Reviews

Most Inspirational Moment

Sitting drinking fresh apple juice as a golden eagle flew just over our heads. Seeing the mountains against the cloudless blue skies time and time again from all different angles. Getting over the pass!

Thoughts on Group Leader

Kumar was excellent. I really do not think we could have asked for more in a guide. Everything was well organised and nothing was ever too much trouble for him. I think he put a lot of effort into ensuring everyone in the group was happy and had what they needed and to just making sure we were having a good time . He worked extremely hard as did the other guides and the porters and we were very lucky to have such a great team.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Take lots of warm layers for the evenings. Despite being in tea houses it is very cold, even in the communal areas. Don’t go on this trip unless you can cope with squat toilets, often not very clean, communal facilities and dodgey showers!

Suggestions

There are stretches where the walk is on roads which are very dusty and not very pleasant. Its definately wise to have a face mask or buff for these parts.

Most Inspirational Moment

The ascent other Thorong La Pass, the climb from Totopani to Ghorepani and of course the dramatic scenery.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Good leader however a little authoritarian, demanding (not recommending or advising) the clothing I should wear rather than accepting that I have the experience and awareness of my tolerances to climate conditions.

Advice for Potential Travellers

The accommodation, wind and dust can pose challenges however if you can embrace these issues as being part of the Annapurna Circuit you'll enjoy the experience to its maximum effect.

Most Inspirational Moment

Definitely the crossing of the Thorong-la It’s a big long day with an early start and potential problems are weather and altitude. Just standing by the prayer flags in the sun and snow 17000 feet up with the group and thinking how we’d all got there was very moving.

Thoughts on Group Leader

What a cheerful knowledgable unflappable person! Faced with 11 disparate souls from entirely different backgrounds, he led, cajoled, and encouraged us throughout the walk. He was very proud of his country and did a very good job of explaining the cultural differences and challenges of Nepal.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Expect a good days walking most days. Expect to be breathless on the higher sections -the air though clear is much drier and thinner,and use sunscreens to protect against UV skin damage. Take your time ascending. Expect stomach upsets - some of us got more than we expected! Even with antibiotics

Suggestions

I’ve got a real issue with your Steripen advice.... ok I may have been unlucky, but when I got home mine wouldn’t function at all so I returned it. I was deeply suspicious throughout that it may not have been working but I had no way of knowing bacteriologically, just blind faith in your advice. I’d like to have tried bottled sterilised water to see if it made a dufference

Most Inspirational Moment

Definitely the crossing of the Thorong-la It’s a big long day with an early start and potential problems are weather and altitude. Just standing by the prayer flags in the sun and snow 17000 feet up with the group and thinking how we’d all got there was very moving.

Thoughts on Group Leader

What a cheerful knowledgable unflappable person! Faced with 11 disparate souls from entirely different backgrounds, he led, cajoled, and encouraged us throughout the walk. He was very proud of his country and did a very good job of explaining the cultural differences and challenges of Nepal.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Expect a good days walking most days. Expect to be breathless on the higher sections -the air though clear is much drier and thinner,and use sunscreens to protect against UV skin damage. Take your time ascending. Expect stomach upsets - some of us got more than we expected! Even with antibiotics

Suggestions

I’ve got a real issue with your Steripen advice.... ok I may have been unlucky, but when I got home mine wouldn’t function at all so I returned it. I was deeply suspicious throughout that it may not have been working but I had no way of knowing bacteriologically, just blind faith in your advice. I’d like to have tried bottled sterilised water to see if it made a dufference

Most Inspirational Moment

Definitely the crossing of the Thorong-la It’s a big long day with an early start and potential problems are weather and altitude. Just standing by the prayer flags in the sun and snow 17000 feet up with the group and thinking how we’d all got there was very moving.

Thoughts on Group Leader

What a cheerful knowledgable unflappable person! Faced with 11 disparate souls from entirely different backgrounds, he led, cajoled, and encouraged us throughout the walk. He was very proud of his country and did a very good job of explaining the cultural differences and challenges of Nepal.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Expect a good days walking most days. Expect to be breathless on the higher sections -the air though clear is much drier and thinner,and use sunscreens to protect against UV skin damage. Take your time ascending. Expect stomach upsets - some of us got more than we expected! Even with antibiotics

Suggestions

I’ve got a real issue with your Steripen advice.... ok I may have been unlucky, but when I got home mine wouldn’t function at all so I returned it. I was deeply suspicious throughout that it may not have been working but I had no way of knowing bacteriologically, just blind faith in your advice. I’d like to have tried bottled sterilised water to see if it made a dufference

Most Inspirational Moment

Visiting poon hill was very special for me as it was where my grandpa and grandma visited over 40 years ago so I thought of them as I looked across the amazing views. However there were many amazing moments including visiting beautiful monasteries and the feeling after crossing Throng la pass and seeing the amazing view on the other side.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Bikash was fantastic. He had a great awareness about all those in the group and how they were feeling and was always helping us to have the best time possible. He showed professionalism as well as being a really fun trip leader. Would 100% recommend him as a trip leader to friends travelling to Nepal. Thanks Bikash!

Advice for Potential Travellers

Go to Nepal! It is a beautiful place with beautiful people. Would recommend travelling in winter if you don't mind the cold and don't want the crowds.

