The Mountain Company Traveller Reviews

There and back trip to Makalu Base Camp

An amazing experience finely curated by TMC. A raft of operators offer similar packages but it was Roland (and TMC’s) expert knowledge and experience that builds confidence of risk management, operational ability and client support. I wouldn’t hesitate to use them again!

We've done four treks with TMC. Through no fault of TMC, the last one was a little disappointing, since a very unusual cyclonic event meant that we could do the full trek. TMC did a very good job of adapting and rerouting.

We've now done four treks with The Mountain Company -- two short, two long. If we ever go back to the Himalayas, I'm fairly certain we'd use them again. They really seem to be head and shoulders above the competition, particularly on the less-traveled routes. Perhaps the best thing about them is their local guides. TMC seems to pay well and supported them through the pandemic. They've all been personable, knowledgeable, and skilled. The Western guides have also been very good. They're all pretty hardened, almost to a fault, which means that they were sometimes a little unaware of some of the group dynamics (so, e.g., more aggressive trekkers weren't reined in to keep the group together and moving at a safe pace), but they were (both) very skilled, experienced, and resourceful. TMC's logistics, safety measures, and knowledge of trail conditions are also excellent. The only reason I took off a point was that their medical protocols were disorganized and inconsistent, which for me detracted from the experience.

Well organised lodge trip to Ama Dablam base camp. The guide was very capable and knowledgable and great company. We felt in safe hands at all times and he was very attentive, ensuring we were well looked after.

Very clear pre-trip comms and very responsive to questions about the trip and adjustments to the plan. They have a good team and very respectful and collaborative relationships within the team. We always felt in safe hands.

Our Dhaulagiri circuit was cancelled 36 hours into the trek due to agreed safety concerns re landslips and avalanches higher up. We retreated back to Beni, regrouped and then did Plan B. The staff communicated with us excellently all through this experience. We were kept safe and accommodated and fed well. Our extension was worthwhile and very adventurous. The guides were excellent. .

The Mountain Company led by Roland Hunter is a brilliant tour operator. The communication with travellers before, during and after the holiday was excellent. Roland gave all the time we needed despite being very busy. The guides kept us up to date and checked out if we were ok. They were very helpful with health issues. The office got back to my children when they were concerned. The kit, porters, kitchen crew also worked well. This is the best tour operator that I have experienced.

I embarked on the Lunana Snowman trek with the Mountain Company in October 2022. I had already been converted to trekking with the Mountain Company and had wanted to do Snowman for some time. The trip was exceptional on every way. It is an amazing trek but my appreciation of it was enhanced in so many ways by the planning and care of the Mountain Company before and throughout the trek. Through their years of experience they had put together a wonderful team who, together with our great leader Nat, looked after us every inch of the way so all we had to do was push ourselves to get over the passes, wonder at the scenery and eat incredibly well in the remotest of locations. My thanks to all of TMC for this.

Brilliant organisation and attention to detail which gives you a feeling of complete confidence. So important when you are approaching something both unique and challenging. Roland the MD is great in providing all necessary pretrip information and keeping one informed to the moment of departure

Having recently returned from a wonderful trip round the Manaslu Circuit, I found The Mountain Company to be extremely well organised with great communication from from first contact right through til we got home. Feedback was sought and taken into consideration using each client to improve for the next. The guides and porters used were of the highest quality with each having proper equipment and were all extremely attentive. The guide spoke excellent English making communication easy and we had a lot of fun as a group. It was also very reassuring to have an assistant guide too despite being a small group and is something that sets The Mountain Company apart from other outfits which take much bigger groups with only one guide. Having two meant that we could all walk at our pace safely. We appreciated that the porters were well kitted out, included at meal times and came (voluntarily!) on acclimation walks with us. Again, many groups kept their porters separate which made us feel very uncomfortable so it was nice to be able to share a drink altogether every day. Due to inclement weather and many landslides just before we started, the trail was considerably changed from the itinerary but this just demonstrates the unpredictable nature of trekking and couldn’t be helped. The trip was pretty well paced with ample time for acclimatisation. We saw many other groups struggling over the landslides and coming down from the high pass and we were grateful to always feel safe and comfortable with our guide who we all trusted. I would say that microspikes as a minimum are absolutely crucial on this trek. We saw some nasty accidents and falls of people who didn’t have the proper equipment so make sure to read the kit list properly and utilise Roland who is always willing to help with kit advice - take it!! As this was a tea house trek, the lodges were basic but safe and food was plentiful if a little repetitive. Taking some snacks from home was welcomed along the daily trail! The Manaslu trek is a real treat, moving through many different cultural areas and giving opportunity to interact with local people. The scenery changes every day from the lowland gorge, the to highland villages up to the Tibetan plateau and finally the high pass. The views each day of the big peaks are spectacular! I would say that it is a physically challenging trek with the unpredictability of the trail. I appreciated having a high level of fitness level and a lot of walking experience on this trek. Definitely use all your kit before you go so that you know it’s comfortable and that includes being used to carrying a daypack! Overall I would recommend the Manaslu circuit to anyone looking for a varied and spectacular trek. I am already looking forward to my next Himalayan trek which will be with The Mountain Company as I’m not sure how they could be bettered.

I would highly recommend The Mountain Company to anyone looking for a well organised and high quality trekking trip. Their repeat clients are a testament to the quality they offer and having been recommended them I was not disappointed.

My friends and I went on an 11 day trek up to Ama Dablam. It was my 1st trek to Nepal. All I can say is I was blown away and can't wait to get back. The people were so kind and respectful. The trek itself left me speechless. The mountains just leave you going WOW!!!

The Mountain Company was awesome. From the discussions prior to the trip right up to the end they made seamless. The guides and porters we super friendly and accommodating.

We did the Everest Luxury Lodge trek to Ama Dablam Base Camp. This was my 2nd trek with TMC and did not disappoint. I requested the same guide as 2018 and he along with the asst guide and porters were great.

TMC & Roland were there every step of the way. Always promptly answering questions beforedepartute. Meetings in person pre and post trek and available to handlke any uissues along the way.

Trekking in Himalayas - ABC After Covid delays, I finally got the chance to go to Nepal and complete the ABC trek. We had very nice guide and a porter. They were very accommodating and helpful. The weather was fabulous, the views even better and I had the time of my life. Enjoyed the whole experience - the walking, different culture, food (started to drink ginger & lemon tea ;)

We were always informed about any changes due to the pandemic. Once we got going, everything went smoothly - all the transfers, various meetings at the airports/hotels, guided tour around Katmandu.

I spent time in Kathmandu and treking in the Annapurna region of Nepal. The trip was a repeat of a similar trip I had made 30 years earlier. The trek was guided and we stayed at luxury lodges.

The Mountain Company and Roland Hunter its leader were outstanding. Roland was generous with his time as we planned the trip and offered excellent advice. He was always accessible as I planned. On the ground Roland and team provided fantastic support. The trip was delivered as advertised with no negative surprises and the overall experience exceeded my expectations.