Nepal

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Location
Flag
Quick Facts
Capital	Kathmandu
Government	Parliament dissolved by King Gyanandra in 2002, reinstated in 2006
Currency	Nepalese rupee (NPR)
Area	total: 140,800 km2 water: 4,000 km2 land: 136,800 km2
Population	27,676,547 (July 2006 est.)
Language	Nepali (official; spoken by 90% of the population), about a dozen other languages and about 30 major dialects; note - many in government and business also speak English (1995)
Religion	Hinduism 86.2%, Buddhism 7.8%, Islam 3.8%, other 2.2%
Calling Code	+977
Internet TLD	.np
Time Zone	UTC+5:45

Nepal [1] is a landlocked country in Southern Asia, between China and India. It contains eight of the world's 10 highest peaks, including Mount Everest - the world's tallest - on the border with China.

[edit] Regions

Nepal is divided into five development regions, from east to west:

• Eastern Nepal – Everest region, Arun valley, Kanchenjunga, Ilam.
• Central Nepal – Kathmandu and Langtang region.
• Western Nepal – Pokhara and the Annapurna region
• Mid Western Nepal – Dhaulagiri Himalaya, Dolpa, inner Terai valleys and Jumla.
• Far Western Nepal – Mahakali river.

These are further divided into fourteen administrative zones called 'anchal'.

Other regions (most of these are popular names, not official district/region titles): Annapurna, Everest, Kathmandu Valley, Langtang, Mustang, Terai

[edit] Cities and Towns

• Kathmandu – capital and cultural center of Nepal
• Bhaktapur – well-preserved historical city, center of Nepali pottery making.
• Biratnagar – this city is in eastern Nepal near Dharan and famous for political reason.
• Birgunj – business gateway between India and Nepal. It is in the mid-southern Nepal
• Dharan – lovely city in eastern Nepal
• Namche Bazaar – a Sherpa settlement located in the Solo Khumbu region - popular with trekkers
• Nepalgunj – the main hub for the Mid- and Far-Western Development Region. Bardiya National Park is close-by
• Patan – sister-city of Kathmandu and metal working center
• Pokhara – picturesque lake shore town and base for many of Nepal's most accessible treks

[edit] Other Destinations

Map of Nepal

• Royal Chitwan National Park, to see tigers, rhinos and animals in the Jungle.
• Khumbu - at the foot of MT. Everest
• Nagarkot - A hill station one hour from Kathmandu offering excellent views of the Himalayan Range.
• Daman - a tiny village in the mountains offering panoramic views of the Himalayas - especially stunning at sunrise and sunset.
• Dang-Deukhuri - Lowland valleys in western Nepal inhabited by Tharus who have a very distinctive culture.
• Dhorpatan - large east-west valley south of the western Dhaulagiri Range. It connects the far western Karnali-Bheri basin that is the birthplace of the Nepali language and probably its rulers to the Gandaki basin that they migrated into before unifying the country. This is also a trekking gateway to the far west, the Dhaulagiri Range, and to Dolpa and other high valleys with Tibetan culture beyond the Dhaulagiris.
• Rara Tal (Lake) - large, deep subalpine lake at the foot of Kanjiroba Himalaya, far western Nepal. Another gateway to transhimalayan Humla and Dolpa regions.

[edit] Sacred Sites

Locked between the snow peaks of the Himalayas and the seething Ganges plain, Nepal has long been home to wandering ascetics and tantric yogis. Consequently, the country has a wealth of sacred sites:

• Lumbini is the sacred site of the Buddha Shakyamuni's birth. Today it a small village, located 27kms from Sunauli on the Indo-Nepal border.
• Boudhanath Stupa in Kathmandu.
• Parping in the Kathmandu Valley is the site of several sacred caves associated with Padmasambhava, the founder of Tibetan Buddhism.
• Haleshi (often known by the Tibetan name of Maratika) in Eastern Nepal is the site of a mountain cave where Padmasambhava attained a state beyond life and death.
• Muktinath between the upper valley of the Kali Gandaki and the Annapurna Range, this pilgrimage objective has 108 fountains where the faithful bathe and perpetual flames fed by natural gas. This region is also famous for Shaligrams -- fossil ammonites said to be a manifestation of the god Shiva.
• Pashupatinath. Hindu temples and cremation ghats on the Bagmati River in Kathmandu. The main areas are closed to non-Hindus.
• Dakshinkali. Hindu temple complex south of Kathmandu on the Bagmati River where it enters a gorge through the Mahabharat Range.
• Mount Kailash - actually in Tibet, a short distance beyond the NW corner of Nepal. Hindu and Buddhist cosmology describes the cosmos as a central mountain, Mount Meru, surrounded by the earth's continents and seas, then by the rest of the universe. Cambodia's Angkor Wat temple complex is actually an architectural representation of this schema. As geographical knowledge developed, Mount Kailas was proclaimed the physical manifestation of Mount Meru. Factually it is the hydrologic hub of the subcontinent. The Karnali, Sutlej Indus and Brahmaputra rivers all begin near this mountain. Hindus and Buddhists (and western trekkers?) gain religious merit by circumambulating the mountain.
• Janaki Mandir - A temple complex in the city Janakpur in the eastern Terai marking where semi-divine figure Sita was born and raised, and married Rama, hero of the epic Ramayana. She was the ideal Hindu wife who immolated herself on her husband's funeral pyre. A seven-day festival celebrates Sita's birth at the end of April/beginning of May. Probably the exact dates vary from year to year, being set astrologically.

See also: Sacred sites of the Indian sub-continent

[edit] Climate

Nepal has a Monsoonal climate with four main seasons - though traditionally a year was categorized into six distinct climate periods: Basanta (spring), Grishma (early summer), Barkha (summer monsoon), Sharad (early autumn), Hemanta (late autumn) and Shishir (winter).

