It was my first solo trip, & after a long of search I finalized the JustWravel tour package of Himachal, since it had everything - sightseeing MacLeodganj, Triund Trek, Waterfalls, & most importantly Paragliding at Bir Billing - Asia's highest paragliding destination!!! That had been on my bucket list since years, & finally that my birthday was nearing, I decided to gift this trip to myself! And oh, what a journey it was!!!
Being an amateur time trekker too, it felt exhausting to walk everywhere like the locals, but within a day or so, our bodies adapted & I could even complete the Triund Trek - where we played songs on the way, learnt how to read & follow nature trails by ourselves, even played Atlas & overall had an amazing memorable experience!!
The campsite stay was good too, it was freezing on the top, but as our guide Hritesh had informed us to carry winterwear, we were prepared!
The highlight of the whole trip was the Paragliding at Bir - the safe but thrilling stunts they do mid air, the stability of the parachute, and take-off run, it was exactly what I'd hoped for & more!! :'))))
Another part which I thoroughly enjoyed, was the waterfall visit on the last day - Bangoru falls at Bir! It's literally impossible to reach without the locals help, & the people Hritesh & the JW team had arranged for us were so, SO helpful. They even gave support using their own hands under my feet when I felt the stones were slippery to climb on! It was seriously an experiment of trust - on ourselves, our own bodies, on the locals, guides, & God himself!! And honestly, it was absolutely well worth the struggle. :'))))
About the Team Captian - Hritesh has been a really great chap & guide & friend to all throughout this journey! He made sure that regardless of whichever place we were at, no one was left behind. There was one incident when i was so engrossed in shopping, that I didn't realise it was already late & market was shutting down. I had intentionally asked the others to go ahead because I wanted to shop & explore the market, so I was alone. But the moment Hritesh got to know that I'd be walking back alone in the night, he immediately reached out & came all the way back to get me, despite me not being very far & having Google maps to manage myself well. His concern for everyone's safety especially us solo female travellers was so precious! I wish him the best for his future endeavours, & know he'll make the best out of all opportunities he gets!
Areas of improvement for JW - It would've been good if early check-in services at different hotels were looked into. Also, having access to taking a bath after treks is a necessity - that should be ensured!! We all went for paragliding without bathing after Triund Trek, so that part could've been worked upon.
However, that said, the sunset views are phenomenal & just incomparable to the sunrise - so if given an option of bath vs sunset view, I think I'd choose sunset again. Just saying :)
Another area to improve would be better selection of local guide for Triund trek as we'd want someone who wouldn't rush us by telling to walk fast again & again, but rather letting us enjoy the journey!
But overall, I think it was a great great experience, & even the group we had was so wonderful. We all started off as strangers but left as friends, & so for that, I'm so grateful to JW for this experience :)