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Annapurna circuit trekking holiday

COUNTRY:
Nepal
LOCATION:
Annapurna, Annapurna Circuit
HOLIDAY TYPE:
Very challenging trekking holidays
DEPARTURES:
Departs selected Saturdays and Sundays between September and June.
PRICE:
From £1012 (23 days) excluding flights
MORE INFO:
Fully inclusive package. Group discount available 4+. Please request for private departure.
VOUCHERS:
Gift vouchers can be used with this holiday
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Annapurna circuit trekking holiday
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Annapurna circuit trekking holiday

Travelling with a local operator
This holiday is operated by a company based in the holiday destination and they will be able to provide expert local knowledge. They will be able to tailor make your holiday to suit your requirements not only concerning the dates of travel but also typically the standard of accommodation, and thus price. It is rare for local operators to be able to help with the booking of your flights.

How this holiday makes a difference

Responsible tourism is very much imperative as it becomes a responsibility of each and every individual in the tourism industry as the very sustainability of the industry depends on this significant factor. Before our Annapurna Tour commences our guide will brief group members on the importance of conservation in the environment as part of our responsible tourism efforts. We are fully aware that global warming is no longer a myth. It is alarming and prevalent; therefore this procedure has become a sacred responsibility of our efforts.

The hotel in Kathmandu has notices in the bathrooms about saving water and towel usage. In the teahouses much of the fresh food is grown locally and staff are from the local communities, all contributing to put money into the local village economies.

All our staff are from local communities. Our guides are English speaking and have years of experience as they live locally, displaying a wealth of knowledge in the Annapurna Region with local people and customs. Each guide comes fully equipped and supported by us, having obtained the training in the related tourism sectors including Ministry of Tourism in Nepal, High Altitude First Aid and Environmental issues for Nepal.

We are dedicated to giving something back to the local community the Sambhav Nepal Foundation is a registered Nepalese charity we are associated with. With the foundation our aim is to offer English medium schooling and health services for a remote isolated region of Gorkha.

We understand and appreciate the hard work the guides and porters perform. Therefore we treat and obey the following Guide and Porter Policy to ensure the conditions for our guides and porters are of a humane standard. We work towards eliminating avoidable illness, injury and death.

- All our guides and porters receive medical care when ill or injured.
- We provide basic accommodation for our guides and porters or tent with sleeping gear, and they are provided food and warm drinks.
- We have insurance policies for each of our employees.
- We provide appropriate clothing for each season and altitude, ensuring protection from cold, rain and snow. This means windproof jackets, trousers, fleece jacket, long johns, suitable footwear, socks, hat, gloves and sunglasses.
- We never overload our porters for us it’s not all about making money we strive on being able to employ local people; we respect and treat each and every one of our employees with the up most respect.

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How we choose providers
Annapurna circuit trekking holiday
Annapurna circuit trekking holiday

Annapurna circuit trekking holiday

Reviewed 18 Nov 2008 by Lindsey Bunn5 star rating

1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?


The trekking was absolutely amazing! The views each day were breathtaking and the scenery changed by day - we went from lush green paddy fields to rocky morane and isolation to dessert - it was awesome. The local people really are the friendliest people in the whole of Asia. We thoroughly enjoyed every minute!

2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?


Be very choosey over the tour operator. We booked with this operator and they were wonderful - we couldn't fault them! However, we met other trekkers who were less than pleased with their companies. They had booked with some of the 'big named - well known' companies and obviously paid double what we had and then they had been farmed out to a local operator anyway - the difference in the money obviously went direct to the big company - a complete waste of your money! Our guide was brilliant as were the assistant guide and porters - they never stopped - they helped in the tearoom kitchens, and then served the food to us - they were always with us - we didn't see this level of commitment or service from any other company. We were also able to have a say in how many were in our group - 4 of us booked and then we had one more - making us 5 which was a perfect number. Some groups were in excess of 16 and it looked like a nightmare at meal times. You also have less flexibility in the programmed itinerary, which we were able to adapt as needs arose. Biggest tip - Book with a local operator - you get a much better, more personal service than with the big UK/US companies.

3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, and minimized impacts on the environment?


Tourism is Nepal's main industry - so yes this benefited people definitely. This is obviously causing an impact negatively however. We made sure we all had our own method of purifying our water - be it iodine drops and neutralising tabs, Steri pen or filter bottle - which cuts down on the amount of plastic generated massively - when you think we each drinking 4-6 litres a day and we trekked for 19 days. We also kept a bag of rubbish that we brought out with us. The other thing to make sure of is that the staff (guide, porters etc) are all paid a decent wage and have the right equipment. For instance we trekked the Annapurna Circuit and when we crossed the high pass Thorung La at 5416m all the company staff had warm clothes and proper boots - this is a real step forward and another credit to the tour operator - however you still see companies sending their staff over with flip flops, no hats or gloves! This is a problem at -20C!

4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?


Brilliant - when can we go back?? So much fun. If you're thinking about it - don't - just do it!

Reviewed 29 Oct 2008 by Edgar Ampil4 star rating

1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?


For those doing the Annapurna Circuit, I would suspect crossing the Thorung La pass is the highlight. At 5,416 meters above sea level, much attention is given to ensure trekkers are properly acclimated in the days prior. Making it to the crossing is marked with much jubilation, and a flurry of photos. There's a strong sense of accomplishment, and it's literally downhill from there.

2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?


The degree of difficulty of the whole holiday is directly related to the traveller's level of fitness. While I think most people can do the Annapurna Circuit, one's ability to enjoy the experience increases significantly if one puts in the work prior to doing the trek. Also, as the whole circuit covers 210 kilometers, not counting acclimatization hikes, your feet do take a beating. It's best to bring a sufficient amount of medical supplies for foot-related injuries, blisters in particular. Having said that, the hot springs at Tatopani do provide relief, but it's towards the end of the trek.

3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, and minimized impacts on the environment?


The economic benefits aside, our guide made sure that we remained aware and respectful of local sensitivities. We were appalled at the large numbers of travellers who went about their business totally oblivious to how their behavior was offending the locals. He also admonished us to avail of the safe water drinking facilities, when available, so as to reduce the amount of plastic bottles used on the trail. Although given that safe water was considerably cheaper than bottled water, we didn't need much persuasion. But we were clearly made aware of the impact of our trip on the local people and the environment, and guided on appropriate action.

4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?


As stated, 4 stars! My feet are too tired to be "reborn". The sights and views are what I will remember the most, as well as the different characters I encountered on the trail.
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Holiday Reviews

We invite every traveller who books a holiday via us to send in a review. Because we don't run the holidays they're completely independent and unedited... remember to read between the lines though, as two people on the same holiday can have different views!

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Annapurna circuit trekking holiday
Annapurna circuit trekking holiday
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