The Mountain Company Traveller Reviews

Makalu Basecamp is a there and back walk over the Shipton La that doesn’t take you above 5000m making it reasonably accessible and short for a Nepalese trekking trip. The highlight is the proximity, at basecamp, of the massive, sheer, South face of Makalu which feels like it’s in your backyard. The trek is much less popular than places like Everest, Annapurna and Manaslu regions meaning the trails are quieter but also that there is less capacity / infrastructure, and unfortunately it is not yet benefitting from litter picking and trail clean up initiatives. Its fair to say this wasn’t our favourite Himalayan trek, and not one we would recommend for first time visitors to Nepal as in our opinion there are more scenic and more comfortable options. We went in the spring and the weather was quite cloudy, which severely hampered views, and because there aren’t many lodges those that do exist were very busy, missing Easter would address at least the latter of these. Until it is possible to drive all the way to Seduwa the first trekking day from Num is very tough – it is hot, humid and with a large descent and ascent. However the biggest challenge for us was that the lodges and food were much more basic than on other tourist routes, doubtless this will improve as it becomes more popular. The lodges at Tashigaon, Danda Kharka and at basecamp itself were the best.

We’ve travelled to Nepal on numerous occasions with The Mountain Company and keep returning to them because of the quality and service they provide and the ethical way they look after their local crews and support their groups both prior to departure and whilst in country.

The Manaslu Circuit with Tsum Valley is a lodge-based trek that attracts fewer visitors. The trek has two distinct parts: The Manaslu Circuit is classical Nepalese mountain walking whereas Tsum Valley is more cultural. It is worth noting the Tsum Valley is now reasonably busy and is no longer “off the beaten track”. The Larkya La Pass day is probably one of the best single days walking in the Himalaya, you leave the lodge in the dark and experience sunrise before mountain vistas and panoramas open up on the pass and on the descent. The lodges and food are generally ok quality with power in rooms most of the way up, and most offer hot (for a fee) and cold showers, the exception is the lodge at Dharamsala – think lodges at Gorakshep but not as good and in a harsher environment. Even in high season if you can take breakfast at 6:30 you’ll be ahead of most groups and have quiet trails all the way round. Tip: If organising as a private itinerary speak to Roland about options to fly back from Pokhara rather than enduring the drive from Bandipur to Kathmandu

The Mountain Company is an established UK based trekking company specialising in Nepal Himalaya Treks. They attract a global clientele and deliver well planned itineraries that have sufficient time for altitude acclimatisation increasing the chance of successful completion. Feedback is actively sought after a trip and changes / updates will be made if the company agrees with suggestions

We’ve previously completed a number of treks in Nepal but the volume of travellers to the Everest Region in the main season has always put us off. We work with Roland to organise a private December departure trading colder nights and trickier pass crossings for quieter trails and more stable weather but knowing that if the weather was bad we might need to abort one or more of the passes. Our plans were rewarded as we were fortunate enough to have clear and sunny skies the whole way, and from Gokyo to Namche over the Renjo we only saw 4 other trekkers. Unlike some other operators The Mountain Company run this trip anti clockwise, this means you spend more time on the EBC trail but avoid an early, long slog up and over the Renjo La. As well as great views of Everest you get early views of Ama Dablam, so you feel in the mountains very early compared to some other treks. After the Renjo La it is a lovely 3 day walk out through the quiet Thame Valley (which could be done in two very long days if there are delays crossing the passes). Although the pass crossings are long days I personally found the second day from Phadking to Namche to be the toughest – it is 15km with over 1000m of ascent before your legs are really fully walked in, after this the walking got easier. Tip: Compared to previous lodge treks hot showers seemed expensive and cold showers weren’t available at many lodges, taking a collapsible washing bowl, e.g. Sea-to-Summit allowed a quick wash every night

Roland at The Mountain Company provides a personal and flexible service, choosing and booking a holiday feels like a dialogue rather than a purchase. In country the agents and guides are well trained, experienced, and maintain good contacts with the lodges.