Below is a general guide to conditions at different seasons:

• Heavy monsoonal rains from June to September - the rains are generally lighter high in the Himalayas than in Kathmandu, though the mountain peaks are often lost in cloud.
• Clear and cool weather from October to December - after the monsoon, there is little dust in the air so this is the best season to 'experience' the mountains.
• Very cold from January to March, with the temperature in Kathmandu often dropping as low as 0°C at night. It is possible to trek in places like the Everest region during the winter, but it is extremely cold and snow fall may prevent going above 4,000 - 4,500 meters.
• Dry and warm weather from April to June - there is an abundance of blooming flowers in the Himalayas at this time, with rhododendrons, in particular, adding a splash of color to the landscape.

[edit] Understand

[edit] Geography

[edit] Elevation Zones

Nepal can be divided into elevation zones, south to north:

• Outer Terai - Level plains, a cultural and linguistic extension of northern India. Nepali is spoken less than Awadhi and Bhojpuri dialiects related to Hindi and Maithili related to Hindi and Bengali. Lumbini, Buddha's birthplace and Janakpur, Sita's birthplace are in this zone. Other cities -- Dhangarhi, Nepalgunj, Bhairawa, Butwal, Birgunj and Biratnagar -- are transportation hubs and border towns rather than travel destinations. Nevertheless the Terai may offer opportunities for intimate exposure to traditional Indian culture that have become less available in India itself.

• Siwalik Range or Churia Hills - the outermost and lowest range of foothills, about 2,000'/600m high. Extends across the country east to west but with significant gaps and many subranges. Poor soils and no agriculture to speak of. No developed tourist destinations, however the forests are wild and the sparse population of primitive hunters and gatherers is unique.

• Inner Terai - large valleys between the Siwaliks and higher foothills to the north. The Dang and Deukhuri valleys in the Mid West are the largest, offering opportunities to experience Tharu art and culture. Chitwan south of Kathmandu is another of these valleys, known for Royal Chitwan National Park where tigers, rhinos, crocodiles, deer and birds can be observed. Originally these valleys were malarial and lightly populated by Tharus who had evolved resistance and developed architectural and behavioral adaptations limiting exposure to the most dangerous nocturnal mosquitos. Suppression of mosquitos with DDT in the 1960s opened these these valleys to settlers from the hills who cleared forests and displaced and exploited Tharus. Nevertheless remoter parts of these valleys still have a Garden of Eden quality - forests broken by indefinite fields, lazy rivers, fascinating aboriginal peoples.

• Mahabharat Range - a prominent (up to 10,000'/3,000m) foothill range continuous across the country from east to west except for narrow transecting canyons. Steep southern slopes are a no-man's land between lowland and Pahari (hill) cultures and languages, which begin along the crest and gentler northern slopes. Given clear skies, there are panoramic views of high himalaya from almost anywhere on the crest. Underdeveloped as a tourist venue compared to India's 'Hill Stations', nevertheless Daman and Tansen are attractive destinations.

• Middle Hills - Valleys north of the Mahabharat Range and 'hills' up to about 6,500'/2,000m. are mainly inhabited by Hindus of the Bahun (priestly brahmin) and Chhetri (warriors and rulers) castes who speak Nepali as their first language. Higher where it becomes too cold to grow rice, populations are largely Magar, Gurung, Tamang, Rai or Limbu, the hill tribes from which the British recruited Gurkha soldiers while the soldiers' families grew crops suited to temperate climates. Men in these ethnic groups also work as porters or may be herders moving their flocks into the high mountains in summer and the lower valleys in winter. Trekking through the 'hills' is unremittingly scenic with streams and terraced fields, picturesque villages, a variety of ethnic groups with distinctive costumes, and views of the high himalayas from high points.

• Valleys - Kathmandu and to the west Pokhara occupy large valleys in the 'hills' The Kathmandu Valley was urbanized long before the first europeans reached the scene and has historic neighborhoods, temple complexes, pagodas, buddhist stupas, palaces and bazaars. Its natives are predominantly Newar farmers, traders, craftsmen and civil servants. Newar culture is an interesting synthesis of Hindu and Buddhist elements. Unfortunately a range of hills north of this valley limit views of the himalaya. Pokhara has fewer urban points of interest but outstanding views of the nearby Annapurna Himalaya. Pokhara's Newar population is confined to bazaars. Elsewhere upper caste Hindus dominate, whose ancestors probably were Khas peoples from far western Nepal. Both valleys offer excellent opportunities to experience Nepal without strenuous trekking. Narrower valleys along streams and rivers are important rice-growing centers in the 'hills'. There is a limited amount of this land and most of it is owned by upper caste Hindus.

• Lekhs - Snow occasionally falls and lasts days or weeks in the winter above 10,000'/3,000m, but melts away in summer below 18 to 19,000' (5,500m). Treeline is about 13,000'/4,000m. This zone is used for summer pasturage but not year-round habitation.

• Himalaya - North of the lekhs, the snowy high himalayas rise abruptly along a fault zone to peaks over 22,000'/6,700m and even over 26,000'/8,000m. Himalaya means 'abode of snow', which is uninhabited. Valleys among the peaks are inhabited, especially along trade routes where rice from the lowlands was traded for salt from the Tibetan Plateau along with other goods. Trade has diminished since China annexed Tibet in the 1950s but catering to trekkers and climbers has become an economic engine. People living along these routes have Tibetan affinities but usually speak fluent Nepali.

• Trans-Himalaya - Peaks in this region north of the highest himalayas in central and western Nepal are lower and gentler, mostly around 20,000'/6,000m. Valleys below 17,000'/5,000m. are inhabited by people who are essentially Tibetan and have adapted to living at much higher elevations than other Nepalis. Roads have not yet penetrated this far and travel is expensive by air or arduous on foot. Nevertheless it is a unique opportunity to experience a very significant and attractive culture in spectacular surroundings.

[edit] River Basins

are also important geographic divisions. The Mahabharat Range is a major hydrologic barrier in Nepal and other parts of the Himalaya. South-flowing rivers converge in candelabra shapes to break through this range in a few narrow gorges. Travel is usually easier within these candelabra drainage systems than between them, so high divides between river systems became historically important political, linguistic and cultural boundaries.

