What our visitors say
Our guests often write to tell us about their Village Ways experience and we're always grateful for their feedback: it's vital in helping us develop and - most important - it lets us know that what we're doing is valuable to both communities and our visitors.
Read on to share some of our visitors' comments...
Our experience at Hulgol has been wonderful and inspiring. The location and the community are the perfect choices for a project of this nature. I feel the hulgol community has beautifully adapted itself to benefit from this initiative. The program by itself is faultless and implemented excellently by Hulgol people. Seetaram's passion for village culture and heritage, Gopal's gentle and matured demanor & Girish's infectious enthusiasm are still lingering in our minds! The women inspired and energised me with their efficient planning and confidence in the kitchen as well as with the guests. The ever smiling friendly children, charmed us! We were so impressed by the eco sensibilities of the village.
Sathya A, May 2012
I have to say that we are still coming back to earth after our truly wonderful trip to India. Firstly, can I say that the information and help which we got from you and your team, before we even left the UK, was second to none, and we felt very reassured that we were in good hands. Your help was particularly appreciated with your help with those parts of our trip which were outside the Village Ways remit...eg buying rail tickets, transport to Nagaur and Jaisalmer.
We really liked the ethos of the whole Village Ways philosophy, and have been enthusing our friends with descriptions of Hacra, Binsar and Saryu, and the wonderful welcome we received everywhere.
Philip and Jill A, March 2012
We had a truly amazing holiday in Ethiopia and we are now missing it! Staying with the communities was a special experience and it was good meeting the village people who were all most welcoming. Our guides and drivers were all excellent and all the arrangements worked well. The scenery was out of this world and the people were so easy to get on with and keen to interact with us and tell us about their way of life and customs. We enjoyed the days of walking, some of it quite challenging in Tigrai, but it was all manageable and very satisfying to have achieved. We talk about the holiday constantly and have some really good pictures. Thank you very much for opening our eyes to this sort of travel.
Philip and Sarah P, February 2011
Thank you for some fantastic days at Hulgol village and around. It was a very good experience, we really clicked with the villagers of Hulgol, we could feel the genuine hospitality and the interest in us and believe that they could feel our genuine interest in their lives and our appreciation of letting us in to their lives. The combination of equal interest in each other really made a fantastic spirit and a unique vacation for us, beyond what we have ever tried before.
We loved the genuine hospitality
We loved the local food, all of it! And the commitment of the village ladies in doing their utmost
We loved the walks around the village and meeting the villagers, the children at the school, the tailor, the music teacher, the land owner etc.
We loved the walks in the plantations learning about the crops and spices
We loved the walks at the riverside and in the woods
We loved to relax at the riverside and picnic for lunch
We loved the talks with the guides, their lives, our lives
And we could go on and on...
Thanks again for this experience, and we are SURE that we will travel the “Village way” again.
Lea and Jacob K, January 2011
We had a fantastic holiday - a great introduction for us to India which we loved. Everything went according to plan and we were always met when we expected to be. The organisation was brilliant. The lasting memory for us is the friendly welcoming people we met in every village. We are looking forward very much to coming to Kerala when your project is set up there
Wishing you a very happy Christmas
Karen H, December 2010
We have some fabulous pictures and wonderful memories of our stays at the villages that we'll treasure always.
Jane and Tony, December 2010
Our incredible journey with your good selves will stay with us eternally. We are already discussing our next trip hopefully 2012 with some friends.
AND we miss so much all the people and places we had the good fortune to visit.
Julie, November 2010
We had a great time and cannot praise the services of Village ways enough - so caring and so on the ball regarding attention to detail for INDIVIDUALS - thanks.
Nigel H, November 2010
We returned this week from the holiday of a lifetime. We cannot thank Village Ways staff enough for all their help, both in the booking process and in the care and attention shown to us while we were there.
Special thanks to:
Sonal and Smitri in the Village Ways office who answered all our queries patiently and thoroughly.
All drivers apart from one who looked after us well in the terrifying Delhi
traffic and in the dreadful road conditions left by the monsoon.
Himanshu for his painstaking organisation of detail, his obvious concern when I was ill, and his ability to get my camera battery and charger back to me by devious means!
All our porters and the villagers who we met along the way.
