Nepal (NP)
Nepal is a landlocked Himalayan nation between India and China, home to eight of the world's ten highest peaks including Mount Everest (8,849m).
Country Profile
Everything you need to know before you arrive.
Nepal is a landlocked Himalayan nation between India and China, home to eight of the world's ten highest peaks including Mount Everest (8,849m). Kathmandu Valley is a UNESCO-listed treasure of ancient Hindu and Buddhist temples, palaces, and traditional Newari architecture. For expats and long-term visitors, Nepal offers extraordinary natural beauty, a low cost of living, a deeply spiritual culture, and a growing development and NGO sector — though infrastructure limitations, load shedding, and bureaucratic complexity demand patience.
Climate
March–May: 15–28°C in Kathmandu. Best trekking season — clear skies before the monsoon. Rhododendrons bloom across mountain slopes. Warm days, cool evenings. Some pre-monsoon cloud from late May.
June–September: 20–30°C. Monsoon season. Heavy rainfall makes roads treacherous and many trekking trails difficult. Kathmandu valley is lush and green. High altitude areas above 4,000m can still be trekked but leech territory becomes active in mid-altitude forests.
October–November: 10–25°C. The finest trekking season. Crystal-clear mountain views, stable weather, and pleasant temperatures at altitude. Dashain and Tihar festivals make this a vibrant cultural time. Book accommodation well in advance.
December–February: 2–15°C in Kathmandu (can drop below 0°C). Mountains receive heavy snowfall — some high passes close. Low season for trekking above 4,000m. Kathmandu valley is clear and sunny with cold nights. Great for cultural tourism in the valley.
Demographics
Religion
Social Culture & Etiquette
"Namaste" (palms pressed together, slight bow) is the universal Nepali greeting — used morning, noon, and night. In more formal Newar settings, "Namaskar" is used. Nepalis are warm and friendly — a smile and a Namaste go a long way. Handshakes are common in business. Women may not always shake hands with male strangers — follow their lead.
"Nepali time" is famously flexible — social events routinely start 30–60 minutes late. Business meetings in Kathmandu's international NGO and development sector are more punctual. Government offices: arrive early and expect to wait. Confirm all appointments on the day.
Dress modestly — cover shoulders and knees, especially at temples and in rural areas. Shorts and sleeveless tops are acceptable in Thamel and tourist areas but cause offence at religious sites. Remove shoes and leather items before entering temples. During trekking, practical layered clothing is more important than style. Business dress is smart casual.
- ✕ Never touch someone's head — it is the most sacred part of the body.
- ✕ Use only the RIGHT hand for eating, passing food, and giving/receiving items.
- ✕ Remove shoes before entering homes, temples, and many guesthouses.
- ✕ Do not point feet towards people or religious objects — feet are considered impure.
- ✕ Leather (especially cow leather) is prohibited inside many Hindu temples. Wear cloth or rubber-soled shoes.
- ✕ Cows are sacred in Nepal (the national animal) — never harm, mock, or disrespect them. Beef is not eaten by Hindus and is rarely sold.
- ✕ Avoid public displays of affection — kissing in public is considered very disrespectful.
- ✕ Photography inside temples often requires permission or is prohibited entirely.
- ✓ Hospitality is paramount — you will be offered tea constantly. Refusing graciously requires care; it is better to accept and sip than to flatly refuse.
- ✓ Bargaining is expected at tourist markets in Thamel — not at fixed-price shops or restaurants. Smile and negotiate respectfully.
- ✓ Tipping is increasingly expected in the tourism sector: 10–15% at restaurants, daily tip for trekking guides (USD 10–20/day) and porters (USD 5–10/day).
- ✓ The concept of "losing face" matters — avoid direct confrontation or harsh criticism. Express disagreement diplomatically.
- ✓ Nepalis are very curious about foreign visitors and may ask personal questions — it is genuine friendly interest, not intrusion.
