14-Day Bhutan, Nepal and Tibet in One Adventure

A friend and I joined a Far & High Adventure Travel small group tour of Bhutan, Nepal and Tibet (7 people in total). It was a fantastic trip and we never worried about a thing ! A totally fantastic experience all the way through - the trip of a lifetime !

Far and High put together an amazing and memorable itinerary for our trip to Bhutan, Nepal and Tibet! I did my homework and compared with other companies what they had offered and priced. We knew we were in good hands at a fair price.

Our trip to Nepal was incredible! Postak's arrangements with the best guide, Dhiren Bahing, and our outstanding hotel of the Maya Manor Hotel far exceeded our expectations. ... and Far & High Adventures cannot be out done by any other!!!!

Postak....our trip was fantastic and we are so grateful for your help in putting it together for us. The trip was very educational, enlightening, and more than met our expectations. Our guides and drivers in Mongolia and Nepal were caring and went out of their way to introduce us to their country. The guide in Tibet was knowledgeable but acted like we were an inconvenience to him....

We discovered many kind and generous people along the way despite their difficult positions.

The hotels had great locations...very walkable to areas of interest.

All details of the trip were very well planned and executed.

We would confidently use your services on a future trip and will sing your praises to friends.

You do a terrific job of communicating.

Thanks so much for putting together such a memorable trip for us.
(Mongolia, Tibet, and Nepal, 2015)

Many thanks for the super trip. No complaints. The guides and drivers were excellent and reliable.
Touring program was excellent and the guides accommodated changes with ease.
Every day was an adventure.
(China, Tibet, Nepal, Bhutan & India, September 2015)

We returned to the US early this week. We had a wonderful time in Bhutan. We enjoyed visiting the different sights and monasteries, and hiking outdoors to see the different landscapes. The mountains, rice fields and rivers were just beautiful. All of our friends and families are so excited to hear about our trip and see the pictures we took.

We had a great experience with your company. Our guide, Kinley was responsible, efficient, and resourceful. He was knowledgeable in Buddhism, Bhutanese culture and history which we enjoyed learning about. Our driver, Nidep was very professional and helpful. We traveled through some remote areas where the roads were still being built and paved. The drive was very bumpy and we all got carsick. However, we did not mind as this was part of our big adventure! Nidep was a very cautious driver so we all felt safe. Kinley and Nidep were a great team. They made sure that we were comfortable and all our needs were taken care.

During our stay in Thimpu, we had the opportunity to meet your partner Karma. He enjoyed the cultural show and had dinner with us. I really like that Karma is very involved in the day-to-day operations and has a great rapport with employees. I appreciated that Karma made time in his schedule to meet us and to make sure that everything was going well on our trip. We enjoyed spending the evening with Karma, he is very sincere and personable.

Postak, I want to thank you for suggesting the cultural show by the local dance troupe. It was a definite highlight for us. The troupe performed dances in the different regions from the North, South, East and West. The costumes and traditional dress were beautiful and the dancers were exceptional.

Thank you for working closely with us to plan the itinerary to ensure that we had an amazing trip in Bhutan. We had a wonderful time meeting the local people who were so welcoming and friendly. There were many highlights during our trip, which made it very special and memorable to us.

(Bhutan, 2015)

Thank you so much again for all of you help. My trip to India and Nepal was fantastic and absolutely flawless! Everything worked out perfectly and I will definitely use you again when I plan to return...which I will. I will definitely recommend you to anyone that wants to travel to that side of the world. Take Good Care and Good Luck!

(India, and Nepal, Sep 2016)

Thank you for your kind words.
You will be the first person I contact when I am ready to visit the countries you represent. Also, I will pass your name on to other travelers.
My best to you and your company.

I have just returned from my trip and enjoyed it very much. The guides and drivers did a very good job and I had much information to share with my family. All the hotels were good

Except the TY in Punakha, Bhutan. I did not like it at all and my guide arranged for me to stay only one night then we toured the next day and left for Thimphu in the afternoon. It worked out MUCH better. I did not like the owner (older man) of that hotel as I thought he was overbearing. This is just for your future info as I think it would be better for a group not an individual.

I just hope I can recommend your company to others. In this area few people travel the way I do. They are afraid and usually use tours. Rarely do they ever do trips online. I get disgusted with a lot of them as they are such babies.

Nevertheless, when people ask me I always have a good word to say about my trips and this one was no exception. Good business to you!!!

I met Postak's nephew in Nepal, he did an excellent job. Our guide and driver in Bhutan were awesome, too. Our guide in north India was wonderful, it was great to have a Tibetan-Buddhist guide for us.

I want to thank you for your service, you did a great job planning the trip and taking care of the problems that arose.I appreciate your help.
(Bhutan, North India, and Nepal, 2012)

I like this company because of people, who are working in it. They always try to do their best, to fulfill everything, on what you agreed before beginning of the trip. This is important for people, who decide to travel in Asia, because experienced tourists know, that it's not always like this here.

Another thing, they are flexible enough, to help you if you ask more than they promised to you. They really do their best to make your trip wonderful. I hope, they will remain the same, when their company will grow up. My trips to Mustang and to Kailash was wonderful, and they made a lot for this.

Thank you High Asia Travel for the wonderful trip we made in September 2006. The 'Ladakh and Markha Valley trek' was well organized from the beginning to the end!

We where very pleased with the crew how accompanied us during the trek. They perform miracles especially the cook who served us meals with multi dishes during the whole trip.

The guides where outstanding and the surroundings breathe taking.

I can recommend this trip to all persons who are adventures have a good condition and love the beautiful sceneries of Ladakh.

Now we are back at home in Australia and settling back into our routine. We have such wonderful memories of Sikkim. Yes the itinerary had to be changed, you cannot control nature. But from the very start, we knew we were in good hands with Randeep organising alternatives for us. The places we saw and also the hotels we stayed in were exceptional especially Denzong Regency in Gangtok, where we stayed for 4 nights. We cannot report any faults at all.

We also want to say how much we enjoyed having Suren our guide and Nema our driver, they were again both very special people. Suren very knowledgeable and Nema always looked after us when driving. They both looked out for our welfare all the time and were exceptional.

(Sikkim & Darjeeling, October 2012)

I found Far & High Travel through random search on the Web. Reviewing their site I did not see any red flags, and contacted them. I was immediately impressed with swift response, professionalism, pleasant manners, and immaculate accuracy in all correspondence from Postak Shrestha. Planning my field biology class to Nepal, I outlined my interests, and in one day was provided with suggested itinerary. I reviewed it, totally modified it in accordance with some new ideas, and in two days was offered a new, fully customized itinerary fitting my needs and my plans. During all that pre-trip process I always had all my questions answered immediately; never felt any pressure to finalize my decision, or to purchase the service. After making my mind, and confirming all details, I followed clear instructions about preparation and paperwork, and concluded all formalities (including payment) in easy, transparent and smooth way.

