"High Recommendation for High Camp Trekking and Norsang Lama"
Reviewed on Nov 30, 2015.This was our second trek with High Camp Trekking and Norsang Lama. Our first was to Langtang in the fall of 2013.
Both trips were incredible! We are 2 retired professionals in reasonable good shape, ages 59 and 60, but we are no superstar trekkers.
Norsang was great from the start. He responded quickly to all emails with detailed packing lists and trip info. Once there he matches his pace to yours. He knows all the trails intimately. He gave us as much info as wanted regarding the cultures, religions and scenery. He just takes very good care of his clients.
We would never go with anyone else. Ever. He is not only a great guide, he also just a nice guy.
He is not only our one and only Nepali guide, he is our good friend.
Please contact me for anymore questions.
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We completed Annapurna Base Camp (ABC) trek with Norsing Lama of High Camp Trekking, January 2017. This was our first proper trek and from the reviews we decided that we would meet up with Norsang and discuss trekking ABC, in mid winter. He was overly helpful from the get go. As we both live in Vietnam we didn’t own any proper trekking equipment and essential items (apart from boots which we had previously warn in). He sat down and went through in great detail the daily itinerary and wrote us an extensive list of what we should purchase on the trek. He filled us with great confidence due to his depth of knowledge, fluent English ability and amazing personality. Follow his advice and buy every thing he suggests as we ended up using every thing on the list. The trek was 9 days in total and 2 days travel. We found parts of the trek challenging due to the weather (ice and snow) and steep up and downs, and the fact you would be trekking between 5-8 hours per day (we were slow trekkers). This hard work paid off. The landscapes, nature and scenery were phenomenal and words can’t describe how beautiful and enormous the mountains were. The trek covered many different terrains including jungle, tea terraces, valleys and mountain passes. It was so beautiful and there is no way you can’t love this trek. The tea houses are basic but offer a good variety of food. Most teahouses offered comfy enough beds and after a full day trekking we fell to sleep very early every night. Norsang was incredible the entire trek. He speaks in fluent English with a clear accent. He taught us so much about the mountains, local and national culture and politics as well as lots of very interesting information about the trek. Without his knowledge it would of been no where near as enjoyable. He does everything he can to make the trek as rewarding as possible. He is a very patient person and allowed us excessive breaks. By the end of the trek he has become a friend. I can’t emphasise enough how amazing Norsang was at guiding us through the ABC trek. I wish him all the best for the future and hope that many more people get to experience what we did.
Trekking through the Himalayas with High Camp Trekking was such a wonderful choice for my fiancée and I! Norsang, our guide and the owner of the company, is knowledgeable, hospitable, and so wonderful to travel with ! Even after leaving Nepal, we now consider him a great friend. We did the Pikey Peak trek which was great for beginners like ourselves. We can’t wait to go back and book high camp trekking for another trek!
We have just completed the Annapurna Circuit trek, hiking for 18 days (21 if you include the days either side in Kathmandu) with Norsang Lama (Guide) and Milan Tamang (porter) through his company High Camp Trekking. We could not recommend Norsang and Milan highly enough. Norsang was very easy to communicate with via email and quick with responses to our questions – and our shuffling of dates – when needed. He was able to give us a detailed list of what to bring with us (both medical and gear) which made the preparation easy.
He was there to greet us when we arrived close to midnight at KTM airport and took us to our accommodation. This was just the start of the continual care and attention that lasted throughout the whole trek. His knowledge of the surrounding areas is extensive and he never grew tired of our questions about plants, people, animals and, of course, the mountains. At every stop our needs were taken care of first and we always felt very well looked after and safe. When trekking through precarious paths we were reassured and guided with a gentle “Bistari Bistari” (slowly, slowly) – this was especially helpful over some of the tricky and rough terrain that we covered.
Neither of us were sick on the journey and the attention to prepare us for the high altitudes was excellent.
Both Norsang and Milan are honest, warm and hard working people. Although we met people doing the walk themselves, we feel they were missing out on so much important information and details about the culture and places that you cannot find in a travel book. It also allowed us to enjoy ourselves and not worry about logistics, as well as employing locals who know the area.
We highly recommend Norsang and High Camp Trekking and look forward to our next adventure with them.