Most of all - Kastub and Hemu, who were the perfect guides and who became good friends:
knowledgeable about flora and fauna, great teachers of Hindi and the Kumaoni dialect and also eager to improve their own English, tremendous ambassadors for the Village Ways project, patient with our occasional slowness - Dheere Dheere - and immensely helpful when I was taken ill. We miss them and wish them well in the future.
It has long been my dream to see the sunrise on the Himalayas - this dream was not only fulfilled many times over, but we also gained so much more. We have left a little bit of our hearts in Binsar and would love to return one day. We wish you continued success with a wonderful project and would be happy to be ambassadors for you for future guests.
Group from UK, November 2010
We have so much enjoyed our Ways & Culture trip; it has lived up to our expectations. We have come away from the excesses in our lives, and how we take things for granted.
Group from UK, April 2009
We had a marvelous time in the villages and at Khali… Thank you to every one who has made it possible –Not least the Village Ways directors who not only had a unique idea but also had a determination and skill to turn it into a reality. All the best to everyone involved with Village Ways. We wish you continued success.
Catherine, Richard and Isabel (Age 8), April 2009
A big thank to all Village Ways staff and all the villages. We have had the most wonderful time.
Group from UK, April 2009
Khali is the most peaceful place & we are so lucky to have stayed here. We received a wonderful welcome & enjoyed the food…Our guide Hem Joshi & Raju Bhatt were excellent.
Mary B, April 2009
This has been a wonderful experience for us. There have been a lot of unexpected pleasures – from staying in a house that was important to Gandhi and Nehru, to being guided by people who are so knowledgeable and observant of the wildlife and birds, and to having a warm, even hot shower in the last place you would expect it…Brilliant! Dhanaya Bad!
Nick B, March 2009
I liked holding the baby goats, they were so cute! And sitting by the fire, drinking buffalo milk – it was delicious! The view was beautiful and the stars in the sky not at all like those over London, my real home. Thank you for bringing me here everyone!
Melissa S (Age 7); December 08
The Village Ways Zero Point holiday was a wonderful experience, which we relive each day. The guides, Harish and Raju with their care and guidance, knowledge of animal life and bird life respectively, the porters who made the exhilarating walking each day so much easier for us, and the wonderful friendly villagers who fed us with the freshest local fare and made us most welcome. We were so privileged to be embraced into their communities and it was such a relief each day to be greeted at our guest house with multiple cups of black tea and lemon. Just what was needed after a days walking and to invigorate us for a game of cricket. (Aust vs India). One of our highlights was an open fire with the full moon shining on the Himalayas - each day we said we were closer to heaven ............ Our stay and respite at Khali Estate was most welcome and we found this a serene place to stay, the staff, the food and the library!
Village Ways is a wonderful concept and we have been busy spreading the word in Australia.
Janet O & Margaret M, Australia November 2008
We have the happiest of memories of our holiday with Villageways, and were very impressed with the organisation carried out to ensure that we had no worries about our travel. Our Guides and Porters were wonderful, and so to were the friendly villagers. We appreciated some welcome pampering at the Khali Resort Hotel at the beginning and end of the holiday where the staff too were most kind and attentive. The ginger "bed tea" in the mornings was a real treat and the meals were delicious.
Christine M, November 2008
Your guides are key and can make or break such a holiday, and I am sure all of the others are excellent, but I would appreciate it if you would quote me as follows, "Raju and Narayan made the perfect team for we three English pensioners, they were watchful and never left our sides, and quite apart from their delightful personalities, we always felt they would be there for us in case of illness or accident".
John H, May 2008
A group of five of us went walking round the five villages, taking 9 days. It was a magical experience for all of us. Our guides Sher Singh and Kheem Singh were both excellent and very friendly. We all felt like members of the same family within a day or two. The villages are all in delightful settings and the people we met could not have been more hospitable and generous. The views and wildlife were just breathtaking.
I wish you every success with this imaginative and valuable venture.
Alan H, Jan 2008
We really did have a wonderful time... we still miss the villagers very much, and our brilliant guide Deepak - he really is a wonderful young man - a great ambassador for his people and Village Ways. He has so much enthusiasm and so many ideas to help make things even better.
We are telling all our friends about Village Ways. We definitely want to come back - we will try our hardest for 2009. This is such a brilliant project - we wish you all a long a sustainable future, and every success in the development of Village Ways.
