Best trek yet! If you’re after creature comforts this isn’t for you; if you want to get away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life and explore the beautiful Annapurna range, meet locals, see some awesome-inspiring scenery, stay in rustic, basic accommodation but have some of the heartiest, tastiest meals and best hospitality ever, whilst taking on a challenging yet deeply rewarding trek, this is for you. Su, our tour leader, was exceptional, nothing was too much bother and he became the 11th member of our group. The crew and guides were fantastic, setting an achievable pace that meant we could chat as we walked or just enjoy the quiet as we took on a section of steeper steps, it all meant we were well-acclimatised for altitude and hardly had any effects whatsoever. Every day was different so there was never a dull moment and always something new to see - we even saw monkeys! The days spent in Kathmandu and Pokhara to top and tail the trip were the perfect intros and downtime to show two very different sides of Nepalese life. The food was fantastic - light, flavourful and satisfying. Have the momos and Dal Baht - you won’t regret it! Going during Nepalese Diwali (Tihar), made the experience even more magical to be honest. Fully recommend going then to get that added cultural experience as well! Just couldn’t have had a better two weeks away in the mountains (with a bit of culture thrown in) if I tried!
Cultural, religious and historic sites
Tour Type
Small Group TourSmall group tours usually have 8-12 participants and maximum up to 18 travelers
Accommodation
Hotel, Guest House
Age Range
16-99 yrs
Operated in
english
Destinations
Kathmandu, Bamboo, Jhinnudanda
Kathmandu, Bamboo, Jhinnudanda, Nayapul, Pokhara, Ghandruk, Chhomrong, Dovan, Deurali, Machhapuchhre Base Camp, Annapurna Base Camp
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
Really excellent trip - we saw and experienced so many things. Only downside is it meant a lot of travelling on the bus and only one night in every hotel.
Highlights were the Safari - seeing the elephants especially. Climbing Lions Rock at 6am and the delightful food we had along the way.
Our guide, Chamodi was very enthusiastic and friendly. She was especially good with the children.
Cultural, religious and historic sites
Tour Type
Small Group TourSmall group tours usually have 8-12 participants and maximum up to 18 travelers
The Annapurna View Trek is a beautiful tour that takes you through several scenic and peaceful mountain villages, each offers stunning views of the mountains and surrounding areas. Most of the trek has a very well maintained path or stairs, some parts are a bit steep and difficult, especially the uphill sections require a good level of fitness. Overall a 10/10 short tour that takes you through a really stunning part of the country.
This was our second trek in Nepal having done Poon Hill in 2018. The Langtang Valley route is less crowded than Poon Hill. The trek is not easy with lots of ups and downs and a certain level of fitness is required. However, our efforts were well-rewarded with varied and breath-taking scenery along the route. The tea houses varied in level of comfort provided, with some having en suite western bathrooms while others, such as the Lama Hotel, were very basic with shared squat-style toilets and an outside shower room. The road to Syabrubesi is long and bumpy - I would definitely recommend getting the private jeep from Kathmandu. Overall, we thoroughly enjoyed the Langtang Valley trek and would recommend it.
Trekking and Hiking
Tour Type
Private Tour
Accommodation
Hotel, Guest House
Age Range
5-79 yrs
Operated in
english
Destinations
Langtang trek, Kathmandu, Syabru
Langtang trek, Kathmandu, Syabrubesi, Lama Hotel, Langtang Valley, Kyanjin Gompa, Kyanjin
This was my first trip as a single person and I had a fabulous time. The group of 12 (four couples and four singles) really gelled and were very friendly, supportive and fun. The itinerary was very good, with at least one specific thing to do, see or visit each day. The high points were the tea plantation, the spice farm, the cookery evening, the wonderful scenery and the houseboat . The accommodation was generally very good, but the homestay was too basic to be an enjoyable experience. It didn't feel as though we were guests in someone's home, it felt more like a commercial exercise (eg the host talked of building a hotel next year to accommodate more guests). The food was excellent in most places with some well-chosen restaurants/snack bars, and plenty of choice for vegetarians, but I was a little disappointment at the street food experience, which was just selecting one cold, precooked snack (such as samosa, vada or fritter.) I was anticipating some freshly cooked food (while we looked on) such as rice and dahl or pani puri. Also, I thought that the purpose of visiting the market was to select spices and vegetables to use later in our cookery evening, but there wasn't an obvious link. Our guide, Sree, was flexible, knowledgeable and very accommodating of all our needs.
Overall a really great experience with a great group of people. Will definitely use Explore again for another adventurous trip.
City sightseeingSight
Tour Type
Small Group TourSmall group tours usually have 8-12 participants and maximum up to 18 travelers
