Visit the Mountains

One late afternoon, Chantal (on the eve of her retirement) came home from work and said to me: “My colleagues asked me what I wanted to do for my retirement…. + Read More

Chantal & Thierry from France

One late afternoon, Chantal (on the eve of her retirement) came home from work and said to me: “My colleagues asked me what I wanted to do for my retirement. Well (yes, she has a bit of a Provençal accent), I told them we were going to Nepal to see the schools and the new Butterfly Help Project boarding school!”

My dreams of a getaway to Crete, where we’d be quietly sipping iced coffees between two steps overlooking the big blue, vanished in one fell swoop. I’m a mountain guide and regularly work with Andrea in the Alps. So to go to Nepal, just like that, at the end of a summer season, was a bit like asking the youngest child to play the violin piece he’s been trying to master for the hundredth time all year long.

It’s different here because the objective differs from just doing a trek or climbing a summit.

We met the children in their boarding schools around the Kanchenjunga region! It was a walk through lush forests, with fascinating waterfalls around the bend in the high path, and when we came back down to the river, it absorbed us in the roar of its surge! Magical and almost bewitching! All this was to arrive in the village of Ghunsa at 3700 m altitude (Norbu’s village of origin), where we met the children in their school. We then took the same route back to the school and boarding school in Lungtung, where other children were waiting for us with necklaces of flowers and white scarves, which we received with great emotion and gratitude. 

Our high points were these unforgettable encounters, tinged with great emotion. The language barrier slowly disappeared as we exchanged smiles, shy gestures, curious but warm glances, and drawings. We also shared songs, swapping beautiful Nepalese songs for Joe Dassin classics accompanied on the ukulele. We were won over by the teachers and staff of the Butterfly Help Project’s schools and new boarding school, who are committed to the well-being of the children daily.

Naturally, we were accompanied on the ground by a fine WILD YAK Team: Kesang, Eské, and Pasang, who became close companions as the days passed. They surrounded us with their kindness, attention, and professionalism. And what can we say about the lodges, which welcomed us in the local tradition and with that famous Nepalese smile from the heart!

Thank you to WILD YAK for this tailor-made experience!

 

Chantal & Thierry from France

You two and your team of organisation: you, Norbu, Nimma, Tashi, Furi, the porters, the cooks, you are just amazing and I would love to see you all again next… + Read More

Kilian from Germany

You two and your team of organisation: you, Norbu, Nimma, Tashi, Furi, the porters, the cooks, you are just amazing and I would love to see you all again next year or the year after.

Kilian from Germany

I discovered a fabulous region. 11 days walking in the Sagarmantha National Park. From Lukla to Gokyo lake, then the Renjo La pass at 5360 metres with a breathtaking view… + Read More

Laurence B. from Switzerland

I discovered a fabulous region. 11 days walking in the Sagarmantha National Park. From Lukla to Gokyo lake, then the Renjo La pass at 5360 metres with a breathtaking view of the highest peaks, including Everest.
Thanks to WILD YAK and Andrea, we were able to do it in good conditions. We received invaluable advice on how to reach the high altitudes safely.
Many thanks and we’ll do it again.
Laurence

Laurence B. from Switzerland

I have to say thank You, Thank you Norbu and a big thank you to the Team of WILD YAK EXPEDITIONS. As it was my third experience in the Himalayas… + Read More

Rolf from Switzerland

I have to say thank You, Thank you Norbu and a big thank you to the Team of WILD YAK EXPEDITIONS.

As it was my third experience in the Himalayas and first time with you, as the Organisator of this really exciting adventure, i can say, really well organized, carrying, feeling any time welcome and safe.

It starts with my arrival in Kathmandu, the warm Welcome at the Airport, selected Hotel for one night, as well as the introduction and briefing done by Norbu Sherpa for the upcoming trip.

Once we arrived in the Valley of Upper Dolpo Region, we met your local Team with a huge smile.

The following days we went up to our base camp, just bellow 5000Meters. The way the team cared about the members and the staff is really unique and very well done with a lot of empathy.

Once in the Base can’t, it was time to prepare for the summit push up to 7248Meters. With a good planning and a good weather forecast we reached the summit on September 21st, 2023. It is an experience ONCE in LIFETIME. I personally felt safe and well guided any time, the Sherpas had a close eye on us, but never stopped or blended us on them – we could do our speed and summit as we felt comfortable with.

