Tiger Mountain Properties, our in country partner in Nepal, has demonstrated a commitment to sustainable travel and ecoturism. They support a wide range of local programs, in addition to creating their own community projects throughout the country. These focus on health, education, and conservation, and illustrate Tiger Mountain’s concern for the environmental and human needs that exist where its lodges, camps and trekking routes are located. Global Basecamps is happy to be contributing to the Tiger Mountain Properties’ school programs.

Inca Trail, Peru

Inca Trail Tours are one of the most famous treks in South America. The 26 mile hike offers travelers natural beauty, culture, and adventure. Hikers will experience beautiful mountain scenery, lush cloud-forest, subtropical jungle, and of course an incredible mix of Inca ruins. Culminating the challenging trek is the arrival at the ancient Inca site, Machu Picchu. Travelers should anticipate spending at least 2 full days in Cusco prior to the hike in order to adjust to the altitude. The best time of year to hike the Inca Trail is during the dry season, which lasts from May to October or November. The rainy season is from December to April, and the trail is closed in February due to heavy rains. However, light rain at Machu Picchu is not uncommon year round. Day time temperatures can range anywhere from 50-82ºF, with night time temperatures from around 32-50ºF. 

We are always striving to improve our services and one of the best ways to do that is to consult with our clients. Speaking with clients who have recently returned from their trips is the best way for us to gauge how we’re doing. We pride ourselves on being unique, unlike any other travel agency, by providing completely customized itineraries and access to the world’s most unique boutique hotels, eco lodges and private tours. But don’t just take our word for it; hear what our clients have to say! Global Basecamps’ reviews can be found at the following locations:

Adventure.Travel: Adventure.Travel is an informational site that offers reviews to help travelers plan their next adventure. We have a 5 star rating on Adventure Travel Trade Association’s directory.

We were recently visited by our partners in Fiji, from the luxury eco lodge Matava. Located on the remote island of Kadavu, Matava offers privacy, comfort, incredible views, and a wide range of activities for guests. The hotel was designed to blend in with the natural environment of Kadavu and consists of traditional thatched Fijian bures set among the lush tropical rainforest surroundings. Matava Resort is ideal for those looking for a unique insight into the traditional practices and Fijian customs that still play a part in everyday life.

Accommodation and Meals

The traditional thatched Fijian bures have timber floors, louvre windows, timber four post beds, and private decks with superb ocean views. Oceanview bures are located across a stream and offer beautiful panoramas of the Great Astrolabe Reef and surrounding islands. The honeymoon bures are located on the hill behind Matava, ensuring complete privacy and stunning views from the full length windows. Solar power provides the lighting in all of the bures, and hot water is supplied to all the bures by an eco-friendly solar hot water system.

All packages include meals, which is comprised of breakfast, lunch, and a three course dinner. On the menu you'll find local delicacies, fresh produce, and locally grown fruits and vegetables. Matava Resort has an extensive organic garden with fresh vegetables and fruits such as coconut, pineapple, guava, banana, mangos, eggplant, tomatoes, and fresh herbs. Delicious lovo feasts, an authentic Fijian meal steamed in an oven pit over hot stones, are held once a week at Matava. The resort offers vegetarian options and can cater to those with special dietary requirements. Dining takes place on the balcony of the bure levu, one of Fiji’s largest traditional structures where guests can gather to enjoy meals such as papaya salad, mango chicken, coconut curries, and fresh fish.

We are excited to have a guest blog post from one of our travelers, Vaychan. Vaychan just returned from an amazing trip with her husband to Vietnam and Cambodia. Thanks Vaychan for sharing your travel experience with us!

When we were deciding on the countries for our next international trip, I figured it was time for me to make it to Asia. Other than work trips to the Philippines & Japan, Asia was an unexplored continent to me. It wouldn’t be that odd other than the fact that I’ve spent a great part of the last decade backpacking through other parts of the world and second, I was born in Thailand to Chinese parents. We left when I was three- many stories passed on and a few pictures but no memories. Probably, the biggest hesitation with going to Asia was that I prided myself in being a traveler who plans her own itinerary and finding her own way around. But with Asia, I knew I was going to need some help planning and executing, if we were going to spend more time doing things rather than being in transit to somewhere.

Two weeks, two countries - we picked a Vietnam tour as our first country since my friend was born there (our husbands were game for whatever we decided on). For our second country, it was a toss up between Thailand and Cambodia, since China was too vast. My birth country or my parents’ birth country-Thailand seemed more fun with its beautiful beaches, but I was curious of how much of my upbringing was influenced by the Cambodian culture. My parents had been one of lucky ones who had escaped Cambodia to Thailand when Khmer Rouge took over in 1975 and made it to the States in 1979. To be completely honest, I wasn’t sure I was ready to face that history since this was supposed to be a vacation, but curiosity won this one...

After an awesome week of hiking, kayaking, learning how to cook and sightseeing in Vietnam, we flew to Siem Reap, the city where Angkor Wat is located. Siem Reap has one of the quaintest airports in the world, with its slanted temple roofs visible from the tarmac.