We had an excellent time with NAT during our trip. Months before our trip, i got in touch with Mr Tej Gurung and right from the very beginning he was very helpful and prompt in his response. He assisted us with our lists and was always there to answer questions.
Once we landed in Nepal, we were welcomed by our guide Kumar on airport who was already waiting for us there. As we had limited time in kathmandu, Tej and Kumar accompanied us for our final shopping in Thamel. It took us about a couple of hours and both were very patient with us even though it was quite late in the evening. I cannot thank them enough.
We completed our trek in 12 days. Initially we were supposed to go to Cho La pass as well however the weather was not looking good and Kumar took a decision not to go there. I was slightly disappointing however it turned out to be excellent decision as the weather got very bad and it snowed a lot. If we had gone there, we would have had to turn back so thank you Kumar. Instead we spent some extra days in Kathmandu relaxing and shopping.
Throughout the trip, our guide Kumar and porters were very helpful, polite and professional. They didnt rush us, in fact encouraged us to walk at our own pace and not to rush. Kumar sorted out accommodations throughout the trail and ensured we got attached bathrooms wherever possible. If we were not happy with the accommodation he let us choose the one we liked. Over all I was very pleased with him.
Day after we did EBC, i was not feeling well. Kumar was concerned and made sure he kept checking on me regularly and monitored my health. He also contacted Tej and briefed him just in case we need rescue services. However as we got down, i started feeling better. The porters we had were great guys. They even accompanied us on our acclimatization days and offered to carry our day bags (which we refused). You could see that many other groups didnt have porters on their acclimatization days.
NAT budget was very economical when compared to others. I met other people who paid double than what we paid however it made no difference as we stayed at same places throughout the trek. There are no 3/5 star hotels there so if you can save money then do it as it really doesnt make a difference if you pay more. All accommodations are same and food is same. i know the menu by heart now…lol.. So dont get put off by the budget price that NAT is offering.
Once our trip was over, Tej and Kumar helped us during our stay in kathmandu by recommending places to visit and what to do. We also had a lovely dinner with them on Christmas Eve.
Overall we had a great experience with NAT and i cannot recommend them enough. I will again visit Nepal and climb some 6000 m peaks with them as i have promised Tej.
If anyone has any questions or wants to ask anything, please do not hesitate to contact me.