Roland, thank you — and please pass this on to the whole Mountain Company team. Our 34-day Snowman Trek (Paro → Haa → Lunana → Dur Tsachu → Bumthang) was, quite simply, one of the most impressive adventures we’ve ever done. The logistics and judgement were superb throughout: thoughtful acclimatisation and pacing (including rest days in places like Laya and Thanze), calm and confident decision-making over 20+ high passes (peaking around 5,460m), and a level of organization that made life in very remote terrain feel safe, smooth, and genuinely enjoyable. We experienced Bhutan at its most dramatic — high, wild, and wonderfully isolated — and the Mountain Company structure behind the scenes is what made that possible. A huge thank you to Almas, whose steady leadership, clear communication and constant encouragement kept the team moving well across long, high days, and to Dorji, whose local knowledge and quiet competence added so much depth — from the route’s rhythms and villages to the mountain reality of the Lunana plateau, Dur Tsachu, and camps like Chomolhari Base Camp and Tshorim Lake. When the weather turned properly “Snowman Trek” (including a severe storm at Chomolhari Base Camp with wind and snow), the way the team managed safety, morale, and practicalities was outstanding — professional, calm, and always one step ahead. And truly, the heart of this trek was the local crew — the yak herders and camp team who made the expedition feel warm and human even at altitude and in the cold. The kitchen staff were extraordinary, and Tandin deserves special mention: consistently delicious meals in demanding conditions, hot drinks exactly when you needed them, and a level of care and hospitality that lifted everyone every single day. It’s rare to find an operator that combines expedition-grade competence with that much kindness. We’d recommend Mountain Company — and Roland’s leadership in particular — without hesitation to anyone who wants to experience Bhutan’s greatest trek in the best possible hands.

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An outstanding trek into one of most remote regions of the high Himalayas of Nepal. Just getting to the start of the trek required 2 days of air and jeep travel then multiple weeks of hiking through the low lands before accessing the highest valleys beneath Kanchenjunga (both North and South Base Camps). Spectacular scenery! A minimum of other trekkers made this trip more like one I took into the Annapurna region 35 years ago. A special treat was to trek through the farming villages at the end of our trek. Our guides were helpful and professional. The accommodations while spartan were more than adequate, and the locally sourced food was well prepared and plentiful.

The Mountain Company exhibits a high degree of organization throughout the booking process through the trekking experience. A great attention to detail with no aspect of the trek left to chance. Professional native guides (Sherpas) were used on our trek into the remote Kanchenjunga region of Nepal where organization and fore-thought is a mandatory quality to make this complex trip a success.

Arduous trekking to Kanchenjunga BC across parts of the GHT to Makalu BC. A mix of hotel, tea house camping and remote camping. Excellent support by the porters and guides. Adapted itinerary based on current and expected weather conditions.

From top to bottom, excellent support. Roland screened applicants for this challenging trek, provided intent and direction to his staff. Bhim (lead guide) worked well with his assistant guides and Ben (western leader) to make sure we were as comfortable as possible. Porters and kitchen staff were friendly and provided excellent service in sometimes difficult conditions. Good communication throughout the trek as we had to make changes to the itinerary based on weather conditions.

