Vyacheslav Privalov, 31, from Karaganda, the head of the Himalaya Club
On the starting point
Our inspirers are Sergei Zaburdyaev and Alexei Beldeninov, who got united by a passion for travel 10-15 years ago. The club had been a closed community of close friends until April 2015, when it turned open to all comers. Using the experience of our own travels, we formed commercial tours for the most interesting mountain treks and countries. The first was the trip to Nepal called "Around Annapurna". Sergei Klokov joined the team a little later.
On the Himalaya Club
Our goal is to develop sport and active recreation in Kazakhstan. We’ve been lagging behind Europe, the United States, Ukraine and Russia, but now we’re ready to change the trivial Turkish "all inclusive" to hiking. We want our people to study the most beautiful corners of the planet, absorb the culture of other peoples and meet the history of ancient civilizations.
Many Kazakhstanis crave such trips, but they aren’t supported by friends and relatives. One person cannot go hiking so our club assembles enthusiasts and instructs, equips and accompanies them. That is an ambitious goal.
On the club’s motto
Our motto is "Travel in a good company!" Therefore, our main difference from other travel companies is a friendly atmosphere. We get acquainted with the team members long before the trip. While preparing for the trip they chat and communicate at meetings. They make friends before the trip and turn into a family by the end. We always chat, go to cinema, and hang out together. We keep in touch with anyone who wants.
You’re a club member once you joined us
On travel tours, treks and trips
As for Kazakhstan, we make trips to Karkaralinsk, Bayanaul, Borovoye, Bektau and the mountains of Almaty. Also, we have trips to Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Nepal, India and to non-beach Turkey.
Our groups comprise 25-30-year-olds mostly, whereas, generally, the travelers’ age category is 18-65.
Trips to Almaty Mountains are in great demand as it’s quite difficult for central Kazakhstan residents to visit all the destinations at once. We make tours to the Charyn canyon, Kayyndy, Kolsai, Issyk lakes that have moderate but atmospheric views of mountain peaks.
Karkaralinsk is a nice place to visit as well. Travelling with a tent and backpacks seems like a new discovery of long-known places. It’s a popular destination due to the price available and time economy.
Once you travel to Karkaralinsk mountains you’ll definitely look forward to our new "Weekend Trips". You can go to Borovoe and Bayanaul afterwards.
On the tour prices
The "Weekend trips” are the cheapest. Leaving on Friday, you return on Sunday evening. You’ll trek for 20-30 kilometers and stay in tents for 2 days and 2 nights. The cost varies from 13 500 tenge depending on the direction and season.
The longest and the most expensive is the “To the foot of the Everest" trip in Nepal
You’re to walk for about 160 kilometers in 2 weeks, while being thousands km’s far from home. The price of such a trip is about 600 000 tenge. The tour price includes equipment, transfers, food, and a guide travelling with you.
Whatever journey you choose, you’ll be provided with all the necessary stuff like sleeping bags, tents, backpacks, minibuses, cooking equipment, hostels, hotels, and mountain shelters. Having subscribed to us, a person does not care about anything, except future impressions and discoveries. It’s some kind of a “mountain all inclusive”. To have a desire, to act and to reach the destination are the only things you need to worry about.
Regular members are often given discounts on new trips, and up to 30% discounts on tourist equipment can be given by GreenWay as well.
On the money
Making money is the last thing we want. There’s no business plan, membership fees, and desire to get rich. Guides and the club management are office workers who work hard and travelling is some kind of hobby for them. The tour is considered to be financially successful only if the guide has reimbursed his expenses on the trip, solved some wage problems caused by the trip, and managed to update some equipment like tents, sleeping bags, backpacks
On challenges
There’re many challenges like planning new routes and assembling tour members. Having been to the trip, we’re usually told phrases like: “I’d have joined you, if I’d heard of you." Now we’re working on this by using social net, the web-site. We’ve launched the YouTube channel as well.
On plans
We’re planning to organize tours in new directions: Nepal, Cambodia, Bali, China, Europe, Thailand and Tajikistan, the most exotic are Norway, Morocco and Iran.
We’re improving our trips. There’re 2 Russians and a girl from Kyzylorda planning to go to Kyrgyzstan in May. Besides, we’re travelling to Cambodia in 2019, 3 Astana residents have already joined us. Not bad for a small Karaganda tourist club.
