Annapurna Family Hike

Mansoor Ahmed, Singapore

I along with my wife and 3 kids made a family trip to Nepal for collecting adventurous yet sensible experience. On the occasion my wife 40th birthday, I planned for a trip with 3 kids aged 9, 7 and 5. I contacted a range of travel companies in Nepal- all pretty well – but Nepal Hiking Team grabbed much attention. Apart from being responsive, NHT was also competitive and organized a trip of a life time customizing the trip as per our needs.

We were welcomed with garlands of flowers by both Ganga (owner) and Lal (tour guide throughout) who were waiting for us. We were transferred to the hotel that night and briefed about the tour, Ganga also addressed several questions. The next morning we took a flight around Mount Everest – a magnificent experience. We also enjoyed sightseeing tour in Kathmandu which was wonderful experience. The following morning we flew to Pokhara and began our 2 days trek through the Annapurna region. We were accompanied by Lal and 4 Sherpas/porters who carried our belongings as well as my youngest child when she got exhausted. We climbed for 6km’s uphill and had regular stops to get there at the Australia camp. Lal and team were very patient and did not have any issues with us. At the Australian camp, the team installed two tents for staying overnight.

The next morning we again strolled on for 6km downhill, took a taxi for 20 minutes to reach at another location and after that walked 11km ahead on a slight uphill trail to get to Sarangkot. We witnessed the largest hail stones ever during a shower that lasted for around 20 minutes and we were transferred to shelter just before it began. The team knew the settings and made good decisions. We then stayed at a good hotel with a wonderful view and made preparation for the next morning. The next morning, with a ten minute walk uphill, we reached to the set embracing a 140km panoramic sight of the Annapurna district, possibly the most magnificent view I have ever witnessed in my life, though I’ve travelled a lot. We then experienced paragliding and moved down to Pokhara town while Lal and the team brought our kids down via van. We, moreover, enjoyed Pokhara Tour and then flew back to Kathmandu.

Next day was our final day in Kathmandu and Lal took us around the city again. We saw the major sites before flying back to Singapore.

On the whole, NHT was great. Remember, “If you pay peanuts, you get monkeys.” This trip can be counted among the most inexpensive opportunities if not the cheapest one. NHT took care and made very good decisions for us. They let us experience trekking while most of the companies refused because of my 5 year old kid. They carried her whenever needed and Lal was a wonderful and co-operative tour guide.

6 days trip wasn’t enough and I wouldn’t hesitate to choose NHT to visit Nepal as it’s a wonderful country with amazing people. I wouldn’t even hesitate to talk about the services of NHT as these guys nail it.

Thank you Ganga, Lal and Team!!!!

Mansoor Ahmed, Singapore

Nicky N Prasad, Australia I had always wanted to do the Everest Trek, and when I finally had the opportunity, I was delighted with enthusiasm! I think I am also fortunate to have been in the company of Nepal Hiking Team because they gave me no reason whatsoever to companion about anything at all. Every service I received was top-notch, and I was always provided the best available services, from the food and guesthouses to the porter and guiding services. My guide was Paban, and he was very proficient at his work. He made sure that I was comfortable and had everything I needed. The trip was terrific, and I am so glad I was with NHT! Their prompt responses, their kind gestures, and the best organization of the trip had me convinced that I was with the professionals from the very beginning. My recommendation goes to Nepal Hiking Team for being one of Nepal's most reliant tour agencies!  

