Nepal - The biggest natural museum in the world
 Nepal covers a span of 147,181 sq. kilometers ranging from altitude of 70 meters to 8,848 meters. Mountains, mid hills, valleys and plains dominate the geography of landlocked Nepal that extends from the Himalayan range in the north to the Indo-Gangetic lowlands in south. Mt. Everest, the highest point of the Himalayas is in Nepal.
Physical features also include green paddy terraces, wind-swept deserts, dense forests and marshy grasslands. The country is well endowed with perennial rivers, lakes and glacial lakes that originate in the Himalayas. Twenty percent of the land in the country is used for agriculture, where 0.49 percent is used for permanent crops, mainly rice.
Climatic conditions of Nepal vary from one place to another in accordance with the geographical features. In the north summers are cool and winters severe, while in south summers are sub tropical and winters mild.
The variety in Nepal's topography provides home to wildlife like tigers, rhinos, monkeys, bears, yaks, leopards and different species of insects and birds. Nepal is a home to almost 10 percent of the world's bird species among which 500 species are found in the Kathmandu Valley.
 Nepal - Fast Facts
Area
140,800 sq km
54,363 sq miles
Population
26,469,600
Time Zone
GMT/UTC +5.75 ()
Languages
Nepali is the official language and English is understood and spoken by the majority of people in Kathmandu valley and other major cities.
Religion
90% Hindu, 5% Buddhist, 3% Muslim, 2% other
Holidays
Saturday (Saturday and Sunday in Kathmandu) is the weekly holiday, while museums remain closed on Tuesday and other government holidays.
Currency
The Nepalese Rupee is the local currency.
What to Wear
Medium-weight and easy to wash cottons can be good choice year-round in the Kathmandu valley. From October to February, woolen sweaters, jackets or similar warm outfits are necessary. Short or long sleeved shirts are good in March through May from June to September light and loose garments are advisable.
When To Go
Always consider the climate when you plan a trip to Nepal. Judge it wrong and you may never see the mountains. Thebest 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. |
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