Upon arrival to Kathmandu (after midnight) with my students we were met by our guide (Prem Pahari) and local office manager (David Raj); accompanied to the hotel, and next morning our journey started. Upon completion of the 12 day trip across the country I have to admit that in terms of arrangements this experience far exceeded my expectations. Everything was implemented exactly as planned, always on time, and always with full attention to our needs from everybody involved in assisting us. All housing accommodations were as promised or above of expected; all vehicles used were in perfect shape; all drivers were totally professional and operated in accordance with safety standards and common sense. Food was amazing. I was very much impressed with the professionalism of all our guides. Main guide for the whole trip -- Prem Pahari was always professional, always friendly; very knowledgeable, always ready to share his knowledge, but never pretending to dominate the situation (on our trip we saw enough other guides with different groups often commenting too loud, or too much, or in a too invasive way). Prem was extremely efficient in handling all logistics, and all our needs from paperwork with permits to adjustments in accommodation or itinerary based on my spontaneous reconsideration (it often happens when one works with students). Field guides in Chitwan National Park (Prakash Basnet and Ram) impressed me very much with their knowledge of wildlife, nice friendly and tactful manners, and with total professional honesty (if they were not sure about identification of birds they never pretended to know everything). At the end of the trip we met with the local manager (David Raj), and had a chance to discuss our impressions, as well as potential opportunities for the future. Bottom line: my experience with Far & High Travel and all members of its staff both in USA and Nepal in November 2012 was nothing but positive. I recommend this company to everybody (including professors travelling with students) without any reservations, and I already planning future trips with them. On behalf of myself and all my students I express our sincere gratitude to everybody assisting us on this trip in our acquaintance with amazing Nepal, its incredible nature, overwhelming culture, and wonderful hospitable people. Thank you very much!

Thank you so much for arranging our tour of Sikkim. What a lovely area and what a great tour. Our guide Suren Subba was knowledgable, accommodating, and flexible. When we arrived in Gangtok on Diwali, Suren made sure that we saw the festivities. Your services were especially good. When we left the States, we had no doubts that the trip would be good because you had been so thorough and responsive. The hotels, meals, touring, all great. We will recommend you to friends and hope to travel with you again. 

(Sikkim & Darjeeling, November 2012)

My husband and I returned from Bhutan on April 30th we had a phenomenal 15 day custom tour for the 2 of us. It was organized by Postak at Highland Asia Travel Minneapolis, Mn. I had in mind the 2 festivals that we wanted to attend along with requests for rooms with a view and other interest. Postak could not of been more resourceful, considerate and friendly during the planning of our trip, his response was always prompt and informative. It was very well organized with our guide Karma Lethro and driver Dawa.

They were always on time, true gentlemen with kind warm hearts. From the moment they picked us up at the airport in Parowe felt we were in trustful hands at all times. Karma was always very professional, knowledgeable and informative and they both made sure our needs if any were met. Dawa was an excellent driver and they were both there to help carry our cameras on steep climbs or take our hands it was like being with friends. After about 1/2 way thru the trip they started calling us grandma and grandpa which was so COOL!!We now have 2 more grandsons that live in Bhutan.

Our hotel accommodations and food were above what we expected, staff members were very friendly, helpful and attentive. We met so many wonderful HAPPY people along our way,it was very hard to say goodbye to Karma, Dawa and the people of the beautiful country of Bhutan.

Thank you so much Postak for planning this memorable adventure to the beautiful country of Bhutan.
(Bhutan, April 2013)

Our trip was amazing. Our guide Chime & our driver Pema were wonderful. They were attentive and accommodating to all our needs. The Khang Hotel and the Uma Paro were very nice. The cottages in Punakha was a bit more rustic than expected. However, the owner of the the cottages is a lovely friendly woman who made our stay pleasant.

Bhutan is a magical place and we feel so fortunate to have been able to visit a country with warm, friendly people and sights that are so beautiful. To say this was the trip of a lifetime doesn't capture enough of our feelings.

Your attention to our questions & requests also made our trip easier.
(Bhutan, May 2013)

Great trip, your organization was almost perfect. The hotels were fine probably four stars and better, Uma Phunaka was the best followed by Taj Tashi.

The guides were very good , knowledgeable and good command of the English Language.

I will recommend your travel agency to other friends , who are planning a trip that way.Your good work was continued in both Nepal and Bhutan.
Our thanks and kind regards

(Nepal, and Bhutan October 2013)

Mike and I had a great time in Nepal. From getting off the plane in Kathmandu, to meeting Rashmila and getting us to Holy Himalaya and then getting all the information and the transfers set up from the drivers to the bus to the hotels. Everything connected perfectly.

Everyone was great at Holy Himalaya. Ram and his staff at Hotel Kantipur were all so nice and informational. The people there at the front desk were kind and helpful. The breakfast buffets were the best. Thank you for the really nice rooms. The view of the Annapurna Range from the rooftop was spectacular.

Of course, Dhiren, was the highlight of our trip. His warm and outgoing personality made us feel at home. His positive energy was heart-felt and special. His true love of the mountains, the people and his wealth of knowledge of the culture and land was inspiring and very enjoyable. His laugh is infectious. A funny guy. We enjoyed Renuka’s quiet personality as well. Though Mike got sick on the first day of the trek was unfortunate, Dhiren took good care of him and of me (as I was the slowest trekker possible). It’s something I’ve never done before and I know I couldn’t have made it to the top without him. I was happy to make it to our first destination at Tikedungha. Another spectacular view. The 2nd day was long as expected but we had unexpected weather as the rains never seemed to stop. But we had an opportunity to stop into a village to wait for the rain to slow down. They fed us a little and seemed to be celebrating a 7th year of a child so everyone was happy. Then it started to snow. As you probably already know that we took an extra day at Ghorepani due to Mike’s dehydration and exhaustion but that’s ok. We needed the extra day. We were lucky the weather changed and we got to see the end of the sunrise at the top of Poon Hill. Blue skies and sunshine. Beautiful. The next day, we’re off to Tadapani. The steps were slick, wet, icy, snowy, and muddy but we made it. Again, more rain and fog. But the people and the food were great. Mike was starting to feel better by then. Once we got to Ghandruk it started to thunder and lightning but we still had fun. We went to the little museum there and then tried on costumes. I will send you pictures. We loved the view from our window though we were still very cold. All and all, it was truly an adventure.

It was sad to say goodbye to Dhiren and Renuka, though. We found out later that Rashmila had been communicating to Dhiren during our entire trek, checking up on how sick Mike was. She called Dhiren several times. We’re glad your team kept a close eye on us. We really appreciated that. Ram (and the front desk receptionists) recommended a few places to see while we were in Pokhara and they found a really nice driver to take us around Devi Falls, the bat cave, Mehendra Cave, and the Mountaineers Museum. We did the little boat ride on Phewa Lake, did another hike up to Sarangkot and did some shopping later. It’s a beautiful place.

