What makes Nepal Unique
Why visit Nepal? The straightforward response to this query is that Nepal has something to offer to everyone. It offers some of the best trekking trails in the entire globe for those who enjoy trekking. Similarly, there are options for paragliding, bungee jumping, and rafting for thrill-seekers. Some of the most stunning locations in the world, like Pokhara and Mustang, are available to anyone who wants to experience natural beauty. Similarly, Kathmandu, the nation’s capital, will enthrall history and architecture lovers. On the other hand, Nepal has a long history of yoga and tantra making it the ideal location for spiritual seekers. There are a plethora of attractions in Nepal that will entice anyone to travel here. These are a few compelling reasons to visit Nepal.
Kathmandu – World’s Living Cultural Museum
Let’s begin with the nation’s capital. In addition to serving as Nepal’s administrative capital, Kathmandu also serves as the country’s cultural hub. The Kathmandu Valley’s Durbar Squares, palaces, temples, and other monuments all depict Nepal’s illustrious culture and history. For this reason, Kathmandu has got the title of the “World’s Living Cultural Museum”. Kathmandu is the location of seven UNESCO World Heritage Cultural Sites that are all within a 15-kilometer radius. These sites are the Kathmandu Durbar Square, Patan Durbar Square, Bhaktapur Durbar Square, Swayambhunath Stupa, Bouddhanath Stupa, Pashupatinath Temple, and Changu Narayan Temple. Lumbini, Sagarmatha National Park, and Chitwan National Park are three other UNESCO World Heritage Sites that are outside of Kathmandu Valley. As a result, Nepal is the country with the highest concentration of heritage sites in the world.
Home to Eight of the Word’s Top Ten Highest Mountains
The majority of the Himalayas lie in Nepal. Eight of the top ten highest peaks, including Everest, are present in Nepal. Beyond these, Nepal is home to other 1,310 mountains. This fact alone is enough to lure adventure, trekking, and mountain lovers to Nepal. These magnificent mountains covered in white snow are mesmerizing but wait, there’s more. You will remember these mountains even more because of the luscious pine and rhododendron forests, suspension bridges, Tibetan prayer flags, waterfalls, glaciers, valleys, high passes, and, of course, the locals who live there. One should visit Nepal to witness the magnificent Nepali Himalayan mountains.
Pokhara – City of Lakes
Almost everyone has heard of Pokhara. There is no need to introduce Nepal’s tourism capital. Pokhara is worth visiting for a variety of reasons. Words are simply inadequate to convey it. Surrounded by mountains and lush trees, Pokhara Valley offers you the tranquil, pleasant atmosphere you seek on your eagerly anticipated. Pokhara has ten lakes, earning it the nickname “City of Lakes.” The most well-known lake is Phewa Lake. The calm lakes of Pokhara and the Annapurna mountain reflected in Phewa Lake add to the overall serene and gratifying experience.
You might feel overwhelmed because there are so many things to do and places to see in Pokhara. The World Peace Pagoda, Tal Barahi Temple, Davis Falls, Mahendra Cave, Bat Cave, Sarangkot, and Rupakot are a few notable locations to explore. You can also go paragliding, bungee jumping, ziplining, bird viewing, fishing, or just relax by the lake. It wouldn’t be incorrect to say that the visit to Nepal would be incomplete without visiting Pokhara.
Spiritual Hub and Religious Harmony
Throughout ancient times, Nepal has been a highly spiritual country. Thankfully, it has successfully maintained its spirituality. Gautam Buddha, the founder of Buddhism, was born in this country. With 9% of the population, Buddhism is the second most followed religion in Nepal. World Peace Pagoda (Lumbini), Boudhanath Stupa (Kathmandu), and Swayambhunath Stupa (Kathmandu) are a few of Nepal’s most significant Buddhist stupas. In addition to being the birthplace of Buddha, this holy land is also the place where Goddess Sita, Lord Ram’s consort, was born. Buddhist, Tantric, and Vedic practices have been practiced here since ancient times, primarily in the Kathmandu Valley. In Nepal, over 81% of the population practice Hinduism. Nepal is home to countless temples. Pashupatinath Temple in Kathmandu, Muktinath Temple in Mustang, Pathivara Temple in Taplejung, and Janaki Temple in Janakpur are just a few notable examples.