Thank you very – very much for organizing this exciting trip and adventure.

Rolf from Switzerland

We had a great time exploring the Mont Rose massif with Thierry, a reassuring and friendly WILD YAK guide. We had already had the opportunity to adapt our outing to… + Read More

Jacques G. from Belgium

We had a great time exploring the Mont Rose massif with Thierry, a reassuring and friendly WILD YAK guide. We had already had the opportunity to adapt our outing to our desires and preferences. Definitely an experience to recommend!

Jacques G. from Belgium

I’m very happy that I arraigned my climb of the Monch and the Jungfrau through WILD YAK EXPEDITIONS! From the very start of the process through the end of the… + Read More

Doug from USA

I’m very happy that I arraigned my climb of the Monch and the Jungfrau through WILD YAK EXPEDITIONS! From the very start of the process through the end of the climbs, everything came off without a hitch. They were responsive to questions and easy to work with. My guide was great and a pleasure to climb with. Im very happy with my decision to use WILD YAK EXPEDITIONS.

Doug from USA

My first 8000, and not the least! Chosen based on a Swiss success in 1956 and accompanied by a top team, I was lucky enough to climb (and descend) this… + Read More

Lionel Delessert from Switzerland

My first 8000, and not the least! Chosen based on a Swiss success in 1956 and accompanied by a top team, I was lucky enough to climb (and descend) this majestic summit. WILD YAK is a family with respectful values, not the commercial ones so often encountered these days. Traveling with them is a guarantee of quality and an unforgettable adventure! Trek like an expedition!

Lionel Delessert   from Switzerland

My partner and I successfully summited the Dom with our guide Thierry Garnier this past weekend. It was a very long day, but we had the best experience. Thierry was… + Read More

Rohan Muir & Olga Ostrovsky from Denmark

My partner and I successfully summited the Dom with our guide Thierry Garnier this past weekend. It was a very long day, but we had the best experience. Thierry was an amazing guide; he is incredibly skilled, knowledgeable & experienced, organised & prepared, & always focussed on our safety. He really went above and beyond for us. Thierry is also the most friendly, kind & positive person and we are so glad that we not only have a great guide to call upon for our next adventure, but also a friend! Andrea expertly handled the organisation of the trip and we are very thankful to her as well. We can’t wait to adventure with Wild Yaks again!!

Rohan Muir & Olga Ostrovsky from Denmark

A very close and very human contact, attentive to our desires and responsive, I really recommend! An unforgettable expedition.

Brian from Belgium

It was a smooth and pleasant experience with WILD YAK throughout the whole journey. The coordination and logistics were seamless before the climb. During the climb, Marcel was a very… + Read More

Lee from Singapore

It was a smooth and pleasant experience with WILD YAK throughout the whole journey. The coordination and logistics were seamless before the climb. During the climb, Marcel was a very good guide and made good judgement call on climbing Mönch first due to weather changes and was very helpful along the way to ensure that I reached the summit and descended safely too. WILD YAK is highly recommended and I would go to them again for my next adventure too!

Lee from Singapore

In collaboration with Wild Yak Expeditions and the Butterfly Help Project, my husband, my son and I headed to the remote Kangchenjunga Region to put in place a project that… + Read More

Florence Perrin from Switzerland

In collaboration with Wild Yak Expeditions and the Butterfly Help Project, my husband, my son and I headed to the remote Kangchenjunga Region to put in place a project that is close to our heart: building a sustainable agricultural ecosystem which includes apple trees, chicken and bees.

We knew we were in good hands with WYE for handling all the logistic, transport, lodging and material. As this was a particular trip combining trekking and the project, we were not too sure how everything would unfold and if we would have enough time and energy to complete it. Our doubts quickly dissipated when we saw everyone’s commitment, motivation and happiness. Not only our little team of 8 worked super hard but many villagers came to help and showed their support. It was just incredible and an amazing human experience.

We will be back in April for the next phase of the project and we can’t wait to meet again with the whole team, the villagers and the beautiful sceneries of the Kangchenjunga mountain range.

