Everest Base Camp – Awesome Adventure with Brilliant Birman!
Trekking Team Group are a fantastic local trekking company if you’re planning a holiday or trek in Nepal and, simply put, Birman Tamang is the best trekking guide this side of Everest.We booked a 20 day trek to Everest Base Camp during April 2019 through Inspiring Vacations. The overall package was initially compiled and coordinated by Inspiring Vacations (including flights, itinerary, etc), though once we hit the ground in Kathmandu it was Shreehari and his team at Trekking Team Group that managed the logistics of our trek, accommodation, meals, transport, etc. Shreehari and his team were always friendly and professional, and always willing to go above and beyond to ensure we felt comfortable, informed and happy. It was comforting to know we were in the hands of a local trekking company who not only had many years of experience, but who also provided support to local communities and schools through various initiatives. We only had a small group (3 people), which was great.Birman Tamang was our guide for the trek, and I can’t imagine having a better guide. Birman picked us up from Kathmandu airport (welcoming us with genuine enthusiasm) and stayed with us through to our return to the airport 20 days later. He has a great wealth of knowledge about not only trekking in the Himalayas but also Nepal, it’s history, religion, culture, food and people. Birman’s positivity and enthusiasm were seemingly endless and highly infectious. He’s very patient and quite observant, so we always felt at ease along the trek and never rushed. He’s also really flexibile and seems to have contacts in most of the lodges and tea houses along the trek, so it often felt like we got preferential treatment over other trekkers. More than once, I spied Birman picking up rubbish along the trails and putting it in the nearest bin.Our two porters Doulashin and Sunkumar were fantastic, always waiting for us with a smile at the end of the day’s trek. There’s no way we could have made it up and back without them. Our package included some local sightseeing in Kathmandu before our trek to Everest. In addition, we had a few days once we’d returned from the mountain to relax and explore the local Balthali village and Bhaktapur areas. While we were somewhat exhausted from our journey up and down the mountain, this was a nice way to unwind after our long trek, and a welcome change to the dust and frantic activity of central Kathmandu. I highly recommend TTG and Birman as your local trekking team and guide if you’re planning a visit to Nepal. They’re awesome.