Annapurna Family Hike

This is was my 7th trekking experience with Heaven Himalaya. Previously I'd done their 11 day jeep explore through Mustang, a 3 week tour through the Everest Region including Gokyo and Chukkhung Valleys, 8 days on the Annapurna Circuit East with a girlfriend, Tsum Valley with a bunch of other couples, Manaslu Circuit and Manang area with my husband and another friend and this year my husband and I went to Annapurna Base Camp. We were planning on going to Mardi Himal as well and then onto Nar and Phu Valleys with Heaven Himalaya but I sprained my knee and, unfortunately, had to cut my trekking short this year. We were once again able to retain the incredible guiding services of Shankar Adhikari who is a phenomenal guide and human being who, along with porter and card shark Anish who took amazing care of us and looked out for us every step of the way. This included securing great medical services for me in Pokhara after I sprained my knee and flexing graciously around the subsequent changes in the itinerary forced by my injury. The owner of Heaven Himalaya, Ramhari Adhikari, continues to step up for us trip after trip, creating competitively priced and affordable, beautiful and physically appropriate itineraries based on our fitness level and age and treats us like family, always making us feel welcome, special and cared for. This company is top notch. I've been coming to Nepal for over 40 years and worked with other trekking companies over the years and none compares to Heaven Himalaya. You will be taken care of, welcomed like family and looked after with every detail. I cannot recommend HH or any of their programs more highly.

My dad, brother and I had an epic Everest Base Camp trek with Heaven Himalaya. I would recommend this company and our guide, Shankar, with all my heart. My review will discuss the logistics/season, itinerary and plan, key people involved, and overall experience/tips.

We started our 11-day trek on September 3rd, so not yet peak season. While there was some rain, this was an amazing time to go because the forests were lush, the weather was mild, and most importantly it was not crowded. This offered more flexibility with lodging as well. I’ll talk more about weather when I talk about Shankar.

Heaven Himalaya set up a thorough and effective itinerary that allowed for ample acclimation at higher altitudes. The daily hiking was challenging at points, but very manageable and we saw people of many ages conquering the trails. The company set up clean, comfortable accommodation at each location and even coordinated with other guides so our family could stay at the same tea houses as the friends we met on the trails. We were also given a down jacket and sleeping bag by the company, but I didn’t need to use them because it was pretty warm and the tea houses had very robust blankets. I never felt like I was going hungry or thirsty because Shankar ensured we got hot food at each meal. I cannot eat gluten, and while I found there were many food options for me, Shankar asked hotel chefs to prepare specific oatmeal that was safe for me to eat. This was very valuable to me, as I wanted to be well fueled at breakfast before hiking. Breakfast was the most limiting gluten-wise and I usually ended up eating eggs and potatoes. But for lunch and dinner, there was a wide variety of soups, dal bhat and other Indian rice dishes, fried rice, and potatoes. It was all so delicious! Shankar also gave us a nightly run-down of the next day’s plan, so we could know exactly what was going on. It’s important that I mention that during our trip was the revolution in Nepal. We didn’t have service high up in the mountains, but Shankar kept us updated of the political events. He and Ram, the founder, emailed my mom who was worried about safety in Nepal and kept her updated and reassured that we were safe. By the time our trek concluded just 3 days later, the riots had stopped and the curfew was lifted in Kathmandu. We felt very safe.

The overall experience was beyond amazing. The mountains were beautiful and I learned so much about Nepali culture through visiting monasteries on our trek and eating traditional foods like dal bat at each tea house. It was such an accomplishment to make it to base camp. We along with many other hikers took Diamox to prevent altitude sickness, and Shankar encouraged us to hydrate and sleep well which helped us feel great the entire trek.

Shankar and Ram were a fantastic team both when things were smooth as well as during challenges. One such uncontrollable challenge was the weather at Lukla airport preventing flights from departing as normal. Shankar was very well connected with airlines flying from Lukla to Kathmandu, and so arranged for me and my family to fly back to Kathmandu on time after our trek even though flights were not guaranteed. Shankar’s quick thinking and hustle got us to Kathmandu safely even though many of our friends who used different trekking companies were left waiting at the airport for days while the weather cleared. Shankar was seriously a superstar during this time and I wish all our friends had guides like him to advocate for them. Domestic travel in Nepal is very weather-dependent and Heaven Himalaya did an amazing job navigating that. I can’t say enough how much stress that erased for us. I must emphasize how AWESOME our porters, Maniraj and Rajkumar, were. They carried our bags with such strength and on the last day, when we were rushing to the Lukla airport, they rushed alongside us which was a feat considering the weight they carried. I felt so supported by this efficient team.

Now for my general reflections. This was our first long multi-day trek and some items I found useful were: electrolytes, vitamins/probiotics, a waterproof backpack cover, knee support wraps, a power bank. You can find these items in Namche during the trek but may be more expensive. As a gluten free person I wish I had brought more snacks with me. I managed fine but it wouldn’t have hurt for me to bring a couple protein bars like other friends did, and perhaps more packaged oatmeal just for gluten intolerance reasons. it was also really helpful to have a good quality, absorbent backpacking towel because it really elevated the shower experience. Other things to note are that hot drink costs do add up so just be mindful! We had one hot drink per day included, but liked to indulge in multiple.

We are hoping to return for another trek with Shankar and Heaven Himalaya, maybe this time to Annapurna. The company and country’s hospitality made a strong impression.

Really excellent service right from airport pickup where they helped me when I couldnt withdraw cash right down the the "exit" interview. Really made the entire trip very enjoyable. Bhimsen was an excellent guide and a great partner to have on EBC Trek.

We are a couple from Denmark who have long wanted to go The Manaslu Circuit. In this connection, we reached out to one of our friends who recommended Prem. They had gone to Manaslu together a few years ago and he put us in touch. From the first contact Prem has been super professional and he has been very attentive to our needs and wishes for the trip. When we arrived in Kathmandu, Prem picked us up at the airport and walked us to the hotel. Our trip started on our 3rd holiday and everything was very organized and we felt completely safe throughout the trip. Prem guided us over Larke Pass in the best way, and we are incredibly happy to have shared such a great experience with him. In connection with our return journey, Prem came to our hotel and he accompanied us to the airport and wished us a safe journey. Apart from organizing our trip to Manaslu, Prem has reached out and been extremely helpful throughout our 6 week journey. We will thus give him our warmest recommendations!

I did the Annapurna Base Camp hike in mid-November, and Heaven Himalaya made the entire experience smooth and stress-free. Booking was easy, and their responses on WhatsApp were always prompt and helpful.

As a solo female traveler, I appreciated how well everything was organized. They helped me with gear selection, forex exchange, and every small detail. When I arrived in Kathmandu, all logistics were taken care of, including airport transfers and trail arrangements. I didn’t have to worry about a thing.

My guide, Surya, was amazing. With over 15 years of experience, he knew the trails inside out and ensured everything was taken care of. Nothing was too much trouble for him, and he addressed all my concerns with ease.

I finished the trail quicker than expected, and they were flexible enough to adjust my bookings and logistics without any hassle. Their willingness to accommodate changes made the trip even more enjoyable.

Price-wise, they’re in line with the market, but their response time and ability to customize based on individual needs really stood out.