[edit] Karnali-Seti-Bheri

The Karnali system in the far west is the birthplace of Pahari ('hill') culture. It was settled by people called Khas speaking an indo-european language called Khaskura ('Khas talk') that was related to other north indian languages, all claiming descent from classical Sanskrit.

East of the Karnali proper, along a major tributary called the Bheri and further east in another basin called the Rapti lived a Tibeto-Burman people called Kham. Khas and Kham people seem to have been allies and probably intermarried to create the synthesis of aryan and mongoloid features that especially characterizes the second-highest Chhetri (Kshatriya) caste. It appears that Khas kings recruited Kham men as guards and soldiers. Khas and Kham territories in the far west were subdivided into small kingdoms called the Baisi, literally '22' as they were counted.

Nepal has one of the world's highest birthrates because Hindu girls usually marry by their early teens, causing their entire reproductive potential to be utilized. Furthermore, men who can afford it often take multiple wives. This may trace back to Khas culture, explaining relentless Khas colonization eastward as finite amounts of land suitable for rice cultivation were inevitably outstripped by high birthrates.

[edit] Rapti and Gandaki

The Rapti river system east of the Karnali-Bheri had few lowlands suitable for growing rice and extensive highlands that were not attractive for Khas settlement but were a barrier to migration. However the Rapti's upper tributaries rose somewhat south of the Himalaya. Between these tributaries and the Dhaulagiri range of the Himalaya, a large east-west valley called Dhorpatan branching off the upper Bheri provided a detour eastward, over an easy pass called Jaljala into the Gandaki river system further east. The Gandaki is said to have seven major tributaries, most rising in or beyond the high Himalaya. They merge to cut through the Mahabharat and Siwalik ranges. In this basin elevations were generally lower and rainfall was higher compared to the Karnali-Bheri and Rapti basins. There was great potential for rice cultivation, the agricultural base of the Khas way of life. A collection of small principalities called the Chaubisi developed. Chaubisi literally means '24', as these kingdoms were counted. Not all were Khas kindoms. Some were Magar -- a large indigenous hill tribe people related to the Kham. Other kingdoms were Gurung and Tamang. Several Gandaki tributaries rose in the transhimalayan region where inhabitants and rulers became increasingly Tibetanized to the north.

• Emergence of Shah Dynasty from Gorkha

Within the Chaubisi kingdoms of the Gandaki basin, Gorkha was a small valley east of Pokhara ruled by a Khas family now called Shah, an honorific title that may have come later, however any earlier name seems to be forgotten. In 1743 A.D. Prithvi Narayan Shah became the ruler of Gorkha after his father Nara Bhupal Shah died. Prithvi Narayan already had a reputation as a hotheaded upstart. Resolving to modernize Gorkha's army, he was bringing modern arms from India when customs officers demanded inspection and payment of duties. Prithvi Narayan refused and attacked the officers, killing several before escaping with his arms and men. He also visited Benares to study the situation of local rulers and the growing encroachment of British interests. Prithvi concluded that invasion was a chronic danger to rulers on the plains of northern India, whereas the 'hills' were more defensible and offered more scope to carve out a lasting empire.

[edit] Kathmandu Valley (Bagmati)

Prithvi Narayan must have been a charismatic figure, for he recruited, equipped and trained a formidable army and persuaded his subjects to underwrite all this from his ascension until his death in 1775. Through conquest and treaty, he consolidated several Chaubisi kingdoms. As his domain expanded, Khaskura became known as Gorkhali, i.e. the language of the Gorkha kingdom. Then he moved east into the next river basin, the Bagmati which drains the Kathmandu Valley that held three small but prosperous urban kingdoms. Like the Rapti, the Bagmati rises somewhat south of the Himalaya. Unlike the Rapti basin, this valley had once held a large lake and the remaining alluvial soil was exceptionally fertile. Between the agricultural abundance, local crafts, and extensive trade with Tibet, the cities were prosperous. Prithvi Narayan encircled the valley, cutting off trade and restricting ordinary activities, even farming and getting water. With a combination of stealth, brutality and intimidation he he prevailed and deposed the local kings in 1769, making Kathmandu his new capital. This was the high point of Prithvi Narayan's career, however he continued consolidating the Kathmandu Valley with the Chaubisi and Baisi federations to the west until his death in 1775. Gorkhali was re-dubbed Nepali as 'Nepal' came to mean not only the urbanized Kathmandu Valley, but all lands ruled by the Shahs.

[edit] Kosi

Prithvi Narayan's heirs Pratap Singh, Rana Bahadur and Girvan Yuddha continued expansion of their kingdom into the Kosi river basin east of the Bagmati system. Like the Gandaki, the Kosi traditionally has seven major tributaries descending from the Himalaya before joining forces to break through the Mahabharat and Siwalik ranges. Ranges drained by Kosi tributaries include Mount Everest and its neighboring peaks, as well as the western side of the Kangchenjunga massif. Kangchenjunga and a high ridge to the south are the watershed between the Kosi and Tista basins as well as the border between Nepal and the former kingdom Sikkim that India annexed it in 1975.

[edit] Containment by British

The Shah dynasty's expansion continued eastward across Sikkim and westward across Kumaon and beyond Dehra Dun to the Sutlej River, until the British declared war in 1814 and finally defeated Nepalese forces in 1816. The British wanted a buffer state between British India and the Chinese empire that ultimately controlled Tibet, so it trimmed Nepal back approximately to its present size and let it remain independent.

[edit] Informal Settlement in Sikkim and Bhutan

Nevertheless Nepalese eastward colonization beyond the Kosi continued informally, still driven by high birthrates. By the 1800s land-hungry Nepalis were settling in the Tista basin, which happened to be a different country, Sikkim. In the 1900s they were settling beyond Sikkim in the kingdom of Bhutan. This kingdom -- where late marriage and low population densities prevailed among the indigenous, culturally Tibetan population -- saw the demographic writing on the wall and expelled as many as 100,000 Nepalis in 1990.