The lunches that were arranged between Kathmandu to Pokhara and then to Chitwan (at the bus transfer area)…were also very good. As we traveled on to Chitwan, our Nature Guide, Sisir, was great, too. We loved the river boat ride on the Rupti River but didn’t see any crocs. Absolutely fell in love with all the elephants and petted the baby elephant and of course riding an elephant was so exciting. What an experience!! The people at the Tiger Resort were all so nice and the food was great. We enjoyed the Tharu dancing and performance, too.

I actually enjoyed the bus ride as we watched the busy traffic along the way and viewed the mountainous and landscaped areas. As we traveled on back to Kathmandu, we met up again with Rashmila at the bus station, making sure we had a ride and that we were good to go. We then met our Kathmandu Tour Guide, Krishna, who too, was very warm and gracious. I liked our driver, too but I forgot his name. He was always smiling. Krishna was very knowledgeable and informative and made us feel very comfortable. We enjoyed the sight-seeing. We had fun taking the rickshaw back to our hotel, too. Krishna accompanied us in another rickshaw and made sure we got to our hotel safely. A true gentleman with a warm soul. Another great guy.

We were blessed to meet so many nice people along our journey. Thank you so much for taking care of us.

Your Travel Company and the people that make it successful will truly be recommended to both Mike and my friends for future travel. Mike plans to go back to Nepal and trek Dhaulagiri mountain with Dhiren sometime next year in March.

Sometimes Mike and I felt a little lost but glad your team was there to help us out. Everything was very well organized and felt we were in trustful hands.

(Nepal, January 2013)

I'm back home for about a week and a half from my trip to India, Nepal, and Bhutan. I wanted to thank Postak for a great experience. Everything was coordinated very smoothly by your company.

I had a good interaction with all my guides, porter, and company representatives. I particularly want to say that Dhiren Rai was a fantastic trekking guide. We had a chance to get to know each other over the course of a fairly long trek and I consider him a friend now. He is a great asset for your company. Prem was a very friendly,helpful porter. The other guides I had a lot less time with but they were also really good as well. Thanks much !

(Nepal Everest Base Camp Trekking, Bhutan, and India, September - October, 2012)

We are home safe and sound. Everything went perfectly and exactly as you had described and laid out for us. The guides were exceptional, particularly the ones in Bhutan. All involved were very professional, prompt and of course knowledgeable. All the accomodations were wonderful. Thank you for the great job you did in making this all happen. If we are ever back to that part of the world I will definitely seek you out. As well, I will not hesitate to recommend you to anyone considering a similar journey.

Thank you again; it was great to work with you.
Best wishes

(Bhutan, & Nepal, October 2012)

I said wanted to say thank you very much for all of your help. Our trip to Nepal could not have been anymore perfect. From the hotels to the guides everything was excellent. Our wedding blessing was an actual wedding ceremony performed at Bodenath Stupa..a very rare event...Our guide Krishna was fantastic, as was Rasmilla and our driver Milna.. We consider them all friends now...Nepal is a wonderful country and it was truly a life changing experience. Far & High made all of it possible..so again thank you all very much..

It was a great trip indeed. Dawa and Tashi took good care of us. We have appreciated the scenery, the dzongs, temples, chorines, stupas and so on. But most of all we have enjoyed the people and the attitude of the population. So concerned with nature and the environment.

There was 1 very embarrassing moment, though. When we went for the hot stone bath, we thought it was included in the programme and we had hardly any money on us. So when the guide told us how much we had to pay, we could not as we did not have enough money with us. The driver had to lend the amount. We think you should make it clear what is included and what is not, so that guests do not have to feel as if they are taking advantage of people. However, this was a minor problem. We did not experience any big problems, on the contrary.

Thank you very much for the organization. It was a most interesting experience.
(Bhutan West to East Traverse, October 2012)

My husband and I traveled to Bhutan and Nepal in Oct. of 2012 with two 27 year old grand-daughters. Our guide ,Sonam Pelden 28,and our driver, Sonam Tenzin also 28 were absolutely fantastic .My husband wasn't able to walk around much so he usually sat in the van with our driver while the rest of us hiked all over with our guide.We visited monastaries,walked through rice fields, hiked up to Tigers Nest, had a picnic lunch by the water,and even helped cook our dinner one evening.

Bhutan is such a unique and beautiful country-quiet and peaceful with the beautiful mountains to look at. We had a great time shopping for hand woven fabrics and scarves made of silk, wool and cotten. Our hotels were great and the food too. Nothing to be afraid of.

Nepal was beautiful too as well as the hotels and food. Festivals were going on so much more activity. WE have no complaints. Everything was perfect including the weather-sunny everyday.We would definitely go with Far & High again.

2 weeks into our stay at the girls school in India, Nepal feels light years away. It's hard to believe it wasn't that long ago. Life is so different here in the village. We certainly enjoyed our time in Nepal, which was made more special by the efforts your people put into accomodating our needs, as well as changes schedule..

We would certainly use your company again in the future, if we were to come back to this part of the world.we would also refer friends or family of the same. Again, we thank you for your efforts in making our Nepal experience memorable.

Thanks for all, Mary.

Colors of Nepal Himlayas and Ghandruk Village Trekking, Sep-Oct 2010, 

I wanted to take a moment to thank you for all your hard work in developing and executing my trip. As I look back over the trip I am coming to appreciate how much work you and your travel agency partners did to make my trip such a success. I saw several tourists on the trip who faced challenges that I didn't.

Either their guides were not as educated and able to communicate the history or culture of the events, or their tour company didn't plan well enough for them to see all the sites in a particular area that they wanted to see. I did not have any of those issues and thank you so much for your great planning and for the excellent guides who accompanied me on the trip. In particular I wanted to commend the part of the trip that was in India. I LOVED Sikkim and had a really wonderful time exploring Gangtak and that surrounding region. I hope that the airport they are building makes it easier for tourists to get to that part of the world because its a real treasure.

As far as concerns that I had with the trip, I didn't have many. I think that personally I would have liked to try more of the local food but I could tell that the other tourists were not very interested in that. I love the local restaurant in Bhutan that we ate at one day and we stopped at one in India also that I enjoyed. My least favorite hotel was in Paro, the shower was not working (my guide helped me to get it fixed) and the breakfast meal was pretty sparse. These were minor issues for me, overall I had a wonderful trip and will recommend this trip and your tour company as much as I can in the future.

I do strongly encourage you to find a way to promote travel to Sikkim more, it was my favorite part of the trip. If you have any questions or would like any additional feedback please let me know. Also, please accept my thanks for your kind note, it is very much appreciated.

Our tour through Nepal and India has come to an end.Overall it has been a most interesting trip with many memories. The hotels were exactly what we had hoped for, nice local hotels (some truly great) and no Hilton or Sheraton.Even the simple hotel in Gorkha had our blessing as it had friendly service and an excellent kitchen.

We were fortunate that the hotel in Kathmandu was full as the alternate in Bhaktapur was probably the highlight of the whole trip with the lovely village of Bandipur a close second. It is hard to believe that the festival could be celebrated in a more impressive way by young and old than it was in Bhaktapur. Even though we traversed the old town of Bhaktapur several times, we could have done it again as well as the small village of Bandipur (the last has no motorbikes!)

