Nepal is one of the friendliest nations on earth. On the roof of the world, the scenic beauty quite literally takes your breath away, with nearly 250 peaks, including Mount Everest, the world’s highest at 8848m. But Nepal is also a profoundly spiritual and culturally diverse country, steeped in a fascinating history, and is a spiritual place of pilgrimage for many worshippers.
Over 2,500 years ago, Nepal’s spiritualisation commenced when Prince Siddharta Gautama renounced his claim to royal power and devoted his life to meditation, attaining enlightenment as the Buddha. Today, Buddhists are mainly found close to Tibet, where the landscape conceals sacred sites. Hinduism is the most practised religion in the country, although most Nepalese temples serve both Buddhist and Hindu worshippers.
Nepal has also become increasingly popular with adventure travellers and outdoor enthusiasts looking to do everything from trekking in the foothills of the Everest or Annapurna regions to white-water rafting, and from observing wildlife to participating in religious ceremonies. This rise in tourism demand has fueled the growth of sprawling cities such as Kathmandu and Pokhara, and there has been an explosion of new hotels and restaurants opening to serve this new, thriving audience. With the increasing popularity, job prospects, and opportunities in local communities, the situation has improved, not to mention the improvements in education and health in this desperately poor nation.
Outside of the main cities, Chitwan National Park provides a haven for Wildlife observation. Here, visitors can search for the native species, including the Royal Bengal Tiger, the one-horned Indian rhino, and the Indian elephant.
Kathmandu, the capital, is the primary driver of modernity and social change in Nepal. Politically, Nepal has undergone a massive transformation in recent years, having overcome its war with rebel Maoists and shifted from a monarchy to a democratic republic in 2008. But turmoil has continued, and in 2015, a different force came into play when Nepal was hit by a massive earthquake, which killed thousands of locals and tourists. Thousands were left homeless, and Nepal reached out to the rest of the world to ask for help in rebuilding this intricate country.
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