Latest news from the Himalaya and Karakoram

Friday 22 March 2013

Hindu festival of Holi celebrated in Nepal and India

Photo: enjoying Holi festival on Annapurna Circuit trek

Following my earlier post about Shivaratri festival in Kathmandu the next important one is Holi or commonly known as Festival of Colours. Holi is celebrated by Hindus in Nepal and India to mark the end of winter and to celebrate the start of of Spring. This festival is held on the last full moon of the lunar month of Phalguna and this year in the western calendar it is on March 26th.

Holi is celebrated with fun and joy where revellers normally hold a bonfire, throw coloured powder at each other and celebrate wildly. The reason for using coloured powder is to take away sorrow and sadness and literally bring colour into everyone’s lives. People sometimes throw water balloons from roof tops of buildings so be aware if you are walking in the streets below! It is certainly a good idea to wear old clothes ones you do not mind being covered in coloured powder and getting wet.

It is quite common for revellers to mix bhang (marijuana) in their food and drinks also like at Shivaratri festival held earlier in the year. Marijuana is linked with Lord Shiva as at one point he rested under the shade of a cannabis plant on a hot day and in gratitude he gave this plan to mankind.

In Nepal, Holi is also called "Fagu" and is a national holiday, it is celebrated by everyone irrespective of religion, caste or age. During this day everyone rich and poor will join in to celebrate this joyous festival which is as important as Dashain and Tihar in Autumn season.

If you are planning to visit Nepal in Spring then I recommend you consider making the dates of your trip coincide with the festival of Holi. At The Mountain Company we organise cultural tours throughout Nepal with our Classic, Highlights and Luxury tour itineraries or we can arrange a private bespoke tour designed especially for you. Please get in touch with us if you would like any further information about our Cultural Tours of Nepal.

Roland Hunter
www.themountaincompany.co.uk

Hindu festival of Shivaratri celebrated in Kathmandu

Photo: Saddhu holy man at Shivaratri festival in Kathmandu

I arrived to Kathmandu for our Spring trekking season on March 10th and when being driven out of the airport I noticed the usual road to the centre of Kathmandu was closed and there were many people around. The reason for the large crowds was that I had arrived to Kathmandu during the Shivaratri festival.

The Shivaratri festival is celebrated every year in Kathmandu in reverence of Lord Shiva with offerings of Bel leaves and fasting for the day and night during a long vigil. This festival is centred on the Pashupati Temple complex located on the Bagmati river not far away from the international airport. This area is crowded with pilgrims from Nepal and India as well as many holy men (or saddhus) who walk around naked with their bodies smeared with ash. A ritual among Saddhus is to smoke marijuana in worship of Lord Shiva and certainly lots of this drug is smoked during Shivaratri.

During Shivaratri the area around Pashupati complex has many food stalls and across the river in the forest there are lots of temporary shelters and campfires. At midnight the festival starts when the priests start to make offerings to Lord Shiva and throughout the night the pilgrims and saddhus enter the main temple with milk, flowers, coins and rice placed near the Lingam of Lord Shiva.

Lord Shiva is a Hindu deity known as the “Destroyer “or “Transformer” and is regarded as one of the five primary forms of God. Lord Shiva lived on Mount Kailash in Tibet as well as a householder with his wife Parvati and two sons and daughter. Lord Shiva can be easily identified as he always carries a trident and has five serpents as ornaments.

If you are interested in visiting Shivaratri festival then the timing varies in the western calendar as is celebrated each year on 13th and 14th night of Maagha or Phalguna month of the Hindu calendar. Please get in touch with us we will let you know the dates of this festival for next year and if you like we can organise a visit with one of our sightseeing guides.

