SOM GC

2 Testimonials Write a testimonial for SOM

If you visit Chitwan National Park in Nepal and looking for a bird watching tour apart from the mainstream tourist attraction we highly recommend to contact Mr Som. We are a couple from Switzerland and have been traveling around the world with our truck for more than three years. Mr. Som has incredible knowledge of Nepalese bird life. He has the ability to recognize even the smallest bird from a distance or by its song. Within seconds he shows us the most diverse species through his first-class telescope. He has a lot of background information about each specific type of bird and know even the name in German and the presence in Europe. We enjoyed listening to him speak with his perfect English, his calm and professional manner.

Hello, my name is Gabi. My husband, Olaf, and I live in Germany, are both 60 years old, biologists and have been exploring nature and birds in foreign countries for many years. In October 2023 we went on an 8-days hike on the Langtang Trek in Nepal. Mr. Som accompanied us. His warm, extremely competent and very committed way of showing us and explaining the birds and other wild animals in this part of the Himalayan Mountains made this hike an unforgettable experience for us. Right from the start, our focus was on three attractive breeding bird species that are particularly typical of this region. These are Himalayan Monal, Tibetan Snowcock and Ibisbill. Thanks to Mr. Som's excellent local knowledge and keen eyes, the monal was observed and photographed on a large rock face when a male of the species suddenly emerged from the bushes while foraging. The Snowcock was also found. To do this, at 4:00 a.m. we climbed up into the mountains at an altitude of around 4,500 m using our headlamps, so that we could observe the animals at 6:00 a.m. feeding in a certain spot without being disturbed. We were also able to enjoy the unique mountain panorama at sunrise. We only had no luck with the Ibisbill. Immediately after arriving in the breeding area we began our search in the extensive, stony alluvial fans of the glacial rivers that flow into the wide valley floor at Kyanijin Gomba. In the end, we even took off our hiking boots and waded through the ice-cold glacier water with bare feet so that we could check even the most remote corners of the breeding habitat for the presence of the species. Despite Mr. Som's tireless commitment, in the end there was the sobering realization that the birds had apparently already left their breeding area prematurely due to adverse weather conditions. However, this fact cannot diminish our continued enthusiasm for this hike in the Langtang Valley. It is solely thanks to Mr. Som that we were able to get to know the landscape with its characteristic bird and mammal species as well as plants in a holistic approach. In general, only a few nature guides are able to convey this in an understandable way. Many, many thanks to Mr. Som.