Mountain Kingdoms Traveller Reviews

Bhutan is a country of superb beauty, culture, devotional art and lovely, generous people; thankfully, the general itinerary of this trip, the sites visited and walks programmed, gave a fine introduction (but be advised that many of the walks on this trip are not "gentle" but moderately strenuous, especially when taking altitude into account). BUT... this was a winter departure (Dec 2015) which imposes complicating seasonal constraits, e.g., fewer daylight hours, early closings of some venues as well as hotel closures, and, frequently, overnight temperatures below freezing; these factors, or their consequences, were not made sufficiently clear (or not within adequate time to cancel without losing our money) - SO BEWARE! This is true also of road conditions which due to construction are, and will be for some time, awful throughout almost all the area travelled: from Dochu La Pass to Punakha, and especially from there to Trongsa; thence on to the entrance to the Bumthang valleys; and then going over to Phobjikha/Gangtey. These factors combined to cause frequent delay and discomfort, including some accommodations having very little heating; and several programmed activities to be cancelled. There is, however, very real benefit to visiting Bhutan in winter: the skies were mostly brilliantly clear during the day (nights tended to be socked in with cloud, so sadly, few stars seen); our group was small, only 8; and there were very few other tourists around so the pricipal sites - dzongs, temples and monasteries (except Taktsang) - as well as the Trongsa Tsechu (exceptional, an unforgettable experience) were blissfully uncrowded. But overall, and in significant details as recounted here, this trip with Mountain Kingdoms was unsatisfactory. It can clearly be splendid to visit Bhutan in winter IF you're aware of these limitations AND are confident that your tour operator has done the work needed to minimise problems!

Of greatest concern and consequence were Mountain Kingdoms’ inaccurate representation of, and inattention to basic details in the planning and preparation for this winter trip to Bhutan. Winter weather conditions (freezing temperatures, reduced hours of daylight), available accommodation, winter opening hours as well as general road conditions (throughout the year) – matters that Mountain Kingdoms should be very well aware of – seem not to have been taken into proper account. Consequently, some site visits and walks had to be omitted, heating at lodgings was frequently inadequate and we were often rushed in what we did do; and, there was insufficient time for other activities such as shopping. In addition, I do not believe the trip's grading, as "gentle", their lowest level of difficulty, is accurate; the trip has several quite challenging walks and when high altitude is taken into account I felt the trip was overall moderately strenuous, especially given this operators numerous levels of grading. To be completely fair, the especially strenuous walks are noted in their detailed itinerary, but the general rating is what people see when initially evaluating the suitability of the trip; it's all too easy to minimize bits of walks; and this results in some people pushing themselves too hard or having to omit walks or portions thereof. Together these issues left me, and others I believe, too often frustrated, uncomfortable, stressed and potentially at risk.

Have just completed the complete Lunana Snowman trek in Bhutan with Mountain Kingdoms. Thoroughly professionally arranged. Can highly recommend the trek as well as travel Agency AnnBirgitte and Peter

Highly professional

Having travelled to the 'Golden Triangle' of Northern India in 2008 I was very keen to share the incredible experience of that sub-continent with my wife, Mary. The only concern that I had was that she had not previously travelled East of the Med and so might not, I felt, be ready for the very different experience of travelling beyond Europe (and the 'States). I needn't have worried. From the moment we touched down at Bangalore airport (or Bengaluru to the locals), we were cosseted by our wonderful driver, Manos Manoj, who could not have been more thoughtful or caring about us throughout our hard-earned holiday. Each day Manoj took us to new places, from the historic palaces and forts of Mysore (where he'd arranged a local guy to explain the detailed history of each location), to the incredible fruit and vegetable markets where it seemed that we were the only 'outsiders' there. We stayed in safari lodges (seeing the elusive tigers, as well as elephants, crocodiles etc..), former Colonial bungalows, niche boutique hotels on Tea plantations and luxurious hotels nestling under the coconut palms overlooking the Arabian Sea (as warm as a -warm - bath!). We stayed on a Rice Boat (stunning) and spent our last night with a local family at a 'homestay', where we learned a great deal from the lovely owner, Sumi, about the places we'd seen and the food we had been eating throughout the trip. (On that subject, bringing it down to basics, I didn't even suffer from the dreaded 'gyppy tummy' once, which says something, I guess, for the hotels that Steve and his great team at MK, carefully selected for our journey). In a nutshell, our holiday was absolutely incredible - and Mary is hooked!

