Who has experience of trekking in Sikkim with Yak and Yeti Travels?

Answer 1

We first used Satish and Yak and Yeti travel in May 2011 - we found the agency on the internet. They organised a fantastic trek from Yuksom to Goecha La for just 2 of us - trekking and camping with Yaks - and followed this with some fascinating sightseeing around temples in Sikkim - all planned by our guide, Puspa, who stayed with us, and looked after us very well.
We enjoyed it so much that Satish was our first contact when we returned to Nepal this year. He suggested a very good itinerary, was not at all upset when we altered it to include more walking/less driving, and then contacted Puspa so that he could escort us again. We have thus just returned from another really amazing and memorable trek up the Langtang Valley and back via Gosaikunda / Laurebina -La and Helambu. Again, just two of us, with two porter guides, staying in teahouses this time.

Satish is incredibly loyal and honest - he has to be pushed to charge for his services!
He is well respected in tourism in Sikkim, and has many contacts throughout the region - he is very fair about using his knowledge to help you, and will be very flexible if you have your own ideas. It helps to do some planning yourself -sometimes you need to edit his plans a bit - Satish would like you to see everything!

We find the best way of managing is to organise the international travel ourselves - i.e. get to Gangtok or Kathmandu - and ask Satish to arrange for a guide to meet us there.
Once we have met our guide, they are then our "fixer" for everything - which is fantastic.
Importantly, Satish is available by phone or email if you have any problems.

Satish can give you a rough estimate of the cost in advance, but a lot depends on what actually happens on the trek or tour so don't expect fixed budgets.

OK, this feels a bit different compared to using a recognised Western tour operator - you have to be a bit flexible, adaptable and culturally sensitive. We feel that using a local agency such as Yak and Yeti is substantially better value - you effectively pay local tourist rates. Most importantly, you feel that the money you pay actually stays in country - it goes to your guides, porters, cooks, Yak men and tea house keepers - rather than paying for expensive offices elsewhere.Your guide will be a native of his country, and you will gain far greater insight than you would get being cossetted in a tour group.Also the guides are environmentally aware - Sikkim in particular has a strong waste avoidance policy (no plastic bags are sold...) and in Nepal, our guides always got us boiled cooled water in preference to plastic bottles.Another tip - its important to try to keep healthy - we eat simple vegetarian food on treks, and take a comprehensive first aid kit, including mountain sickness medication...just in case.

Yak and Yeti can sort out holidays for independent travellers who just need a bit of in-country support - if you have the courage, just contact them.

We now feel privileged to count Satish as a friend ; he has introduced us to some wonderful people who have guided us through spectacular countries.