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Nepal is one of the richest country in the world, in the terms of bio-diversity due to its unique geographical position and altitude variation. The elevation of the country ranges from 60m above sea level to the highest point on earth, Mt. Everest at 8848 m, all within a distance of 150 km resulting into climatic conditions from Sub-tropical to Arctic. Location Situated between Tibetan Autonomous Region of the People’s Republic of China in the north and India in the South, East and West. Area: 147,181 Sq. Km. Longitude: 80° 4’ and 88°12’ East. Capital: Kathmandu Population: 23.1 million People: Nepal has more than 101 ethnic groups and 92 spoken languages Language: Nepali is the official language of Nepal. However, English is understood and spoken by majority of people in Kathmandu valley and other major cities. Political-System: Multiparty Democracy Time: 5 hours 45 minutes ahead of GMT and 15 minutes ahead of Indian Standard Time National Bird: Impean Pheasant (Danfe) National Flower: Rhododendron- Arboreum (Lali Gurans) Religion: Main religion in Nepal is Hinduism. However Buddhism, Islam and Christian religions are followed by some people. All religions even in minority have co-existed amicably in Nepal for ages. Vegetation: Most outstanding bio-diversity in the world, ranging from sub-tropical Rain-forests to Alpine deserts Electricity: 220 Volts AC - 50 Cycles Weather: Climate ranges from Tropical in the lowlands to arctic higher altitudes Monsoon: June to August. However, most of the northern belts of Trans-Himalayan Zones are in the rain-shadow which provides rain free trekking. Topography: From the worlds deepest gorge ‘Kaligandaki to Mt. Everest, the highest point on earth. What’s so Special About Nepal? Nepal is the only country in the world which contains The highest mountain peak in the world (Everest-8848m)The deepest river gorge in the world (Kali Gandaki River)The birthplace of

Festivals in Nepal begin with religion, ending as social event. There are more than 50 major festivals in a year celebrated by Nepalese. Although most of these festivals are religious some have historical significance, while others are seasonal and legendary celebrations. The dates of most festivals are fixed by famous astrologers after consulting the lunar calendar. The biggest and most popular festivals are: Dashain, a celebration of Goddess Durga victory over evil Mahisashur; and Tihar, a celebration of lights dedicated to Goddess Lakshmi. It is not hard to catch colorful processions in different streets of the Valley almost every other day of the week. Cultural acts of dances and songs are integral parts of some celebrations while some celebrations are just quiet family gatherings. Grand celebrations like Ghode Jatra and Gai Jatra entertain participantsand spectators every year. List of Festivals Celebrated in Nepal ( 2016 - 2017) Festivals Name Nepalese Calendar (2073) English Calendar (2016 – 2017) Ram Nawami Chaitra 14, 2071 28th March, 2015 Bisket Jatra Baisakh 1, 2072 14th April, 2015 Navavarsha (Nepali New Year) Baisakh 1, 2072 14th April, 2015 Mata Tirtha Aaushi (Mother’s day) Baisakh 5, 2072 Baisakh 5, 2072 Red Machhendranath Rath Jatra Baisakh 9, 2072 22th April, 2015 Buddha Jayanti Baisakh 21, 2072 4th May, 2015 The Teechi Jestha 1- 3, 2072 15th – 17th May, 2015 Dumji Jestha 17 - 19, 2072 31st May – 2nd June, 2015 Harishyani Akadashi Shrawan 11,2072 27th June, 2014 Guru Purnima Shrawan 15, 2072 31st July, 2015 Ghantakarna Chaturdashi Shrawan 27, 2072 12th August, 2015 Gunla Festival Nepal Shrawan 30, 2072 15th August, 2015 Naag Panchami Bhadra 2, 2072 19th August, 2015 Janai Purnima & Raksha Bandhan Bhadra 12, 2072 29th August, 2015 Gai Jatra Bhadra 13, 2072 30th August, 2015 Krishna Janmastami Bhadra 19, 2072 5th