Thank you Andrea, Norbu, Kesang, Dawa, Pasang, Sila and Nopu for believing and making this project possible.

Florence Perrin from Switzerland

Wild Yak Expeditions truly exceeded my expectations in every way. The entire team is heartwarming, and they provided me readily available support in preparing for the Ama Dablam expedition up… + Read More

Melanie from The Netherlands

Wild Yak Expeditions truly exceeded my expectations in every way. The entire team is heartwarming, and they provided me readily available support in preparing for the Ama Dablam expedition up until the very successful end. The Wild Yak Expeditions staff is technically highly knowledgeable and very professional. I felt very safe with the technical sherpas during the expedition and I felt trusted for my skills. I highly appreciate it that they made sure I received the very best, every day. Wild Yak Expeditions’ outstanding service and organisation enabled me to realize my dream of climbing the Ama Dablam and reaching the summit safe and sound! Thank you so much to the entire Wild Yak Expeditions team.

Melanie from The Netherlands

Namaste, Still trying to find the right words to describe the trip. This trip has moved me on a Personal and Spiritual level that I had no idea existed. The… + Read More

Gregory Lesperance from USA

Namaste,
Still trying to find the right words to describe the trip. This trip has moved me on a Personal and Spiritual level that I had no idea existed. The entire WILD YAK Team from the Kathmandu team, Climbing Sherpas, various Lodge personnel (cooks, wait staff & lodge managers ) & the front office staff were phenomenal.
The time spent trekking from the different villages (Dole, Goyko, Pangboche, etc.) before heading to the BC of Ama was remarkable. Our Sherpa guide did everything possible to ensure the logistics were arraigned well before our arrival.
The climb of Ama Dablam itself was such a wild experience. Between safely climbing the yellow tower and grey couloir along with the hours of planning discussions to ensure a successful summit day just accented the attention to detail the WILD YAK Team gave.

Looking forward to another successful expedition!!

Gregory Lesperance from USA

Dear Andrea and Norbu, thanks again for the wonderful experience we had in Nepal on our trek to Gokyo in November 2021. We could not have dreamt of a better… + Read More

Sarah & Thomas from Switzerland

Dear Andrea and Norbu,

thanks again for the wonderful experience we had in Nepal on our trek to Gokyo in November 2021. We could not have dreamt of a better partner to discover the Everest region and its people.

Where to start ? From our very first talks about a trekking in Nepal to delivering an unforgettable holiday, WILD YAK  was flawless.

Norbu met us at the airport in Kathmandu, and after a few days there exploring temples and delicious Nepalese cuisine we flew to Lukla for our trek. From there we started our trekking to Gokyo and its stunning glacier lakes.

Norbu and the whole WILD YAK Team were incredibly attentive and professional. They know the mountain like no other.

Our guide Norbu was always one step ahead, making us feel secure and comfortable all along the way. You could tell that thanks to his experience, he would always know what we’d need to make us feel well. I’m not talking about “lowland luxury” like having a bottle of wine or other stuff frankly you don’t need on a mountain. I’m talking about the little details – from the hot water always ready on our table to fresh ginger and honey they bought for me in Namche Bazaar to help soothe my cough which I had brought from Switzerland. I’m talking about our guide Norbu telling me “I’m in room 21, wake me if needed” when my wife was feeling the altitude a bit on our first day sleeping at 3’500m.

On our last day, the ascension of 5’360m high Gokyo Ri would be the highlight of our trip. That is, before we realized Norbu organised a little surprise on our helicopter flight back from Gokyo: instead of taking the direct route we did an astonishing tour of the Everest area, a breathtaking flight that we will never forget.

Back in Kathmandu, we enjoyed a few more days rest, did some shopping, and finally flew back full of memories ?.

Dhanyabād WILD YAK friends !

Sarah & Thomas from Switzerland

Which summit ? Chulu Far East ? No, didn’t make it, – too headachey, too tired, too content just to bask in the sun and enjoy the view of the… + Read More

Sophia T. from Switzerland

Which summit ? Chulu Far East ? No, didn’t make it, – too headachey, too tired, too content just to bask in the sun and enjoy the view of the Annapurnas from High Camp, on that cloudless, peerless summit day.

