Nepal is a country steeped in culture and tradition. As a visitor, it is important that you respect the rights and beliefs of the local people and that you minimize your impact - culturally and environmentally.

The Nepali people are a friendly and proud people who will thank you for saying something positive about their country. Always remember that life for many of the people in Nepal is extremely hard, they have very few material possessions and there is little or no alternative to doing things the hard way. Nevertheless, you will find many of their qualities put the western 'developed' world to shame.

The influx of visitors to Nepal is bound to have an impact on the country. In the cities and larger villages where trekkers are frequently seen, you will find the locals to be more aware of the western ways and in some cases will have picked up on the less favourable attributes.

Of course, being in a totally different culture, you can expect to make some mistakes and most of the locals will make allowances for this. It is, however appreciated when visitors make a genuine effort to observe local customs.