In January, Will & Ellie (AKA @ellie_brcrft) joined us on a spectacular trip travelling in Nepal. We caught up with them to find out what their favourite parts of the tour were – and what they learnt about the amazing Nepal along the way.
Why did you choose to visit Nepal?
Nepal has always been firmly set on our bucket list! After seeing the scenery in multiple mountaineering films we’ve been desperate to visit the country and see the mighty Himalayas for ourselves. Little did we know that Nepal was so much more than just the gateway to the tallest peaks on earth. During our tour, we fell in love with the bustling cities, tranquil monasteries, idyllic mountain villages, incredible people and everything in between (although we won’t miss the roads)!
What was your favourite thing that you learned about Nepal during your trip?
Throughout our travels in Nepal we learned so much about the people and culture from our local guides and the amazing people we met. As the birthplace of the Buddhist religion, Nepal has this infectious spiritual atmosphere to it, which you can’t help but become swept up in. The main takeaway from our time in Nepal was that the Nepalese people are some of the kindest and most generous people we have met, always ready to help or chat with you about their life and culture.
What was the best experience you had while touring?
That’s a tricky one as we had so many great experiences during our tour of Nepal!
It’s got to be a toss-up between seeing wild rhinos walk right across our path during our jeep safari in the beautiful Chitwan National Park, or watching the sunrise over Annapurna’s 8,091m high peak from the summit of Poon Hill. Both of these experiences will stay with us forever and were definitely pinch-me moments! We actually saw a total of 5 greater one-horned rhinos during our safari in Chitwan, as well as countless crocodiles and loads of other amazing wildlife. The three days we spent trekking in the Annapurna region were some of our favourites of our time in Nepal. Being surrounded by nature with the unbelievable backdrop of the Himalayas for days on end is pretty hard to top!
Where was your favourite place to visit?
After a pretty gruelling mini-bus journey, we arrived in what was our favourite town in Nepal, Pokhara. This charming lake-side town had such a lovely atmosphere with quaint little shops and amazing cafes with views of Phewa Lake. Before our Poon Hill trek, we spent the day in Pokhara boating on the lake and relaxing in the sun at one of the many yummy cafes with the captivating skyline of mountain peaks surrounding us. It was the perfect place to relax before embarking on our multi-day hike.
What was the best food you ate?
There was only one meal that could give us the energy to keep up with the busy itinerary of our tour – DAL BHAT POWER, 24 HOUR! Nepals’ favourite dish, so famous it has its own slogan, Dal Bhat is a combination of small dishes usually including rice, lentil dal, veg curry, pickle and curd as well as any number of other accompaniments (depending on where you are).
After sampling numerous Dal Bhat’s from all over the country, we can safely say that no two are served alike, but every single one is delicious! Oh, and make sure you leave room for seconds because you’ll be getting them whether you have room or not! Free of charge, of course, the Nepalese always want to make sure you are full to the brim after every meal.
Do you have any top tips for travelling in Nepal?
- A few packets of travel sickness tablets will be a lifesaver as the roads throughout Nepal are the worst we have ever experienced in multiple years of travelling in Asia. Think car-sized pot-holes, rocky dirt tracks, winding mountain roads and crazy drivers – we even saw a goat strapped to the top of a bus!
- Pack some warm clothes and a decent pair of shoes and head to the mountains. There are hundreds of different treks to do in Nepal, all of which offer magnificent views – no matter which you choose, you can’t go wrong!
- We know it can be painful, but it’s really worth setting the alarm for sunrise during your time in Nepal, especially when up in the Himalayas – trust us you won’t regret it.
And finally, where’s next on your travel bucket list?
We’re now exploring India and the next country we have our sights set on after this is Sri Lanka! We are looking forward to some serious beaching, surfing and exploring – not to mention Sri Lankan curry. That being said, Nepal isn’t off the list quite yet! The Dragon Trip tour was the perfect introduction to the country and we got to tick off loads of the highlights, but we can’t wait to return and really get stuck into the incredible treks it has to offer – and of course, eat more Dal Bhat!
You can find Will & Ellie on Instagram at @ellie_brcrft.