Roland Hunter
www.themountaincompany.co.uk

Wednesday 20 March 2013

TMC treks guaranteed to run for Summer and Autumn 2013

We already have a number of groups forming for our Summer and Autumn treks in Nepal, Pakistan and Bhutan. Please take a look at these trips listed below, all of these are now guaranteed to run and there is currently availability:

K2 & Gondogoro La in Pakistan (August 3rd to 25th 2013)
K2 Base Camp and Concordia in Pakistan (August 30th to September 22nd 2013)
Lunana Snowman in Bhutan (September 21st to October 26th 2013)
Kanchenjunga to Makalu GHT (October 5th to November 4th 2013)
Kanchenjunga to Tumlingtar GHT (October 5th to November 15th 2013)
Everest High Passes in Nepal (October 4th to 25th 2013)
Luxury Everest Base Camp in Nepal (October 8th to 26th 2013)
Kanchenjunga Circuit in Nepal (October 30th to November 24th 2013)
Mera Peak Expedition in Nepal (November 3rd to 24th 2013)
Everest Base Camp in Nepal (November 3rd to November 21st 2013)
Everest Luxury Lodges in Nepal (November 18th to December 3rd 2013)

We also have several departures that are getting close to becoming guaranteed to run, they are as follows:

Dhaulagiri Circuit in Nepal (October 6th to 25th 2013)
Everest Base Camp in Nepal (November 13th to December 1st 2013)
Upper Dolpo to Jomsom GHT in Nepal (May 3rd to June 1st 2014)
Makalu to Everest GHT in Nepal (April 14th to May 12th 2014)

Please get in touch with us soon if you would like to join any of these groups, by the way there are currently some good deals on flights to Kathmandu in Autumn for latest prices check out SkyScanner

Roland Hunter
www.themountaincompany.co.uk

Thursday 21 February 2013

Inspection visit to Chitwan National Park in Nepal

Photo:  Asiatic rhinoceros in Chitwan National Park
Photo: elephant safari in Chitwan National Park

Last December I spent a week in Chitwan National Park in Nepal where I inspected and reviewed fifteen selected hotels and lodges to determine the best ones available to use for our clients. In the past we used lodges located inside the National Park however all of these properties were closed down in July 2012 because their leases were not renewed by the government. There has been on-going uncertainty about lease renewals and as far as I understand at the moment it is unlikely these will be granted in the future for mainly environment reasons. As a result over the last year there have been several new high quality lodges constructed outside the Park mainly in the area further west along Rapti River around the villages of Patihani and Jagatpur.

Photo: wedding celebration dance by Tharu villagers

Chitwan National Park is a popular place to visit for people who are on a tour of Nepal and also as an extension after a trek in the Himalaya. Chitwan is located on the plains to the south of the Himalaya range on near the border with Nepal and India. This area is one of the few remaining undisturbed parts of the Terai and has a rich flora and fauna including Bengal tiger, single-horned Asiatic rhinoceros, wild elephants, leopards and the rare gangetic dolphin.

The latest surveys indicate there is currently 125 tigers and 500 rhinos in Chitwan National Park showing a healthy increase in numbers over the last thirty years. The size of Chitwan National Park is 932 km2 plus a buffer zone of 766 km2 comprised mainly of sal forest, water marshes and grassland. There is a high diversity of ecosystems from the flood plains of the Rapti and Narayani rivers with their ox-bow lakes and then rising up to 800m in the hills to the east. Chitwan National Park was designated as UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1984.

Photo: Rapti river in Chitwan

The best time to visit Chitwan National Park is from October to February, this is the dry season when you have the best chance of seeing tiger and other wildlife as they are more likely to visit waterholes in a few concentrated areas. It is also possible to visit Chitwan right through into May however the grasses will be growing longer hiding some of the animals and it will be getting very hot and humid (so best to choose a lodge with air conditioning). It is easy to get to Chitwan from Kathmandu, by car it takes about four hours of course depending on the traffic. It is also possible to fly to Bharatpur airport where we will arrange transport to your jungle lodge.

