and constraints. When I later decided that I might want to add Bhutan to the trip, Ashok entered the picture and I was able to seamlessly add that country on to my itinerary.

Once we arrived in Tibet, we were delighted to meet Rinzin, our knowledgeable and incredibly diligent guide (as well as our endlessly cheerful driver, Lhapa). As we proceeded from the Lhasa area down to EBC and the Nepali border, any concerns I may have had about a guided tour dissipated; indeed, even if it had been possible, our experience would have been far less satisfying and meaningful absent everything Rinzin brought to the trip. We also were able to observe what our very personalized Tibet experience was like in comparison to the cookie-cutter itineraries of the large group tours we sometimes encountered...reinforcing our appreciation for the approach that Himalaya Journey takes.

When we reached Nepal, any angst regarding that potentially tricky border crossing was completely removed by the Himalaya Journey staff on both sides of the border (Ashok himself came all the way up from Kathmandu to shepherd us across the Himalaya). I then headed on to Bhutan, where I was met by another fantastic team led by Tika, an exceptionally amiable and well-versed guide. Again, it was easy to distinguish between the very personalized experience I was having in Bhutan and the more cookie-cutter itineraries that I would encounter from time to time with larger tour groups. It was clear that the quality and depth of the Himalaya Journey experience was consistent in all three of the countries that I visited despite the fact that the nations themselves are so different.

In sum, I would strongly recommend Himalaya Journey to anyone considering a visit to any of these countries. Namaste and Tashi Delek!

Sally M.

Himalaya Journey helped us to plan the trip of a lifetime. During our time we had so many adventures. In Nepal we went on a jungle safari, rode elephants, canoed through the majestic Rapti river, rode a helicopter high up into the Himalaya, trekked the mountainous hike to Namche Bazaar and the Tengboche monastery, and even went on a week-long rafting trip down the gorgeous Sunkoshi (River of Gold}. We also explored Tibet, visiting Lhasa, countless temples and religious sites, as well as making the overland journey to Everest Base camp to see the sun set and rise over its awe-inspiring peak. Our highlight in Bhutan was ascending up the unworldly and rewarding hike to the majestic Tiger’s Nest monastery. Traveling in a third world country can be tricky. During our trip we came across countless obstacles – and many potential obstacles that were avoided due to careful planning and foresight. Ashok in Kathmandu arranged all of our travel documents, including our Tibet Group Visa – a somewhat tricky document that is required when entering Tibet from Nepal. He tied up all the loose ends and caught outside mistakes before they became problems. In addition, Himalaya Journey - and often Ashok himself - rescued us from cancelled flights and broken-down buses, traveling miles away from their offices Kathmandu (and in the middle of the night!) to assure our safety and to assure we did not miss our connecting flights. In short, if we had not booked through Himalaya Journey our trip would have been quite different, much more stressful, a third of our itinerary would have never taken place, and we would not have made such a good friend, with whom we still keep in touch. We hold Himalaya Journey in the highest regard, and strongly recommend booking with them for an unforgettable experience traveling through Nepal, Tibet and Bhutan. They are avid travelers themselves and use their experience and knowledge to provide the most amazing experience for their clients.

Jody E.

We had an amazing time in November 2018 experiencing the Himalayas in Tibet, Nepal, and Bhutan with Himalaya Journey, an excellent travel company and perhaps the top travel specialists throughout the Himalayas. In selecting and planning our trip, we had very specific questions and goals for what would be a special occasion for us and both the owner (Jamin) and the Nepal general manager (Ashok) answered each and every question we asked—which ensured our Himalayan experience would be everything we expected (and more!) Visiting these fascinating countries was new to us; especially, with the various government travel regulations, travel permits, and visas but the Himalaya Journey staff were always only a quick email or phone call away not only before our journey began, but they checked in with us throughout our trip to ensure everything was in order and that we were fully enjoying our Himalayan experience. We even had a wonderful surprise in Chengdu, China when Jamin (Himalaya Journey owner) had a short connection at the same airport and took the time to stop by our gate so we could meet each other in person and confirm we were all set for our flight to Tibet! We had a fabulous time throughout our travels soaking in the culture, the openness and friendliness of the people we met, as well as the seemingly endless “postcard” landscapes around every corner. Himalaya Journey prides themselves in using local guides and drivers in each of the countries we visited which added to the authenticity and depth of our experience. We especially enjoyed our time with Nyima (Tibet office general manager) in Lhasa, getting a special “locals’ tour” from Ashok in Kathmandu, and the flexibly of the local general manager in Bhutan allowed us to adapt our itinerary on the fly based on our emerging interests as we explored this fascinating country. In all three countries our guides and drivers were friendly, professional, and eager to share their abundant knowledge in the land each of them call home. All accommodations were clean and charming and we experienced a tasty selection of local and international food (the only thing we may suggest is if you have strict food limitations you’ll want to plan ahead since many of our meals were a pre-determined buffet, but we fully expect Himalayan Journeys can handle any of your dietary needs). We enthusiastically recommend the Himalaya Journey team for your travel to this beautiful and fascinating part of the world and we hope our paths will cross in the future! Jody and Jon Ebert

