Nepal

Overview

Draped along the spine of the Himalaya, Nepal is a land of sublime scenery, time-worn temples, and some of the best hiking trails on earth. It's a poor country, but it is rich in scenic splendour and cultural treasures. The kingdom has long exerted a pull on the Western imagination.

It's the kind of country that lingers in your dreams long after you leave it. This is why so many travellers are drawn back to Nepal, armed the second time round with a greater appreciation of its natural and cultural complexity, a stout pair of walking boots and a desire for sculpted calf muscles.

(Click the images to enlarge)

Factoids

Come Back, Everest!

The tectonic plate that supports the Himalayas is on the move, carrying Mount Everest off towards China. Fortunately, the plates are crawling along at a snail's pace of just 61 mm (2.4 in) per year. Nepali sherpas are in no immediate danger of unemployment.

Before you go!

When to go
Always consider the climate when you plan a trip to Nepal. Judge it wrong and you may never see the mountains. The best time to visit is probably the start of the dry season in October-November: the weather is balmy, the air is clean, visibility is perfect and the countryside is lush and green following the monsoon. However, roads and trails damaged during the monsoon may not be repaired until later in the year. There are some important and colourful festivals to enjoy too, though the Dasain festival in October can be disruptive if you are on a tight schedule.February-April, the tail end of the dry season, is the second-best period: the weather is warm and many of Nepal's wonderful wild flowers are in bloom, but dust can reduce visibility (and the pleasure of travelling by road).In December and January the skies are as clear as Swarovski crystal but it can be chilly: trekkers need to be well prepared for snow, and a warm sleeping bag is an asset in cheaper hotels, even in Kathmandu. On the other hand, sitting around an open fire wrapped in a yak wool blanket can be a very cosy experience.The rest of the year is fairly unpleasant for travelling: May and early June are generally too hot and dusty for comfort, and the monsoon from mid-June to September obscures the mountains in cloud and turns trails and roads to mud. Flying is often the only way to reach outlying areas at this time of year, and the western border crossings to India are often impassable.

Visas
All foreigners (except Indian nationals) require visas, which can be obtained in advance or on arrival with one passport photo and payment in cash (US dollars are best). Single-entry tourist visas cost US$30.00 for up to 60 days, or US$80.00 if you require multiple entry. You can extend tourist visas up to a maximum stay of 150 days (each additional 30-day period costs US$30.00 at the immigration offices in Kathmandu and Pokhara. Note that the final extension from 120 days to 150 days is only possible in Kathmandu.Visas allow travel to most parts of Nepal, with the exception of certain remote trekking areas, which may require an additional permit. Visitors to national parks must also pay national park entry fees - typically 500.00 to 1000.00. This includes trekkers visiting the Annapurna Conservation Area, Langtang National Park and Sagarmatha (Everest) National Park. Permits can be obtained in Kathmandu or through trekking agencies, while national park fees can be paid in Kathmandu or Pokhara, or sometimes at the entry checkpoints for the national parks. Your paperwork will be checked along the route and there's a hefty fine if you get caught without the necessary permits.

Weather

Because of the varied topography, the weather in Nepal can vary wildly from one district to another. As a general rule, temperatures fall and rainfall decreases the higher up you go. In the high-altitude deserts of the Tibetan Plateau, temperatures hover just above freezing for most of the year and it almost never rains. From March to April and October to November - the best times to visit Nepal - days are generally warm with little rain, decent sunshine and temperatures in the 24-28°C (75-83°F) range. From November to March, night-time temperatures can drop close to freezing, and snow can block mountain passes, though Pokhara and Kathmandu rarely see more than a few flakes. May and early June are unbearably hot and sticky and rain buckets down most days from May to September. Kathmandu is generally drier than Pokhara at this time of year, while the Terai positively drowns.

Geography

Nepal sits uneasily on the shoulder of the southern Himalaya, wedged between China to the north and India to the south. In length and breadth it's just another small country, but in height it's a world-beater. From the low-lying plains of the Terai, the landscape soars to the peaks of the Himalaya, including cloud-hugging Mt Everest. In fact, Nepal boasts eight of the world's 14 tallest mountains.

