This
beautiful country is known as the unique and cultural destination in the
world of tourism because it blends the aesthetic, spiritual excitement and
adventure. The most important attraction in the country is the eight of the
world's 10 highest mountains it houses where the summit of Mt. Everest( Mt.
Sagarmatha) is the highest point on the face of the earth. Trekking and
mountaineering here is the most popular adventure sport which pulls in
several thousand tourists to its irregular, but captivating surroundings.
Nepal owns the mighty mountains, wild rivers, dense jungles, unique
cultures & warm hearted people which makes it an enigma in itself. This
is the country where Hinduism and Buddhism have co-existed down the ages
laying down the example for the generations to come.
Kathmandu, the capital of Nepal has been referred as the living museum as
it houses plethora of antique shrines, temples and several other palaces
(Durbar Squares )with intricate and exquisite woodcarving.
Fact File
Official name : Kingdom of Nepal
Government : Parliamentary Democracy and Constitutional Monarchy
Location : The Kingdom of Nepal is located between India in the
south, east and west and China in the north.
Nationality : Nepalese
Ethnic Group : Sherpa, Dolpa People, Larke and Siar People, Manang
Bas, Lo Pas of Mustang, Olangchung People, Brahmin, Chhetris, Kirats,
Newars, Tamangs, Magars, Gurungs, Thakalis, Brahman and Rajputs, Tharus,
Rajbansis, Satars, Musalmans, etc.
Continent : Asia
Currency : Nepalese rupee(NR) ; 1 NPR = 0.6252 INR = 0.01436 US
dollar (subject to change).
Capital City : Kathmandu
Population : 27676547
Languages : Nepali, Hindi, English
Religion : Hindus(80%), Buddhists(11%), Kirat(3.6%).
Area
: 147181 sq km
Famous For : Housing the 8 of the 10 most tallest peaks of the
world, including the majestic Mount Everest. Buddhist monasteries, various
Hindu temples and extravagant excursions of Nepal are other attractions, for
which Nepal is known worldwide. Nepal is also a major trekking and
mountaineering destination in the world.
Major Cities : Pokhara, Kathmandu, Lalitpur.
Neighbouring countries : India and China
Clothing : Summers - heavy cottons ; Winters
– heavy woolens.
Things to Buy : There are numerous tourist shops on the main streets
and in the arcades of hotels, bursting with tempting jewelleries, images,
carpets, clothes and typical Nepalese crafts and much more.
Things to Do : Adventure sports like rafting, kayaking,
mountaineering, trekking and mountain biking.
Cuisine : The staple diet called dal bhat tarkari which is a
combination of lentil soup, rice and curried vegetables is prevalent in the
most parts of the country.
Beverages : Lassi (a refreshing mixture of curd and water), the
locally produced beer or chang, a Himalayan home brew made from barley.
Major Events :
Dasain : Dasain, celebrated nationwide in October, is the
most important of all Nepalese celebrations and features the biggest animal
sacrifice of the year.
Hindu Festivals : Tihar (November), Holi (March) and
Chaitra Dasain (April), Haribodhini Ekadashi (November) and Maha Shivaratri
(March), the Gai Jatra (August) in Kathmandu and the Krishna Jayanti
(August/September) in Patan.
Buddhist festivals : Buddhist celebrations include Mani
Rimdu (November) in Solu Khumbu, Buddha Jayanti (May) in Kathmandu, and
Losar (Tibetan New Year) (February) in Swayambhunath, Jawalakhel and
highland communities.
Visa Permit
Required by all except the following:
(a) Indians;
(b) Transit passengers continuing their journey by the
same or first connecting aircraft on the same day provided holding valid
onward or return documentation and not leaving the airport.
Culture
The King Prithvi Narayan Shah had quoted Nepal as "Char Jaat Chhattis
Barna Ko Sajha Fulbari". That is, the country of multi-language,
multi-culture. People of Nepal live peacefully, without any customs and
traditions running deep in mind.
