Some of these valleys historically were more accessible from Tibet than Nepal and are populated by people with Tibetan affinities called "Bhotiya" or "Bhutia" including the famous Sherpas in Kumbu valley near Mount Everest. With Chinese cultural hegemony in Tibet itself, these valleys have become repositories of traditional ways. Valleys with better access from the hill regions to the south are culturally linked to Nepal as well as Tibet, notably the Kali Gandaki Gorge where Thakali culture shows influences in both directions.