The Nepalese culture is firmly grounded in spirituality. Hindu children are taught to do pooja from an early age and are also taken to visit temples and instructed to read sacred texts. In Nepal, going to temples is so common that people will go whenever they have the opportunity. In addition, the sacred Himalayas of Nepal are ideal for practicing yoga, meditation, and contemplation. Another wonderful aspect is the harmonious blending of Hinduism and Buddhism over time. One can witness this in the Newar community, the local indigenous ethnic group in the Kathmandu Valley.
The main religions prevalent in Nepal, in addition to Hinduism and Buddhism, are Islam, Christianity, and Kirat. The fact that followers of these various religions coexist together is lovely. Even so, they attend each other’s festivals. One wonderful reason to visit Nepal is to experience its diverse culture, traditions, and religions.
Nepalese People, Their Hospitality, and Rich Culture
Without a doubt, Nepal’s natural beauty will enchant its visitors. It is equally certain, though, that the visitors will come to love and respect the Nepalese people. “Atithi Dewo Vawa”, which translates as “Guests are equal to God,” is a strong belief held by the people of Nepal. As a result, in Nepalese society, guests/visitors are treated with the utmost respect, consideration, and compassion. Every time they pay a visit to a Nepali home, they receive the best service possible. Nepali people serve their guests the tastiest meals, prepared with love and dedication.
This value is instilled in Nepali children at a young age. It’s a deeply rooted beautiful culture of Nepal to welcome its guests with utmost joy. And this is the culture of not any specific part of Nepal. You can see this hospitality culture across Nepal from the mountains to mid hills to the south plain Terai of Nepal. Ask anyone who has made a visit to Nepal about the warm and welcoming Nepali people.
Likewise, there are people of 125 ethnic groups and castes in Nepal. Each of these ethnic groups has its own cultures and traditions that are distinctive enough to be called unique. They each have their distinctive traditional attire, dances, music, instruments, dishes, festivals, and languages. There are undoubtedly very few places in the world with such a vast range of cultures.
Dramatic Scenery
Within this tiny nation, one can witness every type of scenery—aside from the sea and beaches. The lowest land elevation is 60 meters, and the highest is 8,848 meters (Everest). In the lower parts, one can find plain terrain, lush, dense tropical forests, green paddy fields, and intensely hot sun that causes you to sweat all day. The mid-region has terraced lands, lush hills, picturesque mountain views, and a moderately cold climate. On the other side, Nepal’s high mountains are home to enormous peaks, glaciers, rocky terrain, and an extremely cold climate.
More astonishingly, Nepal has arid valleys like Manang and Mustang. These valleys receive a very small quantity of rainfall annually, leaving them dry and barren. Interestingly, these locations don’t resemble the typical Arab deserts. These valleys have a chilly temperature and are located at a relatively high altitude. Hence, they have got their name as cold deserts. The Himalayas to the south of these valleys obstruct the moist air of India, which is why they experience less rainfall. On top of all these, being the second richest country in terms of water resources, there are thousands of rivers, lakes, springs, glacial lakes, and glaciers to see in Nepal.
Adventure Tourism
Nepal is one of the top destinations in the world for adventure tourism due to its rough terrain of the Himalayas, swift rivers, and dense forests. Mountain biking, rock climbing, mountain climbing, trekking, hiking, paragliding, ultralight aircraft flights, bungee jumping, rafting, kayaking, and jungle safaris all are possible here in Nepal. Nepal is especially the top destination for trekking and mountain climbing, home to eight of the ten highest mountains in the world. Above all, someone who enjoys trekking avidly should visit Nepal for the most adventurous trekking experience.
