It is easy to see why Swayambhunath is known colloquially as the 'Monkey Temple': hordes of them gather to eat offerings of rice and fruit left at the shrines by pilgrims, while others amuse themselves by preying on unsuspecting tourists. There is far more to this fifth-century temple than the monkeys, however. It is on an ancient holy site and some tantric Buddhists believe that an act of worship here is worth thirteen billion times more than its equivalent elsewhere.