This holiday was a fantastic mix of ancient sites (castles, forts, ruined mud brick villages) and natural wonders - The Grand Canyon of Arabia (Jebel Shams), the endless sand dunes of Wahiba Sands, swimming in wadis etc.
This Manaslu Tsum Valley Trekking tour takes you on an adventure like you've never seen before. It represents a journey to some of the most enchanting, alluring, and mystical peaks and mountainscapes around Manaslu and combines it with the magical scenes of Tsum Valley. Manaslu, the eighth highest peak on the planet, is sure to be one of the highlights of your Manaslu tour. The Buddhist charm of Tsum Valley is incredibly refreshing as well.
We drive to Arughat from Kathmandu where the trek commences. Passing through terraced fields and small villages, we walk past Budhi Gandaki reaching the village of Lapubesi. The walk to Tatopani crosses forests and small villages, bestows a hot spring bath to relax in the evening. Views of Sringi Himal accompanies us on the way to Philim.
Passing Chumling we reach Chhokangparo in the Upper Tsum Valley with towering views of Ganesh Himal, Boudha Himal and Himal Chuli. En route to Nile/Chhule, we pass through Piren Phu (pigeon cave), a sacred location which preserved Buddhist murals, scripts and carved stones where we stop for exploration. Our next stop is the Mu Gompa at 3700m from where we move to Rachen Gompa, a nunnery. The walk to Gumba Lungdang passes through pine and rhododendron forests and crosses the Siyar Khola. We rest here and take a trip to the Ganesh Himal Base Camp.
The route to Lokpa, our next stop has no proper lodging or facilities, so we start early. From Lokpa to Ghap to Lho, we pass Gurung and Thakali villages. At Samagaon, we take a rest for another day and explore the village. We gradually gain altitude from here to Samdo, Dharmasala and cross the Larke La pass at 5200m to reach Bhimtang which marks the end of the trek. We will now begin our journey back passing through Pokhara and the way back.
Whether you wish to stay in Pokhara for a couple of days or go all the way back to Kathmandu is up to you.
A spectacular journey of discovery in the footsteps of Alexander the Great. Step into the heart of Central Asia on this in-depth journey through Uzbekistan and Tajikistan, two historically rich countries shaped by centuries of conquest and trade. Trace the footsteps of Alexander the Great, whose empire once spanned from Greece to India. And follow the ancient Silk Road, where caravans carried silk, spices, ideas and cultures between China and the Mediterranean.
With expert local guides in each country, explore some of the oldest cities in the world including Samarkand and Bukhara, where minarets, mosques, and bazaars evoke the splendour of empires past. And venture beyond the well-trodden path to discover Tajikistan’s alpine lakes and dramatic mountain landscapes.
Stay in a traditional village homestay, experiencing the warmth of Central Asian hospitality, with comfortable accommodations throughout.
Whether you’re captivated by ancient history, drawn to the romance of the Silk Road, or simply seek to explore this fascinating crossroads of civilisations, this guided journey offers an unforgettable window into Central Asia.
An amazing trip from start to finish! The natural landscapes and historical monuments were magnificent. Accommodation and meals were good and as expected in such corners of the planet - no surprises. Both of our Nepali and Tibetan guides were exemplary. They provided us with detailed information and responses to our questions. Our Nepali guide was very experienced with any signs of Altitude Sickness, and kept a close eye on us. I would thoroughly recommend this Adventure Tour.
From the streets of Bangkok to the waters of Koh Samui, this 15-day trip lets you soak up all the natural beauty and city life highlights of South East Asian gems – Thailand, Maylasia and Singapore. You’ll cycle through rural villages to waterfalls, laze on the palm-fringed beaches of islands and eat your way through Penang. Stay with the locals at a homestay in Phrom Lok and tuck into some delicious home-cooked Thai food. Visit temples, take street food tours and enjoy loads of free time to choose your own adventure with a new group of friends. If this trip was a dish, it would taste like Singapore’s chilli crab – full of spice and flavour, with plenty of time by the sea.
