My friend and I’s first time in this wildly beautiful country was made into the most incredible experience by the people at Independent Trekking Guides Co-op. From the first few emails to arriving in Kathmandu, all along the journey until our parting we were taken care of in all ways and beyond. The organization, communication, attentiveness, and flexibility were top notch. Seamless from the very beginning, even when plans change, inevitably. Perhaps most importantly they possess a kindness and presence that is uniquely Nepali and brought a depth and sweetness to our experience that is hard to put into words. Thank you Gopi, our guide, for bringing us through the mountains and for your immense knowledge, humour, heart and focus over the 2 weeks we spent together, suffering and triumphing moment to moment. Chandra, our porter, thank you for your warmth, your spirit, and absolute beast mode strength that I will revere and talk about as long as I live. Gopi and Chandra enriched our experience and perspective of Nepal and it’s people, landscapes and ways that are entirely unique and both astounding and inspiring. We very much became a unit together in our own way and worked together till the very end. I will never forget coming down off the Larkya La pass and sledding down the snow together (trying not to fly off the side) after a gruelling journey and the bliss that brought us to laugh and be silly. Jagat, thank you for your commitment to excellence in providing people from around the world with such an immensely wonderful experience of your country and to your own people through the same love and care you pour into your community. I absolutely cannot recommend Independent Trekking Guides Co-op of Nepal more… they are it and they are doing it right. The value, depth, connection to the culture and land, and commitment to safety and experience is unlike any other tour company out there. Time in Nepal changes your life in many subtle and huge ways, some that I have yet to know or understand myself and I look forward to coming back for more, and I will be journeying with none other than these guys. Much love to Jagat, Gopi and Chandra, and everyone else we encountered along the way. Till next time. – Laura & Abbie