Know before you go
A small country with an outsized landscape: from jungle plains under 100 m to the summit of Everest, with more than 120 languages and a living heritage in between.
Welcome to Nepal
Squeezed between India and the Tibetan plateau, Nepal is rarely more than 250 km from north to south, yet it climbs from steamy jungle to the highest point on Earth. In a single trip you can watch rhinos wade through the grasslands of Chitwan, light butter lamps beside pilgrims at a thousand-year-old stupa, and wake up to sunrise on an 8,000-metre peak.
It is a land of more than 140 ethnic groups and castes, where Hindu and Buddhist traditions blend so closely that many temples are shared. Festivals fill the calendar, the food is generous, and hospitality is part of daily life: guests, as the saying goes, are treated as gods.
Nepal was never colonised, and much of its heritage survives not in museums but in everyday use — courtyards still hold rituals, old trade routes are now trekking trails, and the medieval squares of the Kathmandu Valley are as busy today as they were five hundred years ago.
Twenty-two places that capture Nepal — from royal cities and sacred lakes to jungle parks and Himalayan trails. Filter by interest, then pick a place to fly there.
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Nepal falls into three bands that run east to west. Each has its own climate, cultures and way of travelling.
A wall of ice along the northern border, home to Everest, Kangchenjunga, Lhotse, Makalu, Cho Oyu, Dhaulagiri, Manaslu and Annapurna. Sherpa, Thakali and Tibetan-Buddhist cultures thrive in high valleys reached on foot or by small plane.
Terraced ridges, rhododendron forests and most of Nepal's towns, including Kathmandu and Pokhara. This is where you'll find Newar temple cities, Gurung and Magar villages, and the trailheads for nearly every trek.
Flat, fertile lowlands along the Indian border: rice fields, sal forest and grassland. The Terai holds Chitwan and Bardiya national parks, Lumbini, Janakpur and the rich Tharu and Maithili cultures.
There’s no bad time to come — just different Nepals. Here’s how the year unfolds.
Late Sep – Nov
Crisp air and the clearest mountain views of the year. The best all-round time to trek, and the season of Dashain and Tihar.
Dec – Feb
Cold nights and snow up high, but sunny days in Kathmandu and Pokhara. Ideal for lower treks, heritage cities and Chitwan.
Mar – May
Hillsides bloom red and pink, and Everest climbing season begins. Warmer, with some afternoon haze as May arrives.
Jun – mid Sep
Daily rain, leeches on lower trails and cloudy peaks — but vivid green valleys, fewer crowds, and dry trekking in rain-shadow areas like Upper Mustang.
Some milestones that shaped the country you’ll travel through.
Siddhartha Gautama, who became the Buddha, is born at Lumbini in what is now southern Nepal.
The Licchavi kings rule the Kathmandu Valley; early inscriptions and the temple of Changu Narayan date from this era.
The Malla kings build the palaces, pagodas and squares of Kathmandu, Patan and Bhaktapur that you can still walk through today.
Prithvi Narayan Shah of Gorkha takes the Kathmandu Valley and unifies the small kingdoms into modern Nepal.
After a century of isolation under the Rana rulers, Nepal opens its borders to the outside world.
Tenzing Norgay and Edmund Hillary make the first ascent of Everest, putting Nepal on every adventurer's map.
The monarchy is abolished and Nepal becomes a federal democratic republic.
A new constitution creates seven provinces; the same year, the Gorkha earthquake tests — and shows — the country's resilience.
Faith, food and festivals are woven into everyday life.
Faith. Most Nepalis are Hindu (about 81%), with significant Buddhist, Muslim and Kirat communities. Shrines sit at street corners, and it’s common to see the same family honour gods from both traditions.
Food. Dal bhat — lentils, rice, curry and pickle — fuels the nation, often twice a day. Don't miss momo dumplings, Newari feasts in the Kathmandu Valley, Thakali sets in the Annapurnas and sweet milky chiya tea.
Festivals. Dashain and Tihar in autumn are the biggest celebrations, with kites, family visits and oil lamps lighting up every home. Holi, Buddha Jayanti, Indra Jatra and the many Lhosar new years fill the rest of the calendar.
Etiquette.
The things worth sorting out before you fly. Rules and fees change, so always double-check official sources close to your trip.
Most visitors can get a tourist visa on arrival at Tribhuvan International Airport and main land borders, for 15, 30 or 90 days. Indian citizens don't need one. Check the Department of Immigration for current fees and eligibility.
The currency is the Nepalese rupee (NPR). ATMs are common in cities but rare on trekking routes, so carry enough cash before heading into the mountains.
Nepali is the national language, and English is widely understood in tourist areas. A warm “Namaste” with palms pressed together goes a long way.
230 V, 50 Hz, with plug types C, D and M. Bring a universal adapter and a power bank — charging costs extra in many mountain lodges.
Above about 3,000 m, raise your sleeping altitude slowly (roughly 300–500 m a day) and build in rest days. Descend if symptoms of altitude sickness worsen.
Most treks need a national park or conservation area permit. Restricted areas such as Upper Mustang and Manaslu require special permits, and rules now require licensed guides in most protected areas — confirm before you go.
Kathmandu's Tribhuvan International Airport is the main gateway, with newer international airports at Bhairahawa (near Lumbini) and Pokhara. Overland crossings from India are also popular.
Tourist Police: 1144 · Police: 100 · Ambulance: 102. Travel insurance that covers helicopter evacuation is essential for high-altitude trekking.