I wanted to return to Nepal after years away and my wife wanted to visit but she didnt want to do anything to basic with regards accommodation, so we chose the Ama Dablam Base camp trip with The Mountain Company. The trek was over 9 days following mostly the main route of the Everest base Camp trek amongst others so there were plenty of teahouses on the way, but because we were trekking toward the end of November the trails were not too busy. We were blessed with perfect weather though cold in the morning and evenings, but the daytime was sunny and warm. Our luxury lodges were luxury by Nepalese standards, so imagine around a 2 star hotel. We had a bedroom with an ensuite which though mostly basic had a western style toilet and shower cubical, plus a hand basin. Mostly we had hot water for ashower though in some places this was only available in the afternoon for a period of time as the water wasoften heated using a solar heater on the lodge roof. Some morning higher up there was no running water in the morning due to frozen pipes, but we were presented witha bowl of hot water each by the staff. The bedding was great with heavy wooden blankets and either an electric blanket or hot water bottles or sometimes on request both. We were looked after by the staff in every lodge extremely well and there was no shortage of food, with a 3 course breakfast and a 3 course dinner. Hot drinks were available all the time especially hot water. WiFi was available in nearly every lodge, though it was a little patchy further up. We were able to charge our electrical devices everywhere. Unlike when staying in a teahouse all meals, drinks showers, wifi and charging was free or within the trip cost. The actual trek was ver well planned with the first days as we gained hight being relatively short to allow us to acclimatise and also to take account of the two relatively big days of ascent. On the return journey we were doing 2 days of the outward journey in one. Flying in and out of Lukla was a fun experience. We can thouroughly recommend this trek for comfort and scenery, with Ama Dablam being one of the most beautiful mountains on the planet. Re altitude. We are both pretty fit going to the gym, walking and cycling when we are at home as a daily habit. My wife at 62 had no problems at all, myself at 74 found the altitude a little harder to cope with, though really it meant that I couldnt hike at my normal speed and comfort, but everything was manageable. I took a rest day rather than go to the Base Camp, but my wife went a found that exhilarating and did feel the altitude more going from 4,000m to 4,600m but she was also moving quicker without me.

Roland of the Mountain Company has been excellent as were all his staff. We originally booked this trek back in 2019 with a departure date of around the 20th of March 2020. But three days out from departure Covid closed everything down. We were living in New Zealand at that time and were locked down for the next two years. In discussion with Roland we were offered a full refund which we took at the time as we were uncertsain of the future. We were unable to rebook for the next years or so as among other things we returned to live in the UK so were too busy with buying and selling houses etc, but we rebooked early 2025. Roland was excellent answering all our queries and guiding us through the various requiremnents etc. He was always on hand via email whenever we had a question, and we could have also phones him. Nearer the time od departure we were included in a WhatsApp group that other memebers of the Mountain Company team could also access. We were booked into a beautiful hotel in Kathmandu and roland and our guide, Sanja, met us one afternoon a couple of days before our trek. We had booked extra days before and after our trek. Once on our trek our guide Sanja was excellent and became our friend, but he looked after us so very well. Via the app Roland and the Mountain Company were in contact with us at any time and were sending us weather forecasts and also double checking on our return flight to Kathmandu from Lukla. We have never been so well looked after before and during a holiday by an operator.

This trip to Pikey Peak in the Everest region of Nepal was an alternative to a high level trekking experience but still encompassed the magic of the Country. Reaching a height of just over 4000m, Pikey Peak was a wonderful place to gaze on four of the world's 8000m peaks. On the way the scenery and the people were, as always, a joyful experience. The trails chosen by the Mountain Company were quiet and manageable.

This would be the fourth time I have been to Nepal with The Mountain Company and that says it all. Travelling in remote parts of the world needs a competent and experienced operator and The Mountain Company certainly is that. Together with local support, the preparation, communication and execution were faultless. The guides and porters were also very professional and a joy to be with.

Excellent from start to finish - from the initial calls with Roland to determine the right trek to book, through to the superb trek leaders, cooks and porters whilst on the trek. Not seeing any other trekking groups was a special feature of this camping trek. We had clear weather and some excellent views. Strongly recommended, this trip exceeded my expectations.

Professional, knowledgeable, experienced, friendly and highly organised.

An eleven-day trekking holiday to Kopra Ridge and some of the surrounding areas in the Annapurna region in Nepal. At the end of the trek, there was a side trip to spend a few days in Chitwan National Park.

The Mountain Company is first class. This is the second time I used The Mountain Company for my trekking holiday in Nepal. The tour was, once again, superbly organised. The guide selected to look after me was excellent; he paced me well and adjusted the itinerary when required to ensure I was not over-tired from the walking and that I could complete the trek comfortablly. The itinerary was well designed so that the client acclimatised well to the altitude.