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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
Tips & articles
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6 November 2009
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Kathmandu’s alleys and temples
17 September 2009
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Your favourite destinations September 3rd-11th
14 September 2009
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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 Chomolungma (Tibetan)
- Population 29.5 million
Related Groups
Our favourite Nepal Blogs (beta)
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Row Row Your Boat
Blog: Around The World On The Toilet - 9 November 2009
by Nick Picture a blue blue lake surrounded by the snow capped Himalaya and on the shore a small town with delicious restaurants, trekking stores by the dozen, Tibetans selling handicrafts, and every kind of accommodation and thats Pokhara. Some tourists whiz through on their way up to the gorgeous Annapurna mountain range but some linger awhile by the lakeside, we were the latter. Due to our visas troubles our time for trekking was cut but this aloud us to lounge around on the lake front and kick back before the stresses ...
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Travel Video – NEPAL GOL-O MA
Blog: GoBackpacking - 7 November 2009
_ Watching this video stirred up my emotions. It’s funny how a simple mouse-click can whip them up so easily. It brought back a lot of memories from my 6 weeks in Nepal last year. Nepal is f*cking awesome. While I was there, I knew I wouldn’t be able to fully appreciate the experience until I was back [...]Buy travel insurance from Worldnomads.com (Lonely Planet's preferred carrier)
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The Hunt for Shere Kahn – Chitwan
Blog: Around The World On The Toilet - 4 November 2009
by Nick I was awakened at 6am yesterday to Lianna looking out the window confused asking “Are there elephants grunting out our window?” She wasn’t wearing glasses so I was called upon to verify and sure enough there were some elephants right beside our room. Not long after we grabbed a coffee and were set to board our elephants for both of our first safari. Speaking to a fellow Canadian the day prior our hopes were not set high as he didn’t see any animals on his elephant safari and suggested the ...