Please give our telephone number* to prospective clients if anyone does want to speak to us.
Pat McC; Nov 2007
* Just call Village Ways on +44 (0) 1223 750049 and we will give you the number.
More than happy for you to give our phone number to anyone considering a holiday with Village Ways*. Can only praise the whole thing and many thanks for such a great holiday. Hem and Raju were wonderful guides and so attentive. Congratulations to all concerned in setting up and running Village Ways. What a great concept.
Dorothy and Jim, October 2007
* Just call Village Ways on +44 (0) 1223 750049 and we will give you the number
A warm welcome to the hospitable Kathdhara guest house in a friendly, happy village. Every family made us most welcome and we enjoyed joining in with some of the harvest tasks. Excellent cuisine - our special thanks and compliments to the cooks. A happy and memorable end to our wonderful Village Ways experience.
Anna & Gill, September 2007
Thank you so very much for all your kindness and hospitality over the past few days. It's hard to pick a highlight between the stunning scenery, the warm welcomes I received from all the villagers, the excellent guiding from Hemu and Bacchi and the rewarding conversations I had with Dinesh and Himanshu (not forgetting the fantastic meals I had either). What can I say is that this has been a journey of the heart as well as the head (sincerely) and that I hope this is only the first of other visits to Village Ways. With very best wishes for a successful venture and huge thanks
Rhiannon, October 2006
We really had a marvelous time. The mountains were beautiful, as were the houses. We enjoyed meeting so many friendly people and it really was a refreshing unique experience for both of us.
Philippa and Katharine, November 2006
Village Ways provided a wonderful experience of the real India. It gave me a unique chance to share in the lives of the people in the villages. They were the sweetest and most hospitable people I've ever met. This holiday has been a privilege.
Nirpal, October 2006
Thank you for letting us take the first Village Ways holiday. It was unlike any other holiday we've had and we mean that in the best possible way! We visited four villages, with two excellent guides, Sher Singh and Raju, who were warmly welcomed in each visit making us feel welcome too. We were interested in the plants and animals of the forest, and our guides were skillful in identifying them. Staying in the peaceful environment of Khali Estate was an extra bonus.
David and Tina, October 2006
Read on to share some of our visitors' comments...
Our experience at Hulgol has been wonderful and inspiring. The location and the community are the perfect choices for a project of this nature. I feel the hulgol community has beautifully adapted itself to benefit from this initiative. The program by itself is faultless and implemented excellently by Hulgol people. Seetaram's passion for village culture and heritage, Gopal's gentle and matured demanor & Girish's infectious enthusiasm are still lingering in our minds! The women inspired and energised me with their efficient planning and confidence in the kitchen as well as with the guests. The ever smiling friendly children, charmed us! We were so impressed by the eco sensibilities of the village.
Sathya A, May 2012
I have to say that we are still coming back to earth after our truly wonderful trip to India. Firstly, can I say that the information and help which we got from you and your team, before we even left the UK, was second to none, and we felt very reassured that we were in good hands. Your help was particularly appreciated with your help with those parts of our trip which were outside the Village Ways remit...eg buying rail tickets, transport to Nagaur and Jaisalmer.
We really liked the ethos of the whole Village Ways philosophy, and have been enthusing our friends with descriptions of Hacra, Binsar and Saryu, and the wonderful welcome we received everywhere.
Philip and Jill A, March 2012
We had a truly amazing holiday in Ethiopia and we are now missing it! Staying with the communities was a special experience and it was good meeting the village people who were all most welcoming. Our guides and drivers were all excellent and all the arrangements worked well. The scenery was out of this world and the people were so easy to get on with and keen to interact with us and tell us about their way of life and customs. We enjoyed the days of walking, some of it quite challenging in Tigrai, but it was all manageable and very satisfying to have achieved. We talk about the holiday constantly and have some really good pictures. Thank you very much for opening our eyes to this sort of travel.
Philip and Sarah P, February 2011
Thank you for some fantastic days at Hulgol village and around. It was a very good experience, we really clicked with the villagers of Hulgol, we could feel the genuine hospitality and the interest in us and believe that they could feel our genuine interest in their lives and our appreciation of letting us in to their lives. The combination of equal interest in each other really made a fantastic spirit and a unique vacation for us, beyond what we have ever tried before.
