Amazing Trip to Annapurna with High Route Adventure
I’m late writing this review due to work commitments, but wanted to make a point of submitting a review now that I have some time.
My wife and I visited Nepal in mid-October, 2023. Prakash Kapri is the owner of High Route Adventure and I have known Prakash since 2016 when I completed the Everest Basecamp Trek. Prakash served as my guide on that excursion. I’ve always dreamed of returning to Nepal to visit the Annapurna region, and finally convinced my wife to do so in 2023. She was somewhat nervous and apprehensive because she wasn’t sure how she would cope with 10 straight days of trekking at altitude in the Himalayas. A little bit of foreshadowing into our experience on the Annapurna trek–my wife has already asked when we can return to Nepal and experience a trek in another region!
When we arrived in Kathmandu, Prakash picked us up from the airport. It was great to see Prakash again and it felt like seeing a friend after several years apart. The next day, Prakash arranged for a guide and my wife and I completed a comprehensive tour of Kathmandu. We travelled from point-to-point and saw many of the major sites that day. It was an exciting day, and the fact that we had a private tour guide provided us with flexibility and a relaxing experience.
The next day was on to Pokhara in the Annapurna region. There are two modes of transport to Pokhara–by plane or by car. We selected to travel by car so we could sightsee along the way. Prakash introduced us to our tour guide (Bhumi) in the morning, and we were all transported by private vehicle to Pokhara. Along the way we stopped at Manakamna Temple which was about halfway through the drive to Pokhara. The Temple is accessed by a cable car, and visitors are presented with beautiful views on the ascent and descent, along with a very interesting and authentic experience at the temple itself. After our visit to the temple, we completed the drive to Pokhara, arriving in late afternoon. We checked into the hotel which had a balcony with a beautiful view of the Himalayas. We were excited for what the next day had in store.
The next morning, we met Bhumi in the lobby of the hotel and a private vehicle picked us up and took us on the 90 minute drive to the trailhead for the Annapurna Basecamp trek. As we drove toward the route, the Himalayas appeared in the foreground growing ever closer. We arrived mid-morning, and shortly after began the ascent. The first day was a bit of a tough one as it was largely uphill and covered hundreds of steps, and we hadn’t yet acclimatized to the altitude. However, we quickly adjusted and spent the next 10 days enjoying invigorating treks with some of the most beautiful views in the world. The fact that we had a private guide allowed us to proceed at our own pace and to stop whenever we wanted. Bhumi was an attentive guide who took care of all of our needs, ensuring that we had nice teahouse accommodation in the villages, and also ensuring that we were well-fed. We had also hired a porter who carried our heavier bags, leaving us with smaller day packs that allowed for a more pleasant and relaxed trekking experience..
At the end of the trek, we had a day to spare in Pokhara and Bhumi showed us the sites and also arranged for my wife and I to take a boat ride on the local lake followed by a hang-gliding experience. It was the perfect way to conclude our trek.
The next day, we returned to Kathmandu. Prakash had arranged for trekking massages and a farewell dinner. We finished the night with some last minute souvenir shopping in the Thamel region of Kathmandu and then returned to our hotel by rickshaw. It was an amazing way to end our trip.
I can’t thank Prakash and Bhumi enough for taking such good care of us. As I mentioned previously, arranging a trip through Prakash isn’t like working with some anonymous travel agent–it’s like working with a friend who you know will take care of you and do everything possible to make your experience an amazing one. And we were also very fortunate to have Bhmui as our tour guide. Bhumi is an extremely caring and generous individual, and after spending close to two weeks with him, he really felt like part of our family.
In closing, I want to express how highly I recommend High Route Adventure if you’re considering a trip to Nepal. My wife and I have travelled much of the world, but we’ve never had such a personalized and well-organized travel experience as the one that we had with this organization. Thank you again to Prakash and Bhumi and we can’t wait to see you again in the future.
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