NEPAL

In Nepal, deep, mystical routes to enlightenment lie alongside beautiful, technicolour, biodiverse diversions. This mountainous land, nestled between India and China, just to the west of Bhutan and Bangladesh, is widely regarded as the birthplace of the Buddha; it preserves its spiritual legacy at sites such as Kathmandu’s Kumari Temple (both a Hindu and Buddhist place of worship), the Jangchub Choeling monastery in the country’s second city, Pokhara, and in the more remote hilltop temple, Thani Mai.

From Everest’s peak on the Chinese border through to the dense tropical forests that thrive at lower altitudes, Nepal also supports a startlingly beautiful range of plants and wildlife. One-horned rhinos graze on its southern plains; its hillsides are thick with rhododendron forests; and snow leopards stalk above its tree line. Pair ancient culture with ever-changing natural sights, and perhaps a little hiking or hill walking; Nepal excels in all three.