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.
Make it happen
Ready to go? Our recommended tours make it easy:
- trek the historic route to Everest Base Camp
- trek the Annapurna Circuit
- get the best of Nepal
- take a short Everest Trek and discover Sherpa culture
Like the sound of these tours? We've got more here.
Last updated: Sep 30, 2009
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Thorn Tree forum discussion
Recent posts
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Organising for trek in Nepal over the dashian period
by nomadic_couple 1 reply, last post 06 September 2010
Hi I have booked my tickets to get to nepal on October 15th and had allowed for three days in Kathmandu to organise for the trek ( Annapurna…
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Trekking in September 7 days time!
by gemmaroy 1 reply, last post 05 September 2010
Hi, I'm Gemma 24, and with and Italian friend Sara 21. We are hoping to do a trek in the Nepal we are thinking of either doing the Langtang…
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WILDLIFE VOLUNTEERING?
by hols22 1 reply, last post 04 September 2010
Hi, Myself and my boyfriend are currently looking for some wildlife volunteering wok in Nepal/Tibet. We fly out from England 3rd October…
Hotels & Hostels in Nepal
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The Dwarika's Hotel
Kathmandu
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Hotel Blue Horizon
Kathmandu
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Nepal
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)
- Pseudonym for Swayambhunath Monkey temple
- 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
Related Groups
Our favourite Nepal Blogs (beta)
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Where to find Shangri La? – Comparing 3 Himalayan Kingdoms
Blog: Around The World On The Toilet - 4 September 2010
It might be one of the most overused cliches in the travel universe but the idea of a kingdom deep in the Himalaya’s inspired by James Hilton’s classic Lost Horizon has thousands of backpackers and jet setters alike grabbing their warm coats and hiking boots in search of this mystical kingdom. The sheer remoteness of [...]
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Mount Everest Base Camp, We’ve Arrived
Blog: Canada's Adventure Couple - 31 August 2010
After revisiting our trek to Mount Everest Base camp through videos, we have come to the end. The day that we arrive at our destination. From the spectacular views of the Khumbu Ice Fall and the South Cole to the bonding with our guide Deep and Porter Sher, it was an amazing day.
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A Himalayan Adventure: Snapshot Sunday
Blog: Canada's Adventure Couple - 29 August 2010
It has been a week of editing video and re-visiting our time at Mount Everest Base Camp. On September 8th we will be putting on a media presentation at Mountain Equipment Co-op in Toronto and it has been incredible looking at our previous posts, videos and photos of our time in Nepal.We had forgotten just how stunning the scenery is in the Khumbu Region. Every day felt as if we could reach out and touch heaven. This photo captures that magic of what we saw every day for almost two weeks while trekking to Everest Base Camp.
