A flawless trek, and Raj Rai and Jhalak Rai are the reason it was unforgettable  - We booked our five-day Annapurna Base Camp trek with Cordial Private Trek LLC through GetYourGuide, and from the moment we confirmed, everything was handled. They reached out on WhatsApp within... read more hours, sorted every permit and pass themselves, stored our bags during the trek, and provided sleeping bags and trekking poles. Every question we asked, and we asked many, came back fast, clear, and accurate. Our guide, Raj Rai, even arrived a day early to drop off our duffel bags so we could pack the night before rather than rush at dawn. Their responsiveness left us feeling safe and certain before we ever set off.
Still, it was Raj Rai and Jhalak Rai who made this trip unforgettable. Raj kept the whole climb light and warm, never let our pace feel like a problem, and reminded us to go slow and steady even though he could have outpaced us with ease. Through the harshest weather, his banter was so easy and funny that it felt like trekking with a childhood friend. The moment I mentioned a headache or an upset stomach, he had medication ready. He carried oxygen for us, and when my jacket proved less than waterproof, he gave me his own raincoat. At one lodge, we arrived after sunset to find the private room we had booked partly given away, yet Raj somehow secured it back with everyone's goodwill, never once making the request feel unreasonable. When we chose to rest an extra half day at MBC, meaning a 2am wake-up for all of us, he and Jhalak simply agreed and rose with us in the dark. You cannot put a price on that kind of integrity.
Raj also turned out to be a gifted photographer who cared about documenting the trek as much as I did. He seemed to understand how badly I wanted to hold onto these memories, and even when capturing them slowed us down, he embraced it fully, helping with photos and videos and soon pointing out the moments worth keeping before I could ask. It was thoughtful in a way that genuinely moved me.
Jhalak Rai, our porter, carried our loaded duffels through an actual hailstorm and delivered them safely to the lodge. He bore the bulk of our gear across the entire trek, and we simply would not have finished without him. His strength is remarkable, but his humility about it was more remarkable still.
You expect a trek like this to move you with its landscapes and its sunrises, and it did. But what truly stayed with us was Raj and Jhalak's care and humility, a warmth we rarely meet in our busy city lives. We cannot recommend Cordial Private Trek, Raj Rai, and Jhalak Rai highly enough.

Amazing experience 👏 ABC  - Our guide Raj tamang, Porters Ajay thapa tamang and Raju tamang were great to work with. They made everything super easy. I would highly recommend.