The itineraries were very good, and both Nepal and India had some places we would not have selected ourselves like Bandipur (delightful village with no traffic), Ranakpur (with awesome Jain temple) and Neemrama (with a truly authentic palace / fort / hotel) which all proved to be highlights. But with what we saw and did, it would have been nice to have had an extra week.

Nepal Hotel Reviews:

Vajra guesthouse Bhaktapur Very nice location, beautiful view over Durbar square, good food, nice rooms, nice staff. Fascinating celebration of Diwali festival.

Country Villa Lodge Narakot Great view with nice weather, room was simple, buffet was good, but not the place to be with bad weather.

Hotel Land Mark Pokhara Nice hotel with great view from room and nice side trip to Sarangkot, but 3 days was long as we were also going to stay in Thamil for 2 nights which is also great for shopping. For us, the tranquility of an extra day in Bandipur would have been preferred over the Barahi temple as it cannot compare to the Hindu temples in the Durbar squares or Gorka.

Bandipur Mountain Resort Beautiful location with great view of Himalayas from our nice room, and a charming village with only pedestrian traffic. We had lunch at the beautifully restored Old Inn. Probably soon someone may have a terrace on the street to have massala chai, relax and watch the goats come home.

Gorkha Bisauni Lodge Simple hotel with friendly staff and fabulous food for bargain prices. Ambassador Garden Home Kathmandu Fabulous place, nicely decorated, pleasant walk to Durbar square, pleasant staff, good food.

Comments on highlights in Nepal:

The selection of hotels and restaurants was great. Our last diner in the Thamil House was the best, the entertainment the night before was good, and the food in Gorka was a delightful surprise. The small towns and the Durbar squares were definitely the highlights. We spend much of the last day in Nepal just watching the porters in the KTM Durbar square, but Durbar square in Bhaktapur was still the highlight due to the incredible and traditional celebration of Diwali, the singing, the parades, the line-ups for the temple by young and old. The Nepalese people are very nice, with children knowing how to smile and play on the ceremonial swings especially by our hotel in Bandipur.

Nagarkot and Sarangkot and a mountain flight has a little redundancy. The view from Sarangkot was fabulous as the weather was clear, even the view in our room in Pokhara was great. Sarangkot would probably have our preference with uncertain weather (or tight schedule) as with bad weather it is easy to have an early breakfast with some shopping instead, or one can choose between Barahi or Sarangkot depending on weather; Nagarkot on the other hand requires an overnight stay with little else as backup. The mountain flight was still an interesting experience, but slightly disappointing as the distance to the Himalayas was much greater than expected. Nagarkot may even have been closer to the Himalayas than the plane if I read my maps correctly. I think it is best to not reserve it in advance, but only if weather is known to be clear as there are so many other things to see in Kathmandu or Bhaktapur or other villages in the area.

Rajasthan reviews:

SAAR Inn Delhi Very clean and friendly staff No restaurant, but excellent kitchen / room-service. Excellent location for shopping. Probably the best value in Karol Bagh, and on a quiet street as well.

Khandela Jaipur: Very nice

Master Paradise Pushkar: nice

Kankarwa Udeipur: The building was a lovely old haveli with a big room with beautiful view of the lake, private balcony overlooking courtyard, rooftop restaurant and a super location in the center of the old city and close to the gahts and some nice shopping next to the hotel.

Ranakpur Hill resort: Nice hotel with nice swimming pool, but prices in that area (Kumbalgarh) were higher than expected.

Ratan Vilas Jodhpur: Very nice family run hotel, very friendly reception, good internet room with WiFi and computer. Interesting decorations related to family history.

Ranga Mahal Palace Jaisalmer: As close to a western 4 star as we got, swimming pool, WiFi in room, no complaints, but it is a big hotel that cannot compare in atmosphere to the family run

Ratan Vilas. And a little far from town.

Rajvilas palace Bikaner: Impressive building, but not well kept and dirty swimming pool on one of the few days we had time to swim. Could be a nice hotel but needs a major cleaning.

Heritage Mandawa: Very nice hotel with good food, but due to a big tourgroup we stayed at a smaller place a pleasant walk around the corner which had also beautiful rooms with fabulous frescoes.

Neemrana fort Palace: An amazing hotel with simple but authentic rooms, with a fascinating architecture stretched over 12 stories against a steep hill with 2 swimming pools, gym, spa, many alcoves, narrow walkways, fountains and terraces with fabulous views. A great place to relax for a few days or to try to find your way to the top via a myriad of stairs and walkways.

Comments on highlights in India:

The hotels in Rajasthan were truly impressive, and overall well chosen for an unforgettable experience.

The number of palaces and forts and their size, architecture was impressive, but became a little overwhelming. I would have to review the photo's in more detail to see which could have been skipped. But Agra, Udeipur, Jaine temple and rural road to it and Jaisalmer were highlights and these alone required a fair amount of travel. A commercial flight from Jaisalmer to Delhi would have simplified a lot, but we would not have stayed in Neemrana.

We enjoyed the camel ride and hustle and bustle on the dunes, the fort with the narrow streets of Jaisalmer.The views of the lake, gahts and island palace, the architecture of our haveli hotel and the tiny shopping streets of Udeipur. The Havelis with their fresco's in Mandawa.The ox driven water wheels, the family-run brick making, the camels used for plowing around Ranakpur. The tranquility and atmosphere of Neemrana Fort.

As far as tailors goes, Satguru's in Jaipur was not as hoped for and we feel that in Karol Bagh there were better tailors, perhaps because stronger competition.The "Tourist Tailors" in Jaisalmer was very good, but unfortunately closed for the holiday when we were there. But most tourists would need some help and recommendations if they did not do their research on the net.

Final thought and conclusion:

The only negative part of the trip was by far the motorbikes! Many drive in control and show their experience, but many of them have no manners, drive reckless and use their horn in an uncontrolled and unwarranted fashion in a feeble attempt to maintain their unjustifiable speed. In the old towns of Thamel, Bhaktapur, Jaipur, Udeipur, Jodpur Bazaar and Jaisalmer there are streets too narrow for any motorized traffic let alone 2 way traffic without any control.

It was summer 1973 that I last visited Kathmandu and Varanasi, and motorbikes were rare.

It does not require a traffic expert to see that unless authorities institute rules like one-way streets, enforced speed limits, parking lots and fines for unwarranted use of horn, this situation will not only become unbearable for tourists, it will cause accidents that could have and should have been avoided. Pedestrians only streets may not be practical either, but proper permits would solve a lot to keep the trouble makers away.

Granted, we only recall 1 major accident and 1 scraped knee the whole 31 days of our holiday. We also acknowledge that the drivers have remarkable fast reactions and are very capable avoiding collisions, but that does not justify them constantly blowing their horn in the feeble hope that they can maintain a 50km speed in a narrow residential street that should have a 20km limit as children often walk alone.

In Jaisalmer it was quite clear. There were many indications that many motorbikes had no business to be inside the fort and should not have a permit to do so. During Diwali on Nov 5 it was probably worse than ever. It was also the only time we saw 2 policemen at the gate of Jaisalmer Fort, trying their utmost to control the traffic as there was no room for all the traffic without alternating the direction.

