Bandipur once was a prosperous trading centre on the road from India to Tibet. When the Kathmandu – Pokhara highway was built, the town got more and more deserted. To revive Bandipur and draw visitors in, the village decided in an experiment to ban cars, try a sustainable approach to tourism and protect their cultural heritage. The experiment was a huge success: Bandipur is an insider tip for tourists, not overrun, but just popular enough to be authentic and give locals a good, stable income.

Tourism revenue is used to conserve and restore temples and houses in their magnificent 18th century architecture. In the village you can see traditional life going on – not put on show for tourists, but just the living community of Bandipur. From the parade ground near Bandipur’s hospital you can have breathtaking views of the Himalayas.