We loved the genuine hospitality
We loved the local food, all of it! And the commitment of the village ladies in doing their utmost
We loved the walks around the village and meeting the villagers, the children at the school, the tailor, the music teacher, the land owner etc.
We loved the walks in the plantations learning about the crops and spices
We loved the walks at the riverside and in the woods
We loved to relax at the riverside and picnic for lunch
We loved the talks with the guides, their lives, our lives
And we could go on and on...
Thanks again for this experience, and we are SURE that we will travel the “Village way” again.
Lea and Jacob K, January 2011
We had a fantastic holiday - a great introduction for us to India which we loved. Everything went according to plan and we were always met when we expected to be. The organisation was brilliant. The lasting memory for us is the friendly welcoming people we met in every village. We are looking forward very much to coming to Kerala when your project is set up there
Wishing you a very happy Christmas
Karen H, December 2010
We have some fabulous pictures and wonderful memories of our stays at the villages that we'll treasure always.
Jane and Tony, December 2010
Our incredible journey with your good selves will stay with us eternally. We are already discussing our next trip hopefully 2012 with some friends.
AND we miss so much all the people and places we had the good fortune to visit.
Julie, November 2010
We had a great time and cannot praise the services of Village ways enough - so caring and so on the ball regarding attention to detail for INDIVIDUALS - thanks.
Nigel H, November 2010
We returned this week from the holiday of a lifetime. We cannot thank Village Ways staff enough for all their help, both in the booking process and in the care and attention shown to us while we were there.
Special thanks to:
Sonal and Smitri in the Village Ways office who answered all our queries patiently and thoroughly.
All drivers apart from one who looked after us well in the terrifying Delhi
traffic and in the dreadful road conditions left by the monsoon.
Himanshu for his painstaking organisation of detail, his obvious concern when I was ill, and his ability to get my camera battery and charger back to me by devious means!
All our porters and the villagers who we met along the way.
Most of all - Kastub and Hemu, who were the perfect guides and who became good friends:
knowledgeable about flora and fauna, great teachers of Hindi and the Kumaoni dialect and also eager to improve their own English, tremendous ambassadors for the Village Ways project, patient with our occasional slowness - Dheere Dheere - and immensely helpful when I was taken ill. We miss them and wish them well in the future.
It has long been my dream to see the sunrise on the Himalayas - this dream was not only fulfilled many times over, but we also gained so much more. We have left a little bit of our hearts in Binsar and would love to return one day. We wish you continued success with a wonderful project and would be happy to be ambassadors for you for future guests.
Group from UK, November 2010
We have so much enjoyed our Ways & Culture trip; it has lived up to our expectations. We have come away from the excesses in our lives, and how we take things for granted.
Group from UK, April 2009
We had a marvelous time in the villages and at Khali… Thank you to every one who has made it possible –Not least the Village Ways directors who not only had a unique idea but also had a determination and skill to turn it into a reality. All the best to everyone involved with Village Ways. We wish you continued success.
Catherine, Richard and Isabel (Age 8), April 2009
A big thank to all Village Ways staff and all the villages. We have had the most wonderful time.
Group from UK, April 2009
Khali is the most peaceful place & we are so lucky to have stayed here. We received a wonderful welcome & enjoyed the food…Our guide Hem Joshi & Raju Bhatt were excellent.
Mary B, April 2009
This has been a wonderful experience for us. There have been a lot of unexpected pleasures – from staying in a house that was important to Gandhi and Nehru, to being guided by people who are so knowledgeable and observant of the wildlife and birds, and to having a warm, even hot shower in the last place you would expect it…Brilliant! Dhanaya Bad!
Nick B, March 2009
I liked holding the baby goats, they were so cute! And sitting by the fire, drinking buffalo milk – it was delicious! The view was beautiful and the stars in the sky not at all like those over London, my real home. Thank you for bringing me here everyone!