Few Nepalese get the chance to travel abroad, or even to see foreign films
or media, so their only exposure to the outside world is through travelers.
This puts a great responsibility on visitors to be sensitive to Nepali ways
and values, and to project a favorable image of foreigners.
Many different ethnic groups coexist in Nepal , all with their own complex
customs. In the Kathmandu Valley, where they mix the most, there's a
necessarily high degree of tolerance of different clothes and lifestyles - a
fact that travelers sense, and often abuse.
The dos and don'ts listed here aren't as inflexible as they might sound.
You'll make blunder all the time and Nepalese will rarely say anything.
When to Go
October-November, the start of the dry season, is in many ways the best
time of the year and the country is lush after the monsoons. February-April,
the tail end of the dry season, is the second-best period: visibility is not
so good because of dust, but the weather is warm and many of Nepal's
wonderful wild flowers are in bloom. In December and January the climate and
visibility are good but it can be freezing. The rest of the year is fai rly
unpleasant for travelling:
Climate
Nepal's climate is best described as monsoon. It has been classified into
four seasons, which are as follows:
Spring : February/April (Dry & Mild weather)
April/June (Dry, Squally & Hot)
Summer : Mild June/September (Monsoon) ;max temp: 29.4 deg
cel and min temp : 18.9 deg cel
Autumn : October/Mid December (Ideal weather)
Winter : December/February (Dry & cool) ; max temp:
21.6 deg cel and min temp : 1.9 deg cel
Getting There
By Air : Tribhuvan Airport is the only international airport in
Nepal. There are few direct flights to Nepal indicating that most travellers
from Europe, North America and Australia have to change aircraft and/or
airline en route.
By Road : Buses are the quickest and easiest form of transport
between Nepal and India. There are three main crossing points:
Sunauli-Bhairawa, Birganj-Raxaul Bazaar and Kakarbhitta-Siliguri. The
Sunauli border crossing is the best one from Varanasi, the Birganj crossing
is the easiest from Kolkata, and Kakarbhitta is the obvious choice from
Darjeeling.
Getting Around
By Air : Royal Nepal Airlines and several private companies offer
domestic air services and ensure easy navigation within the country
By Road : Public buses are the main form of transportation in Nepal
and there are no trains or drive-yourself rental cars in Nepal but cars with
drivers can be hired.
Local transport in the Kathmandu Valley and around Pokhara includes metered
and unmetered taxis, buses, tempos (three-wheeled buses), auto-rickshaws,
bicycle rickshaws and bicycles.
Major Attractions
Kathmandu (The Capital City) : The city of Kathmandu is not only the
capital of Nepal but also a notable historic center surrounded by green
hills giving the city its unfailing charm. Situated in a valley which is an
open air museum of famous sites, ancient temples and shrines, golden pagodas
and inspiring deities, is a city of inexhaustible historic artistic and
cultural interest. Many beautiful and interesting villages and towns
surrounding the valley present ideal destinations for mini treks. The
fascinating Himalayan peaks are visible from several points on the mountains
around the valley.
Dakshinkali : At the southern end of the Kathmandu Valley is the
temple of Dakshinkali which is dedicated to the six-armed goddess Kali,
Shiva's consort in her most sanguinary incarnation. Twice a week, Nepalese
visitors journey here to satisfy her bloodlust.
They bring buffaloes, chickens, ducks, goats, sheep and pigs, which are
dispatched by having their throats slit or heads lopped off. These animals,
some still writhing, are then dragged to a nearby stream where they are
butchered for a feast at a later date. The blood runs freely every Saturday
and especially during the October festival of Dasain when the image of Kali
is literally bathed in the stuff.
Adventurous Sports
The various adventurous sports in the city like paragliding, trekking,
bunjee jumping, Rafting, mountaineering and mountain biking are very famous
in the country. Many tourists visit Nepal just for experiencing the thrill
offered by the various sports especially white water rafting and trekking in
the mighty Himalayas.
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