The Mountain Company Traveller Reviews

The Kanchenjunga circuit is just absolutely incredible, the surroundings are always changing. Definitely a harder trek, but worth every bit of the hardships. The forests in the lower elevations are so rich in different greens, still with lots of flowers blooming along the way. Then as you climb to the higher elevations the landscape changes to this almost other planet kind of feel. The views in Lhonak are just incredible. The lower village of Ghunsa is a great little spot to really see the culture of the people that live in these surroundings. Not a lot of other trekkers were out there while we were hiking, there was 12 other people doing the circuit. So it is definitely not as crowded as some of the other treks in Nepal. It will be changing a lot over the upcoming years with all the roads and hydropower being put in. I am interested to see how it changes when I go back. Definitely worth all the hard work.

The Mountain Company did such an incredible job putting this trip together. The experience that Roland Hunter brings is just outstanding. Along with the knowledge of the leaders that he uses on the trek. Roland is always there to answer any questions that come up during the prep and planning phase. Then to always be able to contact him during the trek is an added assurance along the way. He hires very highly trained and knowledgeable local guides and staff to ensure that you have the best experience while in Nepal and on the trek. I can't wait to get out on another one of their trips.

Our trekking holiday with The Mountain Company though the remote Snowman Trek in Bhutan was absolutely fantastic from start to finish. Pre-trip information, communication, and logistics were well organized and the entire expedition in Bhutan was exceptional. All trekking guides, kitchen crew, and support staff were excellent, kind, and generous - providing top-notch service throughout the 28 trek, including excellent meals throughout. The Snowman Trek itself was fantastic, trekking through amazing Himalayan vistas, remote villages, pristine forests, and other spectacular landscapes. We also enjoyed the acclimatization days in the Haa Valley and cultural visits before and after the trek. A top-notch expedition to a remote corner of the world with some of the best international and local guides and crew. Thank you!

Our tour operator, The Mountain Company, was absolutely fantastic. Pre-trip information and communication are beyond expectation - prompt and thorough. Our international guide was absolutely fantastic - extremely experienced and professional. All trek logistics were provided without a flaw. I would highly recommend The Mountain Company. This is my second trip with them and I'm sure we will be back for additional treks in the future.

Had an amazing time trekking The Snowman Trek with The Mountain Company and team. Would highly recommend them for anyone considering this beautiful trek in Bhutan.

Had an amazing time trekking The Snowman Trek with The Mountain Company and team. Would highly recommend them for anyone considering this beautiful trek in Bhutan.

The Mountain Company was fortunate to get a trek visa for Bhutan as soon as they opened. The Snowman's Trek was everything I had hoped for. Great group, visits to spiritual sites, treking in Noman territories, and of course great views.

The Mountain Company has run the Snowman's Trek for over 12 years. Therefore, this was a very well-organized tour with amazing local guides and the great oversite of Roland and Natalie. They were amazingly thoughtful and responsive. The local guides were incredibly organized and took care of all our needs. Can't imagine a better tour operator.

Outstanding trek, with a great variation in climatic zones driven and trekked through with wonderful mountain vistas, especially the eye catching Junna. The owner of the The Mountain Company is passionate about Nepal, it’s people and ensuring his trekkers have the best possible experience. This is replicated by the western trekking guide, in this instance Natalie Wilson whom was top class and the Nepali trekking team, in particular Sirdar Bishwo, guides Bal, Joms and Ratana, head cook Sangram and his team and Head porter Pemba and his team. We were very fortunate with the weather which was deep blue sky for the majority of the time, ensuring we could make the most of the mountain views, enjoy the trekking and the villages and locals we met.

Already mentioned above but to underline, nothing is too much for Roland as he seeks to ensure you have the greatest of times. He is invariably in Kathmandu during all of the trekking seasons and ensures he meets the trekkers before and after each trek. Irrespective of whether in Nepal or UK Roland also is available on Satellite phone for the trekking team.

