Nepal

We recently spent 10 days in Nepal on tour organized by the local agent Rajeena. Nepal is an amazing country and our trip was made particularly special by Prim, our amazing tour guide. We normally prefer to travel on our own, but Nepal is a challenge for individual tourists. Prim made sure that everything from airport pickup to drop off went smoothly. Prim was extremely knowledgeable of all aspects of Nepal history, culture, the Buddhist and Hindu religions, flora and fauna. We were awed by the depth and breadth of Prim's knowledge and we came away with a deep appreciation of Nepal and its people. Prim was an excellent ambassador for Nepal! On a side note.....After Prim got us checked in at the Kathmandu airport and moments before we were to board our plane, there was a small fire at the airport which delayed all flights. The was brought under control by the authorities fairly quickly and we were never in any danger. Surprisingly, Prim became aware of the incident and stayed in touch with us throughout the delay and until we landed safely in Cambodia the next morning. We could not have had a better experience in Nepal!

We chose this trip specifically as we are regular hill walkers and had always wanted to hike in the Everest region of Nepal, but had been put off by tales of smelly, dirty accommodations whilst on trek, which at our age is no longer of appeal. Thus, it was the luxury trekking lodges themselves that prompted us to book and fulfil a life long desire to see Everest. The lodges did not disappoint us, in fact we were amazed that even the most remote and isolated ones were very good indeed. How they built and service these lodges is a story in itself. Some of them are many days of solid trekking from Lukla Airstrip, where we presumed many of the supplies come in from. Without exception we enjoyed very good food at each and every one and with surprisingly polite and courteous service too. Be able to dine in a dining room, invariably with incredible mountains towering above us was an experience in itself. But, even more so was the ability to retire each evening to the comforts of bed room with very nice beds and enjoy a peaceful nights sleep. No wriggling around in sleeping bags for us. We made sure we woke early each morning though as opening the curtains and gazing out of our bedroom window to see the Himalayas was pure joy. No ‘roughing it’ on this holiday and we can say without any doubt that a hot shower with the best mountain views in the world is simply sublime. We just wonder how they got the proper western style toilets up here, but they have and whilst these luxury lodges aren’t hotels in the proper sense they are all very comfortable and welcoming, especially after a day of trekking uphill and down in the Himalayas. As for the trekking, we found it rather straightforward although the hike up to Namche was long enough and we were glad of a rest after that. Getting our first tantalising glimpse of Everest as we huffed and puffed our way up to Namche spurred us on though. We also chose to book a private trek in order that we could walk at our own pace, stop when we wanted to rest, take photo’s, take refreshments at one of the local cafes along the way and enjoy a leisurely lunch etc. We’d been on group trips before and didn’t like the ‘having to keep up’ peer pressure. Naturally we had our own guide and porters too. Mind you, we only saw the porters in the mornings as once they are loaded they are off like rockets. But, they always had a smile on their faces and were at pains to make it clear that in their opinion they weren’t carrying much, even if we thought they were, especially compared to us with our teeny back packs. We were told by our guide (and we believe it) that the porters carrying our main bags would arrive at our next lodge some 2-3 hours ahead of us. Unbelievable. As for our guide, Prakash, he was simply wonderful. That he loves Nepal and being a guide was evident. Such boundless enthusiasm and a font of knowledge. Needless to say we all became very good friends and still keep in touch, but Prakash brought the mountains to life with his stories of various expeditions, as well as helping us learn a great deal about life in the Everest region too. Nothing was too much trouble for Prakash and when he learned that we were curious to see inside local homes, he’d get us invited in for tea and be translator too. It seemed that everyone knew Prakash! As for the mountains, what can we say? We’d seen lots of photo’s of the peaks in the Everest region, but nothing could prepare us for seeing them in real life. Naturally Everest is the one we wanted to see the most and it was wonderful too see it it as it rises high above Nuptse. We’d thought about trekking all the way to base camp, but as there are no luxury lodges that far up we’d already pre-booked an Everest flight so that we could see it even closer later on and we’re rather glad we did. However, Ama Dablam is the peak that we both fell in love with. We both felt the altitude a little further up from Namche, but Prakash made sure that we slowed down and drank more. His mantra of “if you aren’t getting up in the night for a pee, then you’re not drinking enough” still rings in my ears and of course he is right too. So, other than feeling a little breathless and a little more sluggish than usual, drinking a lot and walking at a slower pace seems to pay dividends. Whilst my husband found the flights to and from Lukla exciting, the landing and take off was rather scary for me. Thank goodness they are very short. But, we did take to the air again and the mountain flight up to Everest was breathtaking. Flying above where we had trekked was fascinating in itself, but seeing Everest from the air and so much closer really does give you a sense of the sheer scale of the Himalayas. We were happy to see our friend Ama Dablam for one last time too. As for Dwarika’s Hotel in Kathmandu, you were absolutely right. It is more an experience than a hotel. Luxurious yes, but so characterful that it feels like it has it’s own soul. To be perfectly honest, once we arrived back at Dwarika’s we never left the hotel until it was time to go to the airport. Quite simply, this was by far the best walking holiday we’ve ever been on. That may well be something to do with walking amongst the highest mountains in the world, but we both agreed when we got home that we had unashamedly fell in love with Nepal. The landscape is everything you hoped it would be and even more, but it’s the people within the landscape that makes Nepal what it is. Happy, cheerful, friendly, welcoming, hard working, determined are words that all apply, but they don’t do justice to the people of Nepal. We’ve certainly found that even at our age, our visit to Nepal has changed us and for the better to. Thank you Nepal.