The anticipated traffic chaos in the years to come will be a decisive factor in (not) returning to these places as there are many other places in the world where these problems have been resolved, but hopefully the proper authorities are able to see examples to solutions around the world and are prepared to implement some, not just for tourists, but also for their children.

Nepal and India (Rajasthan) Tour Oct 2010 

I just wanted to Thank you so much for putting the Nepal / Tibet tour together for Deb & I . We loved it so much - the people , the culture , the temples , the spirituality . I can't say enough. It was such a special experience that will be in our hearts forever!

And thank you for your concern when I was not feeling good in Tibet. A Highland Asia representative checked in on me that had talked to you. He was very nice. I just had headaches a lot, but after the oxygen & a few days to adjust I felt better. So thanks again & we will definitely recommend Far & HighTravels to all of our traveling friends !

Take care

India, Nepal and Tibet, Nov, 2010,

Yes, we arrived home safe and sound and are trying to recover from the jedtlag. It was a long journey. Everything went well. We want to thank you for providing us with an itinerary that was well suited for people of our age. There was plenty of time to see it all during the day but gave us ample time to rest in the evenings. The only disappointment was in not seeing the panoramic view of the Himalayas that you see in all the postcards. Apparently, March is not a good time to see the mountains because of the fog that lies in the Kathmandu valley. Other than that, we saw it all and enjoyed our stay there. As for recommendations, we spent our free day doing three things that we enjoyed very much - the Monkey Temple, the Garden of Dreams and the Krishna Arpan at the Dwanka's Hotel. They should be suggested for other visitors. You might caution people about not relying on credit cards for their stay. Four of the six hotels/resorts did not accept them and neither did most of the local restaurants. I would certainly recommend that people exchange to local currency and use that as much as possible. But, as I said, things went very well and we do appreciate the opportunity to see your country..

Nepal, March 2011

Thankyou thankyou thankyou... That's all I have to say. The trip was great and your staff were perfect. We changed a lot of things on the itinerary and everything was taken care of directly by sanjeep and dhiren. Dhiren was very patient and kind with us and is truly a remarkable human being. I will highly recommend you to anyone I know that wants to visit.

I am giving your email to a friend of mine. She will contact you about her interest in an EBC trek. I would also like to recommend dhiren for that trek if he is available at the time.

Thanks again Postak and we will definitely be in touch again for Tibet and Bhutan.

Kathmandu, Pokhara and Tengboche Monastery Trekkking in March 2011

The trip was fantastic. Everything very well organized. Dev is a very nice man and did everything in his power to make our stay a very pleasant one. He gave us a lovely present. Every time I look at it I remember his nice smile and the wonderful people we met on the trip.

Tiger Tops was fantastic. I have to go back there. The problem you describe relates to Tharu Lodge. I think I would have preferred to stay at Tiger Tops one more day. There is so much to do there. I would recommend it to your clients if I was you. We were invited to eat with the staff and got to know the rangers and the elephant men better. It was great.

Anyway I wanted to thank you and your team for everything you have done to look after us. The planning was perfect.

Once again many thanks for everything. Please extend my thanks to the people who looked after us in Nepal, Tibet and Bhutan.

If you need a reference from me or my husband please do not hesitate.

Nepal, Tibet and Bhutan, Apr 2011

Thank you so much for such a great and memorable experience in Tibet and Nepal. After I have searched many travel agency, you have provided me the most useful information. We have traveled over 50 countries and have specific request and we have customized our tour meet our need.

I would like to suggest anyone who are going to Tibet and Nepal to be quite prepared. The amenities might not be what you expected, even at the best hotels in town. We did 12 days trip from Lhasa to Everest Base Camp and ended the trip in Kathmandu. It was a great adjustment for altitude. Having plenty of sleep and drinking a lot of water would be helpful. We stay at a very basic but clean room at Rongbuk Monastry and we had the view of Everest when we woke up.

Throughout my preparation for this trip, Postak has been very helpful and even if we were there, I had some request for change in tours in Kathmandu and Postak managed to take care of that very quickly.

Our guides and drivers are great. Guide in Tibet may not speak the best English compare to guide in Nepal but both guides had a lot to offer. We have learned and seen a lot.

I am very pleased that I chose Highland Asia Travel (Far & High Adventure Travel) and would definitely recommend this to everyone.

Tibet Everest Base Camp and Kathmandu, Aug 2011

First of all let us say that our trip was a huge success for all of us. Having been on tours with bigger companies I would say the main advantages in using your smaller company are:

You personalized our trip for us and changed things as we asked for them. We got to do what we wanted to do after discussing options with you - the expert in these countries. And your last minute restructuring of the Bhutan trip when government officials preparing for the King’s wedding preempted all of the lodging in Punakha was excellent – we really enjoyed our stay at the top of the pass in the Dhochu La Resort.

You were right there for us during the trip as well helping to solve problems, specifically intervening in a positive way when we realized that our Tibet tour guide was not adequate. In fact having the local head of your company, Taschi Norbu, along for the last day of the tour was a huge benefit. He gave us an extraordinary tour explaining so much as we went along. He was friendly and helpful and offered information. We only wish he could have been with us the whole time. He is a treasure like Ratna and Vishnu.

This trip was so much more real than others we have been on. We got to see the real countries, not glossed over for the tourist. We saw the good and the bad.

We felt like we stayed in the best possible places. While they were sometimes not as clean as Americans prefer, we also went to some places that many tours would not consider.

We loved being just four people. We got to ask all the questions we wanted and spend as much or little time on things as we wanted. Our guides in Bhutan and Nepal understood our desire for knowledge about the culture, government, and religion of each country and gave us clear, detailed responses to our queries.

We were so lucky to be on the trip in October even if we did miss the rhododendrons of spring. Every region was harvesting and it was a treat to watch and smell. But the best was to be in Tibet in October after crops were in and to see the many, many people from the countryside who were making their pilgrimage to Lhasa. We couldn't stay away from the sights of the Barkhor and those beautiful faces so we visited it 3 or 4 times.

We loved how warmly and personally we were treated by Ratna - Bhutan guide, Suman – Bhutan driver and Vishnu – Nepal guide. They each made our trip so special.

We loved the walk to the Rinchengang village and Chimi Lakhang Temple in Bhutan. The smell of the ripe rice was intoxicating and the cut rice was laid to dry in beautiful patterns. We also got to see a woman roasting rice and got to taste it. What a treat!

Tiger's Nest was an incredible experience, surprisingly moving and very beautiful as well as challenging. We did make it all the way to Paradise and are so glad we did.

Now for some suggestions:

The only day we wish we could have eliminated was the second day in Kathmandu. The Everest flight was phenomenal (a bit cut short because of time schedules and fog at the airport but still beautiful). However, we thought that Patan and Boudnatha Stupa were too similar to the day before. When added to the number of temples we saw during the whole trip, we felt we could have skipped one or two of those as redundant. But not the Bungmati Village. We realize these are cultural treasures that many will want to see – just not us as we had our fill of Kathmandu.

