reviews
Read holiday reviews by Mountain Kingdoms travellers.
I have to say that I loved every minute of this tour. Nepal and Bhutan were so different to anywhere I have ever been. The Stupas and Monasteries and Dzongs were fascinating. I loved the Monkey Temple in Nepal and we also did a walk to the biggest cave in Nepal. Loved that. The Tigers Nest hike was the highlight for me. Seeing Everest and the Himalayas from the plane was also brilliant! The Guides in both Nepal and Bhutan were excellent as was the accommodation. Loved it all!
An excellent trip - only 2 clients so the guide was able to take us round a number of places in Thimphu and Paro which wouldnt have been possible with a big group. We were fortunate to see some of the mountain festivals at both Jhomolhari and Laya while we were on the trek. A great mixture of altitude trekking and also an opportunity to learn much more about the country and the people.
Overall, this was an enjoyable off-the-beaten track trek through countryside untouched by tourism with some pleasant rural and forest scenery. We didn't encounter any other trekkers. Unfortunately, apart from a couple of brief early morning glimpses of distant mountains and fragments between breaks in the clouds, we were denied the spectacular high mountain scenery we had been hoping for.
Things we loved: getting immersed in Japanese Culture; Japanese people are so polite and friendly; trying Japanese food; and travelling in a group of six with good camaraderie.
Having spent the previous two weeks mountain trekking in the Japan Alps without a guide we were looking to this "gentle trekking" trip with a guide to introduce us - with explanations - to some of the key cultural aspects and sites of Japan through the medium of unstressful walking. I think the trip met our aims for it.
A great holiday for spotting wildlife both animals and birds. The regions visited allowed the contrast between green mountainous areas, scrubland and the bush. All the guides very knowledgeable about the wildlife and South Africa in general. The two weeks just flew by a really enjoyable experience.
We have enjoyed numerous holidays among mountains around the world (several of them with MK) but for its combination of easy walking amidst stunning scenery and insights into a fascinating culture, our two weeks in Bhutan marked a new high. Our local guide was simply fantastic, a wonderful companion and mine of information whether leading us down forest trails graced by unfamiliar flowers and birds, or explaining the significance of paintings and statues at stunning temples and fortresses.
The Langtang Valley was a truly awesome place - the mountains, the friendly people in the tea houses, the way the area has recovered from the tragedy of the earthquake in 2015. The accommodation was better than we expected and we really appreciated the higher standards. The icing on the cake of the whole trip was having Durga as our lead Sherpa, who'd also led our Annapurna Sanctuary trip 10 years ago.
Langtang is a beautiful valley - the walk to Kyanjin Gompa is certainly worth the effort. I would call the climb up Tsergo Ri a tough climb (not a tough little climb) but the views from the summit are superb. The trek up to Gosainkund lake and the Laurebina La is very different and makes the whole trek balanced.
A trip of two parts - hiking in the mountains and over a 3400m pass, then the last two days wading the M`Goun Gorge, unlike anything I had done before. Camping was in single tents and the crew were excellent with their mules. Food on trek was superb, a surprise every day, even a coked lunch on the trail every day.