Photo: elephants in Chitwan

Once you get to your lodge in Chitwan their resident naturalist will meet you to discuss your plans and what activities you would like to do throughout your stay. As part of your package the following activities are normally included: elephant safari, jungle drive in a jeep, bird watching, nature walk, canoeing, ox cart ride, village tours and bathing with an elephant! In the evenings most lodges will organise a cultural show with traditional local Tharu dances and slide shows about Chitwan National Park. 

If you would like visit Chitwan National Park please get in touch with us, we can then suggest the best lodges in Chitwan according to your budget that have all been inspected by us. If you are interested in joining one of our tours of Nepal that include a visit to Chitwan please take a look at our Highlights Tour of Nepal, Classic Tour of Nepal and Luxury Tour of Nepal.

It would also be worth reading our blog article "Inspection visit to Bardia National Park in Nepal" to find out more about how Bardia compares with Chitwan National Park.

Roland Hunter
www.themountaincompany.co.uk

Monday 28 January 2013

Day trip to the World Peace Stupa in Pokhara (Nepal)

Photo: World Peace Stupa in Pokhara

If you have a day in Pokhara (Nepal) it is well worth considering the walk up to the World Peace Stupa located on a hill overlooking the lake with superb mountain views of the Annapurna range.  I have visited Pokhara many times over the years and only walked up to the stupa for the first time last December. I really enjoyed seeing the stupa and the views, I would recommend doing this short walk if you have the time when in Pokhara as it is well worth the effort.

Photo: boatman on Phewa Tal

Photo: Barahi temple
Photo: Phewa Tal near Pokhara

The best way of approaching the stupa is to take a boat across Phewa lake and then walk up the well-marked path to the stupa, this will take about half an hour with a few stops to enjoy the views.  The World Peace Stupa is a Buddhist monument to inspire peace by providing a focus for people to unite in their search for world peace. After looking around the stupa I suggest stopping off at one of the restaurants nearby or walk further up the hill to the wonderfully situated Raniban Resort.

Photo: Sign to World Peace Stupa
Photo: World Peace Stupa in Pokhara
Photo: World Peace Stupa in Pokhara

On the way down you can either retrace the trail back to the lake and take a boat back to Pokhara side or more interesting way is to follow the path down to Damside. Follow the trail through a beautiful forest and after about twenty minutes you will get to Damside then walk along the road to Lakeside if you are staying there.
Photo: view from stupa

The Mountain Company organise a number of tours of Nepal that include a day walk to the World Peace Stupa in Pokhara, click here for more information on our Nepal tours. Please get in touch with us at anytime if you would like any information about a holiday in Nepal.

Roland Hunter
www.themountaincompany.co.uk

Saturday 8 December 2012

Trip report for Mera Peak (Nepal) led by Roland Hunter in November 2012

Photo: Chris on Mera Peak summit!

This year is the seventh expedition I have led to Mera Peak since 2005 and as ever I was looking forward to this trip to the highest trekking peak in Nepal with I think one of the best views anywhere in Himalaya. I was hoping the weather would be better than last year's Mera Peak trip [see TMC Mera Peak 2011 Trip Report] and luckily this year we had stable and settled weather throughout the expedition. This is the normal weather conditions expected in Nepal during November when usually a blocking high pressure sits over the Himalaya resulting in sunny conditions. Whereas last year's weather was rather unusual as a cyclonic system drifted into the Himalaya causing a lot of rain and cloudy weather.

There were thirteen people in our Mera Peak group from a number of countries UK, USA, Canada, UK and Ireland including three repeat trekkers who joined our Lunana Snowman trek in Bhutan last year.  I led this trip along with Sirdar Domi Sherpa and climbing sherpas Karna Tamang (double Everest summiteer), Sonam and Dorje. We had our regular cook, Saila Tamang, and his amazing kitchen crew along with us, as ever we were given very tasty food throughout. The meal in Khare Base Camp of pizza and apple pie was particularly memorable and certainly went down very well with the group before heading up the mountain for the summit push. There is certainly alot of truth in the saying that an army marches on its stomach…

