South Asian state Nepal located at the very foot of the Himalayas. The main part of the country is covered by the ridges of the mountain system. On three sides, the republic is surrounded by India, and in the north, Nepal borders on China, with a total area of 147,000 square meters. kilometers. Conventionally, a country can be divided into 3 geographical zones:
- Himalayan region;
- mountainous region (formed by the mountain ranges of Mahabharata and Churya in the central part);
- Terai plains (wide flat flat terrain located in the south of the country).
To date, 30 million people of various races and nationalities are registered in Nepal. Indigenous Nepalese are the leaders - 54% of the total population, the second place went to the Magars, who live mainly in the west - 7.1%, tharu - 6% and others. In general, there are more than one hundred ethnic groups in the kingdom. The inhabitants of Nepal speak different languages and dialects, depending on the people’s community, however, the national language is nepali. The local currency is rupee.
Buddhism and Hinduism are the main religious trends in the region, and, surprisingly, the adherents of this or that movement peacefully coexist with each other, do not impose their views and respect the spiritual traditions of their brothers. Indigenous people - deeply religious people, not without reason say that in the country of the majestic Himalayas there are more temples than houses.
Nepal - the capital and major cities
Between the harsh Himalayas and the Mahabharat ridge in a fertile valley is the capital of the kingdom - the city of Kathmandu, with a population of 370 thousand people. A small but cozy town has several large carriageways with two lanes and many narrow streets that look like a maze.
Major wars miraculously circumvented the capital, so it retained an impeccable architectural style that has evolved over the centuries. The city has more than a thousand temples and tens of thousands of significant buildings. Kathmandu is not only the cultural, but also the administrative, political, financial center of the republic.
Other important cities of the valley are Lalitpur and Bhaktapur. In different historical periods, these settlements also had the honor to occupy the capital post.
Nepal - holidays and tours
An exotic country is gaining momentum in the field of tourism - all year round guests from all over the world come here to look for incredible adventures. Climbing to the tops of the most magnificent mountains, you feel the captivating smell of freedom and the proximity of a bottomless sky. Even visitors are attracted by the amazing flora and fauna of the jungle, the rich cultural and historical heritage of cities, alpine reserves and parks, clear lakes of cold beauty; but without a portion of extreme rest in Nepal would not be complete.
Several hundred people annually come to storm the highest peaks of the world - Everest (8848 m), towering on the border of Nepal and Tibet, the peak of Kanchenjung, located on the border with India, the Annapurna mountain range, part of the Himalayan chain.
Few people will give up trekking routes along the mountainous terrain and rafting along the slopes of turbulent mountain rivers. The country surprises with a variety of landscapes, clean air and unique pristine nature. Visiting the national parks and reserves of the kingdom will certainly bring guests a lot of positive emotions.
Tours to Nepal can not be imagined without a review of local attractions concentrated in the capital and major cities.
Nepal - Attractions
The city of Kathmandu has collected many beautiful and unusual architectural monuments, buildings, temples and monasteries. The greatest interest among travelers is caused by the temples of Kasthamandal (723 g), Jagannath, Ashok Vinayak (3rd century BC), the temple of the heavenly God Akash Bhairav and many other religious buildings. The grandiose region of the monasteries on the outskirts of the city cannot be ignored: Kopan, which shows off on the hill of the same name, the Pashupati temple complex, spread out on the banks of the sacred river Bagmati, Bhadrakali, etc.
In the vicinity of the city are concentrated many other attractions of interest to tourists: Taumadhi Square with the five-tiered pagoda Nyatapole, Dharahara Tower (59 m), the National History Museum, numerous statues and fountains.
Pokhara is a popular resort of the republic. It occupies the shores of one of the most beautiful lakes in the world - Feva Tal. A chain of hotels, restaurants and shops stretches along the coast. The city is famous for a Hindu temple located on an island in the center of the lake, Shanti stupa, an abundance of monasteries, the sacred Rupa cave, the magnificent Davis Fall waterfall and a bewitching panorama of the snowy peaks of the Annapurna massif.
There are 16 national reserves and parks on the territory of the country, a visit to which will leave an indelible imprint on your memory: Sagarmatha Park, Chitwan, lying in the Rapti Valley and resembling a tropical jungle with all its diversity of wild, virgin nature; Bardiya reserve, where rhinos, wild elephants, tigers, crocodiles live; Koshi Tappu nature reserve, rich in a variety of exotic birds. And this is not a complete list of picturesque places of the state.
Nepal - weather (climate)
No country has such a diverse climate, starting from the tropical, exotic south and ending with mountain Arctic glaciers. The altitude below a thousand meters above sea level is characterized by hot summers with a rise in temperature from +27 to +32 and above degrees. Winter is mild and warm, the thermometer rises to +20 during the day and +10 at night.
In the mountainous regions of Sivilika and Mahabharata, the weather is a bit more capricious. Summer daytime temperature rises to + 22 ... +24 degrees, and winter temperature drops to + 12 ... +18. In the highlands, the temperature in summer rarely exceeds + 10 ... +12 degrees, winters are snowy, cold and windy. Devices in the winter months are fixed - from -7 to -30.
Weather in Nepal now:
Nepal - national cuisine
Having visited the exotic kingdom, you can fully enjoy the variety of delicacies of Nepalese cuisine. The country provides a wide range of dishes for guests. In addition to national cuisine, in any restaurant in the country you can order Tibetan and Indian dishes.
The basis of a hospitable Nepalese table is rice cooked with all kinds of vegetables, herbs and seasonings. For cooking, potatoes, cabbage, zucchini, beans, cucumbers and onions are also used, and fruits can not be dispensed with. And as seasonings they use hot pepper, turmeric, ginger, nutmeg, saffron yellow, etc.
Savor a traditional dish called Dal Wat Tarkari - rice with fried vegetables and bean putty. Improvising cooks complement dishes with spices, fruits, fish and eggs. Surely you will like mom - large steamed dumplings with lamb minced meat.
In a mountainous area, residents eat corn and a butter dish flavored with sugar. In severe mountain conditions, such food perfectly strengthens the strength.
As a traditional dessert, you can try sel - sweet donuts made from rice flour. Of drinks, Nepali tea is widely distributed, famous for its delicious taste and aroma.
Nepal - interesting facts
- The overwhelming majority of the population lives in the mountainous region, only 14% of Nepalese are concentrated in cities;
- If in the middle of the streets you see men walking by the hand - do not be surprised and do not cast astonished glances in their direction. This is not a sign of non-traditional sexual orientation, but a symbol of strong male friendship;
- The head of the indigenous people is a holy place that only close people are allowed to touch, so before you pat any tomboy on the head, think a thousand times;
- A cow in Nepal is a sacred animal, and some healers use its fecal contents to treat many sores;
- There is no railway in the country; the main public transport is buses;
- Do not try to shake hands with the Nepalese, they do not really favor such a tradition. Despite this, the residents of the state are very hospitable people who are anxious about all foreigners.
Nepal - visa application at the border
A visa is issued upon arrival at Tribuvan Airport, at the immigration offices. To draw up a document, you must provide two 3x4 photos, a passport, fill out an application form, papers and pay a visa fee: $ 30 - a single visa (up to 60 days), $ 50 - multiple. Children under ten years of age are exempted from the fee.
Map of Nepal