[edit] Caste, Ethnicity and languages

Hinduism specifies four clean castes: Brahman (priests), Kshatriya (rulers and warriors), Vaisya (merchants) and Shudra (peasants), and below that Untouchables who perform work considered polluting. These play out differently in the lowlands, hills and mountains. Nepal's situation is further complicated by indigenous Janajati peoples who were there and had their own belief systems before Hinduism became dominant. Many of these ethnic groups are Hinduized to some degree, although Hindu practices supplement rather than replace more ancient beliefs and practices. Ethnic groups living in relative isolation from Hindus

[edit] Outer Terai

Politically part of Nepal but essentially an extension of India in other respects. In Nepal, Madesh refers to India, so Outer Terai inhabitants are collectively known as "Madesi". The majority of the population engaged in subsistence agriculture is indeed of the Shudra caste. Brahmans and Kshatriya are present, but only as a small percentage of the population. A wide range of untouchable service castes are found, including Chamar (sweepers) who are supposed to remove filth and dead animals.

As in India, there is a multiplicity of ethnic groups that have given rise to sub-castes within the main four that are usually endogamous (marrying within) and retaining distinct cultural features. India's mild climate, agricultural abundance and technological sophistication have always made the country an attractive target for invasion. Newcomers eventually negotiate or are assigned their own sub-caste that retains much of their original culture as well as conforming to rules that go with being one of the four clean castes or untouchable. Non-Hindus are outside the caste system. Muslims make up about 10% of India's population and there is a significant Muslim population in in the western 1/3 of the country.

Even high-caste individuals from the Terai are largely excluded from the power structure of Kathmandu, which is dominated by hill peoples and Newars instead. This has given rise to a "Madesi" protest movement seeking greater participation or greater regional autonomy.

Northern India's lingua franca Hindi is widely spoken and understood throughout the Outer Terai. Much of the formal grammar and vocabulary of modern Nepali as it is taught in school seems to be borrowed from Hindi, so it is an easy language for Nepali speakers to pick up. Hill people often slip into it for communication with Madesis and even with europeans. More local Terai dialects are Awadhi in the west which is also widespread in India's Uttar Pradesh state, Bhojpuri in the center which is also widespread in Bihar state, and Maithili further east, which derives from the ancient Mithla kingdom that was centered on the vast alluvial fan of the Kosi between its exit from the hills and the Ganges River.

[edit] Siwaliks and Inner Terai

Because of seasonal drought due to permeable upland soils and endemic malaria where finer sediments force groundwater to the surface, the Siwalik ranges are lightly populated by indigenous tribes following pastoral or hunting-and-gathering ways of life.

The Siwaliks enclose Inner Terai valleys that were also malarial before suppression with DDT, but with considerably more agricultural potential. Then they were mainly populated by Tharu who practiced a mix of shifting agriculture and hunting-gathering, since malaria limited population densities. Tharus are an enigma because their slender build, dark pigmentation and facial features are unlike both the mongoloid peoples of the hills, the indo-european Khas moving eastward through the hills, and invaders from the plains who generally originated in Central Asia. If they are aboriginal inhabitants, it would explain their ability to survive in a malarial zone. Yet their language Tharuhati is indo-european with no recognized traces of anything preceeding the indo-european incursions. Tharu are considered a janajati group somewhat outside the caste system. Traditional foods include pork and chicken as well as fish from rivers flowing through their native valleys. They live communally in large houses which are decorated with traditional motifs. Religious practices include recitals of the Ramayan epic called Badha Nach ('great dance').

[edit] Kathmandu Valley

[edit] Mahabharat Range and Hills

[edit] Himalaya and Transhimalaya

[edit] History

[edit] Traditional Economy

[edit] Economic Development

[edit] Flora and Fauna

[edit] Get in

[edit] By plane

Nepal's Tribhuvan International Airport is located just outside Kathmandu. The terminal is a one-room brick building with a large wooden table serving as both customs and immigration. Two month tourist visas are available on arrival. Money can be changed as well, but these services are only available directly after scheduled arrivals.

Outside the airport, all 'representatives' of the tourist industry are required to remain 10 meters from the front door. This does not prevent them from waving large signs and yelling in an attempt to encourage you to choose them as your guide/taxi/hotel/luggage carrier. Make your choice before crossing the line, or better yet, arrange your first night's accommodation before you arrive and ask the hotel to send someone to meet you. Many hotel and guest houses offer complimentary pick up and delivery from the airport. Taxis are also available. As always, negotiate the price beforehand with the driver. A taxi ride to Thamel or Boudha should not exceed 150 NRS. Otherwise, order a taxi at the pre-paid booth inside the airport, which costs 300 NRS. This is more than twice the meter rate, but it saves the hassle of long negotiations.

[edit] By car

Car rental in Nepal is almost unheard of, as is renting a car in India and taking it across the border. Some travellers have bought motorcycles in India and driven them into the country, but road conditions and erratic local drivers make this an adventurous choice.

[edit] By bus

There are four border crossings open to Non-South Asians. The Sunauli-Bhairawa border crossing is the closest to Varanasi, the Birganj-Raxaul Bazaar crossing to Kolkata, and Kakarbhitta-Siliguri is to Darjeeling. The Mahendrenagar-Banbassa border crossing in the extreme west of Nepal, is the closest to Delhi, but it makes more sense to take the Bus to Gorakhpur, or Varanasi, and the train from there, as the train is far more comfortable.

The crossing between Nepal and Tibet via Kodari is open to independent travelers entering Nepal, but only to organised groups entering Tibet.

[edit] By train

A cargo train began operating between Sirsiya in southern Nepal, and the coastal Indian town of Raxaul in 2003. There is currently no international rail travel, and Nepal has no internal train system.

