Short luxury Journey to Nepal

Nepal

A Land of Thousand Colors in the Himalayas

Geography of  Nepal

Nepal Country

Geography of Nepal

Sandwiched between two Asian Giants - China and India, Nepal has traditionally been characterized as "a yam between two rocks". Nepal is surrounded by India on three sides and by China's Xizang Autonomous Region (Tibet) to the north. Nepal is almost totally dependent on India for transit facilities and access to the sea - that is the Bay of Bengal - even for the majority of the goods coming from China.

Noted for its majestic Himalayas, which in Sanskrit means "the abode of snow", Nepal is very mountainous and hilly, although still displaying physical diversity. Its shape is roughly rectangular with its 650 kilometers long and about 200 kilometers wide, and is 147,161 square kilometers in area. Three broad physiographic areas run laterally - the lowlands "Terai region" in the south, the lower central mountains and hills constituting "the hilly region", and the high Himalayas with the 8,848 meters Mount Everest and other peaks formiing "the mountain region" in the north.

Only twenty percent of the total land area is cultivable.

Climate of Nepal

Depending on the geographical features, the climatic conditions of Nepal vary from one place to another.

Accordingly, there is no real seasonal constraint on travelling in and through Nepal, even though spring is the time to admire the beautiful blowing rhododendrons, Nepal’s national flower, while the clearest skies are found after the monsoon in October/November. However, even in December/January, when winter is at its severest, there are compensating bright sun and brilliant views. In general, the temperatures average drop of 6°C occurs for every 1000 meters gain in altitude.

Nepal is thus worth visiting the whole year round!

The Sherpa People

The Sherpa people migrated from eastern Tibet to Nepal hundreds of years ago. Before the Western intrusion in the twentieth century, the Sherpa people did not climb mountains, they reverently passed by the high paks of the Himalayas, believing them to be the homes of the gods. The Sherpa people eked out their livelihood from high-altitude farming, raising cattle, wool spinning, and weaving.

It was not before the 1920s that the Sherpa people became involved in climbing. The British, who controlled the Indian subcontinent at that time, planned mountain climbing expeditions and hired Sherpa as porters. From that time on, due to their willingness to work and ability to climb the world's tallest peaks, mouintaineering became part of the Sherpa culture.

Though numerous expeditions made attempts, it was in 1953 that Edmund Hillary and the Sherpa named Tenzing Norgey managed to reach the 8,848 meter (29,028 feet), Mount Everest. After 1953, countless teams of climbers invaded the Sherpa's homeland, making western snacks more familiar than traditional Sherpa food. In 1976, the Sherpa's region and Mount Everest became protected as part of the Sagarmatha National Park. The park was created through the efforts not only of the government of Nepal but also throught the work of the Himalayan Trust, a foundation established by Sir Edmund Hillary.

The transformation of the Sherpa's culture and way of living make their income increase. The Sherpa people who work as guides, cooks or part of the Base Camp staff of an expedition, have an income far exceeding that of the average Nepalese. For the most part, the Sherpa people no longer serve as porters - they contract that job out to other ethnicity but retain positions such as head porters. Through the Sherpa have experienced westernization, their income from climbers has helped them to preserve their society. They have managed to keep alive most of the important parts of their culture.

Trips in Nepal


An Exclusive Discovery of the Himalaya

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Duration :12 Days

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Latest News Nepal

Handcrafted Paper
A tradition in Nepal

Nepalese handicraft history can be traced back to the stone age when human beings were inadequate of tools of any kind. One of the very popular handicraft among Nepal products is the handmade lokta paper. Its tradition has been maintained for centuries by the people of Nepal. For 1500 years handmade paper has been made in mountain area and reflects a unique culture heritage.

Nepalese handicraft history can be traced back to the stone age when human beings were inadequate of tools of any kind. One of the very popular handicraft among Nepal products is the handmade lokta paper. Its tradition has been maintained for centuries by the people of Nepal. For 1500 years handmade paper has been made in mountain area and reflects a unique culture heritage.

Nepalese handicraft history can be traced back to the stone age when human beings were inadequate of tools of any kind. One of the very popular handicraft among Nepal products is the handmade lokta paper. Its tradition has been maintained for centuries by the people of Nepal. For 1500 years handmade paper has been made in mountain area and reflects a unique culture heritage.