Shimojo Tomoko
Japan
Dear Christof and Sangay,
I’m back in Singapore, cannot believe that I will be in office again with suit and computer in hand. Thank’s a lot for your very caring service throughout my trip. Usually, a travel agency passes a package to a guide, and never cares the rest. But you were very different. You constantly called up Dorji to see if I was OK, which I didn’t expect, but felt your caring of me and was really touched.
The other surprise at the end of my trip was your gift. It contains all the memories of my trip, which I didn’t realize when I received it at Thimphu: I enjoyed picking Lemongrass in Eastern Bhutan for its fragrance, which I can remember in Singapore by having Lemongrass oil you gave to me. I enjoyed whisky at the mountains, which I can remember by having K-5 you gave to me. I enjoyed Bhutanese music in a car, which I can remember by having the CD you gave to me. I saw lots of bamboo trees in eastern towns, which I can remember by having a bamboo basket you gave to me. How you picked all these gifts really made me amazed.
The two Kinleys and one Sonam – my guide and drivers – were very sincere people, and did their best to make my trip memorable. I enjoyed the homely atmosphere they created. BTW, I’ve never seen as professional driver as Kinley. His drive cares his passengers so much that I can feel his caring heart in his drive. Regardless of road conditions and car speed, he never makes a bump, find a best pass to make drive smooth no matter how narrow a road is. Even when the car ran at 50km/hour in narrow bumpy road, it was very smooth and little bumps. He also checked on me through rearview mirror and understand me more such as I don’t like cold weather, etc.
Lastly, do come to Japan in your lifetime, ideally 5 years later when I return to Japan so that I can guide you – of course for free – in cities and in mountains!
I was really lucky to have your service.
Regards,
Tomoko
Madeleine Binzegger
Switzerland
My fabulous journey to Bhutan came true thanks to the professionalism of Himalaya Karakoram Travel, Christof Hahn, his wife Sangay and her sister Yangchen.
The trust in this travel agency grew like a beautiful flower during many years of interaction, after I met Christof in South Asia.
I travelled to Bhutan, coming from the Ganges plains in West Bengal, India and started my journey through Bhutan in Phuntsholing, where Kinley, a young initiative guide of the travel agency, knowledgeable about his country, awaited me with excitement.
My versed driver Sonam, another well-chosen man by the agency, who knows his country like his pocket, literally navigated me save and reliable from West to Eastern Bhutan, over passes and through valleys of this “Last Paradise on Earth”, where our journey ended after 3 intense weeks, in the border town of Samdrup Jonghkar, the gate to the Indian State of Assam.
The country surprised and deeply impressed me in every aspect, and only to mention a few keywords, clichéd words, which have become rare prezioes in comparison with the rest of the world: The legendary, enchanting and untouched nature, the unique architecture of the richly carved, into detail decorated and painted wooden houses, the majestic temples and Dzongs and Stupas with their in the sun gleaming golden filigree ornaments, and off course the gentle people and the monks walking in their red robes.
The excellently chosen, cozy, with all modern amenities equipped hotels, and the wonderful food would not let lack anything and gave my journey another highly pleasant and relaxed highlight.
The owners of Himalaya Karakoram Travel, the guide Kinley and my driver Sonam made everything possible, including every physical effort, to make it possible for me, being bound to a wheelchair, to experience this mountainous country with its special topographical features. Great willpower as well as strength enchanted obstacles like steps and stairs into ramps and trails as well as open doors.
The agency constantly kept contact with me during the journey to enquire about my well-being and invited me during my stop over in the capital Thimphu to their home for coffer and cake.
For this unique care and organization of this dream journey, I would like to cordially thank the team of Himalaya Karakoram Travel in Thimphu, Bhutan.
Madeleine Binzegger, Zug, Schweiz
Angela, Henry, Hille & Thorsten
Germany
Bhutan-Sightseeing-Trekking vom 06.10.-25.10.2013
Wir hatten so viel Interessantes aus verschiedenen Quellen über Bhutan gehört, dass wir uns zu viert im Oktober 2013 zu einer 3-wöchigen Reise in dieses kleine Land im Himalaya an der Grenze zwischen Indien, Nepal und China aufmachten um unsere geweckte Neugier zu stillen.
Wir, überwiegend Mittfünfziger, Hille, Thorsten, Angela und Henry haben nach 9 Tage Sightseeing-Tour mit kleinen Wanderungen zur Höhenanpassung den Jomolhari-Treck vom Drukguel Dzong bis nach Dodena, insgesamt 118 km einschließlich 8550 Höhenmeter absolviert.
Unsere Skepsis, ob in diesem kleinen Staat, gut organisierte Trekkingtouren durchgeführt werden können, hat sich als vollkommen unbegründet erwiesen.
Sowohl Guide als auch Fahrer waren sehr besorgt, zuvorkommend und sprachen gutes Englisch. Die Menschen gehen nett und ohne Standesdünkel miteinander um. Die Freundlichkeit und Aufmerksamkeit mit der wir bedacht wurden, ohne etwas dafür zu erwarten, hat uns beeindruckt. Die Menschen verströmen Ruhe und Gelassenheit.
Die Nomaden, unsere Trekkingmannschaft, also Koch, Helfer und horse-people fanden die gleiche Anerkennung durch unseren Guide.
Sein Spruch lautete: „Wir wollen, dass unsere Gäste unser Land als Freunde kennen lernen“.
Nach diesem Motto haben sich alle, die uns auf dem Treck begleitet haben oder denen wir begegnet sind, verhalten.
Genauso, wie die Lebensweise der Menschen im Buddhismus hat uns die grandiose Landschaft, die sich dem Wanderer zum größten Teil unberührt darbietet, beeindruckt.
Wir bedanken uns herzlich beim Himalaya Karakoram Travel Team für die unvergesslichen Erlebnisse die wir im Land des Donnerdrachen erleben durften und wünschen allzeit furchtlose Trecker mit Neugier auf das Land des höchsten Bruttonationalglücks.