Have you ever wanted to spend time with local people to get to know a place better? Have you ever dreamed of having friends when you arrive at a new place for the first time? Friends to show you around, to host you, to help you have a memorable experience.

A little bit up. A little bit down. A little bit over past that town. This is, in its simplest form, an explanation of what it is like to trek in Nepal. Not only are you walking a little bit up and a little bit down, but your emotions will

Not everyone is lucky enough to see the Valley of Flowers in full bloom. First of all, as a high-altitude inner Himalayan valley, it remains inaccessible and under snow for most of the year. Second, it is not an easy trek—not just because of its altitude (around 3,500 metres above

While travelling through Nepal I experienced a kaleidoscope of cultural beliefs, and one of the most important places to me was Lumbini, the birthplace of the founder of Buddhism, Gautama Siddhartha Buddha. For anyone on a Buddhist pilgrimage, where’s a better place than the birthplace of Lord Buddha himself? Lumbini is a

The traffic moves at festival speed, like honey through an hourglass. The taxi rattles and hums with the smell of exhaust fumes. But the time passes easily with my companion for the day, Junu Shrestha, a tour guide from the medieval city of Bhaktapur. “In this celebration people are more

In the foothills of the Nepal Himalaya lives a brave tribe of Gurung people who risk their lives climbing up cliffs to harvest honey from one of the biggest and most dangerous honey bees in the world. This tradition dates back hundreds of years, and holds great religious and cultural

“Alright, 50 more steps and then you can rest. 1, 2, 3…” For the past 4 hours, my thoughts have been dominated by counting my steps and controlling my breathing. Every time my legs get too tired to go further, I pause, look around, and enjoy the view. The sun

Arunachal Pradesh, a state in India’s far east, is one of the least explored regions of India. There are only 11 marked tourist trails in Arunachal Pradesh, places where tourists are allowed to venture. Everyone, including Indians from other parts of the country, must have entry permits to travel here. But

We humans are strange animals. We are different and divided, yet our hearts long to connect to other souls. Deep in the mid-hills of Nepal, I stayed in a picturesque village named Tansen on my way between Lumbini and Pokhara. The kind people of Tansen offer their local hospitality through

Early on a summer morning, I woke up from my bed in Sauraha, a village on the edge of the Chitwan National Park. Eight of us, all slightly petrified, all majorly excited, were headed out on a walking safari experience in the core jungle area of Chitwan. We walked past a sleeping Tharu

Only a few more steps, I could do that. I’d already climbed what felt like 100,000, I could manage another dozen or so. Huffing and puffing along with a flock of other early-bird trekkers, we reached our destination on the Nayapul to Ghandruk Trek, Poon Hill. I had just enough time

As travelers learn more about the Kingdom of Bhutan, the country finds itself atop many a travel bucket list. It’s unlike any other place on earth, and is certainly worth visiting. Its Himalayan vistas, ornate monasteries and well-preserved culture rightfully attract intrepid travelers from around the world. However, its very

Nepal is one of my favourite destinations for spiritual journeys. The Himalayan country, full of sacred sites, is a centre of love, peace, and serenity. It’s also a land of age-old myths and traditions. Even today these myths and traditions are deep-rooted in the culture of the Nepali people. During my

Located in the picturesque Punakha-Wangdue Valley, Punakha is the former capital of the Kingdom of Bhutan. Terraced rice fields, fruit orchards and wooden houses against the backdrop of the Himalayas and glacial rivers make it an ideal retreat for those looking to indulge in nature and culture. Each year in

The Sham Valley is one of the shortest treks in the Ladakh region of India. You’ll often hear it said that this is one of the ‘easier’ treks in this part of the world, but just how easy is it? While there may be more technically difficult trails throughout Northern

A red-faced woman came breathlessly around the corner and was obviously stunned at the sight of me. “How did you get up here? In heels?” Fair enough, we were at nearly 4,000 metres above sea level in the Himalayas after all. Whereas she had taken the energetic and admirable way

Standing in the lobby of our hotel in Gangtok, we wondered whether it was really safe to go north. Should we really go ahead with our plan and try to visit Lachung and Yumthang? Just two days earlier, north Sikkim had received such heavy snowfall that routes were impassable. The

The grass was warmed by the gentle sun; the pasture was open before us. Some wild horses stopped for a few seconds to check us out. I guess we didn’t seem to present any danger to them as they continued their relaxed feast. Some wild yaks crossed the river a little