Family trip to Nepal & Tibet

We are a family of 2 adults and 2 young adults planning a trip to Nepal & Tibet in May 2008, We enquired through a reputable travel agency from our city as to where to go and what to do and they came up (I believe) with a good itinerary. This "tour" would be for just for the four of us with a Nepalese guide throughout and a Tibetan guide in Tibet. Our main issue is the price and we are wondering if we would be better off booking everything ourselves as long as we find reputable travel or tour agencies. The itinerary is this: after spending a couple of days in Kathmandu, we fly to Lhasa then drive to Lake Nam-Tso then return to Lhasa for our flight back to Kathmandu. From there we visit the Kathmandu valley (Bhaktapur, Dhulikhel and a day walk in villages in the area). Back in Kathmandu, we fly to Chitwan National Park (staying at the Tiger Tops Jungle Lodge) for a couple of days and then return to Kathmandu for our flight home. In total, we would spend 11 days in Nepal and 7 days in Tibet. Most meals are included as well as hotels (5 star in Kathmandu and Chitwan and 3 stars everywhere else). Not sure that 5 star hotel is required as we like the comfort but not necessarly luxury.

Would like to get anyone's thoughts and/or recommendations on the above. Total cost the agency is asking us is $14,000 US for the above package. We think it is steep? What do you think?

It seems very steep to me. If you want to send me a personal message (PM), I'll recommend a reliable trekking agency. You can email them and get a different quote. I don't like to post trekking companies on this Board because people will accuse me of advertising. I'm just a trekker. I'm not associated with any trekking company. Perhaps others will offer a good company too, and you can check several. Just look for a poster who has several hundred messages. Often, you get trekking companies on this Board, advertising as someone else. If you check their posting, they've only posted a few times (generally less than 50.).

Tomtraveller has a fair point. With anyone promoting an tour agent, you can do an author search and invariably they just have a few posts constantly promoting their own tour agent. Check with tomtraveller and see what he has to say.

Interesting itinerary but sounds expensive expecially if you have booked it with an foreign owned agency outside of Nepal. Even doing the same trip with a local agency you will save money. Tiger Tops, for example, is probably the best known resort inside Chitwan National Park - it has a well earned reputation but is also by far the most expensive place in the Park. There are other very comfortable, enjoyable places to go both inside and outside the park. I hope the Tibet itinerary gives you the opportunity to see some of the historic cultural places in and around Lhasa, itself - even though Namtso is quite beautiful. My personal choice if I had only 18 days would be to spend it all in Nepal - but then it wouldn't do for us all to be the same, would it. There are some nice hotels in Kathmandu that would expose you to Nepal culture that most of the 5-star varieity - unless perhaps they are Dwarika or Shankar. I hope your Nepali and Tibetan Guides will be good enough to offer some insights into their countries that you might not otherwise get - do ask lots of questions and try to absorb your surroundings in the short time you are there. Both are amazing countries - although I admit that the biggest part of my heart is in Nepal. Enjoy your trip.
Your are right in thinking the price is very high for the short time you will be in the country - I think that you could do a similar trip (perhaps with a few less frills but nevertheless comfortable and enjoyable) for 7500 to 8000 US and perhaps even less minus the 5-star hotels and Tiger Tops.

Hi - I think you're better off creating your own trip. To begin with, check with Greenhill Tours at greenhill-tours.com to get an idea of the different tours to Lhasa. They are an old, reputable company in Kathmandu. You can make your reservations with them after you arrive to KTM. They will take care of your visas (takes a couple of days)- and guides are included.

Just so you know, May is the hottest month in Kathmandu and Chitwan will be even hotter. Being low season, you can probably get great hotel deals online.

It's easy to make your own air and hotel reservations. I'll be glad to give you recommendations if you'd like.

The quoted price is steep, but arrangement convenient and you have somebody to complain to if something goes wrong... Does the price include flights to and from Nepal or just the land costs?

Some price notes:

- going via western agency adds 30-50% to the "real" price available locally.

- we made a 7 person Tibet trip just 3 months ago. 7 days in Tibet with guide, minibus, 5 hotels, all entrance fees, Shigatse, Gyanze tour cost us about €1600/$2100. We flew in/out Chengdu.

- 2 night 3 day Chitwan trip including transfers from Kathmanu costs about $80 person if you stay in one of the normal lodges, not Tiger Tops...

- perfectly passable hotels in Kathmandu go for $20/night for double

By using a Nepalese agency direct and downrating hotels and safari camp a bit you could possibly get a land cost deal around $3000 + Lhasa and Chitwan flights, my questimate.

Dear Anna-Marie

We are also one of the reputed companies based in kathmandu Nepal. We do have contact persons/managers in most of the countries in the world. You can contact with our past clients to know more about our company. You just have to tell us where you are located.

We can offer the same services in USD 10, 000/- ( USD ten thousands) the one you are offered in USD 14, 000/- ( Fourteen thousands).

Please email us to our office’s email for the details of information/circumstances.

Thank you in advance.

Sincerely,

Dil Sapkota
Adventure Glacier Treks & Expedition
www.treks2nepal.com<BR>info@treks2nepal.com<BR><BR>

Nobody with even half a brain is going to book with any co who has to resort to advertising on here.<BR>