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...
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...
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
