I just got some seeds I ordered from Plant World Seeds. Included in the envelope is an "opportunity" to help finance Ray Brown's and others trip to Northern India and Nepal this fall to explore and collect seeds. As a "shareholder', they will mail you packets of the seeds to try out. You can state a preference for Alpine or herbaceous or shrubs. It kinda sounds like fun, and I might do it. Cheapest subscription is 25 Pounds which is about $40 US, and this gets you 12 species. That would be about $3 per packet.
Plant World Seeds is highly rated here, but this is my first interaction with them.
Vicarious plant hunting in the Himalayas
I think it sound entertaining. I think it's fun to experiment with the off-the-beaten-path plants. They might all be duds, but on the other hand, you might stumble across something fabulous. You could be the first on your block to coax a spectaculus himalayensis to bloom!