Why GAJ for Nepal Treks?

Competitive prices: Did you know that Grand Asian Journeys' Nepal trek prices are about 30% less expensive than other major US outfitters' prices? It's because we run a Nepal office and have direct access to the best rates and most reliable staff - without the middleman. Other outfitters sell the same trek package for an inflated price. 

Best Value: Despite being priced competitively, we provide more for less. All our trips include cultural sightseeing in Kathmandu, welcome and farewell dinners at Kathmandu's best eateries and all transfers. On the lodge treks, all meals are included and clients can choose any item and amount from the menu. Also, boiled drinking water is provided three times a day. Additional food and boiled water can add up to US$ 20 per person per day.

We know what we're doing: We have been organizing treks in Nepal and Tibet for over 20 years. Our guides have between 15 to 25 years of experience and are some of the most wonderful people you will meet in your life-time.

Staff Care: We take staff care seriously. For all high altitude treks, we provide solid quality hiking boots, parkas, glacier glasses, warm hats and gloves. Besides some of the best wages in the industry, we also provide meals for our staff and porters, while other companies will only pay a wage to their staff. All our staff are insured and in an emergency, we will arrange for helicopter evacuation of our employees at our expense.

QUESTIONS YOU SHOULD ASK OUR COMPETITORS:

- Is boiled water for drinking provided? Is it included in the trek cost?
- On lodge treks, can I order as much water as I need or is the per day quantity limited?
- Are all my meals on the trek included?
- On lodge treks, can I order as many items from the menu? Or am I only limited to certain items?
- What if I am still hungry because the potions are small? And I need the extra fuel at altitude.
- Is a Gamow Bag (Pressurized altitude chamber) provided on Everest Base Camp or other high altitude treks?
- Are the porters provided meals? Or do they have to buy their own meals?
- What kind of gear do you provide the porters?
- Are the porters provided with good hiking boots? Or do you only provide canvas or army shoes?
- Are the staff insured?
- If required will you pay for staff helicopter evacuation which I understand Nepali insurance companies don't cover?

While these issues may sound trivial on paper, these are all very important once you are on the ground and trekking. Ask our previous clients what they think about these issues and what we deliver. Upon request, we are glad to provide references from the UK, Australia, Germany, USA and Canada.

Client Testimonial:
"The other reason we are pleased we chose your company is what we observed in relation to the porters.  On both our treks, our porters had probably the best footwear and jackets of any we saw.  Our porters wore good solid hiking boots, as opposed to the flimsy canvas tennis shoes worn by many porters, or even rubber flipflops in a few cases, and also good waterproof ski jackets, both provided by Crystal Mountain.   Buddhi proudly told us that you had just bought a dozen more pairs of hiking boots for your porters – something that he thought important, as we do!  He also - unsolicited - told us that, in case of medical crisis for a guide or porter, you have insurance to provide helicopter evacuation for a guide or porter if necessary, and also life insurance, unlike many outfits which leave their staff and families to fend for themselves. While Buddhi and our porters ate well in the lodges, he told us that sometimes companies do not provide sufficient money to cover their porters’ expenses, and in some cases they have to pay for all their own food, especially on camping trips."

Gill and Mark Batterman
Annapurna and Everest Trek 2011