Everyone loved our visit to the Himalaya Hotel in Lhasa for the cultural dance show by the Tibet Shol Opera Troupe. The food there was extremely interesting - very much a taste of Tibetan food. The show was excellent particularly at the end when they showed costumes from various areas of the country. We had been seeing them on our numerous visits to the Barkhor and loved the explanation by region.

Our trip on the last day of the tour outside of Lhasa was another not to be missed highlight. What an interesting place - the Drak Yerpa Hermitage! And our first chance to see a sky burial site that we had read about.

Your email explained the problem you face in obtaining guides in Tibet. Perhaps you should be a little more specific in your pre-travel itinerary notes about how to evaluate guides during the first day or two of their tours and how strongly your clients should complain if not satisfied. For example, since our guides were so good in Bhutan and Nepal, we did not understand that you were required to use the Chinese syndicate system for hiring guides in Tibet and that you needed to take the guide assigned unless we experienced problems. We did experience difficulty understanding our guide during the first two days and told Taschi Norbu of the problem. You warned us that the Tibetan guides might not be as fluent in English so we did not demand a change. And during those first two days, we failed to ask as many questions of our guide because his answers were short and lacking in detail. Therefore, we really didn’t appreciate the fact that the guide did not understand our questions until our road trip. And unlike the guides in Bhutan and Nepal, he did not explain things as we traveled – instead he talked to the driver or slept. It didn’t take me long to realize that one of us needed to sit in the front passenger seat so we could see better and keep him awake. Finally, we told you of the issues with the Lhasa Kitchen as the lunch place chosen by our guide and the failure of the guide to monitor our service or leave the restaurant when our food failed to arrive in a timely manner. Your management team in Lhasa needs to find several other locations near the Barkhor with decent food for future clients and insist the local guides use those facilities. And the food at our restaurant at the Kyichu was much better than the Lhasa Kitchen. So we hope can find a way to help future travelers understand the issues you face in Tibet and how they should communicate with your on-site management team (what to say and how strongly they should complain) to quickly resolve guide problems.

We found the rooms on the higher floors of the Kyichu Hotel in Lhasa to be cleaner and farther away from the smoky courtyard. The smoke smells and incense were way more tolerable on the higher floors. But the location of the Kyichu is outstanding as we could walk to the Barkhor, the Bank of China and the supermarket. And the staff there, particularly one of the women, couldn’t have been more welcoming.

We loved Chitwan - the rhinos, the people, the walks, the birds, the dugout canoe, the alligators, the jungle and especially the elephants. It would be a wonderful thing if the guide there could have a camera and printer so that someone could take pictures of people on the elephants and sell them to the riders, just like they do at the ski hill for skiers. We don't know if that is feasible because of the poverty of the country but thought it would be a great way for someone to make some money. We know if anyone can figure out how to do it, it would be you. All your friends worked hard to make us feel welcome. We really felt like we were special friends.

We loved Sanctuary Lodge. The walk there was so hot and then there was this lovely sanctuary and the nicest young man with a cool drink. Everyone there was especially hospitable and kind. Vishnu took us on the most wonderful hike into the foothills. We had beautiful views and an exciting walk back down through the rice and barley fields. We didn't want to spend a lot of time trekking but that hike was a perfect mini-trek and a lovely experience.

The resort at Dhochu La Resort was another great experience. While our hot water didn't work at first, two lovely girls came right away to fix it. They finally told us to turn on the cold water in the sink to get hot water in the shower, laughing all the time. The room was so charming with all the hangings covering the inner doorways and the views of the Himalayas were exquisite. The best surprise of all was the food. One of the best dinners of all time for us. We are so glad that we didn't stay in Punakha.

We were so fortunate to be in Punakha right before the royal wedding. The dzong was in beautiful shape and we enjoyed watching the preparations for the wedding.

Finally a question. We took thousands of pictures but have a couple hundred that are our favorites. Do you want copies for you website? If so what is the best way to get them to you?

Thanks so much

We talked about your wonderful, informational, and prompt support and guidance before the trip, during the trip, and after the trip. We will recommend you to anyone who wants to go to Nepal. In fact, we will insist that people go through you! I cannot thank you enough, and Dave, and Dihren, and Joshbahdur (porter), and our driver (name Amir I think?). You all went above and beyond our expectations and made our trip so memorable and special. Thanks again! No words can give enough gratitude for the appreciation I feel. I am very humbled by the generosity and warmth of the Nepali people.

With sincere thanks

Everest Base Camp Trekking in Nepal, April 2012

First of all, I want to thank you very much, also on behalf of my family, for the excelent trip you organized for us.

At the end everybody was tired but quite happy, so we may say it was really a success.

Please extend our compliments to all your team, who as done a great job.

As a fellow organizer, I am sending you some comments just for your information.

Your office in Kathmandu: Perfect. Excelent assistance.

Guides, drivers: All very professional, competent and cooperative, never late, allways on time.

Minibus: All OK

Hotels: Overall quite OK, but some minor issues:

In fact, Himalaya Hotel is too far from the town center, Shanker Hotel being much more convenient

The Nagarkot Farm House had no hot water and no heat in the rooms (difficult to accept in Winter). Apart from that, the place is magic, the view is fantastic and the service is very friendly

On our second period at Shanker Hotel, we were given very small rooms on level 3; after talking with your people in Kathmandu office this was corrected for the last period

In Bhutan everything worked quite well, except at Punatsangchu Resort; the dinner we were given seemed to be the rest of the lunch of a large group they had; my sister injured her ankle in the afternoon and they were unable to provide ice for her; finally, nobody could sleep until the outdoor farewell party of the other group was over by 11PM

Tour

It seemed quite well planned and adjusted to our needs and expectations.

In Bouthan, I would prefer to do Thiphu and Punakha first and Paro only at the end of the program. After seeing Tiger’s Nest all the rest seems to be less interesting!

As I told you before, we really enjoyed the trip and what I said before is not a complaint, but some remarks that I hope will help you on preparing a similar program for other people.

From our side, we will be more than pleased to recommend your services to our friends intending to visit this marvelous part of the world.

Bhutan, Nepal and Tibet Nov-Dec 2011

Pre-trip:
Manaslu Hotel was excellent and very comfortable; unfortunately we did not have time or energy to take advantage of the amenities. I recommend it, even though the location down the alley seemed strange. A map of the area around the hotel and some locations of places to eat would have been handy although we found a good Indian restaurant not far away. Also, would have been nice for our friends who arrived later to be at the same hotel. We met our guide Krishna Kharel who was a jewel!

Village Hiking – This was a highlight of Nepal and I highly recommend it as we got to see some great rural areas and stay in some good places. We found the hike on the first day after our arrival to be a little difficult – 14Km, 1,900 feet up to Nagarkot—it took us 4+ hours. Maybe, it would be a good idea to start with an easier hike and build up to that one.

