Kathmandu, the holy grail at the end of the hippy overland trail from Europe, has long attracted travellers seeking enlightenment in this most evocative of cities. Hippies no longer dominate the scene, but they rub shoulders with trekkers and adventure seekers, clad from head to toe in the latest survival clothing, as well as well-heeled tourists ‘doing’ Nepal in style.

The contrast of modern and traditional in Kathmandu is extreme, with the almost medieval feel of Old Kathmandu worlds apart from the upmarket Durbar Marg area.

Much of Kathmandu’s stunning temples and palaces were built during the Malla Dynasty from the 13th to 18th centuries, when three kingdoms in the Kathmandu Valley strived to compete with each other to sponsor more and more lavish projects.

The kingdoms were united under the Shah dynasty in 1768. From 1846, much of the power in Kathmandu was in the hands of the Rana family, with the Shahs as figureheads. However, in 1951 King Tribhuvan overthrew the Ranas and the royal family still reign today as a constitutional monarchy.

Democracy came to Nepal in 1991 but there was political instability, partly due to corruption. In 1996 the Maoists of the Communist Party declared a people’s war, with many civilians losing their lives in the struggle.

Tragedy struck in 2001 when King Birendra, who had ruled since 1972, was murdered by his son, Crown Prince Dipendra, along with nine other members of the royal family. In September 2005, the Communist Party of Nepal declared a unilateral ceasefire and cautious optimism pervades across all levels of society in Kathmandu.