Photo: Sirdar Domi Sherpa and climbing Sherpa Karna Tamang

We flew to Lukla on November 5th arriving around 10.30am and after a cup of tea in Numbur Lodge we started trekking to Puiyan village where we spent our first night. Everyone enjoyed the walk in to Mera Peak via Pangom village to Nashing Dingma, Chalem Kharka, Chunbu Kharka. The big change I noticed compared to two years ago (we did not pass this way last year due to poor weather as we walked from Shibuche village direct to Kote on east side of Hinku river) was the improvement in trail from Chunbu Kharka to Kote. This trail has been widened and constructed so is now far easier to follow for the group and crew, it is good to see that proceeds from our permit to enter Makalu Barun National Park are being well invested in upgrading the trails.

On November 12th we walked up to Tagnag at 4,350m and as usual the group enjoyed this day as for first time one feels approaching the mountains close up rather than getting more distant views like earlier from Pangom La. The views of Kyashar and Kusum Kanguru on this section of the trail are superb. It was good to be back in Tagnag and as usual we stayed at Mera Peak Guesthouse owned by the friendly and hospitable Lhakpa Gyalgen Sherpa and his wife Pema. I have got to know Lhakpa over the years so it was good to see him again and catch up. He has made some improvements to his lodge by extending the dining room so I certainly think this is best place to stay in Tagnag.

As per our itinerary we have a spare summit day and after discussion with the group we decided to use this by having an extra night in Tagnag so we stayed here for three nights, from experience this is well worth doing as aids acclimatisation and really helps people higher up on the mountain (whereas most other groups spend only one or two nights in Tagnag). On November 13th we went for a day walk up the grassy ridge behind Tagnag where we reached a high point of 5,100m, this is great for acclimatising following the rule of “climb high, sleep low”.

On next day 14th we had a training day where we showed people how to ascend and descend multiple anchor fixed ropes using jumars and abseil/ rappel devices which is a skill required for the steeper last section to climb to Central summit of Mera Peak. In the evening we had a visit from a group of villagers from lower down the valley celebrating the festival of Tihar [for more information on Tihar], after giving kata scarves to the group they started dancing to celebrate the festival and encouraged us to join them.

On 15th we trekked up to Khare Base Camp and then on 16th we walked up to glacier for more training on using crampons and ice axe.  This year the conditions were dryer with the snowline much higher than usual, last year we did our mountaineering training above the teashop at 5,200m (now abandoned) whereas this year we had to walk up to below the glacier.

While we were on our way to this point we heard the dreaded sound of rockfall and luckily we were far enough away not to be directly affected however we saw a lot of rock fall down onto the standard glacial route to Mera La just above Japanese Camp (see photo below). On closer inspection I noticed this section of glacier was covered in rock debris so there must have been a large rockfall event since last year that has destabilised the whole ridge above. I decided it would not be safe to follow the old route so myself and the Sherpas had a discussion and it quickly became apparent the only safe option was the route below Japanese camp onto the glacier that leads directly to the Mera La.

Photo: previous standard route to Mera La with high risk of rockfall

While the group did their mountaineering training with Domi I headed off with the climbing Sherpas to take a look at this new route, I had noticed in previous years there were some tracks on this glacier however I had never seen or heard of any groups using this way in the past so I was not sure if was viable. From Japanese Camp there is a 150m descent on loose scree and rock to the glacier and then a moderate angled snow slope to Mera La.

This route is objectively quite safe as the route keeps to left side of the glacier avoiding the crevasses so I am not really sure why has not been used in the past. I am pretty certain this will now be the new standard route on Mera Peak and there is no doubt we will send TMC groups this way in the future. It is worth pointing out that it is essential for all of the trek crew including porters to have crampons on this section of the glacier because if they slipped there are several large crevasses located below the trail.