As above. Very friendly and interested team. Couldn't have been more thoughtful.

Excellent trip organised as a 'one off' by Mountain Kingdoms

Excellent organisation to provide just what we wanted

Four friends on a private 17 day tour of Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka. The whole experience was fantastic, well designed and varied with a well-researched selection of accommodation, sightseeing, game drives and walks.

Mountain Kingdoms really do their homework and cater very well for their niche clientele. This is the third time I have travelled with them and cannot fault the company in any respect.

We had an excellent holiday visiting the cultural and environmental highlights of Sri Lanka, including Yala National Park where we saw Leopards. All of the arrangements for travel, accommodation and guiding were very efficient

This is the third time we have used Mountain Kingdoms and have always found them to provide a high quality product backed by efficient service

Well organised walking and sightseeing trip to Bhutan, travelling from the less developed east to the west. Wonderful scenery and fascinating temples and other monuments.

Holiday was well organised and we had an excellent guide and driver. Mountain Kingdoms provided a good deal of information in advance and were always happy to answer any questions.

An excellent 24-night tour of Nepal on a private itinerary with a great trek to Annapurna Base Camp and a comprehensive varied itinerary that also included time for culture and history, river rafting and wildlife, all very well organised by Mountain Kingdoms.

Mountain Kingdoms created the itinerary that we wanted and ensured that everything in their control was well organised and went to plan.

I trekked to Everest Base Camp in Nepal with Mountain Kingdoms. The scenery was truly breathtaking and it's an absolute delight to trek through such a beautiful area. The route chosen was perfect and allowed a chance to soak up the atmosphere of the Khumbu region whilst also enjoying the scenery. Due to the altitude the trek is a real challenge, but the itinerary is planned so well and allows adequate acclimitisation to maximise the chance of success. Overall it was such a brilliant and memorable trek that it ranks amongst the best trips I have ever made.

The service Mountain Kingdoms provided was simply fantastic and from start to finish they did everything they could to ensure the trip ran smoothly. The office start in the UK were knowledgeable, professional and did all they could to help. On the ground, all of the staff were excellent and their professionalism and knowledge were highly appreciated. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend Mountain Kingdoms to any of my friends or family.

Bhutan is one of those secret places tucked up high in the Himalayas. Who goes there? Well me for a start. I travelled in early November 2014 and took the long flight to Kathmandu. There are various ways of getting to Bhutan, either via Delhi or Kathmandu and depending on what flight you take, there can be a long transfer time. I took one of the longer options but wanted to overnight in Kathmandu both ways mainly because on the way back I would have more time to go shopping in Thamel and visit Kilroys famous bar and restaurant. Whatever option you decide, Mountain Kingdoms are very flexible. The best entry into Bhutan must be the flight from Kathmandu to Paro. I begged the check in lady at the airport to give me a window seat on the left hand side. I wasn't disappointed - the whole range of the Himalayas stood before my eyes and there above them all was Everest. Then you enter the Kingdom of Bhutan and life will never be the same. What a beautiful country steeped in its Buddhist traditions. Everyone smiles a welcome and nothing is too much trouble. I was with a select party of four. All of us good friends who have travelled together for many years. We had a guide Tashi who was marvellous and a driver who used to chauffer the Royal Family until he retired. Good job as the roads are apt to be unmade, very windy and strewn with avalanche debris. I won't give details about my holiday in Bhutan as it is waiting there for anyone to enjoy. I just want to say that Mountain Kingdoms came up trumps. This is the first time I have used them and it won't be the last.

Right from the beginning when this trip was just an idea, Mountain Kingdoms came up with suggested itineraries until everything came together. They have been very supportive and provided top quality staff. They have always been available to answer last minute questions. I think they are an excellent company.