CHOOSE THIS LOCAL TRAVEL EXPERT I have to be honest: when I found this local travel expert, I was skeptical that they could deliver on promises. Most treks I found were twice the price, and the services looked almost identical. I took a chance after reading great reviews. I AM SO GLAD I CHOSE Upendra and this local travel specialist! He was super responsive, met me at the hotel when I arrived to review the plan, and worked HARD with me to overcome travel challenges due to the monsoon weather. PURNA IS AMAZING! He is a truly excellent guide and got me to Base Camp despite many challenges with weather and my health. I cannot recommend these folks enough. It would be stupid to pay twice as much for inferior services. Go with them.
Imperrial China and Yangtze River Cruise This was our first group holiday having previously travelled around various Asian countries on our own. The holiday exceeded our expectations and we really enjoyed the experience of modern China. The organisation was good with a great balance of varied experiences. The food was excellent too.
This is hands down the best trip I've ever had. We went there when winter was transitioning into spring, which means we got to experience the snow on the way up and we saw the flowers in full bloom on the way down. It definitely added to the experience! What probably added to the fantastic experience is the fact that we had almost nothing to worry about but the trek itself and the cold. Our local tour operator organized almost everything for us. They took care of our hotel in Kathmandu, the flight to and from Lukla, the lodges and our food throughout the twelve-day trek, the permits, and the guide and porters (they even thought of minor things, like the duffel bag where we can put the stuff we want to be carried). We were also treated to dinner when we got back to Kathmanduawesome! Another thing of note is our guide. Raju is really experienced, knowledgeable, and helpful. He helped us get to the base camp safely despite our difficulty in acclimatizing to the high altitude. Raju also went above and beyond in making sure we are okay. When one of us was sick with AMS, he paid for an extra serving of garlic soup for our friend (garlic soup is popular there in countering AMS). He never failed to check up on us. Thanks to Raju, I felt very secure and well taken care of throughout the trek. All in all, this is probably more of a thank you note than merely a review. I enjoyed the trip so much, thanks in part to excellent services from the operator. So to Khum, Raju, and everyone involved in organizing this trip, thank you so much for helping make the EBC trek an unforgettable experience. Will surely come back to see more of Nepal!