[edit] Get around

• Local Bus - Hard to figure out, but the cheapest, and most 'interesting' way to go-- be prepared for goats, ducks, buffaloes, any other domestic animals your can think of and crowds. Also, on occasion, be prepared to wait, as some buses will not move until full to a certain quota.
• Tourist Bus - Book a few days ahead at a Kathmandu or Pokhara travel agent (or your hotel will book for you). A few steps above local buses (no goats, everyone gets a seat) but not much safer.
• Rickshaw - Usually only the two-stroke (polluting) kind. Good for short jaunts if you don't have much luggage and don't mind being bounced around a bit. Bargain before you get in, and don't be afraid to walk away and try another. The Nepalese word for these auto-rickshaws is "tampu".
• Tempo - These come in two types. One is a three wheeled electric or propane powered micro-bus for 10-13 passengers. They run in different routes around the city and cost 5-12 NRs. The other type is a newer Toyota van running the same routes at a higher price and a bit faster and safer. Be prepared for a crowd
• Taxis - There are two types of taxi -- "private", which pretty much run from the airport to your (upscale) hotel; and "10 Rupee", which don't leave until they are full, and you wont believe how full they can get!
• Tram - The old-fashioned street cable-car that ran from Kathmandu (near the stadium) to Bhaktapur is currently closed due to 'non-existing maintenance' and the fact that none of the drivers paid for the power.
• Motorcycle - Another choice is to rent a motorcycle. And it can be rented in the Thamel area at a low cost.
• On Foot - although motor roads are penetrating further into the hinterlands, many destinations can only be reached by foot (or helicopter). See the section on trekking, below.

[edit] Talk

The official language of Nepal is Nepali. It's related to Hindi, Punjabi, and other Indo-Aryan languages, and is normally written with the Devanagari script (as is Hindi). While most Nepali speak at least some Nepali, a large percentage of the population has as their mother tongue another language, such as Tharu around Chitwan, Newari in the Kathmandu Valley, and Sherpa in the Everest area. As Asian languages go, Nepali has to be one of the easiest to learn, and the traveler making the effort isn't likely to make worse blunders than many natives with a different first language.

Although Nepal was never a British colony, proximity to India has made English somewhat widespread among educated Nepalis. Nevertheless learning even a few words of Nepali is fun and useful, especially outside of the tourist district and while trekking.

See: Nepali phrasebook

[edit] Do

• Rafting - Overnight trips for all levels of experience leave from Kathmandu and Pokhara. The Kaligandaki is a popular river.
• Jungle Safari - Royal Chitwan National Park offers elephant rides, jungle canoeing, nature walks, and birding, as well as more adventurous tiger and rhino-viewing.
• Parties - "The Last Resort", near the Tibetan border, has frequent Full Moon Trance Parties, lasting 2-3 days. Watch for posters and check music shops. Pokhara has started featuring its own brand of Full Moon raves and interesting Western takes on Nepali festivals.
• Massage - "The Healing Hands Center", in Kathmandu, has monthly five-day, ten-day and one-month Ancient Massage courses.

[edit] Trekking

Most of the trekking Nepal is called "Tea-House Trekking" as the day's hike is between guesthouse-filled towns. While this doesn't make the treks that much easier, it means there is no need for tents, food, water, or beer-- all those things, plus luxuries such as apple-pie, can be purchased along the way. Remote trekking is also possible, but unless you are an experienced wilderness trekker, it is recommended to hire a guide and porters. See also "Stay Safe" for information about Maoists rebels in remote areas.

• Everest Base Camp Trek: Stunning scenery, Wonderful people. See 'Regions' - Khumbu
• Annapurna Circuit: A 3-4 week trek around the Annapurna mountains.
• Jonsom-Muktinath Trek: The last week of the Annapurna Circuit, done in the opposite direction. Known as the "Apple-Pie Trek" partly for crossing the apple growing region of Nepal, and partly for being one of the easier (but far from "easy") treks.
• Helambu Langtang Trek: Relatively easy Trek from Kathmandu
• Mera Peak Climbing: Enjoy panoramic views of Mt. Everest (8848m), Cho-Oyu (8201m), Lhotse (8516m), Makalu (8463m), Kangchenjunga (8586m), Nuptse (7855m), Chamlang (7319m).
• Island Peak Trek: The Island Peak trek in the Everest region takes in some of the most spectacular scenery in the Himalayas.

Some tips for trekking in Nepal include:

• Despite all the adverts on the sides of tea-houses, hot showers generally do not exist (except in Namche Bazaar and the lower Everest region). You can certainly get a bucket of hot water on request in most places, which is good enough. Solar showers only work when there has been a enough sun light (so they don't work at night - and they are never that hot anyway).
• A pack of cards is great for the long evenings. Taking a cheap CD/MPEG player is also an option. Alternatively, unless you're trekking in a very unpopular season (such as monsoon), you will usually meet fellow trekkers on the trail, often spending many nights in the same lodges together, so be open to conversation and you may make friends from around the world.
• When it gets dark, have a candle handy - especially post monsoon when a lot of the electricity lines are down (most lodges can supply, but always good to have one just in case).
• A "finger" or "sawn-off" toothbrush is much more compact and easy to use in the dark, and a pack of "Wet Wipes" to clean yourself with in the morning and every second day is very handy, as is antiseptic hand spray or gell to use before food and after toilet.
• Take along some safety pins (to fix bust zips/flaps/etc.) and also some cheap/small clothes pegs with a bit of washing line and "camp" wash (during the trek, you will need to do some washing, which of course will need drying). Don't screw tops down too tight - or at least open every day any sealed tubes/bottles (the altitude will make them explode otherwise).
• Use your CamelBack as a boiling hot-water bottle when you go to bed (which will then be full of cold purified water to start the next day). Furthermore, buy some powdered juice flavouring to diguise the taste of CamelBack, which will soon become boring, and a spare mouthpiece and insulation for the tube (which can freeze in the cold). Sweets from home are also great - especially boiled/hard ones to keep you going over the steep and high-altitude bits.
• You will generally be expected to pay your sirdar (guide) and porters a "baksheesh" (tip). This has to be handled tactfully as they will not say outright what amount is acceptable. More personal gifts to express your appreciation (like a spare jacket or fleece) also go down well.

