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Nepal

Fri, 21 Nov 2025 01:36:28 GMT

NEPAL BEYOND THE TREKKING

The trekking's superb and the scenery sublime but Amar Grover finds plenty of reasons to visit Nepal without his crampons, sleeping bag or hiking boots.....

Mountaineers, Trekkers and Pilgrims

Nepal's first tourists arrived in 1955. The secretive kingdom had long been closed to outsiders and few if any in that initial all-women group of Americans and Brazilians could have foreseen how tourism was to become the cornerstone of the country's economy.

Drawn to the magnificent Himalayas, mountaineering expeditions turbo-charged the nascent tourism industry. Boasting 8 of the world's 10 highest peaks, Mt Everest in particular was – and remains – an almost mystical magnet. The Everest region's Sagarmatha National Park is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

In the wake of climbers came trekkers eager to hike some of the world's most spectacular trails through seemingly untouched valleys rich with local culture and time-forgotten villages. Meanwhile down in the Terai – the vast steamy plains bordering India – sites linked to the Buddha coax ever more Buddhist pilgrims from across Asia. Lumbini, Buddha's birthplace, is also a World Heritage Site.

The other World Heritage Sites – Kathmandu Valley and Chitwan

Nepal's other world heritage sites are the Kathmandu Valley and Chitwan National Park – useful pointers for why you might come to Nepal without hiking boots or crampons.

Kathmandu stands in a bowl-like valley cradled by lush hills. It's the heartland of the Newar people who are loosely regarded as the 'custodians' of Nepal's civiisation and culture. Several once entirely seperate towns have now virtually merged with the capital but their impressive array of temples, palaces and squares remain largely intact despite the disastrous 2015 earthquake.

Seven distinct mounuments and zones comprise the world heritage site. These range from beautiful durbar squares (public spaces outside royal palaces) of Kathmandu, Patan and Bhaktapur to thriving Hindu temple complexes at riverside Pashupatinath and hilltop Changu Narayan. Superb Newar architecture and decorative craftsmanship stand alongside ancient sacred sites where daily rituals around life and death continue little-changed in centuries.

There're spectacular Buddhist monuments too. Standing in a Tibetan neighbourhood and securing numerous sacred relics, Boudanath is Nepal's largest stupa. Its 'Eyes of the Buddha' decoration help make it an iconic landmark and at almost any time of day there's an almost continuous swirl of locals and tourists walking a three-times orbital lap of its base.

Even more striking and hardly less sacred is the Swayambhunath stupa perched on a hilltop. Reached by a steep flight of stairs, the plinth-like terrace offers great views of the city. Its community of resident monkeys – always lurking and ever eyeful for free if not snatched food – are said to be transformed from the headlice of Manjushri, a great Buddhist disciple who grew his hair whilst labouring to raise the sacred hill!

Deep in the Terai lowlands and Sivalik Hills by the Indian border, Chitwan was established in 1973 as Nepal's first national park. The former royal hunting ground was rich with tigers, rhinos, elephants and leopards but an onslaught of settlers in the 1960s almost decimated its jungles and forests while the rhino population in particular plummeted.

Today the rhinos have bounced back, there's a sizeable tiger population and over 500 species of birds including many of Nepal's most elusive. Jungle walks and canoe rides mainly on the Rapti River comprise a typical itinerary while Tharu (the local ethnic group) villages lend considerable cultural interest to a region that barely a century ago took weeks to reach from Kathmandu.

Head to the Hills

Want to escape the city? Day walks abound in the Kathmandu valley. Pick of the bunch would be Jamacho Hill. Named after a venerable Buddhist sage who meditated in a lofty cave, its summit is a tangle of colourful prayer flags. Another trail heads up to Champadevi not far from Kirtipur town. If you're minded to visit the famous Dakshinkali temple and witness its earthy tradition of animal sacrifices, there're tranquil footpaths from here down to the Bagmati River valley with onward buses back to Kathmandu.