I was 8 years old when I went to Nepal and it was a fantastic holiday. My Mum and Dad thought it was brilliant too. We went white water rafting, elephant riding, elephant washing, trekking, on a jeep and canoe safari. We even tried our hand at pottery and met a Sherpa who had been to the top of Everest. The Nepalese people are so friendly. I especially loved playing football with the porters and guides on our trek, we were on the top of a mountain. It was great fun and I wanted to do it over and over again. I loved everything there was nothing wrong with this holiday, except maybe curry for breakfast. I got to meet tons and tons of Nepalese children too. We played football, cricket and running races. One of them even gave me a puppy but mum and dad wouldn’t let me keep it. Our guide was the best guide ever. I really liked him, he looked after us. He was nice and treat us as a friend. We had lots of planned activities but had free time to explore on our own too, it was just right. The trekking was just right because we had a few breaks, although I was red hot and sweating at the end. The guides showed us how pop leafs. At camp I played football with the porters, we learned how to whistle with a leaf and got to explore the area. We had tea under the stars and got up really early to see the sun rise. We ate cake and drank a lot of hot chocolate. The places we stayed at were all very cosy and nice. We went to a lovely hotel, cool guest houses and had two nights camping. My fave was the camping because I like sleeping outdoors in tents. It was different because England is richer and more developed and their religion is different. The food is very different and the views are spectacular. I felt very, very safe in Nepal. The roads are very exciting to travel on. It was the best holiday I have ever been on, it was great. I like trying new things and Nepal was different to anywhere I’d ever been before. This one had loads of action in it and lots of adventure in it and it was so different to what I’m used to. I would definitely love to go again and I’d like to feed the elephants that would be awesome and visit a school. I’d like to do a longer trek. It was a great experience and I’ll remember it forever, I’d love to do it again.

I hadn’t ridden a bicycle for 20 years and was a bit apprehensive but it was OK and I was ‘sold’ as I could cycle without being weighed down by a big bag. Without a jeep transferring our bags this would have been really hard work for me though and I’d have probably hated it. I found the cycling a bit bumpy at times, but I could cycle at my own pace and there was always incredible scenery to take in. Why rush? I certainly appreciated that our overnight halts afforded creature comforts like private rooms, proper beds and hot showers. Having electricity to use a hair dryer was a major plus! Getting dusty every day seemed to be par for the course, especially with those afternoon winds. Electric blankets or hot water bottles were very welcome at the higher altitude places we stayed in. I rather liked the lodge at Thasang. What a location, although being on top of a hill we had to earn those views the hard way. I liked Kagbeni too, so, so different to what we’d seen of Nepal so far. It felt more like we were in Tibet. The changes in the scenery and everything that goes with that were amazing and fascinating as we descended. Travelling by bike meant that we were going fast enough to notice the changes every day, but slow enough to take it all in and stop whenever we felt like it. I’m rather proud that I cycled all of it, except the last little bit up to Thasang where I found it easier to push my bike. We went from a mountain desert to alpine to jungle in just a matter of days and the views of the Himalayas is way beyond dramatic. The size of Dhaulagiri is almost impossible to believe until you see it. Taking a break at Thasang was a good idea as it gave me a break from the bike and the walk to Sekong Lake was very worthwhile. Looking behind to Dhaulagiri and across to Annapurna is something I’ll never forget. Best picnic location ever. My partner loved the downhill ride from Thasang to Tatopani, but I was happy taking my time and cycling through the villages was a great way of making new friends, especially the local kids who were always smiling and waving. Reaching Tatopani was odd as it suddenly felt quite warm, although I was very happy to enjoy a good soak in the hot springs and the last day of cycling was easy. Anil, our guide, was wonderful. So friendly and patient, but very laid back too. I’ve never been paragliding, but I loved that and the views and sensation of flying is impossible to describe. It was a lot easier than I thought and I think if I was to do it again I’d like to try flying with one of the trained vultures. We also went rafting too, another first for me. Much more relaxing than I expected it would be, apart from one or two hairy bits at the end. I was surprised as to how wild and remote it felt paddling down river with nothing but birds for company. Going back to Kathmandu was quite the shock though. I wasn’t quite ready for all that hustle and bustle again and with hindsight should have chosen somewhere a bit more away from the touristy part. Still, it was handy for me having all the shops close by and we found a few quiet court yard cafes to escape too. Pilgrims Book Shop is particularly good for way more than just books. Reflecting on our adventure we both felt that we’d done something rather unique and you don’t really appreciate just how varied this trip is until you look at your photo album. I felt a real sense of achievement and that I got to experience a great deal more of Nepal than I’d anticipated. The Himalayas are amazing, but my fondest memory is of the people of Nepal. So cheerful and friendly.

Probably the best trip of my life. The sites, the hotels, and the tours were all superb.

Our experience was special thanks to you and our driver / guide..