Social Responsibility around hiring guides and porters:

• Keep working conditions and wages in mind when selecting a trekking company. For visitors from the west, hiring guides and porters is affordable and an extra few dollars can make a big impact in the life of a guide or porter.
• Nepal is one of the poorest countries in the world. Hiring a local company will benefit the local economy.

Social Responsible Trekking Companies:

• One reliable and highly recommended trekking company is run by the very experienced Ngawang Sherpa: yontensherpa@yahoo.com
• Himalayan Humanity is run by a former porter and an advocate for porter rights and social responsible trekking
• Firante Treks & Expeditions Pvt Ltd fully licensed Nepalese Adventure Company run by team of experts.
• socialtours.com travels & socialtreks.com adventures is a Nepalese company who is a Responsible Tourism Award nominee two years running at the World Travel Mart, London.

[edit] Buy

Traveller's checks are your best bet outside of the major cities. There are banks in Kathmandu, Pokhara and in several other major cities that will allow you to retrieve cash from ATM or credit cards. You may be charged a service fee, depending on your bank. There are quite a number of ATMs now in those cities that are open round the clock. Although Indian currency is valid in Nepal, the Rs. 500 currency notes are not acceptable. Carrying 500-rupee notes in Indian currency is a punishable offence in Nepal.

[edit] Eat

The Nepali national meal is daal bhaat tarkaari (spiced lentils, boiled rice, vegetable curry). This is served in most Nepalese homes and teahouses, two meals a day at about 10am and 7 or 8pm. If rice is scarce the grain part may be cornmeal mush called Ato, barley, or chapatis (whole wheat 'tortillas'). The meal may be accompanied by dahi (yogurt) and a small helping of ultra-spicy fresh chutney or achar (pickle). Traditionally this meal is eaten with the right hand. Curried meat -- goat or possibly chicken -- is an occasional luxury. Pork is eaten by some tribes but not by upper-caste Hindus. Since Hindus hold cattle sacred, beef is forbidden. Buffalo and yak are eaten by some but considered too cow-like by others.

A variety of snacks may be available at other times. Tea, made with milk and sugar is certainly a pick-me-up. Corn may be heated and partially popped, although it really isn't popcorn. This is called "ka-ja", meaning "eat and run!" Rice may be heated and crushed, called "chiura", usually translated as "beaten rice". It can be eaten with yogurt, hot milk and sugar, or other flavorings. Fritters called 'pakora' and turnovers called "samosa" can sometimes be found, as can sweets made from sugar, milk, fried batter, sugar cane juice, etc. Be sure such delicacies are either freshly cooked or have been protected from flies. Otherwise flies land in the human waste that is everywhere in the streets, then on your food, and so you become a walking medical textbook of gastrological conditions.

Many dishes are Tibetan in origin and not very spicy. Some dishes to look for include momos, a meat or vegetable filled dumpling - similar to Chinese pot-stickers -often served with beer, and Tibetan Bread and Honey a puffy fried bread with heavy raw honey, great for breakfast. One delicacy that you do not want to miss while in Nepal is the dried meat (it especially complements with beer/alcoholic beverages).

Newars, an ethnic group, are connoisseur of great foods who lament that feasting is their downfall (whereas sexual indulgence is said to be the downfall of Paharis), so watch for Newari Restaurants. Some of them even come with cultural shows... a great way to enjoy good food while having a crash-course in Nepalese culture. In the Everest region try the local Sherpa dish of potato pancakes (rikikul). They are delicious eaten straight off the griddle and covered with dzo (female yak) butter or cheese.

Pizza, Mexican, Thai and Chinese food, and Middle-Eastern food can all be found in the tourist districts of Kathmandu and Pokhara. If you are on a budget, sticking with local dishes will save a lot of money.

Note that many small restaurants are not prepared to cook several different dishes; try to stick with one or two dishes or you will find yourself waiting as the cook tries to make one after another on a single stove.

[edit] Drink

Alcohol:

• Raksi is a clear and fiery liquid, similar to saki or cheap tequila. It's also the Nepali word for 'drunk', and rightly so. This is by far the cheapest drink in the country. It is often served on special occasions in small, unbaked clay cups that hold less then a shot. It works great as a mixer in juice or soda. Note that it may appear on menus as "Nepali wine".

• Jaand (Nepali) or chaang (Tibetan) is a cloudy, moderately alcoholic drink sometimes called Nepali beer". While weaker than raksi, it will still have quite an effect. This is often offered to guests in Nepali homes. Unfortunately it is likely to be mixed with unsafe water.

• Beer in Nepal is brewed by the Himalayan Brewing Company. This means that every beer you buy, whether Guinness, Tuborg, Carlsberg, or San Miguel (and that is all you will see), pretty much comes from the same vat. You don't notice after the first few weeks though.

• Cocktails can pretty much only be found in Kathmandu and Pokhara's tourist areas. There you can get watered-down "two for one drinks" at a variety of pubs, restaurants, and sports bars.

Tea:

Although not as internationally famous as Indian brands, Nepal does in fact have a large tea growing industry. Most plantations are located in the east of the country and the type of tea grown is very similar to that produced in neighboring Darjeeling. Well known varieties are Dhankuta, Illam, Jhapa, Therathum and Panchthar (all named after their growing regions).

• Chai. Sweet tea made with milk and also sometimes containing ginger and spices such as cardamom.
• Suja. Salty tea made with milk and butter - only available in areas inhabited by Tibetans, Sherpas and a few other Himalayan people.
• Herbal teas. Most herbal teas are made from wild flowers from the Solu Khumbu region. In Kathmandu, these teas are generally only served in high class establishments or those run by Sherpas from the Solu Khumbu.

Water: Problematic due to lack of sanitary facilities and sewage treatment. People habitually do their business outdoors, even in the cities. Assume water is contaminated with enough 'interesting' and possibly dangerous intestinal fauna and flora for a major medical treatise. Water must be chemically treated or boiled, which is one reason to stick to tea.