Few visitors skip Pokhara 200km to the west of Kathmandu. Roughly midway stands Gorkha, an historic hilltop town linked to the formation of modern Nepal and the ruling Shah dynasty. Its 16th-century fortified palace is well worth a pause and there're excellent Himalayan views from its ramparts.

Pokhara's pretty location beside Phewa Lake is framed by a spectacular backdrop of snow-capped mountains, angular Fishtail Peak in particular. It's a great place to put your feet up; many visitors do pre- or post-trek. Hilltop viewpoints include the modern World Peace Pagoda and Sarangkot from which you could take a leap of faith with several paragliding operators.

Community-based tourism

Last year when I returned to Nepal it had been over a decade since my previous visit. And unlike all prior trips I was not here to trek. This time I was travelling with Community Homestay Network , a Nepali enterprise offering more immersive homestay experiences with local families in both rural and urban Nepal. The broad idea is to incentivise local communities to engage in and benefit from tourism. As a visitor you'll experience Nepali life first hand; it's a model of 'responsible tourism' that strives to respect and celebrate Nepal's cultural heritage and livelihoods.

Essentially CHN have distilled several circuits or multi-day trips ranging from itineraries in the Terai lowlands of western Nepal experiencing Tharu culture to various options in the hills & fringes of the Kathamandu Valley to an off-beat trip to Dhankuta in Eastern Nepal. Activities might range from learning about paubha painting (a sacred art form particular to the valley's Newar community) to pottery workshops in Thimi (near Bhaktapur), bamboo weaving in Kirtipur to Tharu cookery workshops in Chitwan. Assorted day hikes, bike rides and various cultural programmes such as traditional dancing plug the gaps.

My homestay experience was with a family in Panauti 30km southeast of the capital. Theirs was a modest flat on the edge of town with views across paddies and forested hills beyond. Three generations lived under one roof and the husband's brothers occupied all the adjoining flats. Within minutes of arriving I was thrust into the kitchen where together we made buffalo meat momos (dumplings) for the evening meal; my lack of dexterity was clearly very entertaining.

Later we strolled through town and up into its more rural hinterland of neatly terraced paddies threaded by narrow winding roads and tracks. An ancient and once important trading settlement, Panauti remains a significant religious site because of its location at the confluence of two rivers. It also boasts the 13th-century Indreshwar temple, reputedly Nepal's oldest. Pots and pans hanging from its tiered roof are offerings from couples hoping for a happy and prosperous family life!

Over the coming days I came to understand a little more of their lives and they of mine. It was soon clear that along with Panauti's busy bazaar, unvarnished streetscapes and pretty surroundings this was just as interesting as Kathmandu's formal time-honoured sights.

© Amar Grover 2025

About the Author

Amar Grover is a London-based freelance travel writer and photographer. His feature articles have been published in various newspapers and travel magazines in the UK and UAE. He is also a contributing photographer to AWL Images, a specialist travel picture library. He has travelled widely in the Middle East, North Africa and Asia but is most at home in the Indian subcontinent and particularly its Himalayan regions.

Trotting Soles in Metro Travel

Sun, 28 Apr 2024 16:34:00 GMT

‘Why on earth are you going there?’

This was the question friends asked when I told them I was travelling to Uzbekistan, a former Soviet republic sandwiched between Russia, China, and a host of fellow ‘Stans’ .

I had many answers, most built on the country’s Silk Road history and the ancient mystique of a place that was Central Asia’s cradle of culture for more than two millennia.

Read all about Metro journalist Alice Murphy’s trip to Uzbekistan , were she travelled on a trip organised by Trotting Soles .

Trotting Soles in WHYTT Magazine

Tue, 19 Dec 2023 13:50:00 GMT

Unravelling the Silk Road in Uzbekistan

By Sophie Ibbotson, Uzbekistan’s Ambassador for Tourism to the UK; and Chairperson of the Royal Society for Asian Affairs.

