Discover Nepal
Nepal is a small country located in Southern Asia wedged between the superpowers of India and China. Our modest nation covers the beautiful and dramatic Himalaya mountains extending as far south as the grasslands of India and up to the Tibetan Plateau in the north. For those of you who’ve heard of us probably know of Nepal as home to the highest mountain in the world, Mount Everest. Yes it is true that we love Mount Everest and our impressive Himalayas but there is so much more to our beautiful country than just its alpine peaks.
Nepal is also a place of rich and diverse culture. Due to our geographic isolation we have remained a fairly peaceful country and were lucky enough to avoid being being conquered or colonised since our country was unified hundreds of years ago. Nepal was historically a very strong and prosperous state previously known as the Kingdom of Nepal up to very recently in 2008 when we became the latest country to become a democracy. Our political and geographical independence from the rest of the world has allowed us to kept our rich traditional culture strong and has protected the diverse ethnic groups of people that still live in Nepal today. While trekking through the Himalayas you will get to experience these unique cultures, having the opportunity to visit the villages of the Sherpa, Tamang, Gurung and Rai people who often live very traditional and fascinating lives as they have done for hundreds or years.
Nepal has a long and proud history with evidence of people living in the area for over 11,000 years. Nepal is very fortunate to be the birthplace of Lord Buddha who was born in Lumbini in 623 BC of which in now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Along with Lumbini Nepal has 10 World Heritage Sites which is the highest density of UNESCO sites of any country in the world.
Another Nepali claim to fame is our national flag which is the only flag in the world that isnt rectangular in shape.
Nepal is also home to great religious diversity with Hindu, Buddhist and Kirat people living harmoniously together in the close confines of Nepals narrow valleys and crowded cities. The mountain passes that cross the Himalayas created vital trade routes through Nepal that lead to the peaceful coexistence of the many different cultures at crossroads like the Kathmandu Valley where Buddhist from Tibet and Hindus from India traded and lived together for hundreds of years. Our religious diversity couldn’t be more evident than in multicultural Kathmandu where at the Swayambhunath Temple both Buddhist and Hindu monuments still sit side by side on the prominent city hilltop as they have done since the city was born. Once you get under Kathmandu’s skin you will see the diversity of its people, the Newar, Brahmins and Chhitris, Hindus and Buddhist, all living together within the narrow lanes, and bustling markets of Kathmandu.
As well as our many different cultures Nepal has a very dramatic and diverse landscape. From the hot and humid Terai Plains at almost sea level climbing up to the freezing mountain peaks that extend well over 8000 metres there is a huge range of landscapes and environments for a country of our size..
While most people have heard of Mount Everest, very few know of the lush jungles and rain forests that cover much the tropical lowlands of Nepal. In the protected Chitwan National Park you maybe lucky enough to see a Rhino, Elephant or Tiger amongst the grasslands and forests of the Rapti River.
Flowing down from the Himalayas there are also enormous rivers that have carved out the most spectacular valleys and gorges into the landscape of Nepal. These steep valleys are home to the majority of Nepalis whole live in the thousands of tiny agricultural villages that hang from every cultivatable space on the landscape. The powerful rivers that charge down these valleys are one of Nepals greatest assets providing hydroelectric generation that supplies most of our electricity needs. Nepal also has a fast growing adventure tourism industry with white water rafters, kayakers and adventure seekers taking advantage of these great rivers and valleys.
The Himalayan foothills are also home to Nepals national flower the Rhododendron. In the spring season trekkers in Nepals eastern provinces will get to visit the stunning Rhododendron forests that will be blanketed in a sea of red, white and pink flowers.
The mighty Himalaya mountains mark Nepals northern boarder with Tibet. Nepal is very lucky to have 8 of the 10 highest mountains in the world including the highest and most famous Mount Everest that stands at 8848 metres tall. The impressive and beautiful mountains have attracted mountaineers and trekker to Nepal for generations, many of who just want to admire their beauty from afar and some who come so they can stand on top of the roof of the world. The remarkable changes in altitude of the Himalayas means that there is a huge range of trekking routes from those who want a cultural walk through the foothills of the Tamang people up to those who want to touch the mountains and cross high glaciated passes like Cho La at 5420m deep in the heart of the Himalayas. For those who venture into the remotest corners of Himalayas like Kanchenjunga or Dolpo there is the chance you will see the one of the rare Snow Leopard that makes this alpine environment of Nepal their home or maybe even the mysterious Yeti!
Since Tenzing Norgay and Edmund Hillary climbed Mount Everest in 1953 the mountaineering and tourism business in Nepal has boomed and is now a bigger industry than agriculture and manufacturing. The tourism industry is of great importance to Nepal which is unfortunately one of the poorest nations in the world where most people rely solely on subsistence farming to survive. With over half of Nepalese living on less than $2 a day many Nepalese are unable to access good education and healthcare therefore Nepali people have some of the lowest literacy rates in the world. We are lucky that many visitors to Nepal fall in love with our country and have established great organisations like Sunsar Maya and Seven Women that help raise the standard of living of our most disadvantaged people.
So come and discover Nepal, our unique culture, proud history, beautiful nature and magnificent mountains, and help us to become a prosperous nation once again.