Gurung village walk along the Dhampus ridge

Most trekkers see only the line of lodges along the trail. The older village lies off it, on paths between stone houses with carved window frames, stacked firewood and courtyards where grain dries on woven mats. Walk it in the late afternoon, when people come back from the fields and the light softens. The houses are spread out along the ridge, so a walk of an hour or two covers several clusters and shows how the village is organised around water sources and fields.

Your guide can explain what you are seeing: the family shrine, the communal water tap where news is exchanged, the terraces of kodo millet that once fed the village, and the houses rebuilt with army pensions. Many families have a photograph of a father or grandfather in Gurkha uniform. If invited in, remove shoes and accept tea; it is polite to drink at least a little. Tea will often be milky and sweet, served with beaten rice or roasted corn.

Ask about Gurung customs: Tamu Lhosar at the end of December, the Pachyu and Ghyabri priests who perform funeral rites, the rodhi tradition of young people meeting to sing and work together. Be respectful with the camera, ask before photographing people, and do not hand out sweets to children. Offering a small donation to a school or community fund through your guide is a better way to help. If you are lucky, you may hear older women singing as they work or see preparations for a wedding or festival.