In this article, Sophie talks about discovering Uzbekistan through its textiles, fashion and shopping and has mentioned Trotting Soles as a bespoke tour provider for textiles and handicrafts tours in Uzbekistan.

Trotting Soles in Telegraph Travel

Sat, 14 Jan 2023 23:00:00 GMT

An incredible country that does not cease to fascinate…

Read all about journalist Suzanne Moore’s trip to Uzbekistan , were she travelled on a trip organised by Trotting Soles .

The article was popular not only with The Telegraph readers, but also with the Uzbek media, who covered it on the Uzbekistan National News channel.

Montenegro

Tue, 05 Apr 2022 20:18:00 GMT

PRIDE OF THE ADRIATIC

From the warm Adriatic Coast to the snow covered peaks of Durmitor & Prokletije National Parks, Skadar lake to Tara canyon, there is miles of unspoilt beauty and stunning landscapes. Cetinje, Kotor, Budva & Pljevlja offer a glimpse into Montenegro’s past. The countryside’s rustic charm, quaint villages and friendly people add up to make it a wholesome travel destination.

Montenegro – the name was derived from the dark mountain forests that cover the land. The glacial lakes, wild natural beauty and enchanting towns make this country the Pride of the Adriatic (that is what Montenegro should be called!). A relatively small country, its wonders do not cease to amaze! The famous poet Lord Byron described Montenegro as the most beautiful merging of land and sea.

While there for ‘work’, the striking beauty of the country often made me forget the purpose of my visit. Must be in the air….after all, isn’t there a Montenegrin proverb which says – If you have the urge to work, sit down, wait and in due course it will pass. Whoever said this forgot to add, ‘drink Rakija while you wait’! You can’t be in Montenegro and not drink Rakija (local fruit brandy), with all that delicious food you get to eat there! So now I was all ready to explore this beautiful land and learn more about the sustainable tourism project that our hosts there are members of. The Innovative Tourism Cluster project aims to support small and medium enterprises, through tourism. It is an excellent initiative, especially in a land where people take a lot of pride in their heritage and traditions and want to keep it alive. The families live on their farms, grow their own vegetables and fruits, maintain their own bee colonies to produce honey, prepare jams, cheese, butter, oil, wines, brandy and of course Rakija. What really struck me was how satisfied and content they were with their lives. The big cities and corporate jobs failed to lure their children and grandchildren and they are all living a happier and better quality of life in the country.

We left the capital city Podgorica, (once called Titograd, after the then leader Josip Broz Tito) and started our journey north, stopping en route to visit the very charming little town of Cetinje, the former royal capital of the country, before making our way to Kotor, driving via the breathtaking Kotor Bay, also known as Boka. In the haze created by the overhead afternoon sun, the mountains looked suspended in the air! It was dark by the time we reached Izlazak Ethno Village for our overnight stay. We had no idea what was waiting for us the next morning!

As the day dawned, the most magical views greeted our eyes. From our cottages perched atop a hill, we had the most fabulous views of the Piva lake. After a quick but hearty Montenegrin breakfast (believe me, it makes the full English look frugal!), we headed off for a short cruise on Lake Piva. Next came Camp Grab, one of the best places for rafting on the Tara river. The more adventurous can try zip lining over the river. The Tara River Canyon is the second longest in the world, after the Grand Canyon. We had barely finished soaking in the beauty of the place when it was time to move on, via the panoramic “Durmitorski prsten” route towards Žabljak . The mountains dotted with snow and crystal clear lakes were a sight to behold! The last scenic stop of the day was Crno Jezero (Black Lake), the largest lake in the Durmitor area.