The Fort Resort was exceptional, memorable and highly recommended; lovely setting and excellent rooms and other accommodations. Unfortunately, it was too cloudy to seen the sunrise and the mountains.

Dhulikhel Mt. Resort - This also was a wonderful place with good accommodations. They provided a pre-dinner show of Nepali dance and drama that was good. The buffet at the restaurant was very crowded and a little over priced for what you received. The restaurant was too busy to order off the menu. We were tired and hungry so we had snacks in our room which was fine. Again, cloudy so we missed the view of the mountains. When we left we decided to pass up on the 12 Km hike up to Namo Buddha, but visited another area which was fine. Had a visit with an interesting “hermit” who is a local holy man. Would recommend that people go up to this resort and stay few days to see the area.

Yak N Yeti Hotel - transfer to hotel from the Manasula went smoothly. The hotel was excellent; good service, clean and nice. The food was good, reasonably priced for what you got. However, the restaurant was very crowded – suggest people get reservations if they are going to eat dinner there, even for the buffet. The rooms were excellent and quiet. Enjoyed the setting and the grounds and the amenities (tennis court and pool) though we did not have time to do much except stroll around.

Kathmandu Touring - Really appreciated and enjoyed the visit to Krishna’s home to meet his family and help him celebrate the festival. The day of the Everest flight (October 27) was packed especially since we did not get on our flight until after 9:30 AM. If possible and weather is cooperating, recommend that tickets be for the earliest flight. We saw a lot of Kathmandu in a short time period and given we had only one day it was well scheduled. On return to Kathmandu completed the tour with a visit to Bhakapur, the Bagmati River and Pashypatinath Temple - both were very good. Ended the evening with a mad tour of the city to see the lights. It was a little crazy as we got into the middle of a police or military convoy and had problems staying together.

Chitwan National Park - another highlight. We had an excellent naturalist as a local guide and got to do and see a lot of the area. We passed on the rafting as we wanted to relax after a busy day in Kathmandu and the Trishuli River (along the road) did not look that clean or interesting and we raft in the States. Also, did not take the cable car to the temple as it did not sound that interesting and we have all been on plenty of cable cars before when skiing, etc. On elephant ride we saw four one horned Rhinoceros including a mother and baby. Canoe trip was good as was the walking around. Unfortunately, we were told there were no leeches this time of year, but it had been a wet season and they were still out. The guide kept assuring us that the “season” was over for leeches. However, several of our group became more acquainted with leeches (the small ones) than they wanted to – especially our Hawaiian who did not wear socks. Suggest you warn people to tuck their socks over their pant legs if it is wet at all. This area was great fun and should not be missed on a tour of Nepal. Saw lots of birds and several crocodiles. Found the Elephant Breeding Farm a little sad – even though they seemed well taken care of, they were all chained up and had limited ability to move about. Enjoyed the “elephant wash” – several of us joined in and it was really a “tourist wash”!

Rhino Residency Resort – A great place, enjoyed the swimming pool (actually had time to use it) and the quiet. Food was very good. Local guide provided was excellent and knowledgeable.

Bandipur – interesting place. Enjoyed the town tour and relaxing. Again cloudy so did not see views of mountains. Siddha Gupha - Hike up to the cave was rocky and fairly steep, suggest hiking poles be used on this outing. Cave was ok; probably great for some who like caves; it was not that remarkable but interesting. There could be an option offered of other hikes around the area.

Bandipur Mountain Resort – Good location, accommodations were fine, food was good, service was good. This place was fine and would recommend it - no problems with it. However, just down the road was a very interesting place that looked fairly new, Himalayan Mountain Retreat. It was tent camping with shared baths that looked quite nice, but only for those who would be comfortable in that type of accommodations. They had “real coffee” and even espresso! You did not have to stay there to appreciate the coffee.

Pokhara – No sunrise viewing as it was cloudy. Touring and some shopping. The Davis Fall was very interesting. Visited another cave and hiked up to Buddist Stupa – good hike 1 hour 45 minutes up and 45 minutes down with lots of steps.

Fish Tail Lodge – great place; enjoyed our two nights here very much. Good rooms, good laundry, good food, good service within a relaxing quiet setting.

Bhutan
Paro - Arrival and hotel transfer went smoothly. Met our Bhutan guide, Namgay Wangchuk. He seems young, but is very confident and knowledgeable. Only in Paro for a short time on our arrival (late afternoon and evening) before we left the next day for excursion of Haa Valley and Thimphu. but will stay there two days on return. • Galling Resort – Stayed here on arrival and again on return to Paro. Service, food and location was excellent. On our stay when we arrived we had a room that was noisy – too close to the kitchen and one of the heaters did not work. We met the owner who seemed very interested in our feedback and wanted to know what he could do to make improvements. For our return, I asked our guide to request different quiet rooms. We got upgraded to great rooms – they were their deluxe rooms on second floor overlooking the river with sitting area, coffee and good beds. The attached bathroom was one of the best. In spite of concern about the missing headphones, I would recommend this resort.

Thimphu – Good tours here include the Big Buddha, National Handicraft School, paper making factory, weekend market, Dzong Trasichoe and Takin Zoo.

Hotel Dragon Roots – mixed reviews; rooms were fine but hotel was noisy; charged extra for wi-fi, but could use computer in lobby for free, food was ok. However, it was good to stay two nights at the same place.

Punakha
Meri Phuensum Resort – newer place, accommodations were excellent and so was the food and service. Nice location, quiet overlooking the valley.

Trekking
Highlight of trip. All 5 of us had a wonderful time. Fortunately, we got 4 days of excellent weather, clear sky and good views of mountains and hills. The food was great, the cook and crew were excellent. Camping was fun, tents were nice and new, but mats provided were very thin. Crew accommodated to our every wish and hot lunches were amazing. Hikes were good though of course with some up and down, but at a good pace (thank you Namgay). Seeing and interacting with school children along the way and visiting the Samtengang Secondary School was great. The school visit was not on the agenda but happened because we learned that a young man from Seattle, Washington was teaching there so our guide arranged a visit and then we invited the teacher, Conner, to join us for dinner where we learned a lot about the school system. Happy to be hiking down back to the road at Chuzomsa where our vehicle came after about a 10 minute wait – amazing coordination – could you do it without cell phones?

Phobjika – The drive over the Pele-la and Yotongla passes was speculator. The weather cleared and we saw the mountains. Hiked to see the black necked cranes, but they were late coming in so did not see as many as we hoped, but saw about 40 birds and had a good hike.

Valley View Guest House – Nice location – quiet. Accommodations were excellent - large rooms with small wood burning stove for heat and attached bathrooms with shower. Good beds, very comfortable with nice quilts. The electricity was out throughout the valley so hot water was a problem at first, but it got fixed quickly. Food was marginal, but the service and staff were excellent.