As well as being the tallest mountains in the world, the Himalaya are also some of the youngest - they first rose about 50 million years ago and they're still growing. Between the Terai and the Himalaya are the landslide-scarred gorges and lush green valleys of the Chure Hills and Mahabharat Range. The heavily cultivated land between the Mahabharat Range and the Indian border supports the bulk of the country's population - the only towns of any size in the hills are Kathmandu, Patan, Bhaktapur and Pokhara. Beyond the Himalaya are the high-altitude deserts of the Tibetan Plateau, one of the least populated areas on earth.

Getting around

getting there and away

There are few direct flights to Nepal, which means most travellers from Europe, North America and Australia have to change aircraft and/or airline en route. Nepal's only international airport is Kathmandu's Tribhuvan Airport - several airlines fly here with a stop in western Europe or the Gulf, or you can fly into India and change to a local shuttle. If you want to see the mountains as you fly into Kathmandu, make sure you sit on the right-hand side of the plane. The departure tax for international flights is 1695.00,, or 1356.00 to destinations on the Indian subcontinent, payable in Nepali rupees.
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The classic overland routes between Nepal and India are still popular. Buses are usually the quickest and easiest form of transport between Nepal and India. There are five main crossing points that are open to foreigners, but most people cross at Sunauli-Bhairawa, Birganj-Raxaul Bazaar or Kakarbhitta-Panitanki. The Sunauli border crossing is convenient for Varanasi or Delhi, the Birganj crossing is convenient for Kolkata, and Kakarbhitta is the obvious choice for Darjeeling or Sikkim. A trickle of travellers enter Nepal at the Mahendrenagar-Banbassa border crossing in the extreme west of Nepal, which is handy for Delhi and the hills of Uttaranchal and Himachal Pradesh. The crossing between Nepal and Tibet via Kodari is open to organised groups but not to individual travellers heading north. Be prepared to make alternative plans if using this route - landslides regularly make it impassable during the monsoon.

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getting around

Royal Nepal Airlines has an extensive domestic network and reasonable prices, but its aircraft are ancient and the booking system is erratic. Half a dozen private airlines offer similar routes in newer planes for only a little more. Whoever you fly with, be aware that flights are routinely cancelled due to bad weather, security problems or industrial action. It's advisable to book domestic flights a week in advance and keep re-confirming your ticket just to make sure you don't slip off the passenger list if the flight is full. Airlines only accept payment in hard currency from visitors.
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Public buses are the main form of ground transportation and are incredibly cheap, incredibly uncomfortable and tediously slow. Expect to average about 30km (18mi) per hour anywhere in the hills. Buses ply almost every paved road (not that there are many), as well as some of the unpaved ones, and nearly every visitor comes back with horror stories about 'almost' plunging into a ravine. The near escapes are only the tip of the iceberg. Hundreds of locals die in bus smashes every year and travellers are strongly advised to avoid bus travel at night. Safety is generally better on the dedicated tourist buses that connect Kathmandu, Pokhara and Chitwan. If you don't want to share your journey with farm produce and livestock, this is definitely the way to go.

A metre-gauge train line runs from Janakpur to the Indian border. But foreigners cannot cross here.

You cannot hire self-drive cars, but you can hire a car with a local driver, which is probably safer anyway. Small motorcycles can be rented in Kathmandu and Pokhara but the roads can be deadly.

Bike-riding is quickly gaining popularity with visitors for short jaunts; mountain bikes can be rented in Kathmandu, Pokhara and Lumbini and cycling can be quicker than getting around by local buses, especially in the Kathmandu Valley.

Walking is still the most important and most reliable method of getting from A to B and for moving cargo. In most of Nepal walking is the only option. More goods are carried by human porters than by every other form of transport combined.

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.

