Hadley L

Yala Peak (5500m)

I travelled for the first time solo, outside of Europe to Nepal and Freedom Adventures made it one of the best experiences I could have hoped for. Everything was in place to safely get up to Yala peak (5500m) and our guides and porters took all the stress away meaning that me and the other participant could just walk and properly enjoy the surroundings. The scenery was something I just need to go back for and worth every bit of money spent. I felt completely safe the entire time and was really impressed with the porters. They carried a lot of my things (Luxuries) and my bag always turned up to my room somehow before I did. They were really friendly people and were my friends at the end of the trip. The two guides were also just as good. They played very different roles, one was a Nepalese Climber and he could be compared to Superman. He made it completely safe for me to get to the top of a fairly technical peak with Ropes and harnesses and I trusted him 100%. The other guide had SO much knowledge of Nepal and the surrounding area and was able to relay information at the perfect times so that we could gain an understanding of the Nepalese culture and lifestyle. He made the trip what it was and looked after us every step of the way :). When I return to Nepal, I will not be hesitating to book through Freedom Adventures again.

Cat B

Unforgettable experience with the best trekking company

I did the EBC trek solo with Freedom Adventures and their amazing mountain guide Ngawang and Nobin our porter. Ngawang is very experienced mountain leader, professional, passionate about Nepal, the mountains and trekking. I found out that he was a local Sherpa guide and had the chance to experience the local way of living, an experience I wouldn't have otherwise! Ngawang was very accommodating, flexible and resourceful. He would always ask me about the highlights/lowlights of my day to make sure that I was having a good experience in the trek. He was giving me great advice on eating, drinking, altitude and my pace always making sure that I had the best chance to complete the trek. After observing my progress, fitness and health he also suggested that we change itinerary and complete the Ama Dablam Basecamp too which was a bonus day during my trek! He always shared with me his knowledge of the area, the local traditions as well as the best places to shop, eat and use of facilities. He was also a lot of fun and a great person to share this special journey with and kept me good company while on the trek when we chatted endlessly comparing life in Nepal with life in the west and the importance of education for the future generations. As I was a solo trekker I had the chance to also meet my porter Nobin which I couldn't be more grateful for all his hard work! He was always so hard working, polite, smiling and offered to carry my backpack for the most challenging parts of the trek. Nobin was working so well with Ngawang and followed his instructions, was always on time and willing to offer his help to me so I can have a comfortable experience. I enjoyed having the chance to meet my porter (thanks to Ngawang who made it possible) and get to know the person that was doing all this hard work carrying my stuff but also to understand a little more about his life and his goals! Without Ngawang and Nobin I wouldn't have been able to complete this trek and also have this lifetime experience. It felt like we were a family for two weeks while trekking! Freedom adventure choice of tea houses was great! They were all clean and comfortable with very accommodating and friendly staff. In particular, the following two tea houses stood out to me: Buddha Lodge Pangboche the lady that runs this tea house was so friendly and the tea house was in a very good condition with lots of attention to detail and Holiday Inn Namche where I had the chance to share the local drink with the owner's family and Ngawang in their kitchen while they were preparing my dinner. I was well impressed by how well organised and clean the kitchen was! Ngawang also informed me of the company policies and safety standards Freedom Adventures agency uses and I was reassured that I had picked the correct trekking company for my trek. Freedom Adventures always put safety first and this is obvious by how the staff are behaving - always with safety in mind, without taking risks and ensuring that I was safe at all times. There is a good reason that Freedom Adventures is one of the top class agencies in Nepal! Having tight safety procedures, excellent staff and values that resonated with mine and giving me a lifetime experience in meeting the culture of Nepal! I definitely wouldn't have been able to have this amazing experience without Ngawang and Nobin and I will be sure to request them to support me on my future trips to Nepal! I highly recommend and encourage anyone considering trekking in Nepal to get in touch with Freedom Adventures and book their adventure with Ngawang and Nobin!

Ellie Jones

Everest Base Camp / Ama Dablam Base Camp

The trip was amazing. I absolutely loved it and I cannot recommend it enough! Unfortunately, my luggage was delayed on my connecting flight and never arrived in time for the trip. Obviously I was worried/ stressed about having almost nothing to take up the mountain with me but the team were very reassuring and helped me rent a few bits and gave me a list of essentials. The guides (Norbu and Nema) are very kind, funny and knowledgeable and even with very little kit, I still felt safe. After day 3 there is no option for a shower, or water for personal use like brushing your teeth. It sounds worse than it is because everyone is in the same boat but that also means that washing your used pants in a sink to re-wear is not really an option. Make sure you pack a small pack of dog treats because there are lots of lovely pups on the way. Overall I had a fantastic time, I didn’t make it to Everest base camp because I felt too sick but when I came back down the guides recommended Ama Dablam basecamp for the next day which was BEAUTIFUL. I have no regrets turning around and it didn’t taint my trip because you see lots of amazing things all the way up. The porters are also so kind and I felt really lucky to have such gentlemen to count on. Things I would do differently next time : take some breakfast, pack my hand luggage better, wear my hiking boots on the airplane, take more money for tips because it really is a rough time for the porters and bring less snacks because there are plenty of places to eat. Thank you so much to the Freedom team for your kindess and patience.

Cait

Everest basecamp

Incredible trip made entirely possible by the great organisation, support and charisma of Prem, Nima, Visnoo, and all the rest of the guides and porters!! Please give them all a wee deserved pay raise and help them improve their career opportunities and development. Was easily the best trip of my life and one I will never forget. I look forward to organising island peak in the future