Bumthang – The festival was very interesting. The people watching were the best and the dances were interesting. It would have been nice to get an information sheet explaining the dances. Our guide gave us a general explanation beforehand, but having a more detailed explanation while we watched would have been good. We enjoyed staying at the festival grounds and having our picnic lunch in the car so we could go back and see more and visit the fair area. Some of us got some good bargains here on handicrafts. We went to the festival in the morning and it was crowded, but heard that it was less crowded in the afternoon. Second day we toured the area including another Dzong – quite large and amazing. Visited Burning Lake, passed on the Swiss cheese factory and walked through the town in the evening.

Gongkhar Guest House – Just on the edge of town, but that was fine. It was quiet, clean and the service was excellent. The accommodations were good, clean, large rooms with attached bath (but water flow in shower was wimpy – not much water came out). Wood stove in room kept us warm as did the great comforters provided. Excellent Wi-Fi in the restaurant, but not in the rooms. Sitting room outside the restaurant with TV. Tea and cookies served in the afternoon were nice.

Trongsa – The drive back to Punaka was very interesting but long. Even though the roads are narrow with steep drop offs, I felt safe as our drivers were excellent, experienced and very careful. The Black Mountains and all of the forested areas are wonderful. We stopped on drive back to visit the Tower Museum that was closed on Friday, November 11 when we drove from Phobjika to Bumthang. The other group went to Punaka via Phobjika to see the cranes that they missed previously.

Paro – Takstang Monastery hike – Tiger’s Nest – is a must do. Only four of our group chose to hike all the way up. Those who did not hike all the way up missed out. The hike up from the cafeteria was not too difficult – only for people who have bad knees and problems going up and down lots of steps. Spent most of our time on this excursion so did not do anything else which was fine.

General Comments:

Most of us would have appreciated receiving the detailed itinerary sooner; preferably 5-6 weeks ahead. If the detailed itinerary is not complete by then, participants could receive the information regarding visas, clothing and equipment and other items to take, etc. or be referred to your web site for the information.

I very much appreciated the phone calls before we left and after we returned. The phone call before we left was reassuring since we booked with a company that I had not traveled with before and I felt responsible for it going well for everyone. And it did!

Even though we agreed with it, the itinerary was a little too packed. While the drive to the Haa Valley was spectacular it would be better to either stay overnight there or omit this side excursion on the way to Thimphu. If the weather is bad and closed in it would definitely be good to skip this side trip.

Enjoyed the nights where we stayed two days in one place and I would recommend this when possible.

The changes made in the hotels listed on the Final Trip Dossier and what was listed on the initial trip itinerary ended up being a little confusing. It is still unclear why the reservations were not confirmed at the Valley View Guest House in Phobjika such that they attempted to move the non-trekking group to another place.

The drives were long and some of the group (3-4 of them in Dawa’s group) were intimidated by the narrow roads with drop offs - see description below. However, the drivers were very careful and we all felt that they were very safe drivers. You may want to warn travelers about the condition of the roads in your information package.

We received a lot of information about the history and culture of Bhutan especially from Namgay.

One person suggested that an engagement in some activity, i.e. painting, carving, etc. would be interesting.

Some would have liked to have more information about the topography and geology of Bhutan.

A scheduled visit to a school would be a good addition. Both groups ended up visiting schools and enjoyed it very much. We are a bunch of professors and educators so others might not enjoy this as much.

The opportunities that we had to interact with the local people were great and I would encourage the guides to facilitate this when possible.

The only glitch in the entire trip was the change of plans made by the non-trekking guide and some of the communication regarding how and why it happened. Apparently there was some discussion and a decision to make a change while the group was still in Thimphu because I got a call from Anand that evening. I have heard several different stories and still do not know exactly how the changes came about. It sounded as if Dawa did not want to stay in Phobjika or at the lodging provided. Maybe it doesn’t matter how it came about. However, I understand that once the guide took the group off the schedule it did not make sense to take the long drive to backtrack back to Phobjika to join the rest of the group. At that point I guess it did not make sense to return to one bus since the second driver and guide would have to return to Thimphu anyway. Even though this was confusing and somewhat distressing for me, it worked out ok for all. The only down side of these changes were for you and Anand who had to absorb the extra costs of two guides, two drivers and two busses for the remaining six days of the trip.

For a larger group that might be worried about a bigger vehicle on the roads, you may want to suggest they engage two small vehicles for the tour when arrangements are made so that the participants will pay for the extra services up front.

Once the groups were joined together it was a good idea to have one person, Namgay, be the head guide and not have two as that would have added confusion.

our suggestion to spend more time in Bhutan was a good one along with the suggestion for the Winter Trek. 

Overall, the tour was very well organized, with good logistical support, excellent guides and lodging.

I would recommend your company and the two guides Krishna and Namgay to anyone who asks; especially those who want an individualized tour. You may use us as a reference for others interested in a trip to Nepal and/or Bhutan.

Comments and Itinerary for non-trekking party of six*

Sunday, November 6: Thimphu – Hike to Tango monastery took group two hours instead of 45 minutes to 1 hour. Lunch at Karma coffee with excellent food. Visit to open air market. Dinner was excellent at Dawa’s friend’s restaurant.

Monday, November 7: Drove from Thimphu to Punakha over Dochu la pass. Hike to monastery built by divine madman and Punakha Dzong. Stayed at the Dragon’s Nest Resort overlooking river. Celebrated Dawa’s 28th birthday with cake.

Tuesday, November 8: Change of plans and drove to the Tongsa Valley – 7 hours drive over “…road almost impassable with a great deal of rockslides potholes and turns close to the edge of the cliff…” Stayed at the Viewpoint Resort, less than a year old. Group did not want to go back over the pass to meet trekkers (Understandable- see quote above/Betty) so stayed three nights here at View Point Resort arranged by Dawa. Wednesday, November 9: Visited winter place of the second King, Juengarbten. Lunch at Yangkil Resort and visit the Trongsa Dzonkha. Dined by candlelight again as power went out at 5:30 PM. Rooms are very large at hotel and space heater did not adequately heat them.

Thursday, November 10: Visit to watch tower museum on Trongsa. Yangkiul Resort for lunch again. Afternoon visit to Trongsa Primary School where Dawa’s uncle, Nima Lama, is the principal. The group really enjoyed the school visit.

Friday, November 11: Travel to Bumthang took more than 4 hours. Joined the trekking party at the Gongkhar Guest House.

Bhutan and Nepal Tour Oct-Nov, 2011

The trip was superb!! Things went off without a hitch. We thoroughly enjoyed ourselves, and appreciate the thoughtful planning on your part that went into the vacation. We particularly enjoyed Dowa and Tshering in Bhutan. They were a great guide and driver, respectfully, and really help make the trip the success that it was.

My only suggestion would be to make it clearer that passport photos are required for the Nepal visa. Although that info was buried in the final travel documents, I didn't read those carefully and thus we had to spend an hour in Paro getting those taken. In addition, I would advise that you strongly encourage travelers to get their Nepal visa in advance. The line for the visa was about 90 minutes. If we already had the visa, we could have walked right through immigration in Kathmandu.

Apart from those minor issues, the trip was great. We will certainly use your services when we decide to travel to that part of the world again.

Highlights of Bhutan and Nepal, Oct 2011