Nepal

The charm of Nepal is that it is largely without roads, and access is often limited to ancient trails linking isolated villages where life and customs have changed little over the centuries. Only on foot can you discover the true nature of the country.

Old wooden ploughs still work the terraced fields of rice and barley on the steep hillsides. Forests of oak, pine and rhododendron come alive with colour during the spring, and the annual monsoon rains nourish a multitude of plants and flowers. Ever present, towering over the valleys and plains, are the majestic peaks of the Himalaya including the celebrated Everest and Annapurna.

However, Nepal offers much more than trekking. All our journeys begin in the fascinating city of Kathmandu, where skilled craftsmen and enlightened monarchs have created a rich artistic heritage that is a delight to explore. To the south, the great forests and grasslands of Chitwan and Bardia are sanctuary to many endangered species, including the Indian onehorned rhinoceros and Royal Bengal tiger, and to track these magnificent animals on elephant back is a unique experience.

Nepal can perhaps be compared to a giant staircase - from the floodplains of the southern Terai, the land crumples and rises to the very summits of the high Himalaya. The diversity of topography and climate is matched only by the variety of peoples, languages and customs, which make up this extraordinary kingdom.