Introducing Nepal
Draped along the greatest heights of the Himalaya, Nepal is where the ice-cold of the mountains meets the steamy heat of the Indian plains. It's a land of yaks and yetis, stupas and Sherpas and some of the best trekking on earth. The Himalaya's most sophisticated urban cultures took shape here, in the three great minikingdoms of the Kathmandu Valley - Kathmandu, Patan and Bhaktapur - home to a world-class artistic and architectural heritage.
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Behind the Vishnu shrine of Ichangu Narayan, northwest of Swayambhunath in the Kathmandu Valley, rises the 'Abode of Snows' (Himalaya in Sanskrit), a magnet for trekkers and mountaineers the world over. Only in Nepal can you trek for weeks without the need even for a tent. No longer does your name have to be Tenzing or Hillary to set foot in Everest Base Camp. Out of the mountains, get your adrenaline kick from world-class white-water rafting, kayaking and mountain biking, or from the spine-tingling sight of your first tiger or rhino in Chitwan National Park.
Nepal is not just a bungee-jumping, apple-pie eating Shangri-la. It's also one of the poorest countries on earth. However, many visitors, drawn to Nepal by the promise of adventure, leave equally enchanted by the friendliness and openness of the Nepali people.
From the natural rhythm you ease into on a trek to the rhythm of a tabla drum at one of Kathmandu's palace restaurants, Nepal is an amazingly diverse country that offers something for everyone. One journey through this land is rarely enough. The first thing many people do after a visit is start planning the next one.
Ready to go? Our recommended tours make it easy:
- Trek from Delhi to Kathmandu
- Journey through Sherpa villages to the base of Mount Everest
- Visit India, Bhutan and Nepal in a journey of the East Himalayan Kingdoms
Last updated: Jan 20, 2012
Tips & articles
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Fine tune your table manners
19 January 2012
You think that emptying the bottle into your guest’s glass is polite… little do you know that you just designated...
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Watching wildlife in Nepal
18 January 2012
Lifted straight from the pages of a Rudyard Kipling book, the steamy jungles of southern Nepal are home some of...
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Nepal’s alternative adrenaline activities
18 January 2012
With eight of the world’s 14 highest mountains, epic valleys and rivers with personalities that run from gentle to ferocious,...
Thorn Tree forum discussion
Recent posts
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RE: Room-reservation needed in November?
by guideupendra 15 September 2011
Nepal, specially Kathmandu and Pokhara will be so busy in November. Most of the good and recommended hotels are almost full. So, reserving…
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RE: money exchange in india
by bee049 14 September 2011
How much? It depends what your needs are. I mean if you need a beer (or other western stuff) it's more expensive than if you drink Indian…
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Room-reservation needed in November?
by priscillagoesglobal 14 September 2011
Hello everyone, My dad and I are planning on going to Nepal from the 1th of November until the 18th. I've been in Nepal before, in 2002,…
Hotels & Hostels
Top cities in Nepal
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Park Village Resort
Kathmandu
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Nepal
Things to do
- All things to do (622)
- Activities (64)
- Entertainment (29)
- Restaurants (172)
- Shopping (54)
- Sights (208)
- Tours (95)
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Our Top Picks For Nepal
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1 Pokhara
Hang out by Phewa Tal and gaze across the lake towards the Annapurnas
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2 Annapurna Circuit
Hit the Apple Pie Trail on Nepal's most popular trek, or just enjoy short hikes from Jomsom
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3 Tansen
Tour ancient temples, visit traditional villages and hike to hilltops with Himalayan views
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4 Lumbini
Meditate on the nature of existence amidst a sea of monasteries at the birthplace of the Buddha
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5 Bandipur
Soak up the medieval atmosphere and the views in this living museum of Newari architecture
Fast Facts about Nepal
- National colour Crimson (Simrik)
- Literacy rate 48.6%
- Nepalese Proverb A smart jackal is no match for an old tiger
- Nepalese word for cabbage (phonetic) ban-dah-ko-bi
- National animal Cow
- Life expectancy
62 years
- By law, what kind of enemy is a Gurkha forbidden to fight? One of Hindu belief
- Original (pre-British) name of Mt Everest
Sagarmatha (Nepalese); Chomolungma (Tibetan)
- Population 29.5 million
Our favourite Nepal Blogs (beta)
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Update from the Field: Adapting for Borrowers by Borrowers, Microinsurance +SKFL
Blog: Kiva Stories from the Field - 28 November 2011
Compiled by Jim Burke, KF16, Nicaragua This week’s Fellows Blog focuses on adaptability: Adapting microinsurance to poor households in Indonesia, an MFI in Turkey adapts to the needs of women entrepreneurs, a multifaceted borrower in Nepal adapts to market pressures, and a Kiva Fellow adapts to changing expectations. In a continuation of The Stuff Kiva [...]
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Multi-faceted Borrowers Part 2
Blog: Kiva Stories from the Field - 23 November 2011
By Abhinab Basnyat, KF 16, Nepal Part 1 of this series is available at here Similar to Narayan Devi, Binu is a multi-faceted entrepreneur. A previous Kiva loan helped her fund a tailoring business where she was able to employ a few other people. As a single mother, she recently moved to another part of [...]
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Picture Perfect Portraits: Children of the World
Blog: Canada's Adventure Couple - 20 November 2011
Picture perfect portraits tell so much about the subject. When we travel, we meet so many sweet and curious children around the world that absolutely love having their photos taken.
