According to countryaah, Nepal or as we should officially say the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal is located in southern Asia and sandwiched between China and India. The Chinese part of the border is formed by occupied Tibet, which has been a province of China since 1950. The Kathmandu valley has been inhabited from about the third century BC. It was probably monks from Tibet who settled here and brought Buddhism with them. It was not until the thirteenth century AD that Hindus also settled in the valley. These were on the run from the rising Islam in northern India. In the centuries that followed, present-day Nepal was part of the Malla dynasty. In the eighteenth century, the country became part of the principality of Gurka. This brought it indirectly under the influence of China. At the beginning of the nineteenth century a war was fought with the United Kingdom. Nepal lost it but would never be made a British colony. The country would remain a kingdom until 2007 with the king pursuing sole rule. This only partially came to an end in the 1970s. In 2001, the then Crown Prince of Nepal inflicted another massacre in which ten members of the royal family, including the king and queen, were murdered. And then take his own life. Nepal is best known by travelers for its beautiful high mountains. For many mountaineers, the country has an incredible appeal. Mount Everest is therefore the highest mountain in the world. Many of the climbers who have attempted to make it to the top have to turn around prematurely. In total, about 5,000 people made it to the top. The spiritual leader Gautama Buddha was born in Nepal in the fourth century BC.
Sights
Mount Everest is without a doubt the most important landmark of Nepal. Every year tens of thousands of tourists come to view the mountain from a distance. In addition, the mountain is still climbed on average by several hundred mountaineers. In addition, the Kathmandu valley containing the three royal cities of Patan, Kathmandu and Bhaktapur is a special attraction in Nepal. Many thousands of religious buildings and shrines can be found in this valley. In addition to the royal cities, the villages of Bungamati, Panauti, Newari de Thimi and Nagerkot are certainly worth a visit. One of the most famous places in the capital Kathmandu is the Durbar Square. The city also houses one of the largest stupas in the world, the Boudhanath. This sidewalk is located in the Bouddha district where, after the annexation of Tibet by China, many Buddhist monks have settled. Not far from here is the Pashupatinath temple complex, one of the most important Hindu temples in Nepal. The capital Kathmandu is the most popular tourist destination in Nepal, but the places Pokhara, Nagarkot and Lumbini are also popular with tourists. In addition, the Chitwan National Park also attracts many tourists on an annual basis.
UNESCO
Nepal has four inscriptions on the UNESCO World Heritage List. Sagarmatha National Park was the first to be added in 1979. This park is located in the eastern part of Nepal and covers large parts of the Himalayas including part of Mount Everest. The rare snow leopard is found in the park. That same year, the Kathmandu Valley was added to the list. There are several large cities in this valley, including the capital Kathmandu. Several important religious buildings can be found in the Kathmandu valley. Later, the Royal Chitwan National Park was added, mainly because of the endangered species such as the Indian rhinoceros and the Bengal tiger that live there. in 1997, the birthplace of Gautama Buddha was added to the list.
Climate
There are several climate types in Nepal. The high mountain climate occurs in the highest parts of the Himalayas. This climate type has many similarities with the tundra climate, but is distinguished by the high altitude where the climate can be found. The temperature is below zero degrees Celsius all year round. The ground is therefore always frozen, this phenomenon is also known as permafrost. The slightly lower parts of the country have the subarctic climate and lower again there are different types of continental climate. Below 1200 meters there are several tropical climates. In most places you talk about the tropical monsoon climate. This monsoon period lasts here from June to September, but heavy rain showers can also occur in the months before and after. In the higher parts of the country, precipitation will consist solely of snow. The windward side of the mountains receives much more precipitation than the leeward side of the mountain range. Due to the large amounts of precipitation that can fall in Nepal, floods and landslides can occur during the monsoon period.
Geography
Nepal has a wide variety of different landscapes. The most eye-catching part can be found in the east of the country, not far from the borders with China and Tibet. This is because the Himalayas are located here with Mount Everest. At 8848 meters, this is the highest mountain in the world. Some of the highest mountains in the world can still be found in this part of Nepal, the Kangchenjunga which is 8,586 meters high, the Lhotse with 8,516 meters high, the 8,167 meter high Dhaulagiri and the Annapurna Himal which is 8,091 meters high. All these mountains are higher than 8,000 meters and therefore have peaks that lie in the sin of death. In total, eight of the fourteen mountains in the world are above 8,000 meters in Nepal. But Nepal is more than just the Himalayas. The lower mountains are located in the center of the country. This hilly landscape is distinguished by the many fertile valleys that can be found there. The Kathmandu Valley is the largest valley that can be found. In this valley lies the capital Kathmandu and the two other royal cities Bhakatpur and Patan. At the edge of the valley lies the beautiful mountain village of Nagerkot. Finally, there is the Nepalese lowland. This lowland stretches along the border with India and has a tropical character. In this part of Nepal you can find the Royal Chitwan National Park and the Bardiva Park. The main rivers of the country are the Ghaghara, the Bagmati, the Kali and the Koshi. Kathmandu is the largest city in the country, Pokhara, Lalitpur and Biratnagar all have more than 200,000 inhabitants.
Travel advice
The travel advice for Nepal has been on vigilance for some years now. This applies in particular to the area along the border with India, the hill area in the east and the autonomous state of Tharuhat in the west of the country. There are also a number of regions in Nepal that demand their own autonomous state. In these areas there are regular protests where the main road is blocked. It is advised not to travel alone in the so-called trekking areas. Tents are regularly robbed here where a lot of violence is used. Nepal is located in an earthquake prone area. In 20111 another severe earthquake occurred here, killing several people. In the monsoon period, which lasts from June to September, heavy rainfall can cause flooding and landslides.
There are no mandatory vaccinations for Nepal unless you come from a yellow fever area. However, vaccinations are recommended against typhoid fever and hepatitis A.
Travel documents
For a trip to Nepal you must be in possession of a passport that is still valid for at least six months at the time of departure from the country. Persons under the age of twelve must also be in possession of their own travel document. You also need to be in possession of a visa, which you can request in advance at the Nepalese embassy in Amsterdam. There are visas available for a visit to Nepal for different periods of time. The shortest is valid for 15 days and the longest for 90 days. If you want to go hiking in the mountains of Nepal, you must also be in possession of a trekking permit, which can often be obtained from the local authorities.
Are you flying through India? Do not forget to apply for a visa for India. If you google ‘Visa India’ you can choose from a large number of visa agencies. There are some differences in service and prices. At VisumBuitenland.nl you have 24/7 Dutch customer service and you can pay with iDEAL or Bancontact in addition to credit card or PayPal.
Info table
| Capital city | Kathmandu |
| Phone (country code) | 977 |
| Internetdomein | .np |
| Language(s) (official) | Nepali |
| Language(s) (colloquial) | Nepalese, Maithili, Bhojpuri, Tharu, Tamang and more than a hundred local tales and dialects |
| Religion(s) | Hinduism, Buddhism and Islam |
| Time zone(s) | UTC+5:45 |
| Time difference summer | In Nepal it is 3 hours and 45 minutes earlier than in the Netherlands |
| Time difference winter | In Nepal it is 4 hours and 45 minutes earlier than in the Netherlands |
| Daylight Saving Time Control | nee |
| Currency | Nepalese Rupee |
