Nepal’s cultural landscape is every bit as diverse as its scenery. A fascinating fusion of Tibetan-style Tantric Buddhist and Indian Hinduism, the culture of the local Newari people is most vividly expressed in the great religious monuments of the Kathmandu Valley, which are included in our tours.

As well as the iconic pagodas, palaces, bahals (courtyard monasteries) and ceremonial squares of the capital, we encourage clients to visit nearby Patan and Bhaktapur, whose buildings and museums are all the more enjoyable for being traffic free. Another must is a trip to Pashupathinath to attend evening puja on the bathing ghats and mingle with the many itinerant sadhus who congregate around the temples.

Further afield, homestays with Gurung families in their traditional wood-tiled farmhouses in the Pokhara region, and visits to Tharu settlements in the Terai region of the southwest, are other ways to experience authentic local culture. For anyone with an interest in folk art, we’d also recommend a trip to Janakpur in the Eastern Tarai to visit a centre where local women make beautiful Maithili paintings.