- ✓ Load shedding (scheduled power cuts) is common, particularly outside Kathmandu. Carry a power bank and headtorch.
🍽️ Traditional Food & Drink
The national dish — steamed rice (bhat) served with lentil soup (dal), vegetable curry, pickles (achar), and sometimes meat. Eaten twice daily by most Nepalis. A complete, nutritious meal that fuels trekkers across the Himalayas.
Steamed or fried dumplings filled with minced buffalo, chicken, vegetables, or cheese. Nepal's most beloved street food, served with spicy tomato-sesame dipping sauce. Found on every corner in Kathmandu.
Deep-fried crispy ring-shaped bread made from rice flour, sugar, and ghee. A traditional festive food made during Dashain, Tihar, and Teej festivals. Eaten with yogurt or potato curry.
Hearty noodle soup with vegetables, meat, and warming spices. A Tibetan-influenced dish popular across the mountain regions. Essential trail food at altitude.
A traditional Newar feast featuring beaten rice (chiura), buffalo meat (sukuti), black lentil patties (bara), boiled egg, pickles, and local spirits. Served at Newar festivals and speciality restaurants in Bhaktapur and Patan.
Fermented leafy greens (mustard, radish leaves) — a traditional Nepali food preservation technique. Made into soup or eaten as a pickle. High in iron and a staple of rural Nepali households.
Strong sweet tea brewed with milk, sugar, and sometimes ginger. The essential daily beverage — tea houses (chiya pasal) are the social hub of every neighbourhood. 'Masala chiya' adds cardamom and spices.
Traditional Himalayan fermented millet or barley beer. Served in bamboo containers (tongba) with a straw in mountain communities. Mildly alcoholic and warming. A cultural staple for Tamang, Sherpa, and Rai peoples.
Distilled rice or millet spirit — Nepal's traditional firewater. Shared at festivals, weddings, and community gatherings. Strength varies widely. Often offered as a gesture of hospitality in village homes.
Yogurt-based drink served sweet or salted. Popular in Kathmandu's Thamel and tourist areas, often made with local buffalo-milk yogurt (dahi) which is thicker and tangier than Indian varieties.
📍 Tourist Highlights
The world's most iconic trek — 12–14 days through Sherpa villages, Buddhist monasteries, and glaciers to the base of the world's highest peak at 5,364m. One of the great adventure travel experiences on earth.
Ancient royal palace complex with pagoda temples, courtyards, and carved wooden architecture. UNESCO World Heritage Site. Partially damaged in the 2015 earthquake, under ongoing restoration. Centre of Newar cultural heritage.
One of the world's best long-distance treks, circling the Annapurna Massif through diverse landscapes from subtropical forests to high-altitude desert plateau, crossing the 5,416m Thorong La pass.
The most sacred Hindu temple in Nepal — a living temple complex on the banks of the Bagmati River. Ancient cremation ghats, sadhus, and daily religious rituals. UNESCO World Heritage Site. Non-Hindus can view from opposite bank.
Nepal's adventure capital — a lakeside city with stunning Annapurna mountain views. Gateway to Annapurna treks, paragliding, kayaking, zip-lining, and ultra-light flights. The most relaxed city in Nepal.
📖 Brief History
Nepal has been inhabited since at least 9,000 BCE and was the birthplace of Siddhartha Gautama (Buddha) in Lumbini around 563 BCE. The Kathmandu Valley flourished under the Licchavi and later Malla kingdoms, before Prithvi Narayan Shah unified the kingdom in 1768, founding modern Nepal. Unlike most of South Asia, Nepal was never colonised, though it signed a treaty with British India in 1816. Nepal transitioned from a monarchy to a federal democratic republic in 2008 after a decade-long Maoist civil conflict. The 2015 earthquake devastated Kathmandu Valley and mountain regions, killing nearly 9,000 people, though reconstruction has since transformed much of the capital.