Wes Rawlings

Consider Ian Taylor Trekking, they offer the entire “Package” when it comes to EBC Treks. Ian’s company is a market leader in Nepalese treks. He is an enthusiast and knows the formula for making his treks stand out as some of the very best. He and Laura, Ian’s wife, live in Colorado and have every aspect of their treks choreographed down to the nth degree.

Check it out, call Ian and talk with him about doing one of his adventures. He does not hit bottom on anything you might ask. I am sure you will be amazed, as I was, in his depth of knowledge. Items like suggesting I fly through Abu Dhabi to avoid long layovers was not too minuscule for him to point out. He is not an office dweller, Ian leads several of his treks each year so he can stay up-to-date on all aspects of his itineraries. To give you another indicator of his “Best Practices” approach, Ian has a high success rate of trekkers making it to the EBC because of his systematic method of acclimatization, which includes three nights in Namche Bazaar.

It is well known that the best guides tend to work for the market leaders and why not, who wants to work that hard for a second-tier tour operator. Rest assured, ITT guides and ground staff in Kathmandu are truly top-shelf with a safety first approach. Another big selling point is that Ian knows all the best Teahouses and just as important, they know him.

These are very important relationships to have during high season as accommodations get thin the higher up you go (pun intended). In summary, as with any rigorous adventure, there are many moving parts with harmony and execution being established only after many proven successes. Ian Taylor Trekking is a very safe choice coupled with having a high chance of making it to the EBC. As a side note, I am booking a Machu Picchu hike that Ian will be leading.