Annapurnas

This is my favourite town in Nepal, a little enclave of culture at the foot of the Mustang Kingdom. Once it was a remote outpost along the windhorse trail, but today it's where we stop for yak cheese and real coffee. For photographers, Kagbeni is a true gem that shoots well from any angle.

Scenes from the 2012 photography tour in Nepal, featuring the thin air of the Annapurnas. Nepal is a paradise for photographers, it's not just for trekkers! We take jeeps along the key sections, fly in small aircraft to reach the airstrip at Jomsom, and enjoy slow walks through pretty towns in between. And the apple pancakes are awesome!

The Mustang Kingdom was one of the last wild frontiers, a forbidding place barely livable for tbe hardiest of mountain goats. Yet here the Tibetan people continue to live as they have for centuries, practising rich Buddhist traditions and greeting each new spring with joy. When spring arrives in the Annapurnas and the skies turn clear the peaks of Nilgiri, Dhaulagiri and Tukuche are visible in the distance. Mustang is where Tibet meets Nepal.

Surrounded by stunning snow-capped peaks the pilgrims route to Muktinath is followed by devout Hindus from all over Nepal and India. They gather on the shores of the Kali Gandaki to make offerings and prayers, before heading higher into the mountains and the holy temples at Muktinath.

This series of images was captured while travelling on a Be Your Best Tours "Slow Travel" adventure in Nepal. I love being in the Annapurnas. I love the views of snow capped peaks that greet you from every direction. I love the local dal bhat for lunch. I love the sunny skies and tree blossoms.

Jomsom is an outpost town with an airstrip. From sunrise to late morning the planes hop between Pokhara and Jomsom, ferrying trekkers and pilgrims on their way to points high in the mountains. At an altitude of 2800m the air is thin and the apple brandy is heavy. The Thakali caste who dominate in these parts are skilled not only at making apple brandy, but apple pancakes and all kinds of apple pies. Enjoy it while you can, as the apples don't grow 1000m higher up the hill.