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Culture

Pre 20th Century

Nepal's recorded history began with the Kiratis, who arrived in the 7th or 8th century BC from the east. Little is known about them, other than their skill as sheep farmers and their fondness for knives. It is generally assumed that they followed a mixture of Hindu and Tantric beliefs. During the same period, a new religion arrived in Nepal - Buddhism, created by Siddhartha Gautama, the historical Buddha and the prince of the kingdom of Kapilavastu, near Lumbini. By 200 AD, Buddhism was on the decline. The Licchavis invaded from northern India and overthrew the last Kirati king, re-imposing Hinduism and the caste system (which still continues today) and ushering in a golden age of Nepali art and architecture.
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By 879, the Licchavi era had petered out and was succeeded by the Thakuri dynasty. A grim period of instability and invasion often referred to as the 'Dark Ages' followed, but Kathmandu Valley's strategic location ensured the kingdom's survival and growth. Several centuries later, the Thakuri king, Arideva, founded the Malla dynasty, kick-starting another renaissance of Nepali culture. Despite earthquakes, the odd invasion and feuding between the independent city-states of Kathmandu, Patan and Bhaktapur, the dynasty flourished, reaching its zenith in the 15th century under Yaksha Malla.

The rulers of the western city-state of Gorkha had always coveted the Mallas' wealth and under the inspired leadership of Prithvi Narayan Shah the Gurkhas launched a campaign to conquer the Kathmandu Valley. In 1768 - after 27 years of fighting - they triumphed and moved their capital to Kathmandu. From this new base the kingdom's power expanded, borne by a seemingly unstoppable army, until progress was halted in 1792 by a brief and chastening war with Tibet. The courage of the Gurkhas under fire is legendary. Many fighting forces around the world still maintain Gurkha regiments, including the British Army.

Further hostilities followed in 1814, this time with the British. After years of skirmishes over the ownership of the Terai, The Nepali forces were eventually brought to heel and compelled to sign the 1816 Sugauli Treaty, which surrendered Sikkim and most of Terai, establishing Nepal's present eastern and western boundaries. Some of the land was eventually restored in return for Nepalese help in quelling the Indian Mutiny of 1857.

The Shah dynasty continued in power during the first half of the 19th century until the ghastly Kot Massacre of 1846. Taking advantage of the intrigue and assassinations that had plagued the ruling family, Jung Bahadur seized control by butchering several hundred of the most important men. He took the more prestigious title Rana, proclaimed himself prime minister for life, and later made the office hereditary. For the next century, the Ranas and their offspring luxuriated in huge Kathmandu palaces, while the remainder of the population eked out a living in medieval conditions. The borders of Nepal were sealed to foreigners until after WWII and the country receded into myth and legend.

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Modern times

The Rana's antiquated regime came to an end soon after WWII. In 1948, the British withdrew from India, and with them went the Ranas' chief support. Isurrectional movements emerged and the Ranas, at the behest of India, reluctantly agreed to negotiations. King Tribhuvan was anointed ruler in 1951 and struck up a government comprised of Ranas and members of the newly formed Nepali Congress Party. The borders were also finally re-opened.
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But the political harmony was shortlived. Tribhuvan's son, King Mahendra had the elected cabinet arrested and assumed control of the government.

Cronyism, corruption and the creaming-off of lucrative foreign aid into royal coffers continued even as Mahendra was succeeded by his son. The Nepalis rose up in popular protest and though the authorities cracked down hard, killing hundreds of protestors, King Birendra eventually bowed to pressure, dissolved his cabinet, legalised political parties and invited the opposition to form an interim government.

The changeover to democracy proceeded in an orderly, if leisurely, fashion, and in May 1991 the Nepali Congress Party and the Communist Party of Nepal shared most of the votes.

But the political waters remained turbulent, with a general strike in 1992 resulting in a number of deaths and a midterm election called in 1994. A resulting tripartite coalition did nothing to calm the volatility and the late 1990s were littered with dozens of broken coalitions, dissolved governments and sacked politicians. In 1996 the Maoists (of the Communist Party of Nepal), fed up with government corruption, the failure of democracy to deliver improvements to the people, and the dissolution of the Communist government, declared a 'people's war'.

The 2001 massacre of the royal family by Crown Prince Dipendra was not enough to shock the country out of its turmoil. Gyanedra become monarch but prime ministers came and went like mayflies while the Maoists made and unmade truces and ceasefires.

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Recent times

Nepal's 12-year experiment with democracy faced a major setback in October 2002 when King Gyanendra, frustrated with the political stalemate and the continued delay in holding national elections, dissolved the government. Gyanendra again dissolved the government in February 2005, amid a state of emergency.
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Following days of mass demonstrations, parlimentary democracy was grudgingly restored by the king in April 2006, whereupon the parliament reduced the king to a figurehead, ending powers the royal Shah lineage had enjoyed for over 200 years. A peace deal brokered with the Maoists saw them joining an interim government and a possible end to the grisly internal fighting that had cost more than 10,000 lives. Unfortunately, this partnership has followed a typical pattern of Nepalese politics and appears to have broken down, leaving the country in an uneasy, though familiar, limbo.