But there were so many other high points on this trek:  the summit of Mont Blanc, a point at 4810m where we stopped to drink tea on our way up to the Kang La Pass. The pass itself, 5300m, where the clouds parted to reveal the stunning mountainscape and the valley so far below. Tilicho Lake, improbable bright blue underneath the dark blue sky, with the white mountains marching down one shore. The Annapurnas, our constant companions for ten days, blinding white and too high to comprehend, too beautiful, drawing the eye irresistibly. And the amazing granite cliffs of the Nar Valley, that would make any climber’s fingers itch to climb, with the river thundering below.

So many ‘peak happiness’ moments… Like Sarah and Seb’s magnificent grins when they got back to High Camp from their successful summit attempt. Our guide Nima’s gleeful laugh when he won at cards (he did sometimes). The old lady who sold us apples from her garden, and threw in some carrots and a beetroot, for luck. Our ever-patient, tireless porters, freed from their loads for once on the hike up to Tilicho Lake, darting around like children at playtime.

And when it began to rain in the last days of the trek, when all of us were tired, soaking wet and cold, we were struggling together in the mud, wading through waterfalls, clambering over half-washed-out bridges, helping each other over unstable landslides… and discovering what we’re really capable of.

So which summit was that again ?

Thanks to WILD YAK for such an unforgettable trip!

Sophia T. from Switzerland

What an amazing weekend. Even when the weather turned nasty – which it did, briefly – the WILD YAK Team stayed calm, decisive and confident. We zipped up our jackets… + Read More

Sophia Taylor from Switzerland

What an amazing weekend. Even when the weather turned nasty – which it did, briefly – the WILD YAK Team stayed calm, decisive and confident. We zipped up our jackets and sailed on through. The rest of the time it was just heavenly. And Andrea Sherpa-Zimmermann has a real knack for breaking the ice : complete strangers become old friends, within a few hours. I’m seriously looking forward to my next adventures with WILD YAK !

Sophia Taylor from Switzerland

I highly recommend Wild Yak Expeditions agency to all Trekkers and Climbers to be in the professional hands of passionate and specialized people for your trip in the Himalaya! I… + Read More

Sebastien from Switzerland

I highly recommend Wild Yak Expeditions agency to all Trekkers and Climbers to be in the professional hands of passionate and specialized people for your trip in the Himalaya! I personally had a great with them. Thank you Wild Yak Team

Sebastien from Switzerland

We had a great experience in the Alpes. It was a long standing wish to summit the mountains I have seen so often when I was here to participate in… + Read More

Jeroen & Andreas from The Netherlands

We had a great experience in the Alpes. It was a long standing wish to summit the mountains I have seen so often when I was here to participate in the marathon.

Antoine is an excellent guide and together we navigated the glacier and the mountain and solved problems we had with getting various crampons on our shoes. He is great guy and we were happy to have him as a guide. He even went back to Grindelwald to get other crampons.

So again we had a great time and I thank you (WILD YAK) for organizing everything.

Jeroen & Andreas from The Netherlands

A trip with WILD YAK EXPEDITIONS allows you to access the heart of Nepal in all its cultural richness and profound natural beauty. Andrea and Norbu have lived the experience… + Read More

Louise Reilly from Ireland

A trip with WILD YAK EXPEDITIONS allows you to access the heart of Nepal in all its cultural richness and profound natural beauty. Andrea and Norbu have lived the experience and use their immense local knowledge to create a unique, authentic tour, the memories of which will live on long after your plane touches back down on home ground.

Louise Reilly from Ireland

Mi experiencia con Wild Yak fue una super agradable sorpresa, un programa cargado de actividades en la naturaleza con un muy buen ritmo en la caminata, fue la primera vez… + Read More

Viviana from Columbia

Mi experiencia con Wild Yak fue una super agradable sorpresa, un programa cargado de actividades en la naturaleza con un muy buen ritmo en la caminata, fue la primera vez que experimente una sesion de yoga en la nieve, maravillosa experiencia!!! El equipo estaba compuesto de mujeres muy hermosas en todo sentido, yo recomiendo con mucho orgullo de tener esta experiencia con este equipo. Calidad de 100% recomendada para todo tipo de personas no solamente los atletas.

Viviana from Columbia