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Nar Phu trek with Ramesh and Milan

annapurna base camp with trekker

My girlfriend and I did the trek in May this year. We had the pleasure of traveling with Ramesh as our guide and Milan as our porter.
Ramesh was a great guide. He has a lot of experience and knows English well, so the communication was smooth. During the trekking we had nice conversations about the local features, life in Nepal or the history of the valley. But Ramesh also recognized when we needed time for ourselves and just wanted to hike in peace and unwind.
Milan is an incredibly nice and cheerful person. As he is actually also a guide, he also speaks good English. He was always in a good mood during the entire tour, including the pass crossing, and always had a smile on his face despite the large carrier bag.

The trek is very varied and was a wonderful experience. You start on the very busy and well-developed Annapurna Trek from Chamje to Koto. Here we hiked in forested areas, sometimes on the road, where jeeps and motorcycles can also be seen. You can clearly see the impact tourism has had on the area. Modern buildings have been erected everywhere and there are many hotels and restaurants. From Koto, we left the Annapurna Trail in the direction of the Nar Phu Valley. In contrast to the route to Koto, the Nar Phu Valley is much quieter and less touristy. On average, we saw maybe 1-2 other tourists per day. The villages and the whole trek feel much more untouched and authentic. The villages are still mainly supplied by mules. In Nar, Ramesh took us to a Buddhist monastery where we were able to take part in a ceremony. The locals are incredibly friendly and helpful. During a walk through the village in Phu, we were spontaneously invited by a nice lady to a religious lecture in the village. During the lecture, the participants were served tea and local food, among other things. The highlight of the trek was finally crossing the pass. We started the day at 4:30 am before sunrise. Ramesh and Milan took very good care of us. They took regular breaks and kept reminding us to eat and drink. After the Kang-La Pass you are back on the Annapurna trek and walk the last days back to the starting point.

The organization and communication with Hillary Step Treks was also flawless. All our wishes were catered for. We were warmly welcomed at the airport in Kathmandu and driven to our hotel. As we traveled on to Pokarah after the trek, the rest of our luggage, which was unnecessary for the trek, was transported there directly. Hari also helped us choose a hotel in Pokhara and stored our luggage there.

All in all, my girlfriend and I were more than satisfied with the service. Ramesh and Milan were always accommodating and really went out of their way to make sure we had the best experience possible. Should we ever have the opportunity to travel to Nepal again, we will definitely book another trek with Hillary step trek!

Travel Year : 2022
Bob Hudecheck
USA

5 stars
"Hari  Gurung is the professional guide for your adventure!  He has many years of experience, great communication skills and speaks excellent English.  He took good care of me when I was sick, made sure I was safe and comfortable and always made sure I was having a good time as a solo trekker.  Hari has much knowledge of all trekking areas, how to arrange permits, transportation and accommodations.  Hari always had one of the biggest and best smiles in Nepal, he will put you in touch and provide interaction with the beautiful people, culture and mountains of Nepal" "If you're looking for a professional guide I recommend Hari Gurung.  During my 20 day solo trek, not only did he show me beautiful Nepal but we became good friends.  At all the guest houses or villages we trekked too, everyone was excited to see Hari and meet his guest.  This was important because we had great accommodations, food and much dancing.  While I was sick in Tengboche or feeling a little overwhelmed in Katmandu he took great care of me.  Hari made my visit to Nepal a trip of a lifetime that I know I could not have had without him.  Let Hari show you everything Nepal has to offer, the different cultures, beautiful people and awesome mountains!"

Travel Year : 2023
Sadik YB
Malaysia

5 stars
Hillarysteptreks.com arrangements through out this trip are simply over average... perfection. We were always given the best service, accommodation & food throughout the journey. We also last minute opted to change in itinerary and our request was fulfilled perfectly. Highly recommend getting their services.

Travel Year : 2014,2018
Rachael Lim
Malaysia

5 stars
Hari and his team is fun, kind, accommodating and professional. We have 2 great and awesome trips with them. Highly recommended for this awesome team.