Lisa & Pol travel the world

This was our first time in Nepal, and we decided to dive right in with a 5-day trek in the Himalayas… with no guide.
We chose the Mardi Himal Trek, one of the most scenic and less crowded routes near Pokhara. We added two extra days to explore hidden hot springs and recover.

Tired, emotional, overwhelmed, this trek pushed us to our limits and brought out some of the most real moments we’ve shared on camera. After the mountains, we returned to Pokhara just in time to celebrate Holi Festival: colors, music, people… unforgettable!

Whether you’re planning to trek in Nepal, considering Mardi Himal, or just want to know what it really feels like to travel this region as a couple — this video is for you.

📍 Chapters:
00:00 Welcome to Nepal
00:40 Getting the Trekking Permit
01:59 Starting the Mardi Himal Trek
02:58 Crossing the checkpoint without a guide
06:26 Day 2 - Forest Camp to High Camp
09:58 Day 3 - Summit
13:26 Day 4 - Landruk
16:50 Jhinu Danda hot springs
17:25 Day 5 - Ghandruk
18:14 Celebrating Holi

We wrote a supporting blogpost with much more info here: https://lisaandpol.com/posts/5-day-mardi-himal-trek-jhinu-hot-springs-pokhara-nepal-2025

We Tried Trekking in Nepal Without a Guide

We spent 10 days traveling across India’s Golden Triangle — Jaipur, Agra, Delhi — and ended in Varanasi. We couchsurfed, got typhoid, saw a body in the Ganges, and lived the chaos of India on a backpacker budget…

00:00 Intro
00:12 Jaipur
07:30 Agra
10:04 New Delhi
20:52 Varanasi
26:13 Debrief

By the way, we did land a collab with our travel insurance. If you're based in Europe and looking for an affordable and super responsive insurance, we recommend Chapka. We used them in Africa last year and again now in Asia because we were so happy with their service. Here's our affiliated link: https://www.chapkadirect.com/index.php?action=produit&id=795&app=lisaandpol

🗺️ Our social media : 
Instagram : https://www.instagram.com/lisaandpol/
Blog : https://lisaandpol.com/

☕ How to help us?
Subscribing to the channel, giving a thumbs up and writing.a comment are awesome ways to show your appreciation for our work. If you want to go even further, you can buy us a coffee here:
https://www.buymeacoffee.com/lisaandpol

India’s Golden Triangle on a Budget – Raw, Chaotic & Exhausting

Join us on an unforgettable 2-week budget adventure through Rajasthan, India! This is part of a larger backpacking trip spanning one month in India, six months in Asia, and 18 months of traveling the world.

Highlights of our journey include Udaipur, the City of Lakes; Jodhpur, the Blue City; Jaisalmer; Bikaner, home to the fascinating Rat Temple; and Pushkar, where we followed in Pol's father's footsteps.

Standout experiences include a thrilling motorbike trip to Ranakpur Temple, connecting with locals through Couchsurfing in Jaisalmer, and diving into vibrant markets to buy traditional clothes.

Whether you're planning a trip to Rajasthan or just dreaming of an adventure, this vlog offers a glimpse into the beauty and diversity of this incredible region. Don't forget to like, share, and subscribe for more travel inspiration and tips!

00:00 Intro
00:45 Udaipur
04:37 Motorbike trip to Ranakpur's Jain Temple
09:07 Jodhpur
13:58 Jaisalmer
19:06 Bikaner and the Rat Temple
23:29 Pushkar

🗺️ Our social media : 
Blog : https://lisaandpol.com/
Instagram : https://www.instagram.com/lisaandpol/

☕Do you want to support us ?
You can buy us a coffee or contribute towards one of the listed items, which would improve the quality of future videos. Thanks in advance !
https://www.buymeacoffee.com/lisaandpol

2 weeks around Rajasthan: our authentic low-budget experience

🇮🇳 Welcome to India!
In this video, we take you through our first days in Mumbai, experiencing the chaotic traffic, incredible Indian street food, and the vibrant culture that makes this city unforgettable.
It’s our first time in India, and from the moment we landed, Mumbai hit us hard — in the best way possible.

From  dodging rickshaws, trying pani puri, vada pav, and more… to soaking in the energy of Mumbai’s markets and beautiful temples, this is our raw, real experience as first-time visitors.

We weren’t sure what to expect — but what we found blew us away.
🎥 If you’re planning a trip to India or just curious what Mumbai is really like, this video is for you.

00:00 Intro
00:25 Traffic and rickshaw prices
01:21 Street food strategy
02:12 Dadar Flower Market
02:32 Food intoxication from day 1?!
03:18 Taxis and rickshaws in Mumbai
04:08 Haji Ali Dargah
05:10 Dhobi Ghat
05:42 Taking the metro
06:15 Excellent food at Soam's
07:50 Banganga Tank
09:04 Extremely crowded train
09:33 Complaining about hotel room
10:11 The best street food we had
11:27 How to cross the street in Mumbai
12:08 Gate of India
13:33 Sanjay Gandhi National Park
14:54 Rajasthan!

