Morning walk to Parvati Kunda

From the upper edge of the village a path climbs through terraced fields and then mixed forest to Parvati Kunda, a small lake named after the goddess Parvati, Shiva's consort. A shrine stands near the water, and prayer flags and offerings show that it is still visited by local people. The lake is small, but the setting is peaceful, surrounded by forest and fields. Walk around it slowly, keeping the shrine on your right, and leave the offerings undisturbed. It is a place local people visit for prayer, not a picnic spot.

The walk takes about 45 minutes up at an easy pace. On clear mornings you look across the Chilime valley to the snow ridges of Ganesh Himal, and back down on the roofs of Gatlang. Birds are active in the forest early in the day. Take binoculars if you have them: birds such as laughingthrushes and finches are common in the surrounding forest. In spring, rhododendrons flower on the slopes above the village, and in autumn the terraces below turn gold with ripening millet and maize.

Return the same way for breakfast or continue along the hillside with your guide. It is a gentle introduction to the landscape before the longer days of the Tamang Heritage Trail. On the way back, stop at the gompa in the upper village if it is open. Your host family or guide can arrange for someone to unlock it and explain the images inside. Back at the homestay, breakfast will be waiting: tea, Tibetan bread and perhaps boiled potatoes.