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Nepal, the ultimate destination for the travellers
and holidaying tourist is a land-locked country. Draped along the
spine of the high Himalaya, Nepal is a land of sublime scenery,
time-worn temples, deepest gorge, highest lake, eight out of ten
highest peaks and some of the best challenging hiking trails on
earth. It's a poor country, but it is rich in scenic splendour and
cultural treasures.
The Himalayan kingdom is located between India
and China, in South East Asia. It is the home of the historic cities,
dense green forests along with the world's most endangered species
like one-horned Rhinoceros and Royal Bengal tiger. It is also the
birthplace of Lord Buddha.
The tiny country is consider as the country with
more temples than houses and more gods & goddesses than the people
who live here. You can count more festivals than the number of days
in this unique country, where we have got ten World Heritage Sites,
out of which seven are located within a a distance of 20 km inside
Kathmandu valley. We even got Living Goddess Kumari here.
This Hindu kingdom’s culture, traditional arts
and heritage dates back to more than thousand years. The wide mosaic
of races and ethnic groups have given this country a distinct character
and culture of her own, which was hidden from the western world
till the mid of 19th century. Nepal, the birthplace of deities,
the home of the legendary Gurkhas and hospitable people with exocitic
culture is a souvenir mystic kingdom.
It is the kind of country that lingers in your
dreams long after you leave from here. This is why so many travellers
are drawn back here again and again with a greater appreciation
of its natural and cultural complexity.
About
tourism:
The activities include climbing, mountain flight,
trekking, rafting in trepid mountaining rivers, mountain biking,
paragliding, jungle safari, hiking, village tour, hot air ballooning
etc. Tourism provides the single largest source of foreign exchange
for the country’s development plants and the largest source of employment
besides agriculture. Nepal collects over $60 million in revenue
from tourism each year, which is the largest income of this country.
When to visit:
In spring and autumn the weather is generally mild and dry.
These are the most popular times for trekking in Nepal.
March, April and may are the most colourful months - with wild
flowers in full bloom throughout the lower lying areas.
September, October and November are also excellent months.
During the winter, December, January and February, there is
usually lots of snow, and the ice-cold winds restrict trekking to
lower regions and sheltered valleys. But there are fewer trekkers at
this time of year - so you feel more like a true explorer!
Summer, June, July and August, is the rainy season.
Most of Nepal is drenched by the Monsoon.
Visibility can be restricted, and trekking can be difficult.
On the plus side - you'll have the place pretty much to yourself!
How to get here:
You can fly directly to Kathmandu from London, Paris, Frankfurt, Vienna, Amsterdam, Moscow, Osaka, Shanghai, Bangkok, Hongkong, Sharjah, Dubai, Dhaka, Karachi, Abu Dhabi, Bahrain, Doha, Paro, Lhasa, Singapore, Delhi, Mumbai, Patna, Calcutta, and Varanasi .
Visas:
You will require a visa to enter Nepal.
These are usually granted for 60 days and are obtained on arrival
at Kathmandu Airport. You can save time by filling in the visa-form
during the flight (the flight attendants have them).
You will need two additional passport photographs for the visa.
Read More....
Currency:
You will need Nepalese Rupees as soon as you arrive.
You are not allowed to bring them with you from abroad, so
you will be expected to purchase them at one of the currency
exchange kiosks within the airport. You will be given a receipt
showing how many Rupees you have bought. You will need the
receipt to re-exchange any unspent Rupees when you leave.
You can also purchase Nepalese Rupees from banks, hotels and
licenced money-changers. You may also be offered the "chance"
to buy them (at much better rates) on the streets.
This is illegal and should not be considered as an option.
Visitors other than Indian nationals are required to pay for their
trekking permits and hotel bills in foreign currency.
Credit debit cards:
American Express, MasterCard and Visa are accepted in tourist
shops, hotels, restaurants and most of the agencies.
Travellers cheques:
Accepted at banks and major hotels.
If trekking, it is important to bear in mind that cash is necessary at
lodges, restaurants and hotels along your route. To avoid
additional exchange rate charges, travellers are advised to take
travellers cheques in US Dollars or Pounds Sterling.
Health:
A yellow fever vaccination certificate is required of travellers
arriving from infected areas.
Cholera is a serious risk in Nepal and precautions are
essential. Up-to-date advice should be sought before deciding
whether these precautions should include vaccination, as medical
opinion is divided over its effectiveness.
Typhoid is common in low lying areas.
Malaria is a risk in low lying areas.
Neither of these are considered as problem in the high mountains.
All water should be regarded as being potentially contaminated.
Water used for drinking, brushing teeth or making ice should have
first been boiled or otherwise sterilised.
Milk is unpasteurised and
should be boiled. Powdered or tinned milk is available and is
advised, but make sure that it is reconstituted with pure water.
Avoid dairy products which are likely to have been made from
unboiled milk. Only eat well-cooked meat and fish, preferably
served hot. Vegetables should be cooked and fruit peeled.
Altitude sickness can be a hazard for trekkers,
so it is important to be in good health before travelling.
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