Jayadatta Narasipura, USA Dear Ganga and the entire team, We, Narasipura family would like to thank you and your team for making once in a lifetime experience possible. All three of us loved every minute we spent in the Himalayas and Nepal. After my EBC trek, I wanted to experience Himalayas again with my family. Your team made it possible. Every day, we knew what to expect because Paban explained us on previous evening and in the morning. In seven days, we trekked in the lush green forest, saw numerous waterfalls, were inside the clouds, refreshed ourselves in the river and stream water, took multiple breaks with tea, coffee. Even though it was very hard, especially from 3rd to 5th day, we managed to get over the fatigue to continue because of Paban, Gokul and Ganesh’s help and encouragement. They used to tell us to take it easy (Aaramse jayenke) then we can do it, no need to rush. Paban modified the plan/itinerary based on the time of the day and our physical condition. We always ended the day before 5pm. Paban was flexible and booked the best teahouses, he made our trek very enjoyable. On fourth day, we were scheduled to trek to Upper Sinuwa. He changed it, we stayed at Lower Sinuwa. Because of 4th day’s change of plan, he modified fifth day trek too. Every day, as soon as we woke up, we started off with a hot cup of coffee or tea, they served to us without fail. Enjoying first few minutes of the day looking the sunrise in the mountains with a hot drink was so peaceful and relaxing. At the end of every day, we had fun, talking, playing cards, and having delicious dinner with fresh fruits as dessert. It was a beautiful experience. Paban, Gokul and Ganesh treated us royally and with respect, we are grateful to them. Spending last two days of our trek in the Machapuchare and Annapurna basecamps were a bliss, surrounded by the Annapurna mountain range was just amazing, and unbelievable. On the last day of the trip, we loved the cultural tour of the three cities, we were mesmerized by the artwork. Hope we can come back and enjoy Nepal again. We appreciate everything you did for us to accomplish our dream trek. Datta Trip done between 9th to 18th May 2022

Richard, UK "After extensive research regarding which trekking company to entrust with helping me with my dream holiday I chose The Nepal Hiking Team. This was for a number of reasons.

1. Ganga and his team were super flexible, quick to respond, and allowed me to build a bespoke holiday that suited my schedule.
2. When things went wrong at my end, they were quick to come up with solutions to help me out
3. They understood this was a once in a lifetime experience for me, and answered my many and varied questions.

Once I arrived in Nepal it was immediately clear I had made the right decision. I was picked up from the airport, and driven to the hotel where I met Ganga and my guide Dinesh. Dinesh checked that the equipment I had brought with me was suitable, and NHT provided me a down jacket. The next day we flew out of Kathmandu, to EBC and Island Peak. Dinesh looked after me for the next 12 days in the mountains. He is an expert on the local area. Point at any mountain, and he can tell you how high it is and what its name is. He has travelled extensively over the area for more than 8 years, and he uses this knowledge to enrich your holiday experience. Every hotel you stay in, he knows the owners, and ensures you get a comfortable room. Need your washing done, or a hot shower? He will recommend where (and where not!) to get it done. When you are walking the trails he can tell you how much further you have to go, what bits will be difficult, and which easier. If you are looking to book with Nepal Hiking, and are lucky enough to have Dinesh as a guide then you are going to have a fabulous trip"

Walt Risley, USA When searching for a trekking company I wanted to go with a local group. All the reviews for Nepal Hiking Team were excellent so I choose them. From start to finish they had their act together. Initial correspondence and any email questions were answered by Ganga, the man in charge, by the next day. They kept me up to date with everything I needed as far as entry into Nepal. Picked me up from the airport and got me to my hotel without an issue. I joined a couple from Canada for the trek. Our guide Prakash never left our side from breakfast to dinner. He expedited the flight to and from Lukla which would have been a hectic process without him. Since all of us were in our 50s he established early that we would be in no rush. Whether we got to our next location at 2pm or 4pm didn’t matter. I would rather be outside enjoying the trek than in early playing cards. I felt safe and looked after with him. This trek is tough. It’s much steeper than I anticipated and the altitude change from place to place does not reflect the ascents and descents which on some days doubles the heights you actually do. They ascents into Tengbouche and at Dugla pass are particularly tough but at a slow steady pace they are doable by any who are reasonably fit. Once at the guest house the service didn’t end there. Prakash took care of all our needs. Making sure we had enough to eat and enough water. He wouldn’t leave our side until we turned in for the night which was often quite early. His personality was very soothing. We could not have accomplished what we did without him or our 2 porters. While English was not their strength, they would carry our gear ahead of us to the next location and often double back to see if we needed help and were more than happy to help with our day packs. They also accompanied us on some of the acclimation hikes in case some or one of us wanted to climb higher, splitting us up. After the trek everything was taken care of. I needed a PCR COVID test for a tour in Abu Dahbi the day after I left Kathmandu and Ganga arranged for a nurse to administer it to me in the hotel. Seamless. It’s a long review but I really can’t say enough about these guys, especially for the price. For all the service we got it was amazingly reasonable. Would definitely use this company on any return trip to Nepal and highly recommend!     You can also read this review on trip advisor.