Photo: new route to Mera La (much safer)
Photo: close up of new route

It was great to meet several alpinists along the way, in Tagnag we met two Japanese climbers who had just climbed a route on Kyashar, I have just tried to google their names to find out more information about their climb however unfortunately could not find anything in english so could not provide any further details. In Khare Base Camp I met British climbers Nick Bullock and Andy Houseman who had just come back from Chamlang, please take a look at their blogs for more information- Nick's blog and Andy's blog

On the next day the group and crew walked up to Mera La without any issues using the new route although this section was very hot being on a sunny day however once on Mera La it was nice to get some breeze and it felt much cooler. After a night at Mera La we walked up to High Camp in good time and when up there everyone was feeling excited for the summit attempt staring in early hours of the morning.

Photo: Crispin and Roland at Mera La (Mt Chamlang to left)

For the summit push we left High Camp at 2am on a clear starry and very beautiful night, it was quite windy and cold which are pretty normal conditions on Mera Peak and the three rope groups made steady progress upwards. Soon after leaving High Camp I was quite surprised about the number of open crevasses this year with the trail winding around them. Then about half up the “whale back” feature there is now a large crevasse splitting this slope which is new compared to last year although can be crossed by a reasonable looking snow bridge. Although if this crevasses opens up further it might be necessary in the future to use ladders to cross over, lets wait to see what it looks like next year...

Photo: Domi's rope group on summit day

After this large crevasse one approaches a section of the slope exposed to the wind where we were buffeted by strong gusts. By this point two rope groups had moved ahead making good progress towards the summit (we had arranged in advance for Domi and Karna to leader these faster groups) and in the end everyone successfully climbed to Central summit of Mera Peak. At this point I dropped back to assist the slower rope group who made steady progress and reached the Col below the Central summit- due to the time and high winds we decided to make this their high point for the day. The views throughout our summit day were sensational and the skies were completely clear apart from the chateracteristic plume coming off Everest summit and sometimes a lenticular cloud off Makalu.

Photo: Kiwi Andy climbing the ropes to the summit of Mera Peak

Congratulations to this group with everyone making high camp at 5,800m thereby setting their own altitude records and nine of us went on to summit Mera Peak.

I would like to thank our Nepali trek crew who as ever did a great job from our Sirdar Domi down to all the porters who worked hard throughout the trek, and of course thanks to Saila and his team for the excellent food.

I have copied below several testimonials from the group with their feedback and comments on their experiences:

"I have been on three treks with the Mountain Company in the last four years, including the “Snowman” in Bhutan in 2011, and Mera Peak in 2012. These last two trips were also done with Roland as the trip leader.

As a leader, Roland is extremely well organized, and tireless in his day to day management. I have seen Roland deal with several difficult situations, and even more difficult people. I have been impressed by his enthusiasm, and have never seen him raise his voice, or even speak badly of someone.

His enthusiasm is probably his only significant flaw. Mere mortals need to have him be clear about what he means by a “rest day”. Truthfully, I wouldn’t hesitate to go on another Mountain Company trip, and have great faith in Roland himself." Dan Gray (Canada)


"If you are considering a first time mountaineering expedition to Mera Peak, there is no better company to help you reach your goal than Roland Hunter and his Mountain Company. From start to finish, the entire trip ran flawlessly, thanks to Roland's enthusiasm, professionalism and attention to every detail, no matter how personal or seemingly intricate.

I have trekked in Asia for several decades now, and I can attest to the fact that Roland Hunter's Mountain Company is the most professional and capable among all others - and that includes trekking companies twice the size. Roland truly cares about your personal well-being and your dreams of summiting, while taking your capabilities and yes, limitations, into consideration. I have never received such personal attention from an expedition leader, and always with gentle encouragement, ability to listen, accommodate, compromise and also making sure that all trip members are safe, happy and moving toward their intended goal.