🗺️ Our social media : 
Blog : https://lisaandpol.com/
Instagram : https://www.instagram.com/lisaandpol/

☕Do you want to support us ?
You can buy us a coffee or contribute towards one of the listed items, which would improve the quality of future videos. Thanks in advance !
https://www.buymeacoffee.com/lisaandpol

Thumbnail by Mazhar Pictures.

🔑 Keywords :
travel vlog, budget travel, oman to china, 1 month in India,

First days in India - Trying Mumbai's street food 🥵

Lisa and Pol backpacking Africa on a budget

Lisa and Pol in Cape Town, South Africa

Lisa & Pol 300-day itinerary in Africa

Sunset in Yenkit Bay, Oman

Oman

Middle East & Asia 2025

Roadtrip

Mutrah Corniche at sunset

Our car overheating in the omani mountains

Spotless, sumptuous and huge: Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque

Mutrah Souq at night is still buzzling

The abandoned village of Al-Hasha

Family picture, our first night wild camping in Oman

Little Snake Canyon

The views on the Hajar mountains

Demonstration of bread making at Bait Al Safah

Traditional house at Bait Al Safah

The recently restorated Bahla Fort

The imposing walls of Bahla Fort

The Nizwa Souq is very organized, crafts here, fruits there, spices further...

Nizwa is beautifully illuminated at night

Birkat al Mawz, another opportunity to explore the irrigation system

Al-Sugra village: remote and unique

Lisa's parents from the top of Jabal Al Akhdar

Terraces of Saiq, opportunity for a walk along the irrigation canals

Architectural gem and great museum, don't miss out!

Ultra modern structure visible from the highway, Oman Across Ages museum

Sunset over the Sugar Dunes

A camel in the desert, on our way to the Sugar Dunes

Wadi Mibam: swimming in the oasis

The boat to get to Wadi Ashab

Wadi Ashab early in the morning, alone

Camping on a hill overlooking the bay

All dressed up like traditional omanis

Sunset view with hot tea in Saiq

Goats are more frequent than cars in the Omani Hajar mountains

The living museum of Bait Al Safah in Al Hamra

The perfect Oman itinerary | Best places to visit on a roadtrip in january

Nepal

How-to

There are hundreds of trekking shop in Pokhara: negotiate, negotiate, negotiate!

The Annapurna Conservation Area and its entry points

5-day Mardi Himal trek + Jhinu hot springs

The start of the hike in Kande

Entering the Annapurna Conservation Area in Pothana

The first part is an endless walk in the mystical forest

Lisa ringing the bells of a foggy temple midway

Forest Camp, our first night on the trek

Every day, we found a dog that walked with us to the next camp!

The discovery of this trek? Lemon tea!

The High Camp coming from the viewpoint, on our long way down

Slowly the clouds disappear and we get our first glimpse at the mountains

Probably one of the highest tea shops in the world

There is a tea seller at the 4200m viewpoint at 6am!

Our happy photo together at the Mardi Himal viewpoint

Within 30 minutes, more and more peaks appear

As we prepare to leave the viewpoint, a flock of geese majestically flies over us

You'll meet many porters carrying huge loads

The Annapurna South finally showing up

The only (tiny) prayer wheel we encountered in these 5 days

We loved this day, following the river upstream, completely alone

Many suspension bridges crossing the Modi river

Buffalos blocking the way on the Landruk to Jhinu Danda wild stretch

The Jhinu Danda suspension bridge, apparently the second longest!

Would you cross this 287m long bridge?

Bathing in the Jhinu hot springs after trekking is one of our highlights!

Just before boarding the bus back to Pokhara, we met this friendly horse

There were some tears involved upon reaching the top and seeing the view

Lisa at the 4200m Mardi Himal viewpoint for sunrise

5-day Mardi Himal Trek + Jhinu hot springs [2025]

Backpacking Africa 23/24

South Africa

The view from our Couchsurfer's house! (Lion's Head)

Sea Point is definitely a place to check out - many cute shops, cafes and eateries

On our way up to The Lion's Head

The lively Greenmarket Square

Early morning in Franschhoek, surrounded by vineyards

Having fun walking a llama on the Wine Route

Seeing penguins for free in Betty's Bay

A happy moment on Clarence Drive, the most scenic road in the region

The view from Chapman's Peak (one of the many free activities around Cape Town)

Colorful beach cabins of Muizenberg

Bo-Kaap is probaby the most picturesque neighborhood in Cape Town

Lisa & Pol: Adventurous Travel for Curious Souls

Our Signature Journeys

Crossing Africa from Cairo to Cape Town

Current Adventure: 6 Months in the Middle East and Asia

Latest from Lisa & Pol

Recent videos

We Tried Trekking in Nepal Without a Guide

India’s Golden Triangle on a Budget – Raw, Chaotic & Exhausting

2 weeks around Rajasthan: our authentic low-budget experience

First days in India - Trying Mumbai's street food 🥵

From the blog

The perfect Oman itinerary | Best places to visit on a roadtrip in january

5-day Mardi Himal Trek + Jhinu hot springs [2025]

Exploring Cape Town on a budget : prices, tips and affordable activities

Connect With Us