The western side of Nepal (Provinces 6 and 7 under the new administrative scheme) is still a land that has mostly been neglected by tourists. This is mainly due to the inaccessibility of the region and the lack of tourism infrastructure. However, for adventurous travelers (both domestic and foreigner), the

This Nepali year (2075 BS) has been declared “Karnali Rara Tourism Year” by the Government of Nepal. This is part of a larger effort to increase tourism in the western part of the country, an area that is still very much off the beaten path. One of the top travel

Historically, the Karnali region of western Nepal flourished on trade between Tibet and the lower hills and plains of Nepal and India. Traders from the Karnali used sheep and goat caravans to bring salt from Tibet down to the plains and trade it for grains and other food, which they

The first Western exploration of the Rolwaling Valley was undertaken by Eric Shipton and his team at the end of the 1951 British Mount Everest Reconnaissance Expedition. After extensive exploration of the Solukhumbu for potential routes to tackle an Everest summit attempt, the team decided on their return to cross over the Tashi Lapsek

Dardistan, meaning the land of the Dard people, was once inhabited by this tribe. It used to refer to parts of land between north-eastern Afghanistan, northern Pakistan and northern Kashmir, extending up to a small part of Western Tibet. Even today, in places such as the Gurez Valley in Indian-administered

With her rugged mountains and outstretched landscapes, Nepal lures travelers in search of adventure. But beyond trekking routes and warm cups of tea, the country is home to a fleet of luxury hotels, unique experiences, and hospitality of the kind you might encounter in more developed parts of the world.

I’m not a hiker and I’ve never been ultra keen on the outdoors. You can imagine that leaves me a bit at odds with the typical crowd you find hanging around Kathmandu or anywhere in Nepal. But when in Rome, right? When some friends invited me to walk (or climb!)

The Langtang Valley trek used to be one of the most popular trekking routes in Nepal, until the earthquake hit in 2015. Now, tourism is slowly coming back to the region. My Nepali friend encouraged me to go trekking in this area but I left it until my third visit

Tibet is home to three UNESCO-listed World Heritage Sites, all in the capital city, Lhasa. These three places–the Potala Palace, the Norbulingka Palace, and the Jokhang Temple–are all fixtures on Tibet sightseeing itineraries, and are well-worth visiting. UNESCO states that “the beauty and originality of the architecture of these three

Pokhara is one of the most beautiful cities in Nepal – if not the most beautiful. The best part about Pokhara is that there are countless things to discover around it. It is so close to the Annapurnas that, on a clear day, you can distinguish the main peaks (except

The last few years I have been studying different aspects of religion in Nepal. During my fieldwork, the most common phrase I encountered when asking people about their religious faith was “same same but different”. This pretty much sums up the feelings of many Nepalis toward the two major religions

The monsoon season brings heavy rain to Pokhara, sending currents of murky water down streets and pouring into potholes. Side roads turn into small rivers, and locals hunker beneath awnings to wait for the rain to stop–or at least lighten up enough so they can go about their business. Rainstorms

Buddhist monasteries are a distinctive landmark across Nepal, and there are several beautiful monasteries in and around Kathmandu. Devout Buddhists visit monasteries daily for prayers, food and community. Visitors have also started to be interested in these monasteries, as they are architecturally marvelous, and often have expansive views over cities

Mustang is a dream destination for many. Wide landscapes, mystic ancient monasteries and caves where monks are kept in hiding for years – Mustang has it all. Until 1992 it kept its borders closed, not allowing foreigners to enter the forbidden kingdom. Since then, tours to Upper Mustang are possible,

There I stood, on paths previously trod by the famed Limi salt traders, who ventured further north into Tibet, while staring a the riverbanks of the most western flank of Nepal, into what was once the territory of the Gurkha Kingdom.  Alone in this remote district of Nepal, I stared

The Hemis Monastery, 43 kilometres from Leh, is one of the richest and most important monasteries in Ladakh. It is also one of the few monasteries to hold its annual festival in the summer. Therefore, it’s very popular with tourists. If you’re lucky enough to be in Ladakh in June/July,