Roland is a master of motivation, a diplomat and a powerhouse climber, all rolled into one kind, funny and patient individual. His leadership and management of the entire team dedicated to helping us participants "get to the top" are simply perfection. If you go, you won't just have a great time - you will experience a real expedition and what mountaineering in Nepal is all about. Thank you Roland - you and your amazing dream team made ascending Mera Peak into a beautiful reality" Christine Milrod (USA)

In 2013 we are planning on organising two expeditions to climb Mera Peak, first one in April and second trip in November led by Chris Horobin. Please get in touch soon if you would like to join one of these groups.

Roland Hunter
www.themountaincompany.co.uk

Tuesday 27 November 2012

Trip Report for Lunana Snowman (Bhutan) led by Almas Khan in September/ October 2012

Photo: Mount Jitchu Drake

This is the fourth time The Mountain Company has successfully organised the Complete Lunana Snowman trek in Bhutan starting in Paro and finishing in Bumthang. This year we had twelve trekkers signed up and like last year this group was an international mix with people coming from UK, USA, Canada, Australia, Hong Kong, Italy and Germany. Our 2012 Snowman group was led by Almas Khan who is originally from India now living with his wife in Tasmania, Australia; Almas knows Bhutan very well and in particularly Lunana region having led groups here many times over the past 13 years.

Photo: steam near Dur Taschu

Overall our Snowman 2012 trek went very well with far better weather than our 2011 Snowman trek. This year the monsoon wound down ending early so when group arrived to Paro on September 24th they experienced sunny weather including their morning walk to Taktsang (Tiger’s Next) monastery plus on first days of trek which are often rainy and rather muddy at this time of year.  After 10 days walking the group arrived to Laya on schedule where they met up with our Sirdar Dawa’s wife who had come in from Punakha with ponies for the resupply of food and provisions as planned.

Photo: view from Saga La

On October 9th and 10th once the group had crossed the Karchung La pass into Lunana there was some rain during the day and night. When the group arrived to Thanza village it became clear that our yaks from Bumthang had not yet arrived and the news was they were unable to cross Gophu La into Lunana due to snow blocking this pass. However Almas spoke to our Laya horseman about the possibility of them continuing the trek with their animals and after some discussions agreed to continue as long as we provided road transport for their animals back from Bumthang to Punakha for walk into Laya.

Photo: Yak herder's camp

Almas decided to forsake the rest day in Thanza and to continue next day onto Danje campsite, this was certainly a good call to keep the group moving and to ensure the Laya horseman did not change their minds about continuing! With the unknown conditions on Karchung La it was wise to keep this extra day in hand in case of any delays however in the end conditions were fine on all passes as the new snow quickly melted off the trail. There were several other smaller groups around in Lunana valley however they all decided to take the shorter exit trail down to Nikka Chu valley rather than the more interesting and beautiful trail out to Bumthang following the “Complete Snowman” trek. Therefore The Mountain Company’s Snowman group was one of few (and possibly only group?) that completed the entire Snowman from Paro to Bumthang in Autumn 2012.

Shortly after Danje campsite there is the turn off trail for Nikka Chu and our group saw a spectacular sight of over 200 yaks making their way out of Lunana, this was the village’s annual shopping trip out of the valley to purchase supplies for the winter.  The walk to Tshorim was on a  sunny day with spectacular views of the fluted mountains surrounding this beautiful lake, this is certainly one of the best campsite locations anywhere in the Himalaya (and a place one misses if takes quick exit via Nikka Chu).

Photo: Tshorim Lake camp

On Day 27 of the trip they arrived to Dur Tsachu where there are hot springs, this is a lovely place where the group and crew can relax and as there was extra days in hand at this stage Almas decided to spend two nights here which was a popular move so everyone had a chance to relax and wash in the hot springs. To use up the second rest day in hand Almas also decided to split the walk to Tsochenen into two days as otherwise this is a very long day crossing two passes Gongto La (4,327m) and Djule La (4,551m).

To get a further feel and understanding how our Snowman trek went I have copied below several testimonials from some members of this group which helps explains their experiences in more detail, we really appreciate receiving positive feedback like this and make all of the hard work getting this trek off the ground well worth while!

