Begin at the water. Fishing boats slide out at dawn along a warm coastline, pilgrims wade into the Ganges with flowers in their hands, and temple bells carry across lakeside evenings. Inland, dust and color take over, with fabric stalls, traffic threading impossible gaps and the Himalayas above it all.
The climate is mostly tropical and shaped by the monsoon, with dry desert in the west and snow on the high northern peaks. The cooler, drier months suit most journeys, though each region keeps its own calendar. A Local Friend walks beside you instead of ahead, so the day stays yours to steer.
