Social tours provided a customized 8-day experience for my wife and I in Nepal October 25 - November 1 of 2022. Both Raj and Bippin were easy to work with, flexible, and prompt to respond with planning details. Social tours took care of all our arrangements, from picking us up at the airport at Kathmandu, to scheduling tours, tour guides, treks, permits, admission fees, lodging accommodations, guides, and then driving us back to the airport for departure.
One of our highlights was a trek in the Annapurna Conservation area. We had a great guide named Samip. Samip was very knowledgeable, capable and willing to answer questions and provide information about the local culture, customs, and natural beauty we encountered on the trek. Our first day we hiked from Ulleri to Ghorepani. On the second day we did the sunrise hike up Poon Hill, then came back to Ghorepani for breakfast and then hiked to Ghandruk. Sunrise at our guesthouse in Ghandruk provided us with a spectacular view of the sun shining on snowcapped mountains. The entire trek was beautiful and restorative for us. We saw awesome views of mountains, enjoyed the peaceful quiet of the forests, were refreshed by mountain streams and waterfalls, and passed through scenic and hospitable villages. Our guide, Samip, pointed out interesting features and helped us to appreciate the beauty surrounding us. We highly recommend him as a guide.
Another aspect of our Nepal experience was staying at Namo Buddha with a tour of the Namo Buddhist monastery. Social Tours arranged for a guide, Merrat (spelling?) to explain the history of the monastery and help us experience a morning prayer/mantra chanting practice at the monastery. The next day we traveled to Bhaktapur and Merrat provided an early morning tour of the city temples and offered us a glimpse into the prayer customs/traditions of Hindu and Buddhist followers. Merrat also provided a mid-morning tour of the historic Baktupur city with interesting architecture, and historical facts, dates and stories.
Overall, we had an amazing experience in Nepal and Social Tours made it easy and stress-free. We highly recommend using Social Tours for any trip to Nepal. They have the knowledge, experience, connections, and concern for your welfare to make your experience memorable and rewarding. We were very happy with our experience.
Rory and Marcia Lewandowski