My daughter and I had the pleasure of treking the Anaperna Circuit in July 2018 for 14 days with Norsang as our guide and Sundep as our porter. We experienced amazing professionalism and attention to our welfare by the High camp team. The trek was taylor made for us and included a side trip to Tilicho Lake. We did not experience any issues with altitude as we were thoroughly prepared by Norsang on the trek. His knowledge and communication skills were excellent. I have no hesitation in recommending High Camp Treking in every respect.
This review will not be able to do our experience justice – we had such an incredible time and Norsang and the team at High Camp Trekking deserve all the credit!
From the minute I began researching various companies, Norsang’s prompt and thorough communication stood out above the rest. Norsang easily answered all my questions and was very thorough in the planning, pricing, and details of the trek. Norsang helped us feel prepared and ready to head to Nepal. Our family has not done much trekking so Norsang’s planning and communication made us feel much better about doing such a long trek!
Once we arrived in Nepal, Norsang went above and beyond throughout our entire time with him! He provided wonderful and thorough briefings before the trek and each night during the trek. He answered our questions about the various ethnic groups in Nepal, Nepalese culture, and climbing/trekking. We learned so much about the region and the cultures and it made the experience so much richer!
During the trek, we had acclimatization days where we did hikes to “trek high sleep low.” We often saw other groups stopping and we continued up to higher elevations on these treks. It was so helpful and I think Norsang’s planning in this really helped us to be successful and not have symptoms of altitude sickness as we ascended. On the Namche acclimatization day, we were lucky enough to visit some local villages and it was such an interesting experience.
Our group consisted of 5 people (ages 21-56) with varying ability levels and Norsang did a great job allowing us to go at different paces but still be together. Having Bire as an assistant guide was very helpful in this aspect! Norsang helped us and was careful to watch us on some of the downhills as it can get a bit slippery with the dust. We always felt extremely safe and taken care of during the trek. We also enjoyed that we were able to stop and rest (or have a snack!) as needed or take extra photos. We never felt rushed at all!
Norsang and his team took such good care of us at the teahouses (always serving us, making sure the food/drinks were okay, meeting any needs we had). Norsang and his team (assistant guide Bire and two porters) were extremely polite and considerate. They were also very friendly and we felt so lucky to have Norsang and his team! We felt like we were really able to get to know them and it definitely enriched our experience during the trek.
In addition to the wonderful service provided by Norsang and his team, the trek itself was wonderful! The scenery is unbelievable and continually amazed us! We went in late May early June and had maybe two days of rain or sprinkling in the afternoon but otherwise we had great weather!
If you have any questions about our experience, please do not hesitate to reach out. We LOVED our time with Norsang and High Camp Trekking and if we ever get the opportunity to visit Nepal in the future, we will definitely plan another trek with them!
It was my first trekking experience in Nepal. I wanted to complete Annapurna Circuit trail and Norsang, who was my guide and partner, did all the best to make this trip absolutely safe and unforgettable. He met me in Kathmandu after my arrival to agree on the details and two days later we started our two weeks adventure. It was not only a trekking, he gave me a huge lesson about the area, mountains and culture. His professionalism was at the highest level, he was organizing really nice guesthouses every day, giving me a nice daily briefing with many details, adjusting the walking pace according to my needs and abilities. He was always there when I needed him. I highly recommend him as a guide and I am so happy we meet each other. We had a really great time. Other than being a guide he is a wonderful trekking partner and friend who you can always talk to.
I recently completed the Three Passes Trek with Norsang. I would absolutely recommend going with Norsang on any trek in the Himalayas.
He is professional, friendly, calm, knows about safety and altitude sickness, has a lot of knowledge about the mountains, the animals the plants, the culture, the people, which makes a trek even more interesting.
Norsang loves his job and he is passionate about the mountains.
I felt safe en comfortable at all times. he makes sure his clients are doing fine and regularly asks of we need something (more food or tea, if the pace is okay, if we feel fine, etc.)
Next time I go to Nepal I will go with Norsang again to do Langtang (hopefully!)
I had some experiences with other guides before (Manaslu) and the difference between the other guide (from a different company) and Norsang if just huge. If you want a good, well-informed, nice and friendly guide, you should go with Norsang.
