Apple orchards and the brandy of Marpha

Marpha's apples grow on irrigated terraces on both sides of the Kali Gandaki, protected from the wind by stone walls and lines of poplar and willow. We start with a walk through the orchards with a grower, who explains how the varieties introduced by the government horticulture farm in the 1960s were adapted to cold winters and dry summers. Harvest runs from late August into October. Some trees in the oldest orchards are now more than 50 years old.

Back in the village, the fruit is sorted in courtyards. The best apples are packed for trucks to Pokhara and Kathmandu; smaller ones are cut into rings and dried on the rooftops, pressed for juice or fermented for cider and brandy. In some houses you can see the copper or steel stills used for distilling. Each family has its own recipe and strength. Nothing is wasted: peel and cores go to the animals.

We finish with a tasting in a family lodge: fresh juice, a slice of apple pie, dried fruit and a small glass of brandy for those who want it. Bottles are sold sealed and pack well. Remember that alcohol and altitude do not mix; if you are heading higher the next day, keep the tasting small or save it for the way down. We can also arrange a box of fresh apples to be sent down to your Pokhara hotel in season.