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Events

Nepal's festive calendar is hectic. Dasain, celebrated nationwide in October, is the most important of all Nepali celebrations and features the biggest animal sacrifice of the year. Running a close second is Tihar (November), when crows, dogs and cows are venerated and everyone offers tika marks and food to friends and relations. Other important Hindu festivals include colourful Holi (March), lively Indra Jatra (September) and Chaitra Dasain (April), which is yet another bad day for animals. Some of the local festivals in the Kathmandu Valley are epic affairs - the Red Machchhendranath Rath Jatra (May-June) in Patan features incredible chariot parades to honour Lord Krishna. Followers of Shiva celebrate Haribodhini Ekadashi (November) and Maha Shivaratri (March) with great pomp at Pashupatinath. As Buddhism is a philosophy rather than a religion, Buddhist festivals are thinner on the ground. However, Losar (Tibetan New Year, held in February) is celebrated with masked chaam dances at Swayambhunath, Bodhnath and Tibetan monasteries across the country. Other important Buddhist feast days include Mani Rimdu (November) in Solu Khumbu and Buddha Jayanti (Buddha's birthday - held in May) in Kathmandu and Lumbini.

Books

The Snow Leopard, Peter Matthiessen

Beautifully written account of the author's pilgrimage to Dolpa to track the elusive cat.

To the Navel of the World, Peter Somerville-Large

Engagingly dotty book that chronicles the author's adventures through Nepal's uncharted lands.

Fatalism & Development - Nepal's Struggle for Modernisation, Dor Bahadur Bista

Recent Nepal histories are limited but Fatalism & Development, written by a Nepali anthropologist, is a good place to start.

The Art of Nepal, Lydia Aran

Provides a good introduction to Nepali art.

People of Nepal, Dor Bahadur Bista

Reveals many facets of the country's culture.

Annapurna South Face, Chris Bonington

Mountaineering breeds either writers or braggarts, judging by the number of publications written after every first ascent of a Himalayan peak, and choosing which account to read can become one's own personal Everest. But Bonington's book should steady the nerves.

The Ascent of Rum Doodle, WE Bowman

A classic mountaineering tall story.

Activities

Nepal's Himalayan heights are tailor-made for trekking and mountain climbing, not to mention kayaking, whitewater rafting, paragliding and mountain biking. Those who prefer internal challenges will find a range of language, spiritual, medicinal and yoga courses in Kathmandu and at various temples and monasteries around the country.

Points of Interest

Koshi Tappu Wildlife Reserve

This rarely-visited reserve is a great place to escape the crowds for a few days and do some animal- and bird spotting. Water-bird species outnumber tourists 400:1, and the reserve is home to the last surviving population of wild arna (water buffalo), various deer, nilgai, mugger crocodiles and Gangetic dolphins.

Royal Chitwan National Park

Royal Chitwan National Park provides one of the finest wildlife experiences in Asia. While you'd have to be lucky to see one of the tigers or leopards, an elephant safari is an unforgettable experience and you are almost certain to see rhinos, deer, monkeys and numerous bird species, as well as the jumbo underneath you!

Hanuman Dhoka (Old Royal Palace)

The old royal palace is a part of Durbar Square, which remains the traditional heart of the old town and a spectacular example of traditional architecture. The king no longer lives here - the royal family moved to Narayanhiti more than a century ago - and the 1934 earthquake damaged the complex, but it remains a fascinating place to explore.

Bodhnath

This is Nepal's most famous Buddhist monument, a shimmering white stupa topped by a towering golden spire and watched over by the eyes of the Buddha. Thousands of multi-coloured prayer flags flutter overhead and hordes of pilgrims flock here daily to perform the ceremonial circumnavigation of the shrine.

Dakshinkali

At the southern end of the Kathmandu Valley, in a dark, somewhat spooky location, stands the temple of Dakshinkali. The temple 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.