Social Tours

Social Tours began in 2002 as an experiment by its founder, Raj Gyawali, to channel tourism into social work, and its founder now speaks internationally on responsible tourism; industry event organisers describe it as a leading Nepal tour operator. It describes itself as the first tour company in Asia to be certified for sustainability under the Travelife scheme. The company designs custom trips across the country, but it also runs short experiences in the Kathmandu Valley that are easy to fit into a city stay.

Three Kathmandu experiences stand out. Walk Local Markets is a two-hour walk through the historic wholesale and retail markets south of Thamel, explaining how they function. Cook like a Local is a three-hour cooking course. Both are offered on a pay-what-it's-worth basis, so you decide the price at the end. The Sunset Walk at Swoyambhu is a three-hour walk that ends with views over Kathmandu and the surrounding hills, with background on the history of the valley.

The company's ethos runs through everything it does. It aims to make sure income reaches local guides, drivers and homestay owners, and it tracks how much of travellers' spending is actually shared locally. On treks, guests are asked to carry their waste back for recycling. After the 2015 earthquake it ran an "I'm in Nepal now" campaign that the Nepal Tourism Board later extended, and it organises the Kathmandu Kora, an annual charity cycling challenge in which nearly 3,000 riders cover 50, 75 or 100 km. Other trips have included debating Buddhism with a monk and meeting the artisans who helped rebuild an ancient stupa after the earthquake.

Social Tours suits travellers who want context rather than a checklist of sights, and its short walks are a good introduction on a first day in the city. The pay-what-it's-worth model makes the market walk and cooking class accessible to budget travellers too.

The office is in Dhumbahal in Patan and is open from 10am to 5pm from Sunday to Friday, while the phone line, which also works on WhatsApp and Viber, is staffed around the clock. The sunset walk starts from one of the company's two bases, so check which one when you book.