Looking back at our photos now we've returned to the UK we can't believe the amount we saw and the amazing experiences we had on this tour. Sri Lanka is an amazing beautiful country with some much going on - we only scratched the surface. Our tour leader Cham worked so hard to make sure that we had everything we needed, resolving our problems and sorting out food for our fussy son! His knowledge about Sri Lankan history and wildlife was immense. He even found the best place to buy genuine Sri Lanka cricket shirts for the sporty members of our group. The only thing we'd change was the pace of the second half of the Sri Lanka leg of the trip. The first half gave us time to chill and bond as a group, as well as hang out in the pool at Giritale and play cricket. The second half we moved every night and covered a massive distance, though interesting, this was quite tiring (especially for the kids), so we'd suggest that a two night stop in the middle of this element would resolve this issue easily. This was clear in the notes, however, as was the high chance of not getting the train. The pace did slow considerably for the Maldives element, with a lot of time on our boats travelling between reefs. The snorkelling was quite frankly mind-blowing, and even the more nervous swimmers loved it. The crew were fantastic, and the food was delicious. The guide knew his stuff, and made sure we had great snorkelling experiences. Our only criticism of this part of the trip was that splitting the group when we'd got to know each other and were getting on really well was disappointing. There were larger boats, and we'd have preferred to be on a single boat given how long we spent travelling separately. The crew did what they could to mitigate this by tying the boats together when we moored for snorkels, meals and overnight and that was great. All in all a thoroughly enjoyable trip, and with a few very small tweaks it'd be perfect!
Both parts of this trip wee amazing but the tour leader, Nala, for the Sri Lankan part was amazing. We were seeing and doing so much of Sri Lanka but his efficiency and effectiveness at keeping us all informed and inspired throughout was seamless. He was knowledgeable, fun, and thoughtful with all of our group. He was careful to make sure everyone was happy and felt part of the group, and was aware of everyone's particular interests.
Nala made sure that we all knew what to expect in the day's itinerary but also added in extra activities if there was time, or the opportunity arose for example, a large banana market where the cooperative owners were happy to hear our questions and have phottaken.
We would thoroughly recommend Nala as a tour guide- everything he did was designed to keep us all happy and he was exceptional in this.
Take a three-week adventure and make new friends that will last a lifetime, in two countries that will touch your heart. On this 21-day trip through Nepal and India, eat your weight in delicious street food, tick one of the Seven Wonders of the World (the Taj Mahal of course) off your bucket list and cruise down the holy Ganges. Hang in Buddha’s hometown, search for sloth bears and rhinos at Chitwan National Park, stay with local families and dive into colourful Kathmandu. Pull on your adventure boots for whitewater rafting on the Trisuli River, then trek in the Annapurna region. End it all back in Nepal’s capital, where you can choose to take a yoga class, go sightseeing or maybe extend your adventure and Zen out at your own pace!
The trip was amazing. The crew were outstanding and we were extremely well looked after and all our needs catered for and more. Exceptional trip in every aspect.
Marka Valley is located in Ladakh. Markha Valley is one of the most famous treks of the Ladakh region. It is an amazing trip to get introduced to the magical and remote Buddhist Kingdom of Ladakh. On this trail you will be experiencing beautiful Buddhist Monasteries, local mountain villages, the high altitude pastures of Nimaling and the high altitude peak Kangyatse.
We will basically be traversing Markha Valley crossing different sceneries and villages of the mountains getting sublime perspectives of ever changing landscapes. As we start in Stok we will trek over different passes at different altitudes (with highest altitude gained being 5,150m (16,896 ft.).
When we reach the fields around Nimaling, you will be meeting nomadic families called Khampa living with and off their groups of Yak and Sheep. We will end the trek in Shang but also quickly get to see Leh, before finally departing back to New Delhi.
Travel to Mongolia and experience the raw beauty and tradition of this remote region. Hidden from the world for so long, it is hard to imagine that this secluded country once created the largest land empire ever known. Unmatched geographical diversity, pristine grasslands, crumbling ruins and roaming herdsmen riding tough Mongolian horses – see it all on this journey through a land that time forgot and travellers are now discovering.
Embark on this well-organized and guided private tour of China, including domestic flights. You will experience the amazing Chinese history and discover its interesting ancient culture in capital cities such as Beijing and Xian.
In Beijing, you can explore amazing highlights such as the Great Wall of China, Tiananmen Square, Forbidden City, Temple of Heaven and Summer Palace from Beijing, and you may also watch some evening shows in Beijing, then experience more ancient historic highlights at Xi'an, Shanghai or Guilin.
Explore the wonderful Yangtze river cruise and arrive Shanghai, the last destination of your tour, a symbol of modern day China.
The highlights of Sri Lanka and the Dhoni cruise in the Maldives was excellent. The only complaint I have is that I could have spent two weeks on the boat instead of the 8 days. The cruise needs to be longer!
We just arrived from an 18 days trek on the Himalayas, we went with a local tour operator. We had a great experience in the country, especially during our trek in the Himalayas, it is, indeed, a hard trip, so is important to be confident about your guides. We loved Dhan, our guide, and Guanzhou and Madraj, who helped us with our luggage. A once in a life experience with unforgettable landscapes and people. Thanks' so much.