I had planned to go in October 2021, but COVID restrictions meant this was delayed. There were no issues rearranging this and Roland provided constant updates on the situation. All pre-departure information was clear with detailed help on kit lists, suggested tipping, additional possible itineraries etc. When I arrived in country, Roland met the whole team personally to discuss the trip and the local support team. All went smoothly until unfortunately the weather turned and we were faced with 5 days of torrential rain. Our group leader on the trip was excellent in keeping us updated on the situation and the implications of the worsening conditions. A decision was made to abort the main trek due to the very high chance of avalanches at higher altitude, and for the safety of the whole team. This was completely justified as we started to hear reports of deaths on the higher mountains, and saw regular rescue helicopters flying into the area. A new alternative (safe) itinerary was quickly worked out for us, traversing the lower foothills. Although disappointing, this still gave an amazing trek through the villages and fields, with the literal highpoint of a challenging but stunning trek up to a hidden lake above 4500m.

From the first enquiry to the final trip debrief, Roland's communication was excellent which made a big difference to the trip. The local support staff were incredible, managing to keep the whole group safe, motivated, moving and well fed during some extremely difficult conditions.

I was one of 7 trekkers selected to take part in an exploratory trek in the Hunsa region of Far West Nepal. The planned route had not been trkked or explored before to the best of my knowledge. Highlights were seeing Snow Leoprd pug marks in fresh snow, visiting the Nepal/Tibet border to lookout towards Mount Kailash and later visiting the remote village of Halji to see the local Buddhist community and their amazing 11th century Gompa.

This is the 7th time I have visited The Himalayan region on treks organised by The Mountain Company since 2007. As a returning customer I can personally vouch for the detailed pre trek organisation and communication, infact it has got better over the years. No query is left unanswered. This particular trek was an exploratory trip to see if a commercial trek could become a reality in the future. The Mountain Company maintain contact with all their treks via satellite phone and provide weather updates to ensure safety.

An aborted trip to Dhauligiri hidden valley due to prolonged heavy rain. Roland's team got us out safely and arranged a lovely trip through the Annapurna foothills. We experinced a side of Nepal we would not usually see on a high mountain adventure - local weddings, back country towns, and Gurkha homelands. We reached a highpoint of 4600m above Kophra ridge with stunning views of the Annapurna and Dhauligiri ranges.

Roland is highly knowledgeable about Nepalise trekking. He lives in Nepal during the trekking season working first hand with his local operators.

The remoteness, the amazing view of the mountain ranges in the Annapurna region, and interacting with local villagers made this an amazing trek. There were a few long days with lots of ups and downs. The crew was very supportive. No matter your trekking pace, no one was ever left on their own. You were encouraged to take your time and enjoy the experience and beautiful surroundings.

Roland, Managing Director, always responds to questions right away. He seeks feedback from clients and crew after each trek to see if any improvement is required. Safety and well-being of the crew and trekking clients are top priority for him. Local crew is provided with the necessary equipment (clothing, footwear) and ensure they do not carry excess weight. This is my sixth treks with The Mountain Company. I have the same positive experience each time from Roland and the crew. This is why I plan to do more trekking with The Mountain Company and no hesitation in recommending them.

The Kanchenjunga North and South Base Camp trek is a remote, tough trek in the eastern part of Nepal walking mainly on good trails. Compared to, for example the Dhaulagiri Circuit, the trekking days are longer (most days 7+ hours tent to tent), the trails are quieter with few other groups, and the scenery is more varied – starting with cardamon plantations, climbing up through rhododendron, bamboo and oak forests, and finally into high mountain landscapes. The length and remoteness of the trek means that it is important to be physically fit, mentally resilient and prepared, and to have the right equipment for both the heat and very cold weather.

The Mountain Company operates treks that have been designed with the client’s enjoyment in mind. To this end the itineraries are based on necessary acclimatisation and not fitting in to a set number of days off work which significantly increases the chance of the team achieving their objective; trip dates are chosen based to try and time more stable weather for better views (the compromise for this trip is that also means colder evenings and nights); and finally leaders on the ground are empowered to make decisions to improve the itinerary (for example our trek arranged jeeps to avoid a final 8 hour walk down a new road). Finally not everything always goes to expectation but the company actively seeks out feedback with the genuine intention of improving future trips.