Testimonials

Annette,  Sudbury, ON, Canada.
Journey to Himalayas, Aug 2011

I started on my ‘Journey’ about 6 years ago when I attended a picture presentation by a woman who had just returned from the Himalayas with Sarju and several other friends. I was struck by the beauty of the landscape but more importantly I was very interested in the cultural aspect of her journey. Soon after, I contacted Sarju. Although Sarju was not planning a return journey in the near future, we kept in touch and met a few times over the years. So, by the time my Journey with Sarju began, I felt that Sarju and I had gotten to know each other a bit. Most importantly, he understood that I was not interested in climbing a peak, but rather interested in ‘smelling the roses’ and learning about local culture while hiking through the hills and spending time in villages. In other words, the journey was more important that a predetermined end.

My 1 month Journey began on August 1st 2011. Circumstances were unique in that I was the only guest but I believe the experience would have been similar had I been part of a group. The Journey involved a 17 day jeep safari through Himachal Pradesh with walks along mountain roads, stops and sleeps at villages, temples, monasteries and nunneries, daily hikes through the surrounding hills and an overnight hike over a mountain pass from one village to another. The monsoon rains resulted in an explosion of mountain flowers and lush greenery of incredible beauty, however, since the monsoons were particularly heavy, even in the arid regions, there were also many road closures, landslides, floods and even snow. As a result, we didn’t go to Ladakh or go on any extended overnight camping hikes as planned. That was ok with me because this Journey was about the ‘journey’ and not the ‘destination’. I appreciated Sarju’s caution, resourcefulness and flexibility. Sarju always took the time to gather all the relevant information before making any travel recommendations and decisions. We didn’t hesitate to go into hover mode for a few days, taking the opportunity to explore the mountains, villages and monasteries at our leisure. As a result of the change of plans, we spent more time at the end of the Journey in the Dharamshala region. This was a bonus, giving us lots of time to explore the local mountains and also, the Tibetan village where I learned about the saga of the Tibetan people and where I had the honour of participating in Buddhist philosophy classes. I was also lucky to experience the ‘end’ of the monsoons and beautiful sunsets on my last days in Dharamshala (whether it was the true ‘end’ of the monsoons or not was a topic of debate amongst the local population).

Vijay, our driver for the 17 day safari part of our trip, was a gem. He was an amazingly competent driver who made me feel safe in spite of challenging road conditions. He was cautious, conscientious and resourceful and provided invaluable input into the travel decisions. He was also a great hiking companion with a wonderful sense of humour.
My health was generally good, however, there were a few isolated challenges during which Sarju and Vijay always responded with much appreciated patience, compassion and caring.

The highlights :

  • the opportunity to take pictures of flowers, mountains, animals and especially people
  • the smiles, laughter and generosity of the people who offered us food and shelter without hesitation or expectation
  • meeting Sarju and Vijay’s many friends who welcomed, entertained and supported us on our Journey
  • cooking classes by Sarju’s ‘aunties’
  • an overnight hike over Bashleo’s pass, another hike up to a high-altitude mountain lake, and every other hike …. I can’t name them all!
  • picking peas and sharing a field lunch with local farmers and their children at an altitude of 4200m
  • touching the misty clouds while hiking in the monsoons with water, water, water everywhere and experiencing the contrasting arid environment of the rain-shadow (although there were unusual rains even in these areas)
  • the opportunity to visit holy places and to experience and develop a greater understanding of the Spirituality that permeates life in the mountains
  • the feeling of security that Sarju and Vijay inspired
Chris Beninger, Ottawa, ON, Canada
What can I say about my trip through the Himalayas? There’s so much to say that saying anything at all would be an understatement of what we experienced there. All I can say is, if you’ve ever had the urge to go do it! I had an absolutely amazing time, and got to do things few others can say they’ve done. Our friend and guide, Sarju, was an experienced trekker and took all precautions in terms of acclimatization and ensuring we were prepared for our trek. As such, the organization of the trip went smoothly and without any major deviations. All in all, it was a trip that I will always remember, and hope to one day do it again.

Yvan Goulet, Gatineau, QC, Canada
Hi, my name is Yvan Goulet. I went on a 5 week trip to Northern India. It was the most memorable experience in my life and I would like to thank Sarju, our guide, for doing such a wonderful job at making it so. His positive attitude and amazing organizational skills made this trip very enjoyable. Sarju has many friends and contacts and brings you off the beaten track to give you a real authentic experience. He is also an avid and knowledgeable trekker and knows the Himalayan terrain very well. I strongly recommend his services if you are interested, like me, in meeting fascinating people and experiencing unique travel.

Felix-Antoine Dandenault, Gatineau, QC, Canada
Un voyage au fond de nous même, à travers des sentiers de hautes  montagnes, habités par des gens et des symboles mythiques. Trouver le vide rempli de lumière, vivre la simplicité au bout des ses forces et en apprécier tout les instants. Voyage incroyable au Ladakh, Julley!

Nathalie Gara-Boivin, Sudbury, ON, Canada
I had the experience of a lifetime, a trip to India. I had never dreamed of travelling and trekking in India, but thanks to Sarju I had the most amazing experience. We had a cultural and trekking experience that was unprecedented. He went out of his way to ensure that we stayed with host families as well as to ensure we were not taken advantage. We went above and beyond the call of duty. I would definitely go on another trekking trip with Sarju again!!!