“I wanted to write and thank you for a truly spectacular trip on the Snowman Trek. I can honestly say this trek was one of the best organised, most efficient, well thought out treks that I have been on. Every staff member spoke very highly of your company, as did the guides and the many repeat guests for the Mountain Company that I met on the trek.

Almas is a fantastic team leader - I would follow him anywhere he went - he leads with authority, he is fair, hospitable, kind and generous to all, and his knowledge of the mountains and search and rescue means that guests can feel safe with him, no matter where they are. I cannot recommend him highly enough - without a doubt the best team leader that I have met on my treks so far - and I would go so far as to say that I would want him on any trek that I went on.

You must know that each and every one of the Bhutanese crew was a joy to work with. Every single one. Best crew ever. And if you pass messages on to Kinley, then Nima my guide for after the trek is a consummate gentleman and professional and made my trip to Bhutan a magical and enchanted experience.

I wanted to thank you for everything. From the outset, you have been extremely efficient and professional and your company has provided me with a once in a lifetime experience.” Alexis Fosler (Hong Kong)

“Robert and I had an amazing experience in Bhutan and we had the best trekking holiday walking the Snowman Trek. Thanks for all the pre-trip advice and support! We admired The Mountain Company for having the itinerary that includes extra days for acclimatisation rather than others who are more concern about commerce gained.

Special thanks to Almas! Almas is the best trek leader and we will travel anywhere with him. He shown great leadership and planning skills and ensured that horses, staffs and trekkers were all well cared for during the trek. He has great experience of this trek, he planned and modified the daily plan according to weather condition and to ensure that the group had enough time in the beautiful places/pass.

The trek was well organised, I can see that The Mountain Company has great experience in this trek and has planned and tested the daily routines to the highest level. We were well cared for - from setting up camp, food to having a shower! All trekkers in our group had commented that this is the best-organised trek and the best food trek.

We like to thank Tashi Snr, Dawa and Tanzin (and our drivers)! They are excellent in what they do! Thanks to everyone who is working behind the scene to make this a great trip. Looking forward to trek with The Mountain Company and hearing from you.” Robert and Cindy Sim (Australia)

“I would like to acknowledge you and for congratulate for the excellency of the services received.  Also your pre departure e-mails before departure had been valuable indeed. In my more than 15 years experience in trekking, this is the first time that everything in the organisation was perfect and really well managed. Even more than my best expectations! Almas was a great leader and he cared of everything carefully. He solved very well also the problem of the not-coming yaks caravan in Tanza! 

The Snowman trek was in my dreams since years, the Group was one the very few that successfully crossed every Pass this year. The weather had been good and better than the previous year, so the mountain views were extraordinary.

Also the bus journey of the last few days was very well managed and enabled me to enjoy many spots of Cultural Bhutan. I especially appreciated the most high Camps, the high Passes, the organisation (that in my opinion was perfect); at the end also the Swiss Guest house and the Cultural Bhutan. To be mentioned, also the Group of people never met before has been a nice surprise: everyone was  really enjoyable! 

So the choice to choose "The Mountain Company" proved to be a great one, to be continued in the future... thank you a lot again, Mr. Roland and I wish for you a very nice trip in Nepal.!" Marco Morello (Italy)

As ever I would like to thank very much everyone involved in organising this trek from Kinley and Wangmo in the office in Thimphu; the trek crew including Dawa (Sirdar), Tenzing (cook), Tashi Wangdi (senior trekking guide) and of course Almas for doing a great job leading this group!

The Mountain Company is organising Lunana Snowman again in 2013 and this group will be led by Paul Burditt (leader of our successful Dhaulagiri Circuit trek in October 2012), we already have quite a lot of interest so if you are considering joining this trek please get in touch soon.

Roland Hunter
www.themountaincompany.co.uk

The Mountain Company