Kathmandu

This handicraft centre showcases the beautiful, elaborate carpets that fuel much of Nepal's textile industry. It is a Tibetan refugee cooperative, and visitors can watch as more than 1,000 refugee employees work at their craft before heading to the shopping area to take one home. Other options include cashmere and yak-hair shawls.

The Thamel area boasts several great shops that showcase Nepal's wonderful handmade paper products, and The Paper Park might be the best place to buy it. Visitors can find photo albums, paper lamps, notebooks, paper hangings and much more, made from the country's special paper that comes from the lokta plant.

Thangkas are traditional Tibetan Buddhist scroll paintings on cotton or silk that usually depict Buddhist deities, religious scenes or mandalas. The thangkas on display here are beautiful and a great bargain, as they usually end up on sale at tourist hotspots for much higher prices. Pop in, watch the artists at work in the workshop, take a painting class yourself, and take home a unique souvenir.

The Kathmandu Valley is famous for its Newar woodcarvers, who are part of a woodworking tradition that dates back to the 10th century. The master carvers train for years to perfect their craft and the result is some of the finest craftsmanship you are likely to find almost anywhere. Find ornate panels, mirror frames, tables, bookshelves and much more, and take home a true masterpiece.

The Baber Mahal was originally a Rana palace that dates back to 1919, but has now been redesigned and repurposed into a chic and beautiful shopping centre hosting clothing stores, galleries and some fine restaurants and bars. The quality of the products here is high and clearly aimed at tourists and the local elite, so expect higher prices than you might find elsewhere in the city.

Explorers and adventurers need to look no further for their one-stop outdoor gear shop in Kathmandu. Shona's sells and rents out everything trekkers might need to battle the elements and brave the mighty Himalayas, including backpacks, sleeping bags (they make their own) and warm down jackets.