If there is a more outstanding trip organizer/guide/trekker/friend somewhere in the world, please introduce me. Razzu Tuladhar put together an epic trip through Nepal for me and my group of friends that none of us will ever forget.

From the first email contact through the final farewell yellow silk scarf at the airport, Razzu was prompt, efficient, accomodating, and joyful in the process. When we added members to our tour, he took care of it. When we changed the itinerary, he adjusted it. When the going got tough on the trek, he encouraged us. When leeches attacked my feet, he salted them away. When we assaulted him with questions, he responded with thoughtful answers and more. When traffic was halted by the prime minister’s entourage, he arranged alternate transport to the airport.

Nepal holds so many delights and candy for the eyes that simply being there one’s senses are assaulted and can reach the point of overload. Kathmandu has the potential to present itself as total chaos. The Samsara team provided us with just the right mix of down-and-dirty and lap-of-luxury as we toured the city and neighboring villages. Transfers were seamless and every step of our touring was hassle-free, informative, and a sumptuous slice of photograph heaven.

Flights from Kathmandu to Pokhara have a “good side and and a bad side,” as wide-eyed tourists want to be on the starboard going and the port side returning in order to catch glimpses of the peaks of the Annapurna range. Razzu made sure we sat accordingly. While our trek was only 3 days in length, a “taste of a trek,” said Razzu, it proved to be challenge enough for our old legs and sea level lungs. And when we would ask, “How much longer, Razzu?” he replied characteristically with his, “What do you want to hear?” Clearly, this was the right motivator for us, as we could only laugh at ourselves, ignore our little discomforts, and carry on.

All six of us in our tour group are very well-seasoned travellers, each having lived abroad in the neighborhood of 25 years. While I normally shy away from organized tours, having had many less-than-enjoyable experiences, Razzu’s warmth and professional handling of our trip convinced us all to return to him soon for another tour, this time to Tibet.

I’ll stop gushing at this point, and will leave it simply that if you are looking to travel in Nepal, Bhutan, Tibet, or Sikkim and you don’t use Razzu and Samsara Journeys, you are probably making a mistake.

See you next time.

Sincerely,

Bo and Mimi Wixted

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