David W.

10/10 experience with Himalaya Journey!

Highly recommend Himalaya Journey whether traveling solo, with a family, or group. I organized a three week group trip from the US to Nepal with Himalaya Journey and will absolutely utilize their services again. Ashok was always quick to respond to questions during planning phase, effortlessly made adjustments to our itinerary based on our goals/needs, and organized a seamless and stress free trip! Highly recommend Himalaya Journey and will definitely utilize their services when I organize my next group trip.

Kiana B.

My experience with Himalaya Journey was absolutely phenomenal. We had a three week trip and after experiencing some unexpected, but necessary, changes to the original trip plan, our guide readjusted our trip without taking away any of the value and quality with the things we did. During this trip, we visited Kathmandu, the historic city of Bhaktapur, Pohkara, and the Chitwan National Park. We also did a five day trek to Annapurna Base Camp in which we were given the best guide on the mountain! Both of our guides were extremely friendly, knowledgeable, and helpful throughout the trip and it was very clear that they wanted nothing but the best for us during our stay in Nepal. I highly recommend traveling with Himalaya Journey, they introduced me to Nepal in the most beautiful way and I cannot wait to go back and visit one day.

Hentie L.

Had an incredible 11 day journey (including 5 day Druk Path trek) to Bhutan! Given the way Bhutan works, most of the actual journey was run by a local Bhutanese tour operator (as required by law), but there are hundreds to choose from and Himalaya Journey certainly picked a good one. They made booking the whole trip very easy, organising the Bhutanese visa and flights as well as transfers and accommodation for my stop over in Kathmandu before and after Bhutan.

What I appreciated most was Ashok (the regional manager in Nepal) meeting me at the airport and taking the time to go for dinner and drinks on both nights I was in Kathmandu. This was a great way to see some tucked-away restaurants in Kathmandu, talk through any questions and expectations I had about Bhutan before going, report back on my adventures after, and just talk about life in Nepal in general.

An unforgettable experience, I'd definitely use Himalaya Journey again.

Christine K.

This is a long overdue review... I travelled with Himalaya Journey for the second time in November 2018 to Tibet and Nepal. Jamin and his staff could not be more helpful. Very prompt in correspondence prior to the trip. One of our fellow travelers unfortunately fell ill in Tibet and could not continue, Jamin and staff made sure he was treated well at a local hospital and had one staff accompany him all the way back to Lhasa where his local staff there took care of him. I was definitely impressed with how he handled the situation. Jamin is also a terrific guide, filled us in with tons of info about Tibet, the culture, the religion, the politics, etc.We reached Everest basecamp over many days, to acclimate and to see the country. At first I was worried it might get a bit boring with all the long drives, but it turned out to be an awesome trip, with all there was to see and learn and be in the country, I would do it all over again. Their Tibet manager, Njima, is really nice and helpful and fun to travel with. Then we went to Nepal after that and it was my second time in that country - I travelled with them the year before. And it was so nice to see Ashok, their Nepal manager, again. He is very fun to be with, and an excellent guide as well. I really hope to travel with them again. Highly, highly recommended.

Rachna S.

I had the good fortune of joining the Kham Adventure in eastern Tibet. The two week journey took us through Tibet's cultural heartland. Lead guides Jamin and Gonkho did a fantastic job in giving us insight into the region and made the entire journey enjoyable. Himalaya Journey is a great travel and adventure outfit! Responsive, considerate and most importantly conscientious and responsible in the areas whey they work. I highly recommend the Kham Journey and would not hesitate to take another trip with them!