Melissa S (Age 7); December 08
The Village Ways Zero Point holiday was a wonderful experience, which we relive each day. The guides, Harish and Raju with their care and guidance, knowledge of animal life and bird life respectively, the porters who made the exhilarating walking each day so much easier for us, and the wonderful friendly villagers who fed us with the freshest local fare and made us most welcome. We were so privileged to be embraced into their communities and it was such a relief each day to be greeted at our guest house with multiple cups of black tea and lemon. Just what was needed after a days walking and to invigorate us for a game of cricket. (Aust vs India). One of our highlights was an open fire with the full moon shining on the Himalayas - each day we said we were closer to heaven ............ Our stay and respite at Khali Estate was most welcome and we found this a serene place to stay, the staff, the food and the library!
Village Ways is a wonderful concept and we have been busy spreading the word in Australia.
Janet O & Margaret M, Australia November 2008
We have the happiest of memories of our holiday with Villageways, and were very impressed with the organisation carried out to ensure that we had no worries about our travel. Our Guides and Porters were wonderful, and so to were the friendly villagers. We appreciated some welcome pampering at the Khali Resort Hotel at the beginning and end of the holiday where the staff too were most kind and attentive. The ginger "bed tea" in the mornings was a real treat and the meals were delicious.
Christine M, November 2008
Your guides are key and can make or break such a holiday, and I am sure all of the others are excellent, but I would appreciate it if you would quote me as follows, "Raju and Narayan made the perfect team for we three English pensioners, they were watchful and never left our sides, and quite apart from their delightful personalities, we always felt they would be there for us in case of illness or accident".
John H, May 2008
A group of five of us went walking round the five villages, taking 9 days. It was a magical experience for all of us. Our guides Sher Singh and Kheem Singh were both excellent and very friendly. We all felt like members of the same family within a day or two. The villages are all in delightful settings and the people we met could not have been more hospitable and generous. The views and wildlife were just breathtaking.
I wish you every success with this imaginative and valuable venture.
Alan H, Jan 2008
We really did have a wonderful time... we still miss the villagers very much, and our brilliant guide Deepak - he really is a wonderful young man - a great ambassador for his people and Village Ways. He has so much enthusiasm and so many ideas to help make things even better.
We are telling all our friends about Village Ways. We definitely want to come back - we will try our hardest for 2009. This is such a brilliant project - we wish you all a long a sustainable future, and every success in the development of Village Ways.
Please give our telephone number* to prospective clients if anyone does want to speak to us.
Pat McC; Nov 2007
* Just call Village Ways on +44 (0) 1223 750049 and we will give you the number.
More than happy for you to give our phone number to anyone considering a holiday with Village Ways*. Can only praise the whole thing and many thanks for such a great holiday. Hem and Raju were wonderful guides and so attentive. Congratulations to all concerned in setting up and running Village Ways. What a great concept.
Dorothy and Jim, October 2007
* Just call Village Ways on +44 (0) 1223 750049 and we will give you the number
A warm welcome to the hospitable Kathdhara guest house in a friendly, happy village. Every family made us most welcome and we enjoyed joining in with some of the harvest tasks. Excellent cuisine - our special thanks and compliments to the cooks. A happy and memorable end to our wonderful Village Ways experience.
Anna & Gill, September 2007
Thank you so very much for all your kindness and hospitality over the past few days. It's hard to pick a highlight between the stunning scenery, the warm welcomes I received from all the villagers, the excellent guiding from Hemu and Bacchi and the rewarding conversations I had with Dinesh and Himanshu (not forgetting the fantastic meals I had either). What can I say is that this has been a journey of the heart as well as the head (sincerely) and that I hope this is only the first of other visits to Village Ways. With very best wishes for a successful venture and huge thanks
Rhiannon, October 2006
We really had a marvelous time. The mountains were beautiful, as were the houses. We enjoyed meeting so many friendly people and it really was a refreshing unique experience for both of us.
Philippa and Katharine, November 2006
Village Ways provided a wonderful experience of the real India. It gave me a unique chance to share in the lives of the people in the villages. They were the sweetest and most hospitable people I've ever met. This holiday has been a privilege.
Nirpal, October 2006
Thank you for letting us take the first Village Ways holiday. It was unlike any other holiday we've had and we mean that in the best possible way! We visited four villages, with two excellent guides, Sher Singh and Raju, who were warmly welcomed in each visit making us feel welcome too. We were interested in the plants and animals of the forest, and our guides were skillful in identifying them. Staying in the peaceful environment of Khali Estate was an extra bonus.
David and Tina, October 2006
