Ace the Himalaya

A Nepali-Owned Operator Based in Kathmandu

Ace the Himalaya runs its own treks, peak climbs, mountain-biking trips, helicopter flights and cultural tours across Nepal, Bhutan and Tibet. Its About page calls it "a premier adventure travel company based in Nepal" and says it was "Founded in 2006 by Prem K Khatry" as "a fully Nepali-owned inbound operator in Kathmandu." The same page lists representatives in the USA, Switzerland, Indonesia and South Korea. The homepage sums up its track record as "19 Years+ Experience" and "3450+ TripAdvisor Reviews."

The founder's page says Khatry grew up in the Manaslu region of Gorkha, started as a trekking guide at 17, and later founded Sambhav Nepal, an NGO working in Gorkha. It adds that he was elected to the executive committee of the Trekking Agencies Association of Nepal in 2012 and is a member of the American Society of Travel Agents, and that he served as president of the Rotary Club of Mt. Everest, Lalitpur, in 2021-22. It describes him representing the company at travel fairs such as World Travel Market in London and ITB in Berlin. In his own words on the page, his team "consists of selected guides and staff who are mostly based in and from the mountain regions themselves."

The Trek and Tour Range

Everest is the core. The menu lists the Everest Panorama Trek (9 days), Everest Base Camp Trek (14 days), EBC Trek with Helicopter Return (12 days), Gokyo Lake Trek (13 days), Gokyo and Renjo La Pass (14 days), Everest Base Camp without Lukla Flight (17 days) and longer high-pass routes. Annapurna options run from the Ghorepani Poon Hill Trek (9 days) and Mardi Himal (10 days) to Annapurna Base Camp (13 days) and the Annapurna Circuit. Remote treks include the Manaslu Circuit (15 days), Tsum Valley and Upper Mustang (16 days each), Dhaulagiri Circuit (21 days), Upper Dolpo (25 days) and Kanchenjunga Base Camp (29 days). Peak climbs run from Yala Peak (13 days) and Island Peak (15 days) to Mera Peak (19 days) and the Ama Dablam Expedition (29 days).

The homepage shows from-prices in US dollars. The Everest Base Camp Trek is listed at 14 days from USD 1,500, the Annapurna Base Camp Trek at 13 days from USD 1,050, the Manaslu Circuit at 15 days from USD 1,500 and the Ghorepani Poon Hill Trek at 9 days from USD 780. Luxury and VIP versions go much higher: the Everest Base Camp Luxury Trek from USD 3,150, a Luxury Everest View Heli Trek over 7 days from USD 7,000 and a VIP Everest Base Camp Trek over 10 days from USD 10,500. Island Peak Climbing starts from USD 2,600 and the Ama Dablam Expedition from USD 8,550.

Beyond Nepal, the Bhutan list includes the Bhutan Vistas Tour (5 days from USD 1,560), the Druk Path Trek (8 days from USD 2,760), the Paro Tshechu Festival (8 days) and a Bhutan Motorcycle Tour (12 days). Tibet trips include a Lhasa Tour from Kathmandu (10 days from USD 1,275), a Tibet Everest Base Camp Tour (14 days) and the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra (16 days from USD 3,200). Multi-country trips combine Nepal and Tibet or Nepal and Bhutan over 15 days, or all three over 20 days.

The menu goes well beyond trekking. Mountain-biking trips include a One Day Biking Trip from Kathmandu, Kathmandu Valley Rim Biking (8 days), Annapurna Circuit Biking (14 days) and Upper Mustang Biking (16 days). Day trips add Trishuli River rafting, an Everest Base Camp Helicopter Tour, Langtang and Pokhara heli sightseeing, paragliding in Pokhara, a scenic Everest mountain flight and an ultralight flight. Cultural tours run from Kathmandu Heritage (3 days) to Experience Nepal (15 days), and trips can be extended with the Bardiya Jungle Safari (4 days) or Chitwan Jungle Safari (3 days). There are also two volunteer programs: an Arupokhari School Volunteer Program (14 days) and a Rebuild Home Volunteer Program (9 days).

Guides, Safety Practice and Sustainability

The team page makes specific claims about its guides: "Every guide at Ace the Himalaya is licensed by the Ministry of Tourism and fully insured," they "undergo wilderness first aid training every year," and "All our guides speak fluent English, and many are multilingual, fluent in Korean, German, Chinese, French, or Russian." It says the office team and trekking leaders come from the regions travelers visit. These are the company's own statements.

The About page describes the company as Travelife Certified, with all team members Travelife trained, and says it is "the only company using Katadyn water filtration systems" on treks to cut single-use plastic. The homepage cites "an impressive 97.4% trek success rate," which is the company's own figure. Guest reviews on the homepage, chosen by the company, name guides and porters and describe an Everest Base Camp trek with helicopter return.

Booking and Awards

The homepage promises "Best Price Guaranteed," and the menu links a Book with Confidence page, Terms and Conditions, Legal Documents, Our Affiliations and a Request A Brochure form. The About page says the company offers "pre-planned itineraries as well as tailor-made travel planning," for solo travelers, families, student groups and corporate teams.

On awards, the About page says its Everest Base Camp Trek received Tripadvisor's Travelers' Choice Best of the Best Award in the Nature and Outdoor category in 2026, 2025, 2024 and 2022, which the page describes as given to "fewer than 1% of over 8 million listings."

What the Site Leaves Open and Who It Suits

The About, team and homepage pages do not set out deposits, the cancellation schedule or group-size limits for the scheduled departures; a Terms and Conditions page is linked for those details. Durations can also differ between listings: the homepage card shows the Annapurna Circuit Trek as 16 days from USD 1,420, while the menu lists it at 19 days.

Ace the Himalaya suits trekkers who want a Nepal-based company with published starting prices, a wide choice of Everest and Annapurna routes, and the option to add Bhutan or Tibet, from first-timers on Poon Hill to climbers heading for Island Peak or Ama Dablam. Its luxury and heli options serve travelers short on time. It suits less well anyone looking for a trip outside the Himalaya, or who wants the cancellation terms before making an enquiry.