With Nepal's snowy Himalayan peaks as a backdrop, the sky above Pokhara transformed into a vibrant canvas of colours for the country's first hot-air balloon festival.

"We felt that we must bring a balloon festival like this to Nepal," Sabin Maharjan, an organiser of the event, told AFP. Hot-air balloons from more than 10 countries participated in the festival. "A ride here can be very exciting as you can see mountains,