In this section, all information that is presented will help you when traveling to or through Nepal. Information can be found on visa procedures, accessibility, the best season to visit, altitude sickness, everything you need to know when on a trekking and much more. Please use the buttons on the bottom of the screen to navigate through this section of the website to get all the travel information you need to know. Air Accessibility and International Airlines Tribhuvan International Airport is the only international airport in Nepal. Nepal Airlines- the national flag carrier of Nepal and other International Airlines operates direct flights to Kathmandu from Delhi, Kolkata, Varanasi, Bangkok, Dhaka, Islamabad, Doha, Dubai, Hong Kong, Singapore, Karachi, Lhasa, Abu Dhabi, Guangzhou, Kuala Lumpur, Seoul, Muscat, Bahrain, Paro, Sarjah. The International Airlines operating their direct flight to Kathmandu includes: Nepal Airlines, Indian Airlines, Jet Airways, Jet Lite, Kingfisher Airlines, Spice Jet, Biman Bangladesh Airlines, China Southern Airlines, Air China, China Eastern Airlines, Druk Air, Pakistan International Airlines, Silk Airlines, Thai Airways, Gulf Air, Qatar Airways, Fly Dubai, Korean Air, GMG Airlines, Air Arabia, Oman Air, Etihad Airways, Dragon Air and other airlines connecting to Nepal are Aeroflot Soviet Airlines, Air France, Air India, British Airways, Cathay Pacific, , Emirates Air, Euralil, Japan Airlines, KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, Kuwait Airways, Lufthansa, Northwest Airlines, Qantas Airlines, Royal Brunei Airlines, SAS, Saudi Arabian Airlines, Transavia, United Arab Emirates, China Airlines, Kenya Airways, Delta Air, United Airlines, All Italia and Philippine Airlines If you are flying to Kathmandu from Europe best connecting are Qatar Airways via Doha, Gulf Air via Bahrain, Etihad from Abu Dhabi, Thai Airways via Bangkok, Dragon Air via Hong Kong and Silk Air via Singapore. Our national flag carrier Nepal Airlines (RA). Similarly if you are flying from Australia it is recommend to

A Nepal visa is available at Nepalese Embassies and Nepalese Consulates abroad or upon arrival at Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu after presenting a valid passport, 2 copies of passport size photos and payment of the visa fee. Tourists can extend their visas at the Department of Immigration, Maitighar. For your information people of these countries do not get visa upon arrival at the immigration entry points of Nepal:- 1. Nigeria                          2. Ghana                         3. Zimbabwe                         4. Swaziland5. Cameroon                    6. Somalia                      7. Liberia                               8. Ethiopia9. Iraq                                10. Palestine                  11. Afghanistan All of you are requested to get the arrival/departure stamps on your passport at the entry /exit points to avoid further legal complications. Children under 10 years need not pay any visa fees and do not need to show any identification. But for students between the ages of 10-18 years, a school or college photo ID card is valid. All visitors must hold valid passports and visa to enter Nepal. The Nepalese Embassies and mission/consulates abroad or on arrival at any entry points or the Immigration offices provide visa upon presenting valid passport, two passport size photographs and payment of visa fees. Tourists can extend their visas at the Department of Immigration, Maitighar, Impact Building, Kathmandu. Entry Visa to Nepal is easily available at International Airport of Nepal or at the following immigration offices in Nepal: 1) Immigration Office, Tribhuvan International Airport, Kathmandu2) Immigration Office, Kakarvitta, Jhapa (Eastern Nepal)3) Immigration Office, Birgunj, Parsa (Central Nepal)4) Immigration Office, Kodari, Sindhupalchowk (Northern Border)5) Immigration Office, Belhiya, Bhairahawa (Rupandehi, Western Nepal)6) Immigration Office, Jamunaha, Nepalgunj (Banke, Mid Western Nepal)7) Immigration Office, Mohana, Dhangadhi (Kailali, Far Western Nepal)8) Immigration Office, Gaddachauki, Mahendranagar (Kanchanpur, Far Western Nepal)9) Immigration Office, Pokhara (not the entry point) Visa Fees and ExtensionsVisa must be obtained for staying more than three days. Visa

