Nepal is a small kingdom on the south side of the Himalayas, taken directly from the world of fairy tales. Snow-capped rocky mountains, beautiful Hindu temples, gilded Buddhist monasteries and a friendly, peaceful population make Nepal a unique and almost mysterious country. Elongated glaciers, roaring rivers, large forests with meter-high rhododendron bushes, lush jungle and green rice groves are overshadowed only by the mighty grandeur of the mountains.
See trips to Nepal
Population: 31.5 million
Capital: Kathmandu
Language: Nepalese and minority languages
In the Kathmandu Valley, there are as many as seven of UNESCO’s World Heritage Sites in an area no larger than 15 km2.
During the Dasain festival, the sky is covered with dragons. The dragons are sent up to remind the gods that they do not need to send more rain to the earth.
Geography of Nepal
Nepal can be divided into four very different areas. Farthest to the north is the High Himalayas with the world’s highest mountain, Mount Everest at 8848 meters. There is a harsh polar climate here and the snow covers the ground all year round. To the south is the Early Himalayas with some snow-capped peaks, but also populated valleys. In the third zone, the mountains have turned into slopes with conifers and wild-growing medicinal herbs. Farthest to the south is a narrow strip of land with both rice and sugar cane fields, uninhabitable swampland and jungle with tigers, leopards and the rare Indian rhino. Nepal’s main roads consist of a complex network of paths that connect the valleys with the small countryside. The hiking trails, which can be described as every hiking enthusiast’s highest dream, run through rice fields, forests and snow-capped mountain passes and past romantic dilapidated religious monuments.
The people of Nepal
Despite all the Buddhist buildings that one sooner or later encounters during one’s walk, the majority of Nepalese are Hindus. Buddha was born in Nepal and his teachings were followed by many until North Indian Hindus immigrated and soon surpassed the number of Buddhists. The Buddhist monuments have been left as they are also used by the Hindus. It is still estimated that there are eleven different peoples and the Hindu population groups originating from northern India still consider themselves finer than the Tibetan Buddhists.
Attractions in Nepal
Nepal is the land of hikers and given that it is practically only possible to get there on foot, a trip to Nepal always means a certain dose of training for the feet and legs. However, it is good to acclimatize in the first days if the hike is to take place at high altitudes. The rewards are immediate in the form of some of the world’s most amazing natural spectacles and not all hikes are necessarily tough. Those who do not want to go on a longer hike still have a lot to do in Nepal. Enjoy the wonderful view of Mount Everest in Daman. See why hippies came to Kathmandu. Purchase prayer flags and other Buddhist items in Pokhara. Witness the ultimate religious submission of Tibetan pilgrims as they fall to their knees in front of Bodhnath. See poor Nepalese Hindus offering valuable gifts like buffalo, goats and chickens to the goddess Kali in the Dakshinkali temple or go on an elephant safari in Chitwan National Park and watch rhinos, monkeys and thousands of birds. A trip to Nepal guarantees a whole range of unique and different experiences. Visit handbagpicks for Nepal Tour Plan.
Climate Nepal
Here you can read about Nepal’s climate and weather – see among other things temperatures for Kathmandu.
| JAN | FEB | MAR | APR | MAY | JUN | CHRISTMAS | AUG | SEP | OCT | NOV | DEC | |
| Kathmandu | ||||||||||||
| Daytime temperature | 19 | 21 | 25 | 28 | 29 | 28 | 28 | 29 | 28 | 27 | 24 | 20 |
| Night temperature | 2 | 5 | 8 | 12 | 16 | 19 | 20 | 20 | 19 | 13 | 8 | 4 |
| Precipitation (mm) | 14 | 19 | 34 | 61 | 124 | 236 | 363 | 331 | 200 | 51 | 8 | 13 |
| Nagarkot | ||||||||||||
| Daytime temperature | 16 | 18 | 21 | 24 | 25 | 25 | 24 | 25 | 24 | 23 | 20 | 17 |
| Night temperature | 2 | 4 | 7 | 10 | 13 | 16 | 17 | 16 | 15 | 12 | 7 | 3 |
| Precipitation (mm) | 12 | 6 | 12 | 21 | 51 | 93 | 132 | 132 | 90 | 18 | 0 | 12 |
| Pokhara | ||||||||||||
| Daytime temperature | 20 | 22 | 27 | 30 | 30 | 31 | 30 | 30 | 29 | 28 | 24 | 21 |
| Night temperature | 7 | 9 | 13 | 16 | 18 | 21 | 22 | 22 | 21 | 17 | 12 | 8 |
| Precipitation (mm) | 23 | 35 | 60 | 128 | 360 | 669 | 940 | 866 | 640 | 140 | 18 | 22 |
| Lumbini / Chitwan | ||||||||||||
| Daytime temperature | 22 | 25 | 32 | 37 | 38 | 36 | 32 | 32 | 32 | 31 | 27 | 23 |
| Night temperature | 9 | 11 | 16 | 21 | 25 | 26 | 26 | 26 | 25 | 20 | 13 | 10 |
| Precipitation (mm) | 15 | 15 | 10 | 10 | 35 | 190 | 342 | 345 | 212 | 75 | 5 | 5 |
The climate in Nepal varies from subtropical to subarctic depending on the altitude differences in the country. The country has four seasons with summer between June and August, autumn Sep – Nov, and winter Dec – Feb. During the summer, the monsoon period also falls with a lot of precipitation. The chilly winter season is popular for trekking. During the summer, temperatures can rise to over 40 degrees in some places while it is around 28 at higher altitudes. In winter, the northern parts of the country can experience minus degrees.
Hygiene and drinking water
Hotels and larger restaurants usually meet modern / western standards. Out in the city and in the country, you can count on going to so-called pedal toilets, and that there is a lack of toilet paper. The standard of public toilets or in the countryside can thus be relatively primitive. Bring your own toilet paper, wet wipes and perhaps hand sanitizer (available at Swedish pharmacies, for example), so you will not be as dependent on access to water. You should not drink tap water, but instead buy bottled water.
