Nepal Travel, Rafting & Trekking Agencies

Travel Agents
If you are booking a flight or plan to book an Indian railway train in Gorakhpur it could be a good idea to use a travel agency. A good travel agency is Wayfarers Travel Service (417-176; fax 245-875; email: wayfarer@mos.com.np), near the Kathmandu Guest House in Thamel. Student Travel & Tours in Thamel, Everest Travel Service on Ganga Path, Peace Travel & Tours on Kantipath and Yeti Travels in Durbar Marg are long-standing travel agents in Kathmandu. If you want to get an Indian train ticket you should give a travel agent a week to get your ticket. Travels agencies are useful to arrange high quality treks, airline flights, special tours and during the high season.

Travel Agencies charge a much higher price than the real fare if they arrange a taxi for you. When I wanted to go to Nagarkot I asked a few travel agencies for a price. One told me Rs 1200 and the other Rs 1300. The first taxi driver I asked told me Rs 900 and we settled for Rs 800. Also many times the hotel managers will not help you get a cheap taxi, because they get a percentage of what you pay for the taxis they arrange for you. They will tell you Rs 1200 and pay the taxi driver Rs 800 and keep the other Rs 400 as their commission.

The travel agents in the hotels can be 25% to 100% more expensive than other travel agents, but I assume they are more trust-worthy. When you ask the hotel clerk for advice on how to get some where there is a good chance they will refer you the travel agent in the hotel. They usually charge you a price that most taxi drivers would not even believe that anyone would pay. The hotel I was staying out was charging double the real price.
My suggestion would be to ask at a few travel agents to find out the price and then just arrange your travel facilities yourself and save from 25% to 200%.

Rafting Agencies
Equator Expeditions (416-596, 415-782; fax 414-083; email: equator@mos.np), Thamel, just north of the Kathmandu Guest House, has good equipment and Western and Nepali guides. $40 to $60 per day. Have kayaks.

Exodus Outdoor Enthusiasts (251-753; fax 259-244), JP School Rd, is run by experienced people and is cheaper than many the other agencies.
Great Himalayan River (410-937), Lazimpath, is a reliable company who does Trisuli and Sun Kosi trips.

Himalayan Encounters (417-426; fax 417-133; email: raftnepl@himenco.wlink.com.np), Thamel, in the courtyard of the Kathmandu Guest House, has well organized trips and experienced guides.

Shiva’s River Adventure (417-685; fax 414-167), Thamel, has a good reputation and does not of the less rafted rivers.

Ultimate Descents (411-933, 419-295; fax: same; rivers@ultimate.wlink.com.np), Thamel, at the Northfields Café, does trips on the Kali Gandaki, Sun Kosi and Karneli. Have good equipment, good safety and experienced Western guides. Is more expensive than most other agencies.

White Magic (253-225; email: wmagic@wlink.com.np) is an established agency who mainly does group tours arranged overseas.

Trekking Agencies

Village Tours
Cultural Destination Nepal (426-996; fax 416-417), Dilli Bazaar,
Himalayan Explorers Club (259-275; info@hec.org), Jyatha in Thamel,
Intercultural Training & Research Centre (412-793; email: raj@itc.mos.com.np)
Lama Adventure Treks & Expeditions (413-959; email: late@mos.com.np), Thamel,
Mahendra Jyoti Homestay Program (258-327; asiacomm@wlink.com.np), Thamel,
Nepal Village Resorts (430-187; email: village@ncp.mos.com.np), Naksal,

Copyright ©2001 John Howley and Spiritual Guides