Giant white ridges fill the horizon, yet the day is made of small things: a kettle steaming on a doorstep, a footpath worn smooth by walkers, a shopkeeper who asks where you are headed. The Himalayas shape the country, and below them green hills and warm river plains each keep their own habits and food.

The weather follows altitude, from warm lowlands to alpine cold, with summer monsoon and clearer skies in autumn. Plan around it and the trails, towns and temples open up. A Local Friend can tell you which valley has the best light this week, then walk the first stretch beside you instead of ahead.