Nepal: and for those joining our tour this year, you’ll also witness Deshain, the most important event in the Nepalese calender. Put simply, this is a festival that marks the coming together of families, the beginning of the new year, all combined in a Nepalese Christmas.

Nepal has been locked away from the outside world until 1959, which means many of its practices are unusual – the sacrificing of animals for example – particularly buffalos – is part of Deshain. Brothers bless sisters (and if they don’t have one they hire one from a neighbour), children sing, and elders play music. This is joyous coming-together.

It’s a colourful time of celebration too. Make-shift bamboo swings are put up for children in the mountains along the Himalaya, candles are lit across cities, and in a modern exuberance – there’s even fireworks too. Elephants are blessed with tikas (red vermilion powder on their foreheads) as well as dogs, ducks and even birds. People of course, too.

We hope our visitors will enjoy this event.