Kimkim traveler Clare Immens likes to instill a sense of adventure in her three children—so taking her young daughter Elsie on a multi-day trek in Nepal was a no-brainer. From card games in tea houses to making friends with baby animals along the way, read on to learn about their experience hiking through the Annapurna foothills on the Ghandruk Trek.

Hi Clare! Tell us a bit about yourself and your travel style.

Clare and her 10-year-old daughter Elsie on the trail (Photo courtesy of Clare Immens)

I am a midwife and mum of 3 on the South Coast of New South Wales, Australia. I have traveled a fair bit doing volunteer work and exploring the globe, predominantly exploring Asia. I stumbled across Kathmandu very briefly about 9 years ago and have been bursting to get back ever since. I dislike structured group tours; my ideal holiday is strolling through markets, getting lost in backstreets, and being surrounded by sights, smells, and language that is completely foreign to me!

How did you decide to plan a trek in Nepal with your daughter?

The Ghandruk Trek (Photo courtesy of Clare Immens)

Out of my three children, my hope is to ignite a humanitarian or travel spark in at least one—I want them to see the world for all of its gritty and glorious beauty. Elsie (who is 10) had asked a lot about my previous adventures, so I decided it was time. I knew we were spending a few weeks in Kathmandu on this trip so I wanted to be sure we would get to see the 'real Nepal,' which is why we chose to do a trek with kimkim. 

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And what appealed to you about the Ghandruk Trek specifically?

Mountain views from the trail (Photo courtesy of Clare Immens)

Elsie is not a big hiker—we live at the beach—so our highest altitudes here consist of sand dunes! Hence the Ghandruk Trek for us: we didn't have a lot of time and wanted to do a trek that wasn't overly strenuous.

What part (or parts!) of your trek stand out as especially memorable? 

We loved the ecovillage, the tea houses, strolling through the small villages, and especially the fact that those mountains were a constant. And the animals! We also appreciated the way that everything was so individualized for us; the whole way we felt like celebrities being cared for!

Tell us about your experience of staying in tea houses. What were your impressions? 

Playing cards with friends after a day of trekking (Photo courtesy of Clare Immens)

The tea houses were perfect. Comfortable, neat, clean and it meant we weren't sleeping in tents! We loved sitting up each evening and playing cards with other travelers, hearing about their adventures and what they loved the most about the mountains

Would you recommend this trek to other travelers with kids? 

Niresh and Pemba, Clare's guide and porter (Photo courtesy of Clare Immens)

Absolutely! Our guide and porter Niresh and Pemba were so wonderful in looking after us along the tracks, keeping us safe from cranky looking cows and slippery rocks. Everything along the trek was child appropriate and the only thing I would change is to go for longer.

And last but not least: tell us about the next trip you're taking with kimkim!
I am planning another trip next year with my mum (as a surprise for her!), I have already requested Niresh for that one and I'm hoping for a longer trip - can't wait!

Clare's trip was planned through kimkim by Mads Mathiasen, our local travel specialist based in Nepal.