Next, we headed to the north east of the country, driving over the Đurđevića Tara Bridge, a 365 meter high, concrete arch bridge over Tara river, built between 1937-40. The town of Pljevlja with the Holy Trinity Monastery and Husein Pasha’s mosque is well worth a visit. Those interested in archaeology can visit the museum and the site of an ancient Roman settlement nearby. We continued to a small village not too far from Pljevlja. A short walk from the village took us to the edge of the mountain, where we were treated to another spectacular sight, that of Meandra Ćehotina (the meandering river). A few photographs later we drove on towards the town of Bijelo Polje, driving via the Vraneška Valley, listening to the love story of the local legends, Ahmet and Pava.

Bijelo Polje is a beautiful town with a lively vibe. The following day was for meetings with other members of the Tourism Cluster from Albania and Italy. As the day progressed, the venue moved from the conference room to the market square (who says work cannot be fun!)

All too soon it was time to return to Podgorica. The drive via the Prokletije region reaffirmed the fact that Montenegro is truly the real gem of the Adriatic. It was time to say goodbye to the snow covered mountains as we drove along lake Skadar (a major part of the lake is in Montenegro and the other in Albania. The lake is well known as the best habitat for birds in Europe).

I had gained so much in my few days there…greater knowledge, memories to be cherished, wonderful new friends and a few extra kilos of weight!

Egypt

Fri, 18 Mar 2022 15:10:00 GMT

MYSTIQUE OF ANCIENT EGYPT

Call it what you want, ‘An archaeologist’s delight’ or ‘A historian’s paradise’. The wonders of ancient Egypt do not fail to mesmerise you. Arrive into Egypt and enter the time machine……..and no, without any help from H.G.Wells!!!

A visit to the Pyramids, Sphinx and temple complexes transports you back thousands of years into the world of the Pharaohs. Getting up and close to the mummies and cruising on the Nile, the lifeline of Egypt, makes it all come to life. Certainly not something for the weak hearted. Right from Alexandria to Abu Simbal, the country is steeped in history.

A visit to the tombs reveals how systematically the ancient Egyptians recorded events that took place in the life of the person buried there. There are pictorial depictions and hieroglyphics (a script which many people are still able to follow in the country). They laid a lot of emphasis on ‘after life’, and one can’t help but marvel how they are forever immortalised in the country’s history.

At first glance, Cairo is like any other metropolis in the world. Go across to the west bank of the Nile, to Giza, and enter the world of ancient history. You can see the three perfectly aligned pyramids from a distance. The largest of the three is the pyramid of Khufu, awe inspiring in its entirety! Composed of about 25,00,000 blocks of stone, each weighing about 2,500kgs each, the pyramid had an external covering of Tura limestone, which must have made the pyramid glow brightly in the sun. Today, the limestone is gone and the summit is truncated, but that does not diminish the glory of the Great Pyramid. There are some satellite pyramids around the three pyramids, attributed to the Queens of the Pharaohs. Its well worth it getting into the pyramids to see the burial chambers of the Kings. The Museum of the Solar Boat near the pyramids contains a perfectly restored funerary boat, nearly 40 metres long, that would have once sailed the Nile.

Located about half a kilometre away from the pyramids, the formidable Sphinx has its own story to tell. The Son et lumière at the pyramids, with the ‘Sphinx’ narrating stories of the rise and fall of dynasties over the last 4000 years is not to be missed.

Next, we headed south to the town of Memphis, which was once the capital of the Old Kingdom. A little away from there is Saqqara, which has the largest necropolis in Egypt. It houses the first pyramid ever built in Egypt, the step pyramid of Djoser. Back in Cairo, we visited the Egyptian museum (at that time there was no Grand Egyptian Museum and all exhibits were housed in the Egyptian museum, the oldest archaeological museum in the Middle East). The treasures obtained from inside the tombs were all displayed there. Though unfortunately, many of the tombs were plundered over the years and hence many treasures were lost. The only tomb to have been found totally intact was that of Tutankhamun, or Tut, the boy king. There was a dedicated section in the museum with a dazzling display of 2099 relics, all meant to accompany King Tut on his journey to the ‘afterlife’.

