I did the Everest Base Camp trek with this tour operator as a solo traveler. I was placed in a group of five other fellow travelers. From start to finish, it was an incredible experience. Thanks to Sujan, who meticulously planned my trip and was highly responsive throughout the process. Our guide, Milan, was exceptional. His professionalism, kindness, and friendly behavior made the trek unforgettable and enjoyable. Milan's constant attention to our safety and wellbeing ensured a smooth and secure journey. Overall, it was a once in a lifetime experience, and I highly recommend this tour operator their outstanding service.
This trip was excellent but undoubtedly needs some modifications. The upgraded hotels were good but there was often inadequate time to spend in them and enjoy and relax which was a pity. There should be fewer destinations to reduce travelling time. The visits that should be eliminated are the Beypore boatyard at Calicut (literally a couple of hulks in half construction) and the mosque, the Wildlife safari on arrival at Wayanad was a waste of time as it took an hours travelling in each direction in the afternoon and a one hour trip in a not very comfortable bus to see five elephants in total. The afternoon could have been spent enjoying the lovely hotel at Wayanad. This was an eco hotel based up in the forest and had some activities such as a night safari led by naturalists. Otherwise highlights were undoubtedly included hindu temples, churches, a synagogue, a mosque and the Tibetan monastery. The houseboat cruise and overnight stay in the backwaters of Kerala at Allepey was excellent and memorable. The one hour traditional theatre trip and following meal in Kochi was great. The two train trips were really interesting along with the visits to the tea and coffee plantations. The hotel at Goa was excellent and we had the time to make full use of it and relax. We had booked an extra day. The trip was made all the more memorable by our excellent guide, Shevi, who could not have been more polite, friendly and helpful. The bus we travelled in was air conditioned and very comfortable and the crew extremely pleasant.
Overall I would definitely recommend this trip but hope that Explore may modify it taking into account the comments about travelling times and some of the visits.
City sightseeingBeachCruise
Tour Type
Small Group TourSmall group tours usually have 8-12 participants and maximum up to 18 travelers
Our experience was completely wonderful from start to finish. The tour company made booking in difficult times straight forward and rather easy.
The local operator who were looking after us in Kathmandu and on our trek were perfect. From the moment we cleared customs we were completely looked after and had absolutely no worries or concerns, everything was taken care of for us.
We we collected by Ram our trek guide and transferred to the hotel, we met Indira there and she was and is an amazing woman. Everything was explained to us and we were given everything we needed. Indira is the perfect hostess, she arranged a private tour for us and gave us her contact number in case there was anything we were unsure of or needed.
On the trek Ram was amazing, so helpful and knowledgeable, he sorted everything for us day to day and made sure our moral was kept high particularly when the going got tough! He gave us so much insight and information into life in Nepal and on the trek and never left our side. We felt so lucky he was our guide and cant thank him enough. Without you Ram we would never have got to EBC love ya mate!!
We renewed our wedding vows at EBC and back in Kathmandu Indira arranged a monk to give us a blessing ceremony at Monkey Temple. Her care and attention to detail was humbling and touching. We were worried about the PCR test before flying back, this again was sorted by Indira, what an amazing woman. Thank you Indira.
A special mention for Prabin our Sherpa/Porter who carried our gear for us an amazing young man with lungs the size of planets and Parashu our Kathmandu guide who gave us a wonderfully informative tour of the cities sights.
Some advice for people wanting to do the EBC trek please book it with this local operator, amazing service, great customer care, brilliant people and truly top value for your money.
Thanks guys.
Bhutan is an immensely beautiful country and this trip really does cover the essence of it. You will get to see beautiful views of Himalaya mountains, you will visit a number of unique monasteries, historical fortresses and natural sights. The sequence of the visited places is well chosen, with the hiking trip to the Tiger´s nest the day before your departure. A cap is a must and some prior hiking training is an advantage. The food was very fine, with the hosts able to prepare a vegetarian option. Guide and driver both excellent. This really has been, without exaggeration, one of our best holiday trips. People were friendly, hospitable and the places we visited were magical, with no, or only a very few tourists.
We had an amazing experience during our stay! The staff went above and beyond, especially Nilam and Devi, who made sure everything was perfect. The service was impeccable, and the accommodations were cozy and comfortable. Highly recommend and would definitely visit again!
Trekking and Hiking
Tour Type
Private Tour
Accommodation
Guest House, Hotel
Age Range
8-79 yrs
Operated in
english
Destinations
Langtang trek, Kathmandu, Syabru
Langtang trek, Kathmandu, Syabrubesi, Nagthali, Briddim, Lama Hotel, Langtang Village, Kyanjin Gompa
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!
Active and outdoor
Tour Type
Small Group TourSmall group tours usually have 8-12 participants and maximum up to 18 travelers
Great trip, some amazing sights with temples and the chance to see local life. Himalayas were breathtaking. The rhino and sloth bear were excellent, never expected to see them so close.
Our tour leader Su was very attentive, knowledgeable and always checking we had everything we needed.
Active and outdoorRafting
Tour Type
Small Group TourSmall group tours usually have 8-12 participants and maximum up to 18 travelers