A Himalayan Kingdom to the north of India, the remote kingdom of Nepal offers the holiday of a lifetime. The shops and markets of Kathmandu are a delight to the senses and for trekkers and mountaineers, there is a life time of adventure activities waiting for you.

To many visitors, the Himalayan Kingdom conjures up the images of snow-capped mountains and rolling green hills. Indeed, out of ten world's tallest mountains, eight are in Nepal, making Nepal a mountaineer's dream. But Nepal has much more to offer than just the high breathtaking Himalayas.

This small country with an area of approximately 52,818 sq miles is diverse geographically as well as ethnically with more than 61 ethnic groups and 70 spoken languages. You will find rich cultures and vibrant traditions, exquisite temples and monuments as well as fast flowing rivers and tropical jungles teeming with wildlife, making your trip an unforgettable experience. It is the only Hindu Kingdom in the world. However, all the people from different races and religions live in harmony and there is an ideal blending of Hinduism and Buddhism.

When To Go
October-November, the start of the dry season, is probably the best time of year to visit Kathmandu: the weather is balmy, the air is clean, visibility is perfect and the countryside is lush and green following the monsoon. February-April, the tail end of the dry season is the second-best time to visit: visibility is not so good because of dust, but the weather is warm and many of Nepal's wonderful wild flowers are in bloom. In December and January, the views are crystal clear, but it can be chilly in the evenings: few of the cheaper hotels in Kathmandu have any heating and most travellers stay out in the warmth of Thamel's bars and restaurants until late and then rush home and dive under the blankets. The rest of the year is fairly unpleasant for travelling: May and early June are generally too hot and dusty for comfort, and the monsoon from mid-June to September obscures the mountains in cloud and turns trails and roads to mud. You'll probably find you spend most of the time indoors with a book while the rain thunders down outside.

Contributing autor; Rabin Baral aatt Nepal.