On a visit to Old/Coptic Cairo you get see the beautiful Synagogue and the El Muallaqa or the Hanging Church, where the Virgin Mary, Joseph and baby Jesus took refuge. A trip to Cairo is incomplete without a visit to the Khan El Khalili Bazaar, the oldest market in the Middle East, which has been around since the medieval times. Visit a Papyrus museum if you get a chance to understand the art of making Papyrus.

After all the hectic activity of the day, it was time to board the ‘Sleeping Train’ to Aswan. These are comfortable and a convenient alternative to flights. Dinner and breakfast are served in the cabins. In Aswan, we were received and escorted by our guide to our boat. A cruise down the Nile was something I had dreamt of since my school days! Somewhere, among those chapters of history, the notion of Nile being a mystical river was born.

We spent the morning sailing on a traditional felucca and then left for a tour of Aswan. Our first stop was the Aswan High Dam, which meets the irrigation needs for the whole country. And then onto the Unfinished Obelisk, en-route to the Philea temple. Obelisks were made by the ancient Egyptians in abundance, mostly to adorn their temple complexes. Some original pieces have made their way to other countries and are found prominently displayed in Paris, Rome and New York. Our next stop was Philae, a wondrous temple complex. In a remarkable operation, the whole complex was moved to another island nearby, to save the complex from being submerged in water after the completion of the Aswan Dam. Each individual stone was numbered and its position noted carefully so as to allow the most accurate and error free reconstruction of the temple complex. The operation lasted 10 years!

The boat arrived at Kom Ombo village the next morning. On the east bank is the famous temple dedicated to two deities, Sobek and Haroeris. The temple is also known as ‘House of the Crocodile’ (Sobek) and ‘Castle of the Falcon’ (Haroeris). In this temple you can find numerous crocodile mummies. Off we sailed again, to the town of Edfu. A short horse carriage ride later, we were at the temple of Horus, the celestial god. It is the second largest temple complex in Egypt and also among the most beautiful and well preserved temples in the country.

Back at our boat an exciting evening awaited us. It was the night of the Galabia (Egyptian costume) party. Dressed in the traditional attire, we were all set to sway to the tunes of the Egyptian music being played.

Moving on, we crossed the Esna Lock to arrive at Luxor. A short drive through the desert took us to the incredible Valley of the Kings and Valley of the Queens, stopping en route at the Colossi of Memnon. The ancient Egyptians lived along the eastern banks of the Nile, and their tombs were always along the western banks. The Valley of Kings houses over 60 tombs. Each tomb has its own story to tell, about the life of the pharaoh buried there, with pictorial depictions and writings on the walls, all along until the burial chamber. One of the most impressive complexes there was the mortuary Temple of Hatshepsut. She was the only queen to have ruled Egypt as a pharaoh for about twenty years.

Back in Luxor (ancient Thebes), there were the Luxor & Karnak temples to visit, before heading back to the station to board the Sleeping train once again, back to Cairo. The vacation had ended and it was time to come out of the historical trance!

Uzbekistan

Tue, 28 May 2013 08:23:00 GMT

ICONS OF THE SILK ROAD

If you dream of travelling the Silk Roads, Uzbekistan is the obvious place to start. In this blog you will be introduced to iconic sites and experiences which will bring those dreams to life.

Uzbekistan is the heart of the Silk Roads, not only the geographical centrepoint of this international web of trading routes but also a destination which encapsulates so many of the features which have come to symbolise the Silk Roads in popular imagination. It is no wonder that classic literature about this region such as James Elroy Flecker’s The Golden Journey to Samarkand , Robert Byron’s The Road to Oxiana , and Ella Maillart’s Turkestan Solo all centre the sites and people of Uzbekistan above those of neighbouring states: there is such a wealth of history, of culture here to explore.

