Lhasa to Kathmandu Biking Tour

Hand’s Down The Best Tour Group in Nepal

October 2019, Tripadvisor

From the moment we scheduled our trip from New York to Kathmandu, Earthbound Expeditions was completely accessible to answer our questions and provide a thorough itinerary and list of expectations. They made the transition from the airport to Kathmandu seamless in spite of our flight delay and every moment thereafter was treated with complete professionalism and personalization. The hotels were all super clean and comfortable and the guest houses along the trek had stunning views of the mountains and delicious food served at each. We can’t say enough good things about our guide, Rajan Prasad Neupane, who was organized, patient, an expert guide in the mountains, extremely knowledgeable in both culture and terrain, and brings a great amount of wit along with his good nature. Be prepared for an outstanding experience if he is your guide! Dandebhat mero sati! Bharat Bhatta was our porter and we could not have completed the trip without him. This company is extremely organized and will plan as much as you’d like to ensure your experience is fully customized and memorable. We will be back to do the Everest Base Camp and will be using Earthbound again!

Fantastic Annapurna Trekking Experience

October 2019, Tripadvisor

Our group of Brisbane (Australia) women were thoughtfully guided by experienced and knowledgeable staff at Earthbound Expeditions. Our guide appeared to be on duty 24/7 catering to our team, planning ahead to smooth our arrivals for lunch and evening accommodation, plus working closely with the Head Porter and the three porters assigned to our team. Everyone on staff was courteous, friendly and generous, particularly when we gained altitude each day. Awareness of the issues related to altitude was factored into the schedule so that we had time to adjust, as well as time to take in the vastness and beauty of the mountain-scapes. Stories told along the way, included answers to our many questions about local land use, domestic and wild animals, customs and religious beliefs, major sources of income and a host of tales about locals encountering trekkers from around the world. Curiosity was alive in our group and was met with an openness and willingness to engage and respond. Added to this, the staff greeted us with encouraging smiles and a delightful display of humour. Where language barriers may have existed there was ample enthusiasm, broad smiles and a willingness to show kindness when exhaustion and weariness may have been expected. Each trekker grew in admiration for our porters who went ahead each day and greeted us at our resting places, usually sitting on the rock fences or under trees. We were walking with day packs and felt the exertion that those mountain paths demanded, while our porters were carrying loads wiht seeming ease. Their willingness and exuberance monitored a steady growth of respect and empathy. We used terms that endeared them to us, like "Out Boys" and we quickly learnt their names so that we could show gratitude in ways that were sensitive and caring. The place is breath-takingly magnificent and everywhere seemed to be at a scale that was surreal. The waterfalls, the landslides, the white-water rivers, the sheer slops and those high peaks among the clouds or bather in sun-light ... The majesty of walking so close to the Gods with reminders that spirituality is marked in common practices of greetings and prayers along the way. It is hard to review that aspect of the Annapurna, but suffice it to say, that it is a felt part of the trail and our Guide was always ready with excellent explanations and illustrations of local beliefs, festivals and customs. Of course, the trekking was demanding and the courage to be on the trail was part of the preparation to be there and to experience it. However, the key experience was a growing connection with each other, our team and a reverence for the land we were walking on with the vistas that held us in constant surprise. How often did we say, I have to pinch myself to believe that we are here and standing with views so pristine that photographs did not prepare us for. Not in the picture were the sense of gravity that those mountains would reveal, as eagles preyed on marmots or other animals, and yaks feed on mountain pastures, or deer wandered down to graze in mountain meadows and goats, donkeys and horses could be heard as their bells rang down from further up the trail. The rhythms of mountain life and trekking were growing familiar as our Guide commentated in an easy unobtrusive style. And each day we felt fortunate to have these gentle people with us, doing their roles so well that we each felt a special connection to them. There is so much to see on this trail and to go there is to be transported to an extraordinary place. We kept expectations low on the food and accommodation side as we had read ahead and anticipated a complete absence of luxury. What we got was a taste of life, as lived by the Nepalese, and an appreciation of how fortunate we all are to take so much for granted in our own countries. However, there is no room for spoil alerts in those mountains or among people who are happy in the face of poverty and rich in their willingness to share what is surely a walk with the Gods. Huge gratitude to Earthbound Staff who were working with us for months before we arrived and stayed connected with us for the entire time we were there. Their days were devoted to our safe passage and positive experience and how tremendous was the result. Out team grew to include the staff and I suspect they came to know us and share the affection.

Muktinath

September 2019, Tripadvisor

All expectations were greatly exceeded by the team at Earthbound Expeditions and our trip to Muktinath would not have been successful without the care and attention of all the team. Special thanks must go to Mr Rajan for his introduction to Nepal and Arjun for his charisma and accommodating all our requests with a smile (no demand was ever arduous); Kumar for his knowledge and stories of temples, Deepak and Manoj for excellent, safe driving through the Nepali valley (not for the faint hearted) and last but by no means least Badri for putting together such a bespoke package. The Himalayas have been an experience for us all and with Earthbound a second trip is a MUST. Thank you – Mandu Group (Champa and Friends)

Devotion in Service and Support : Mansarovar and Kailash Trip

September 2019, Tripadvisor

Words are very limited to express our gratitude for the excellent service and support we got throughout our Manasarovar and Kailash trip . Trip showed us personally many facets of devotion in service and support, sustainability and spirituality in Rajanji and his team. Without the dedicated service of taking care of our comforts, physical trekking and spiritual pilgrimage of Manasarovar and Kailash would have been impossible. Our every day trip started and ended with Rajanji's beautiful chants and his melodious "Om Mani Padme Hum" Buddhist prayer. Rajanji and his crew of Arjun bhayya, Ram bhayya, Dorji, Narayan, Gokul, Serge, Amrit and rest of them took care all the days serving us most delicious(fresh and hot cooked food almost all the time of the tour with comfort foods like pongal, bhel puri, pav bhaji, chutneys, fresh yogurt, ghee, yummy chai and more ...), satvik Indian/Nepalese food! Very simple gestures of reminding us to be hydrated, checking our health (oxygen levels, medical needs...)every day , getting head and shoulder massages for most of us are on everyday basis made us all a family during this trip. We felt the Parikrama started from day one with so much of divinity in Rajanji's team towards our group of 27 friends. We truly felt blessed everyday of our trip. Physical challenges of the high altitude, cold weather, long walks and not to forget nature calls during the week of Parikrama was possible for us due to Earthbound expedition team dedication. Rajanji was always open for special requests (thank you for satisfying our sweet tooth at a whim's notice) or accommodations changes. Final Nepalese dinner with traditional dances was a sweet ending to our trip. Looking forward to making more trips with Earthbound team! sincerely, Bharathi & Tikkana