What a good trip! Mountains of course great - and we could see them (north face of Everest from Tingri, south face from plane flying back), visits very interesting, people very friendly and my strongest memory. Passang was an excellent guide; if he is right and there is a move to replace Tibetans with Han Chinese in a year or so, then it will be more than a pity. Our driver, Tashi, drove the bus as if he was part of it. We did better than most others who were in apparently more powerful Land Cruisers. OK, so we were on two wheels once but that just added to the excitement and fun. Hotels fine - not excellent because Chinese hotels are always more of a laugh than a serious attempt at customer service, but more, far more, than adequate. The Shangbala in Lhasa is in a perfect location, very near the Jokhang and Tashi I restaurant which is friendliness itself and serves excellent food for incredibly low prices. Those who stay in the Chinese part of town must miss a lot. Being in Lhasa on May Day was also a lucky circumstance so we could see Tibetan Opera and folk singing which seems to be now more and more popular and a small way of asserting independence.

I have been to other parts of China many times; I have two children who both live in China. I like the Chinese people, infuriating though they can be some of the time (no - a lot of the time!). But I have never been to any other part of the world where the oppression is so manifest wherever you look. One can only hope that the Tibetans can keep their culture despite all the pressures for uniform sinicisation.

Yes, the mountains were fantastic, but it is the nuns at Ani Sankhung that are the abiding memory.

Many thanks for all your help. It goes without saying that I shall recommend Golden Hill to anyone who is interested in travelling to Nepal or Tibet.

Dr Chris Pogson, Lhasa to Kathmandu

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Our guides were superb, helpful and very polite. Tiger Mountain Lodge at Pokhara was a lovely experience with superb food.

Ursula Harben A Nepal Adventure

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Our guide Nar Bahadur was an excellent guide - knowledgeable, helpful, informative and very friendly. He was diligent and paid constant attention to our safety on trek. We would definitely be happy to use him again

Peter and Konna Parker Annapurna Circuit monsoon trek

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Tony Parr (GHT local ground representative) has an excellent rapport with the people of Sirubari and this undoubtedly added to the richness of our experience. In the village itself everybody we met was extremely friendly and helpful. Accommodation and food were great. We would definitely recommend a trip to Sirubari village as an add on to any trek'

Peter and Konna Parker Sirubari Village homestay

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Andy, just a note to say thank you for all your hard efforts to make our holiday really great. See you for the next one!'

Tara and Brian Lee Everest Base Camp

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Chitwan National Park and Machan Wildlife lodge was excellent. The food was great and all activities were well organised with knowledgeable guides.'

Anne Finlayson Nepal Panoramic

 

A very big thank you for a wonderful holiday. It was fantastic organisation, everything went just perfectly. We all got on well in the group and with other Golden Hill trekkers on the Annapurna Sunrise. Chimmi our guide was great. I would like to say a very big thank you.

Madelaine Downie Everest Panorama

 

A fantastic holiday - I cannot fault anything. The four of us had a really good time. The service was superb and it was clear we had a better service in terms of route and airports etc than other trekkers

Jim Manchester Everest BC

 

The service could not have been better. Niraj did all that could have been asked for in Kathmandu, even at unsociable hours. This was my second trip with Golden Hill Travel and it was great to trek with Kanchaa again, to meet his family and see his house in Khumjung. I hope to trek with him again someday.

Don Low Everest Panorama

 

Dear Andy, Thanks for the phone call. We've had the most fantastic time,beyond my expectations! Thank you so much for all your planning along with Asian Trekking. Everything went so well and we hardly had to think for ourselves. Madha was a wonderful guide and all the crew so kind and considerate. We're all so pleased we were in a small group. Well,we have the bug now for Nepal and hope,health permitting to do the Annapurna circuit in 2002. Hopefully we could arrange it all again with the both of you. We have some fantastic photos and video too. You will certainly be recommended to anyone we know who wants to go to Nepal. Thanks once again for everything Best wishes John and Jane Walsh

John and Jane Walsh Annapurna Sunrise

 

Golden Hill Travel is first class. Andy Binns is a highly competent group leader in Tibet and Nepal. I had an accident in Tibet at Everest BC and Andy Binns hamdled it superbly. This included arrangement of helicopter evacuation from the Nepal border to Kathmandu, followed by examination by an orthopedic surgeon in the B&B Hospital in Kathmandu. I was then evacuated safely back to New York. I definitely recommend Andy Binns and Golden Hill Travel for trips to Nepal and Tibet. He is tops. You cannot find better.

Peter Gutmann Lhasa to Kathmandu

 

Kanchaa, our guide, was fantastic. Always looking out for everyones health and safety, great sense of humour and a great source of information on Sherpa life - an all round great guy! We could not have been in more capable hands.

Bev and Paul Hargreaves Everest Panorama