Thank you so much Norsang for making this trip unforgettable!
I did 10-day trekking in the restricted area of Upper Mustang with Norsang. I had an amazing experience which is hard to render through words. Not only he managed to get me a ghost partner to get enrolled so I could be allowed to enter this area (compulsory for non-Nepalese citizens), but he also took me to the most interesting itinerary (that which avoids roads, noise and other inconvenience at maximum) all the while almost always responding to my demand to see such and such place, monuments… He also proved very reliable as to knowing the way and where to go… It is as though he had a map under his skin 🙂 Also very discrete and honest, a very nice companion for walking amidst nature. Not only he knows the important touristic information, but if you ask he will tell you more -but you must ask !!!:) I always felt very safe although travelling alone, and found in him a very flexible person, able to adapt to last-minute change. He even cared for me beyond the date of the trekking when I returned to Kathmandu and had no place where to stay. I will be happy to go trekking with him as soon as I can :)))
Ahhh, where to even begin! We trekked the Manaslu Circuit with High Camp Trekking and the entire experience from booking the trek to the very last day was not only easy but enjoyable. When planning and booking the trek, Norsang Lama went above and beyond compared to other guide agencies that also gave me a quote. He created the most comprehensive itinerary outlining every detail. Furthermore, before I had even committed to using High Camp Trekking, Norsang showed me around Thamel directing me to the best gear stores! For the trek, we were guided by Sonjaya Lama, Norsang’s brother. Sonjaya Lama was a great guide and companion to have on the trail. He navigated the challenging trails gathering information from locals and other guides about trail closures and dangerous areas. With heavy monsoon rains and the changing of the seasons the trail does not always follow what is shown on paper or digital maps. Often times Sonjaya would use information from locals to detour around dangerous landslide areas, something we would not have been able to do alone. Sonjaya Lama also helped us connect with the place and people on a deeper level. He would share information about his religion and culture connecting it to what we were seeing and experiencing on the trail. When we stopped for lunch, reached our teahouse, or even passed a local on the trail, he would have conversations with other Nepalis and then share what he learned with us! Sonjaya Lama also showed adaptability during our trek; we were supposed to do a multi-day side trip into the Tsum Valley but active landslides in the area after Lokpha forced us to change our plans. We ended up spending more time on the main circuit taking day trips to the remote Pung Gyen Gompa and the Manaslu base camp amongst other places. After the trek finished, Sonjaya Lama knew that I would be in Kathmandu for another week and told me that I could reach out if I needed help with anything.
I would highly recommend using High Camp Trekking and if I ever do another trek in Nepal, I will absolutely be booking another guide through this agency.
Namaste Norsang, You wrote to me about guiding for a 16-day Tamang/Langtang trek, beginning from Kathmandu on November 8. I posted the proposed itinerary on Tripadvisor, and you responded positively to it. Several guides have contacted me, and I am replying to each one. What would be the cost for your services, 1 porter, and private transportation between Kathmandu and Syabrubesi? Here is the itinerary:
Day 1 — Kathmandu to Syabrubesi 1500m 7-8 hours
Day 2 — Trek to Gatlang 2238m 5-6 hours (2 nights)
Day 3 — Gatlang, (visit Gatlang village, Parbati Kund, Monastery)
Day 4 — Trek to Tatopani 2620m 5-6 hours
Day 5 — Trek to Nagthali 3165m 3-4 hours (2 nights)
Day 6 — Nagthali, climb to Taruche Dada (view point) and back to Nagthali
Day 7 — Trek to Thuman
Day 8 — Trek to Briddim
Day 9 — Trek to Sherpagaun 2560m 5 hours
Day 10 — Trek to Thyanshap 3140m 5-6 hours
Day 11 — Trek to Kyanjin Gompa 3750m 4:30-5 hours (3 nights)
Day 12 — Climb Kyanjin Ri
Day 13 — Climb Tserko-Ri 4980m 5-6 hours
Day 14 — Trek to Lama Hotel 2480m 6-7 hours
Day 15 — Trek to Syabrubesi 1500m
Day 16 — Drive to Kathmandu 7-8 hours
Kind regards, Michael