The Mountain Company Traveller Reviews

The trip was 21days in total including 16 days of trekking that partly circumnavigated Mt Dhaulagiri in central Nepal. The landscapes we encountered ranged from paddy fields and rainforest to alpine zone and then onto glacier and snow before returning to arid zone pine forest. We crossed two 5000m+ passes and had stunning views of snow capped mountains 6000m to 8000m+

The Mountain Company were excellent from the moment I enquired about the trip through to dropping me off at the Airport on way home. Roland has a wealth of knowledge about trekking in the high mountains and his response time to a pre-trip inquiry is incredibly fast, by far the best customer service from any adventure travel company I have used and I’ve used a few in more than 30yrs of adventure travel. The accomodation varied from hotels to resorts to tents and all were excellent. The service provided by the in country operator was second to none with excellent guides and professional kitchen staff that provided some of the best meals I’ve ever had on trek.

Overall, an amazing and unforgettable adventure in this part of the Himalayas. Tough circuit but the itinerary was just about right for good acclimatisation. Great bunch of trekkers and fantastic crew who looked after us all with safety in mind.

Great organisation and communication.. Reliable crew.

If you are an experienced trekker and want to do something well off the normal Himalaya routes, this could be the trek for you. Yes its tough at times, long ascents on some undefined terrain, bouldering in places and camping at over 3800 in freezing conditions. We encountered days of sunshine, days of trekking in rolling mist / cloud, a prolonged hail storm and an afternoon of snow accompanied by thunder and lightning….but that’s the mountains. We were supported by an excellent team of 2 guides, 4 kitchen staff and 8 porters, all were very supportive. We did not see any other trekking groups throughout and after day 3 we did not see anyone outside of our group until the end of the trek. For a few day’s the views of the Annapurna mountains were restricted to early morning and gaps in the rolling cloud, but the last couple of days we were rewarded with uninterrupted stunning views. The trek is a challenge but also an opportunity to leave the western world behind for a few days and enjoy a more basic lifestyle in stunning surroundings.

The Mountain Company have a very informative website and provide plenty of pre- tour information. Roland (the CEO) will always answer any questions, normally with first hand knowledge of the issue. As a very experienced mountaineer he will answer with honesty, not glossing over any hardships. Basing himself in Kathmandu during the normal trekking seasons he will try & meet most groups prior too & after their trek to answer last minute questions/ concerns and also to gather first hand feedback.

An enjoyable and beautiful first trek with the The Mountain Company. The itinerary, including greater time for acclimatisation and an interesting alternative higher route on the return, greatly helped in making the trek a real pleasure.

Roland was super helpful with advice and guidance before the trek and TMC's organisation, logistics, comms and local team were excellent throughout. Would highly recommend and already planning future treks with TMC.

I had my eye on this trek for a while because of its remoteness, length - 36 days, challenge, beauty and legendary mystery surrounding Kanchenjunga. I was also spurred on by the account of fellow trekker who had just completed this section of the GHT in winter. I was delighted when Roland guaranteed it run with Ade at the helm and when two great mountain buddies also signed up. We were seven very experienced trekkers with over 40 Himalayan treks between us, very well briefed by TMC and well equipped. I have now had six weeks to process this rare and remarkable experience and digest the published trip report, which, does an honest job of describing what happened at ground level; including the struggles and inevitable ‘curved- ball’ logistic issues. I do recommend reading the report. I recognise that this trek has not run for ten years. Roland and the TMC put a huge amount of time and resources into planning such a complex operation which is credit to him and speaks volumes about his vision to keep the art of remote trekking alive. Ade is a renowned expert and is truly unique -  with years of international wilderness leadership and his buoyant benevolent nature. Sanja and Suman were top notch. The Kitchen first class. The porters were brilliant, the brand new mountain tents were robust and watertight and the lodges Kanchenjunga-side a welcome refuge. The views of Kanchenjunga and Jannu were spectacular. The ‘Pass B’ detour to Olangchungola  was 1800m up and down, thick bamboo forest, slippery, leeches, bugs, landslides, treacherous, exhausting but unforgettable. Lumba-Sumba was just heavenly. There was Thudum -  the ‘village that time forgot’, the grace of the villagers we met who could teach us more lessons about simplicity, hardship and happiness than we would care to admit.  The ‘jungle’ crossing to Kharka was wild, wet, slippery, dangerous, with few mountain views but the forest beautiful and unspoilt. There was this ethereal morning view of Makalu from our emergency shelter at ‘first’ Kharka. We had more than our fair share of adverse conditions, two casualties, Global Rescue, interpersonal clashes, misinformation about the Yangma bridge; we found ourselves three days behind and the remaining two of us elected to forego the final push to Makalu BC. Why five stars? I will answer in a somewhat  poetic form which does not answer all questions but is spoken from the heart. Because of the rarity of this opportunity, because these giant remote mountains did welcome us and reward us with passage, because this wilderness is not going to be here forever; the massive logistical effort, the guides and crew who became our loyal extended family for 5 weeks, without complaint. The camaraderie and the opportunity to connect and care. The bitter and the sweet, the risk , the pressure pushing us to our limit, the successes and failures. Because we came home spent. A pilgrimage in the words of Ian Baker where a “destination is ultimately not so much a place as a new way of seeing”.  Far more profound than any sightseeing joyride. Because in true TMC fashion Roland has stepped up to the challenges to make this trek even better. If you have the inclination - go - prepared to be immersed and with your eyes and heart wide open.