Most Inspirational Moment

Getting to the top of the Thorong la Pass and the high mountains all around us. Pokhara was great fun on New years eve.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Very good, he mixed in with the group in the evenings and was always joyfull and very knolageable.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Go to enjoy yourself and have plenty of card space in your camera. It is a strenuous trek with plenty of steep ups and downs to tax the knees

Suggestions

The only thing I would comment on is the fact that you have to take extra cash for your evening meals, I personaly would like to see the price of the meals in the total price you pay for the holiday, then you would not have to take so much extra cash with you.

Most Inspirational Moment

There were several inspirational moments on our trip - passing the Thorung-La pass, the views from Poon Hill, the views from Manang, the temples of Muktinath, the villages we passed through and the Nepalese people we met. I think overall it was the grandness of the mountains that overlook the circuit - they are incomparable and astounding to see and you will be in awe of them. The whole experience hasn't fully sunk in yet!

Thoughts on Group Leader

Bikash Tamang was a fantastic group leader - compassionate, caring, funny, friendly and knowledgeable. He made the experience enjoyable and ensured the pace was suitable for all; we never felt rushed nor unable to stop and admire the view and take pictures. Bikash pointed out views we would have otherwise missed, recommended things to try and took us to good quality restaurants in Pokhara and Thamel. I felt safe with Bikash as group leader and reassured that any issue I might have had he would do his utmost to help sort it. He is proud to work for Exodus and is a good representative of the company and their ethics. We want to book another trekking experience in Nepal and I will be asking for Bikash as our group leader (if he is available).

Advice for Potential Travellers

The circuit can be dusty in a lot of places so a buff/face mask is a must - this was a great bit of kit that was used often and saved a lot of coughing. We found that the Steripens we used struggled to work at higher altitudes so take back up tablets for sterilisation just in case. Jelly babies! A good 'pick me up' for when energy is low. A good tip would be to write on the map you're provided with the dates of the mountains you see for reflection when you return - it is also useful the take a photo of the day's itinerary on your camera before you start snapping pictures that day so you know which day's photos are on your camera and can match up to any trip notes you make in your journal You won't spend as much as suggested in the trip notes but take that amount anyway as there's a lot to buy in Thamel and having extra spending money was great for us (practice bargaining as well if you're not used to it!). Don't be afraid to ask questions from your guides! Stop, take photos, interact with the locals and admire the views. Lastly, a headtorch. Some people in our group didn't pack one but I found I used mine often and there are a couple of days where you start in the dark and it is needed.

Suggestions

Trek this route now before the villages get bigger through development projects and the feeling of remoteness is gone. We were told that in 2015/6 over 25,000 people trekked the circuit (we probably saw about 20 other trekkers in total) so it is getting busier! Please consider donating trekking kit for the porters and buying them dinner one night. Many travel long distances to work on these trips to provide for their families and good quality kit is expensive. If you'd like to donate you can leave a bag at the hotel or wear the items on the trek and donate at the end.

Most Inspirational Moment

All of it! So hard to pick! Seeing people, seeing children, dancing with porters, putting another rock on top of the rock towers, Poon hill, NEPAL! Loved it all, every day!

Thoughts on Group Leader

Bikash is the best! I'd go to Nepal with him again tomorrow! He is very attentive to everyone's needs and moods, and goes out of his way to make this trip an amazing experience for all!

Advice for Potential Travellers

1) don't change money at the airport - they take commission which you can easily avoid in town! most places would change you all money you want, so you don't need to worry about the limits. You do need local cash from Kathmandu to Pokhara. Take cash pounds or $, as ATMs (in Kathmandu) have stricter limits (some 10,000 rupees = $100 = GBP80) and commissions (one definitely cannot take all one needs in 1 go at an ATM). 2) be prepared for temperature range - you could go from a tshirt during the day to down jacket over dinner. Take layers and be prepared. I would also advise taking cold medicine and sore throat meds along, just in case: It's easy to get one when not used to this temperature range. 3) nights are cold: it will be cold in your room, either take a good sleeping bag, or rent one from exodus, take a bottle appropriate for hot water (and a sock to put it in) for hot water bottle if you tend to be cold. The Thorang La Pass is going to be cold too! make sure you have appropriate clothes, including socks and gloves! 4) hot showers are not guaranteed, take wet wipes, that would make your life simpler! 5) snacks (chocolate bars) are easily available from all along the trek, but jelly babies go a long way in the mountains! Take them and share with your new friends! 6) we definitely used less money for meals along the trek than the trip notes suggest, but there are plenty of shopping opportunities in Pokhara and Kathmandu + some along the trek. Kathmandu has a lot of outdoors shops, easy to get any trekking gear you want if you don't have any, and it'll be cheaper - if you have enough time in Kathmandu before the trek begins. All above true at least for December departures!

Suggestions

Go there! Do it! Enjoy! Namaste!

Most Inspirational Moment

Meeting local villagers who live high up in the mountains with limited resources

Thoughts on Group Leader

Experienced, knowledgeable and also joined in with our group socially and befriended us. Worked very hard to include everyone's preferences and requests even though it was a group trip

Advice for Potential Travellers

Take the altitude seriously and join a group or be very careful taking time to acclimatise and take plenty of very warm clothing and sleeping bag and thermos. Be prepared for limited hot showers during the winter season and electricity

Suggestions

If you want to see rhododendrons flower come in April or march, but winter is also a very nice season to trek with the sunny clear weather when it is warm during the day but very cold at night.