Raj Gyawali

Raj & his team at Social tours were absolutely amazing. They went above & beyond to ensure we had an amazing time despite some challenging weather that cancelled flights & disrupted our itinerary.
The insights into local life & culture together with the personal touches were truly amazing. It made the trip so much more meaningful & enjoyable for us. They have a great awareness and focus on sustainable/responsible tourism which is so refreshing given the pressure we all put on nature.

Certain things are priceless. Life constantly throws challenges at you, so it is important to have a tour company as flexible and well-connected as social tours. They were able to change plans for us at a moment's notice. When sickness ravaged us, things were moved around seamlessly. We never had to worry a single time about missing anything or enduring the hassle of reorganizing / rescheduling. More importantly, Social Tours has taught us about responsible tourism. Eco-friendliness, sustainability, community-driven and their people-first values made them stand out from all other travel agencies we ever worked with.

About the tour itself: the walking tours led by Bippin (e.g. Hinduism and Buddhism) as well as the hike with our trekking guide Parbati will always live in our memories as the highlights of Nepal. I have never seen two philosophies and belief systems living so harmoniously side-by-side. Eating freshly grown food while staying with the mountain locals was also a once in a lifetime experience.

I was invited to Nepal for a work event and only had four days to visit Nepal

With lots of flexibility, considering my interests and time limits, Raj and his team organized a simply amazing four-day trip for me. From the narrow streets of Patan and the cultural nuances of Kathmandu's Hindu and Buddhist communities to a beautiful hike in Nagarkot and the stunning temples of Bakthapur!

Everything was planned to the detail: the tours, the historical and cultural background explanations, the food and the local delights to enjoy. The drivers were extremely professional and, my guide, Bipin, was not only an incredible professional as well, but also one of the nicest and most attentive persons I've ever met!

Cannot highly enough recommend Social Tours! The vision behind the company is also a plus, for they promote local sustainable development and care about all the people they work with. I can´t wait to come again to Nepal to plan a week-long hike with them!!

I had such an amazing experience. It was truly all, if not more, than what I wished for. Raj and his team are so incredible at getting people to love and understand the Nepalese culture. Rabin was an excellent guide out to the Everest Basecamp region of the Himalayas. We had an amazing experience.

Raj and Bipin organized an 11 day trek to Langtang and Gosaikunda for me. Raj was responsive and patient as he worked with my preferences and scheduling constraints and made sure that I was prepared for the trip before I left home. Once I arrived in Kathmandu, Bipin briefed me before the trip as well as debriefed me afterwards. I appreciated their professionalism, responsiveness, and friendliness throughout. Thanks to them, the trek itself was exactly what I wanted: long days of hiking through alpine terrain with enough moments to appreciate the surroundings.

Hotel Review

Hotel Holy Himalaya

Kathmandu

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Free day | Kyanjin Ri Hike

Kyangjin Gompa

Many thanks to KimKim for Raj of Social Tours (Nepal) & Sherab of Bhutan Travel Club & their addressing all of the details of this glorious trip. Leki Tshering, guide (for hiking as well) in Bhutan, was exceptional, full of life, an educator & ambassador. I was immersed in nature, social & religious learning. Our driver, Kim, was always helpful & courteous. In Nepal I hiked from village to village, (all steps) through beautiful farmlands & traveled through different parts of the country, lodging in locally owned home stays, a pleasant experience. Some of the properties for lodging were an oasis…just what is needed after an arduous few days of trekking. & then there was a hiccup in Bhutan which Sherab tended to with care and immediacy. His dedication to providing an over the top travel experience is greatly appreciated. I am so thankful for such a lovely experience.

Raj planned a 11 day trip to Nepal for us. During the planning stages he provided quick and very detailed responses to our questions and also made himself available for a couple of video chats. He has a great team of local guides. Our trekking guide Rabin was exceptional. After we landed in Nepal the itinerary had to be modified a bit but Raj and team took care of it and everything went well without a hitch. His team was very easy to reach during the trip - we always got a response in a timely manner.

Looking forward to a return visit!!!

Hotel Reviews

Buddha Maya Garden

Lumbini

Authenticity & Character

Lovely facility - like a huge old bungalow. Could use a bit of updating but definitely recommend.

Location

Staff

Very helpful staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Temple Tree Resort & Spa

Pokhara

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Ambassador

Kathmandu

Well located, great people, great restaurant

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Drive to Trailhead & Trek to Ghandruk

Pokhara

We changed our trek. But the whole experience was just amazing. Can’t say enough about Rabin - super nice guy and extremely knowledgeable.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Traditional Welcome Dinner

Kathmandu

Lovely dinner in a lovely place. Enjoyed chatting with Bipin and Rabin.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Kathmandu Heritage Tour

Kathmandu

The tour was done in about 4 hours, even after we added Patan Durbar square which presumably was not in the plan. Felt rushed. So many things to take in. Could have definitely used more time.

Sunset Walk at Soyambhu

Kathmandu

Could have used more time here - did not last 3 hours.

Transport

Every aspect of our trip was fantastically good - it was a trip I had been dreaming about for many, many years and it surpassed every expectation. Delayed by Covid, Raj and his team were endlessly patient in planning and re-planning our trip, and I felt at every point he really listened to and understood what I wanted - and delivered it. Every activity - trekking, rafting, sightseeing and more - were well-organised and truly memorable. Every transfer (there were many!)worked seamlessly. Big shout-out to the legend that is Kumar, who guided us on our Mustang trek and who was generous in sharing his huge knowledge and expertise, meticulous in looking after us and with a great sense of humour too. If he is available, book him. Another big shout out to Bipin who took such great care of us in Nepal and made sure we always had what we needed and was again endlessly generous in sharing his knowledge with us. If you are thinking about traveling to Nepal, you would be in no better hands than this team - just go! We are already thinking about our next trip - as a destination, its highly addictive.

Yogesh has been very good and helpful, he made my whole trip. Everything went exactly as in the itinerary, except for a minor mistake on Temple Tree Hotel check out and pick up time. The hotel staff told me the wrong time which was one and half hour earlier than the arranged. The last day photograph tour was the best, far beyond my exception. The guide was a super kind and knowledgeable gentleman. He was the best during this trip.

Overall, great experience. I will surely consider Social Tour next time in Nepal.

I had a great time and appreciate the professionalism and flexibility with my trip schedule.
Everybody from Social Tours did a great job.
I will highly recommend Social Tour for anybody looking to do trekking in Nepal.