[edit] Sleep

Budget accommodation in Nepal ranges from around 100 NPR to around 250 NPR for a double. Cheaper rooms usually do not have sheets, blankets, towels, or anything else besides a bed and a door. Most budget hotels and guesthouses have a wide range of rooms, so be sure to see what you are getting, even if you have stayed there before. Accommodations will often be the cheapest part of your budget in Nepal.

[edit] Learn

• Yoga
• Massage - The Healing Hands Center [2]. Classes in Ancient Massage / Thai Massage. Five-day course, ten-day course and one-month professional course every month.
• Nepali
• Buddhism - Rangjung Yeshe Institute [3]. An international institute for Buddhist higher studies in Boudhanath, Nepal, modeled on a traditional Tibetan Shedra.
• Meditation - Nepal Vipassana Centers [4]. Vipassana Meditation as taught by S. N. Goenka.

[edit] Work

[edit] Volunteer in Nepal

Volunteering in Nepal can be a rewarding alternative to simple tourism. Currently in Nepal, the tourism industry is far removed from the everyday village life of most of the population. Trekking or package tours often move too quickly through the country to provide an appreciation of the natural beauty and diverse cultures. Volunteering is sometimes the only way to see remote areas outside the Kathmandu Valley and well-trod trekking trails.

Teaching English is a popular project for volunteers and is often combined with courses in computer literacy or health and physical education. The Nepali school system, which many children only attend for a few years, requires English fluency so there is always a demand for native English speakers of all ages, races, and nationalities. There are no prerequisites for teaching beyond English fluency and, in some programs, any university level degree.

There are many options for finding volunteer opportunities. Several international organizations, such as Travel to Teach,United Planet, People and Places will find you a project, room, and boarding-- either at the school or with a local family-- for a fee. This fee can be from 500 USD - 2000 USD depending on the type and length of program. Some of this money will go to the school and host family, often they are too poor even to support a volunteer, but the bulk often goes to the agency. In some cases the agency will provide language and culture lessons as well as general teaching supplies and support. Once you make a deposit on a particular program there may be limited options for change. Programs can last from two weeks to six months, but keep in mind the longer stay is more rewarding for both you and the school, as it can take several weeks to get into the swing of things.

An alternative to paid placement is to find a local, grassroots program, or to contact schools directly in Kathmandu when you arrive. Local hostels and restaurants usually have bulletin boards full of requests for volunteers. More and more local groups are placing ads on the web as well. These programs are more likely to charge only for room & board, but you will need to do some research to find out the specifics of each group and what, if any, support you will receive. Waiting until you arrive also lets you get to know the areas you can volunteer in and allows you to shop around for a situation that best suits you. These placements tend to be longer term (3-6 months), but this is always negotiable with a specific school or project.

• Hands for help [5]. Can help you find a volunteer placement. It's not clear if they charge a fee or not.

[edit] Stay safe

There are strikes ("bandas") and demonstrations to contend with. Businesses close and transportation halts. Ask about strikes at your hotel and make sure you have enough money to last. Food and water are still available in hotels, and much business goes on behind closed doors. Rallies and Demonstrations are routinely charged by police wielding laathis or long sticks. Tourists are advised to keep a low profile, and to avoid confrontations.

In the countryside, maoist insurgents may not have completely laid down their weapons. People with guns may still be asking for 'donations'. An offer you might not want to refuse. Whether the present truce will outlast negotiation and deal-cutting about the country's political future is somewhat speculative. If things start heating up, best get out of the country or at least to a major city like Kathmandu or Pokhara before the shooting starts up again. It is unlikely that tourists would be targeted, but war often means collateral damage. If your country has an embassy or consulate in Nepal, let them know your whereabouts and plans, and at least listen seriously to any cautionary advice they offer.

Insurgencies aside, Nepal's cities are much safer than most. Even pickpockets are rare. Still, don't flash cash or make ostentatious displays of wealth, out of respect for the nonmaterialistic reality of the people.

Be cautious about transportation. Roads are narrow, steep, winding and frequently crowded. Seatbelts are an aberration. Not many traffic cops are ticketing unsafe drivers out in the boonies. If you read the papers regularly, you may notice articles about busloads of people falling into gorges.

Scheduled flights are safer than the roads, but planes occasionally fly into clouds and find mountains. The risks are greatest before and during the monsoon season when the mountains are usually clouded over. Helicopters may be better at avoiding this, but sometimes crash due to mechanical complexity and dubious maintenance. If you are flying with a company that has no pilots older than 30, you might wonder why. Aviation was already fairly well developed by the 1960s; where have all the old pilots gone?

Nevertheless if you should be seriously injured or sick out where there are no motorable roads or airports, medical evacuation by helicopter may be your last best chance. This can get very expensive. If there is no firm guarantee that the bill will be paid, companies offering these services may demur, so look into insurance covering medical evacuations. Also ask if your embassy or consulate guarantees payment; another reason for introducing yourself, even if they seem a bit stuffy.