Committed to the art of remote trekking.

The trek to Makalu Base Camp is certainly demanding but the level of support provided by the team was exceptional and always flexible and responsive to what was needed, thus enabling me to experience this stunningly beautiful National Park in all of its diversity. Accommodation in teahouses was basic but adequate and provided an authentic experience of normal life and hospitality in this remote area of the Himalaya.

the Mountain Company rovided comprehensive and useful pre-trip information and a personal briefing from the company's Director in Kathmandua before starting the trek. I particularly appreciated his onging availability and helpful advice via a satellite phone. My Sherpa guide was extremely capable in all respects and very flexible, and the office in Kathmandu helped with rebooking flights when I needed this to be done during the trek. It all happened smoothly and efficiently.

The Everest Luxury Lodge trek was a great experience. Scenery, trails, hiking, food accommodations and company representatives all exceeded our expectations.

I’ve taken tours and treks around the world and I’ve never experienced better customer service. Adjectives like responsive, thorough, timely and thoughtful all describe The Mountain Company. They did everything to make our tour easy and comfortable…always put our needs and wishes ahead of all else.

My trek to Everest Base Camp with The Mountain Company was a fantastic blend of challenge and enjoyment. The itinerary, slightly different from the usual, proved effective for acclimatization, making the journey physically demanding yet thoroughly enjoyable. The return journey, featuring an alternative route, added a unique dimension with its own set of challenges, showcasing the diverse landscapes of the Himalayas. What set The Mountain Company apart was their excellent communication and seamless logistical support. From permits to accommodations, every detail was taken care of, allowing me to fully immerse myself in the trek without worrying about the logistics. Any concerns were promptly addressed by Roland and his attentive team, adding an extra layer of reassurance to the entire experience. In summary, The Mountain Company crafted an exceptional Everest Base Camp trek, combining a thoughtfully designed itinerary, strategic planning, and top-notch customer service for an unforgettable Himalayan adventure.

The Mountain Company is an outstanding adventure travel provider that excels in delivering memorable experiences. Their meticulous planning, efficient logistics handling, and attentive customer service set them apart. With a commitment to seamless journeys and quick resolution of concerns, The Mountain Company, in my opinion, stands as a reliable choice for travelers seeking high-quality adventure tours.

We had a fabulous trip around the Manaslu Circuit in October/November 2023. The scenery was amazing from beginning to end, starting from the last (currently) drivable bit of the road heading north from the Kathmandu/Pokhara highway. The circuit starts with fairly long days through warm green valleys with large villages and lots of local life. As we got higher, the days got more relaxed, and the landscapes changed, with bigger mountains, autumn colours and the transition into buddhist areas. The whole trip builds up to a crossing of Larke Pass, but while that felt like the objective, it never felt like the days leading up to it were just an approach - every day we saw new things, and it was much more varied than we had expected beforehand.

The Mountain Company were great to work with beginning to end. Roland provided us with advice for us to make decisions about which trek might suit us best (we also considered the Dhaulagiri Circuit), and when to go - the later dates were rewarded with excellent weather. Despite being a small group of three trekkers we had an excellent group of four local Nepali guides and porters. The logistics were seamless, at every step the guides knew what needed to be done, and at the beginning and end a driver was always in the right place.

This was a 15 day trekking trip from Lukla to Everest Base Camp, staying in good tee house lodges for most of the way up towards EBC, which is at 17.5K feet, or 5.3K m elevation. The trail and journey to EBC was astonishingly beautiful and worth pushing oneself to physical and mental limits to push through 4-8 hours of walking each day for a collective 67 miles out and back. TMC did a tremendous job preparing us for this once-in-a-lifetime experience, preparing us for the slipping of standards of accomodation the higher up we went, and the drop in temperatures, but that the views and experience would be worth it, and they were not wrong. The trip leader, Robert Andreson (get him if you can!) and the sherpas, guides and porters were phenomenal.

As above, The Mountain Company took care of all the necessary details in advance, during and after the trip concluded. The attention to detail and the care and guidance on the trip was exceptional. Robert made the trip. His extensive experience, great sense of humor and positive attitude, along with our guides and porters, meant that 100% of our group made it up and back safely, when so much could have gone wrong. I highly recommend TMC if you're interested in trekking in Nepal!