Annapurna Base Camp trek

We planned a 22-day trip through the Tsum Valley and Manaslu region including the Larke La pass, with Nepal Trekking Experts for October of 2022. We found during the planning stages Rajesh was very responsive*, fast, and adaptable. He gave some valuable thoughts on different itineraries to choose among given our goals for the trip. Our arrival and welcome in Kathmandu were seamless, and the Hotel Thamel was an excellent choice. Sadly our luggage was delayed by 48 hours, necessitating a one day departure delay which did not phase Nepal Trekking experts. (*I would highlight that Rajesh is responsive but not pushy – if you want to communicate with him, best to reach out rather than assuming he will contact you. For example, when we were back in Kathmandu after our trek we expected to hear from him but did not for a couple days. Yet as soon as we messaged him, he responded instantly.) Unfortunately, the first half of October 2022 in Nepal turned out to be an extension of the rainy season, with landslides all over the country creating dangerous conditions and necessitating some creative re-imagining of our trip. It was sometimes hard to know whether we were getting complete info, although this would have been rough with any trekking company, and local information is best transmitted by guides and trekkers who have been on the path ahead of you. Even now that we are home again it is not clear if or when we might have gotten through to the Manaslu region and if it would have been safe, or what date the biggest slide which closed off Tsum Valley actually happened. Perhaps potential risks for different trek options could have been discussed earlier – Rajesh was ever optimistic that landslides would not be a problem and that other regions were not better when we opened up this conversation. In retrospect we understand that he was trying to put a positive spin on things as much for our comfort as for the business. We are realistic travelers who understand things may not always work out as planned, and we would have appreciated more complete and transparent information. Our guide Ganesh knew all of the standard routes like the back of his hand, and proposed alternative routes with transport options that were still available within Nepal. He reiterated many times that within these parameters any choice about adjusting our itinerary was ours to make. At the time we did wish there were more information about what local alternative paths might have been available in different regions. Eventually we came to understand that “trekking” is not “backpacking”, meaning that we relaxed some of our drive and settled in to fully enjoy the Annapurna Base Camp trek coupled to the Mardi Himal Trek. All those complications of this particular month in Nepal aside, we have only positive reports about our Nepal Trekking Experts team. Our guide Ganesh worked hard to learn our preferences in terms of distance and speed of trekking each day, of our interest in learning about Nepali foods and even how spicy we liked our tea! His English is good and Ganesh tried valiantly to answer our questions about Nepali traditions, agriculture and politics. Ganesh was very responsive to our requests (for example switching to a different hotel in Pokhara and taking the long bus ride as an adventure rather than pushing for a jeep). Santa was an energetic, positive and very helpful porter whom we highly recommend.

Nepal Trekking Experts is the most reliable company I've found in Kathmandu! Rajesh will spend as much time as you want helping you sort out all the fine details of the trip. He is also quick to find a solution when problems outside of his control come up. There was bad weather across the country at the end of my trek. All flights out of Pokhara were canceled and people were frantically looking for ways back to Kathmandu. Many people were stuck in Pokhara for days, but Rajesh got me a car back to Kathmandu only a few hours later. Ganesh was such a great guide! We had a very detailed itinerary, but he was flexible in deviating from it to allow more time at the hot springs. The trek went very smoothly and I really didn't have to worry about anything. Will be recommending Rajesh and Ganesh to anyone looking to trek in Nepal :)

Another great experience with the team! Thakkur ji is very hospitable and a great trek leader. The trek went very smoothly and without any problems whatsoever. The whole team was always similing and helping us. Kudos, we will be back soon:)