[edit] Stay healthy

• Minimizing gastrointestinal problems - Since most of Nepal still gets along without modern sanitation, these are endemic. They range from self-limiting attacks of diarrhea where dehydration is the main risk, through intestinal parasites, amoebic dysentery and giardiasis which are chronic without proper medical treatment, to immediately life-threatening infections like cholera and typhoid. Habituation even to common intestinal flora generally takes about a year and many unpleasant bouts of stomach problems, so tourists contemplating shorter stays should take extensive precautions. **Drink only bottled water or juice (check to ensure the seal has not been broken) or beverages made from water that has been thoroughly boiled and filtered. Tea or coffee from cafes catering to tourists are 'generally' safe.
  • When trekking carry iodine or other chemical means of treating water and be sure to follow directions, i.e. don't drink the water before the specified time interval to ensure than resistant cysts are deactivated. In trailside teashops, although glasses may be washed in questionable water, tea is made by pouring water through tea dust into your glass. The chances of disease-causing organisms surviving that are small but not zero.
  • Brush teeth with prepared drinking water and avoid water entering the mouth when showering.
  • Salads, especially in the wet season, should be treated as a suspect.
  • Wash hands regularly and especially before eating.
  • Thoroughly wash fruit and vegetables for raw consumption using boiled and filtered water. Also consider peeling them.
  • Look for freshly-cooked food and avoid anything that has been cooked and then left sitting around without refridgeration (which can expose you to a buildup of bacterial toxins), or without protection from flies (which can transfer disease organisms and parasite eggs to the food).
  • Also see the Food poisoning article.
• Get vaccinated and consider prophylactic treatment. You may be exposed to typhoid, cholera, hepatitis malaria, and possibly even rabies. Read the article on Tropical diseases and review travel plans with your health care provider.
• Practice safe sex or do without. Nepali women are sought after in India and the Middle East and so there is human trafficking. Victims may be allowed to return home when health issues become a liability, then continue 'working' as long as possible. The incidence of STDs is rising and the government has not always been proactive about treatment and promoting awareness. Unless your Nepali is extremely fluent, your chances of finding out about a prospective partner's sexual history are slim.
• Altitude sickness Permanent snow lines are around 18 or 19,000' (5,500m), so base camps and passes in the Himalaya are usually higher than Mount Blanc or Mount Whitney. This puts even experienced mountain climbers at risk of altitude-related medical conditions that can be life-threatening. Risks can be minimized by choosing routes that don't go high, such as Pokhara-Jomosom, or routes and trekking companies where gamow bags or other treatment are available, and by sleeping not more than 1,000'/300m higher per day. According to the "climb high, sleep low" mantra, it is good to take daytime conditioning hikes that push acclimation, then to return to a more reasonable elevation at night.
• Hypothermia is a risk, especially if you are trekking in spring, autumn or winter to avoid heat at low elevations. When it is a comfortable 85F/30C in the Terai, it is likely to be in the teens Fahrenheit or -10C at that base camp or high pass. Either be prepared to hike *and* sleep in these temperatures (and make sure your comrades, guides and porters are equally prepared), or choose a trek that doesn't go high. For example at 10,000'/3,000m expect temperatures in the 40s Fahrenheit or 5 to 10 degrees Celsius.
• Rabies - Dogs are not vaccinated and catch this fatal disease from other dogs or wild animals with some regularity. All mammals are potentially vulnerable. Dogs are considered ritually polluting and are widely abused, so it can be impossible to know whether a dog bit you because it is paranoid about people or because it is rabid. You should be vaccinated against rabies before going to Nepal, but this is not absolute protection. Be on the lookout for mammals acting disoriented or hostile and stay as far away as possible. Do not pet dogs, cats or pigs no matter how cute. If bitten or exposed to saliva, seek medical attention. You may need an extended series of injections that provides a higher level of protection than routine vaccination.
• Snakebite - The risk is greatest in warm weather and at elevations below 5,000' (1,500m). Poisonous snakes are fairly common and cause thousands of deaths annually. Local people may be able to differentiate poisonous and non-poisonous species. Cobras raise their bodies in the air and spread their hoods when annoyed; itinerant snake charmers are likely to have specimens for your edification. Vipers have triangular heads and may have thick bodies like venomous snakes in North America. Kraits are strangely passive in daylight but become active at night, especially around dwellings where they hunt mice. Krait bites may be initially painless, causing only numbness. However without proper antivenin numbness can progress to deadly paralysis, even with bites from small, seemingly innocuous specimens. Wearing proper shoes and pants rather than sandals and shorts provides some protection. Watch where you put your feet and hands, and use a flashlight when walking outside at night. Sleeping on elevated beds and on second stories helps protect against nocturnal kraits.

[edit] Respect

Greet people with a warm Namaste (or "Namaskar" to an older or high-status person) with palms together, fingers up. Show marked respect to elders. Be friendly, be patient.

Feet are considered dirty. Don't point the bottoms of your feet (or your bum!) at people, or at religious icons. In this vein, be sure not to step over a person who may be seated or lying on the ground. Be sensitive to when it is proper to remove your hat or shoes.

The left hand is considered unclean because it is used to wash after defecating. Nepalis carry a small jug (called a lota) of water for this purpose in lieu of toilet paper. It would be insulting to touch anyone with this hand.

Accept tea.

Circumambulate temples, chortens, stupas, mani walls, etc. clockwise.

When haggling over prices, smile, laugh, and be friendly. Be prepared to allow a reasonable profit. Don't insult fine craftsmanship, it's much better to lament that you are too poor to afford such princely quality.

Many Hindu temples do not allow non-Hindus inside certain parts of the temple complex. Be aware and respectful of this fact, as these are places of worship, not tourist attractions.

Being a non-Hindu makes you moderately low caste, but not an untouchable. Avoid touching containers of water; let someone pour it into your drinking container. Likewise avoid touching food that others will be eating. Make sure you are invited before entering someone's house. You may only be welcome on the outer porch, or in the yard.

Wash hands before and after eating. Touch food only with the right hand. The left hand can be used to hold glasses, bowls, and probably eating utensils. Outside the main cities, be prepared to eat rice meals with your (right) hand as Nepalis do, or bring along a fork and spoon.

[edit] Contact

Email is spreading like wildfire, but your best bet is always Kathmandu (especially in Thamel and around the Boudha Stupa in Boudhanath) or Pokhara. However, Namche, way up in the the Everest region, has several internet cafes that launch your messages out via satellite - though the price is much higher than in Kathmandu . Mail can be received at many guesthouses or shipping offices if you arrange ahead. Phone calls are best made from any of the international phone offices in Kathmandu-- Voice over Internet (VOI) is usually a fraction of the cost of a normal call and it's hard to tell the difference. Check for rates on "callbacks" (you make your call and have them call you back), some places will let you do it for free, others have a charge. The standard Nepalese electrical outlet is a three-pronged triangle, but most have been retrofitted to accept US and European plugs, although they are not always very tight and you may get sparks.

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