Review By Team Members
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Prayumna Prakash, Golfer and Coach, Chennai
☆☆☆We were a group of 8 for the November 2016 Goechala trek, an ideal number that ensured we received personal attention whenever required. The age group ranged from that of my son, 25 yrs, to myself at 57 yrs. At the outset I would like to give a thumbs up to a couple of things .. 1. The very prompt communication attending to all enquiries and advice given via the internet, and subsequently in person once the team had assembled. 2. The constant watchful care of the trek leader, Montu Singh, who not only monitored our physical well being every evening, but also kept vigil throughout the day. There is just one word that describes him .. amazing ! The food was very good, they even baked a cake for my birthday at Lamuney ! However, what was very, very disappointing (and a big surprise considering what we had become used to) was the food served on the main summit day. That day of all days should have been special but turned out to be the opposite. After refreshments at 2:30 am the trek started. Later in the morning a light packed snack sufficed. Expectations were that on returning back to camp at Lamuney everyone would indulge in a good, wholesome, hot meal after such a long and strenuous climb to the summit. Sadly, all that was served was Phale, something akin to a large samosa stuffed with grated cabbage and carrot, and plain parathas with nothing to eat it with. Later, even the dinner was late because while the team had reached Kokchurong, the yaks transporting the tents and kitchen items took much longer to arrive. It was a long, cold, hungry wait. Another big disappointment was that on the last day of the trek, it seemed that the porters were no longer careful with the handling of the bags being transported, the bags were being thrown on the ground, the center support strap of my bag had been removed, and on reaching Yuksom when I opened my duffel to do my packing that evening I discovered it had been torn in the bottom with numerous holes all around. My suggestions to Himalayan High .. 1. Please ensure extra care is taken to provide an adequate meal after the summit climb 2. Please provide duffel bags for clients to offload their things into so that they can return to pack their things into their own bags which will be safe from ruin. Hope this feedback helps in an improvement in your services which was, overall, good.
Gayatri Irani, Housewife, Cuttack, Odisha
☆☆☆☆☆I did the Goecha-la trek and could not be more satisfied with the Himalayan High team . Suman , who was always there to offer advice on pre-trek prep . Montu , who pulled off the toughest job of trek leader with absolute ease and Chayan , documenting the entire trip along with sharing his intricate knowledge of the Himalayas . Are you looking for small groups with personalized attention to your needs , do you prefer hot food rather than a packed lunch ? Would like the best equipment rather than 2nd rate stuff ? Himalayan High .. look no further !
Prithvi Narayanan, Teacher, Chennai
☆☆☆☆☆Just fab! Coming all the way from South America, I had the good fortune to come across with this great company, and joined them for Sandakphu Phalut trek in Darjeeling region and then Goecha La in Sikkim. After some research I chose them because of their values (available on their website) and especially because of the welcoming and dedicated response I got from them. From both experiences I got the impression that their itineraries are carefully planned, being a bit longer than usual, which gives the chance for both good enjoyment and proper acclimatisation in high altitude treks. Their trek leaders Montu and Chayan are friendly, knowledgable and safety-oriented, making you feel confident in every moment. In Sandakphu Phalut, being a tea house trek, the trek leader always made sure that I was treated as a special guest, and when possible managed to avoid crowded home stays. He also made special emphasis on the cultural side, showing a vast knowledge of (and love for) Nepali culture. The local guide they chose was also very knowledgeable and friendly, always with a smile. As for Goecha La, from about one month prior to the trek, Suman did a great orientation job, providing lots of advise on all possible preparation issues. Camping stays were quite a luxury: efficient helpers, very good gear and excellent food cooked on the spot (they even managed to bake a bday cake for one of the trekkers at 4000 meters altitude!). The trek leaders monitored our health condition all the time, and did not doubt in making tough decisions when the safety of all the team was compromised. And most important of all: the they made all the possible efforts to take us safely all the way to Goecha La (the pass), rather than previous viewpoints. And to bring us safely back of course. I definitely recommend this company to anyone planning to visit the Himalayas.
Fernanda Weinstein Perelman, Student, Santiago, Chile