If you think of the Silk Roads, the chances are that the first thing which comes to mind are the magnificent monuments, mosques, madrassas, minarets, and mausoleums bejewelled with turquoise and blue glazed tiles. Stretching across Uzbekistan, from Khiva in the west to Kokand in the east, there are hundreds of such buildings, decorated by generations of skilful artisans. My particular favourites include the striped Kalta Minar in Khiva’s Ichan Qala; the Khudayar Khan Palace in Kokand; and the architectural masterpiece which is the Shah-i Zinda ensemble of tombs. But the one monument every visitor is desperate to see more than any other is the Registan — a trio of elegantly decorated madrassas — in the middle of Samarkand. Together these buildings represent the pinnacle of achievement in Islamic architecture, and from every angle the view is unforgettable.

The Silk Roads were a conduit for new ideas as well as people and goods, so religions spread quickly along the network. Many world faiths are thus represented in Uzbekistan. The oldest temples and burials are Zoroastrian; see them in the desert fortresses of Karakalpakstan. Around Termez you can visit the Buddhist monasteries of Fayaz Tepe and Kara Tepe. The country’s Islamic cultural heritage is incredibly rich too, with many Muslims coming here on pilgrimage. Imam Al Bukhari, collector of the Hadiths, is buried near Samarkand, and in Bukhara you will find the shrine of Bahauddin Naqshbandi, an important Sufi saint. The Bukharian Jews are thought to be one of the world’s oldest Jewish community, and still have their own synagogue in Bukhara’s Old City; and there are plenty of churches belonging to the Orthodox, Catholic, and Lutheran denominations.

In the heyday of the Silk Roads, merchants, pilgrims, and other travellers journeyed on foot, their baggage tied to the backs of pack animals. In many cases, these were camels, strong, stable vehicles for crossing Central Asia’s deserts. You can still see herds of camels roaming as they’re bred for their milk and meat, but the best way to get up close to one is on a camel ride. Perhaps the most scenic location for a sunset camel ride is from the Aidar Yurt Camp near Aidarkul. You can ride from the yurts over dunes towards the lake shore, then return to the yurt camp to listen to folk singers performing around the bonfire.

The purpose of the Silk Roads was to bring an enticing variety of products to sell in bazaars: fresh fruits and vegetables; tea and spices; fine textiles; and other sought after goods. These markets are still the commercial anchors of Uzbekistan’s cities today. The largest and most impressive sites are Chorsu Bazaar in Tashkent and Siyob Bazaar in Samarkand, but even the smallest town will have a lively collection of traders hawking their wares. Whether or not you want to buy anything, visiting a bazaar in Uzbekistan is a must for the atmosphere, the cultural immersion, and the people watching.

Everything you eat in Uzbekistan has been influenced in some way by the Silk Roads. Ingredients and recipes alike travelled along the trading routes. Many of the names will be familiar: plov — Uzbekistan’s rice-based national dish — is the sister of pilau and paella. The baked and stuffed pastry Uzbeks call a samsa is better-known elsewhere as a samosa, and you’ll certainly recognise the noodle dish laghman: it is Uzbekistan’s version of spaghetti! The food which you will eat more often than any other, though, is freshly baked bread. Its mouth-watering smell wafts thorough residential streets and markets, and you may well find yourself craving a slice long after you have returned home.

Every tour Trotting Soles designs in Uzbekistan is tailor made, creating a unique experience for every visitor. Whether your perfect trip is food-themed, architecturally-inspired, or focused on pilgrimage, they can curate an unforgettable experience. Contact Trotting Soles today to start planning your journey to the heart of the Silk Roads.

Author: Sophie Ibbotson

Sophie is a Central Asia specialist who has worked in the region since 2008. She is the author of Bradt’s guidebooks to Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, and Karakalpakstan; Uzbekistan’s Ambassador for Tourism to the UK; and Chairperson of the Royal Society for Asian Affairs.