When trekking in the Himalaya there is always a real danger of mild to serious problems related to altitude. The complaints are collectively known as Acute Mountain Sickness (AMS). It is important that trekkers understand that they will be affected to a greater or lesser extent when they ascend to altitudes over about 3000 meters. As you climb higher the atmospheric pressure falls and the amount of available oxygen also falls. The body will adjust to cope with this by altering the characteristics of your blood in order to utilize better the lower oxygen levels available to it. This process takes time and can vary from individual to individual. Indeed, individuals can experience different rates of acclimatization on separate visits. So, having acclimatized well on a previous visit is no guarantee of quick acclimatization subsequently. The mechanics of acclimatization are not well understood but it has been proved that a number of factors have a positive effect. By far the most important is regulating your rate of ascent when traveling in excess of 3000 meters above sea level. As a general rule you should not gain more than 400-500 meters a day and have a rest day every fifth day. Maintaining a good fluid intake and urine output has also been proved to be effective in combating the effective in combating the effects of altitude. The dry air of the mountains tends to dehydrate you so an increased fluid intake is necessary. Try to drink at least four liters of water a day. Prophylactic medication should not be required to aid acclimatization unless specifically prescribed by a physician skilled in the treatment and prevention of altitude sickness. Fitness may have some effect on speedy acclimatization but being young and fit does not guarantee immunity. The only age concern is for

Trekking Season or grading and to know more about trekking season

As the expression indicates, TEA HOUSE TREK is a synonymous to stop at trailside shady rickety places for a cup of tea or for a break after long walking in the olden days. With the recent development of a huge number of trekkers in the mountains of Himalayas, the open air ’Tea Houses’ is converted into modern luxury lodges and hotels. In the most popular trekking areas, trekkers simply carry their personal clothings and stay in the lodges where one can order food from menu provided by lodges or National Park Committee. A guide helps choosing the right lodges for trekkers and arranges the billings after overnight stay in the lodge. Since Nepal is the richest in terms of mountains in our planet earth, all the criss-cross trails in mountains are trodden down by either human being or cattle or mystical creature (Yeti) found in the myth. Note: sometimes, a tea house offers many standard food but chances are very rare since most of the tea houses offers simple basic meals. Although many hotels in the hills are reasonably comfortable, in some cases, the places may be dirty, often smoky. Home Chimneys are rare, so room on the 2nd floor of houses can turn into an intolerable smoke houses as soon as someone lights the cooking fire in the kitchen below. Nature Trail, an eco-friendly trekking company, always chooses and recommends along the trailside eco-lodges whoever uses kerosene (gas) oil or solar energy to generate heats for cooking and warming the dining hall or also other purposes. The benefit of Tea-House trek is that by arranging our food accommodation locally, we can move at our own pace and set our own schedule and most importantly experience the real life style of the rural people. Camping trek is the type of

TREKKING SEASON & GRADES SECTIONThe chart shown below shows the grading of the treks in the different areas in Nepal as well as the best seasons to conduct them. For many of our treks, you can choose between camping or staying in Mountain lodges. which are locally-run guest houses, but standards vary enormously. In the popular areas, such as Annapurna, lodges are more like hotels, with hot water, Western food, and private rooms, in more remote areas, they are far simpler and more authentically Nepalese. Mountain Lodge trekking is less expensive than camping, and is suitable for smaller groups. With larger groups, irrespective of the area, it is more practical to camp. We provide all the necessary camping equipment dining and toilet tents plus our guides, porters and cooks, you trek in comfort with Western food of a high standard. More information about the different trekking can be found at our trekking section. Trekking in Nepal can be undertaken throughout the year. There are four seasons in Nepal. Each season has its distinct attractions to offer. The seasons are classified as follows:Autumn (Sept-Nov) This season offers excellent weather and tantalizing mountain views.Winter (Dec-Feb) This season is noted for occasional snowfall only at higher elevations. Hence it is ideal for trekking at lower elevations, generally below 3000 meters.Spring (March-May) Different varieties of wild flowers, specially the rhododendrons make the hillside above 5000 meters a haunting paradise during this season. It is mildly warm at lower elevations and at higher elevation over 4000 meters the mountain views are excellent and temperature is quite moderate.Summer (Jun-Aug) Summer months really continue up to mid-September making travel wet and warm. These times are blessed for the keen botanist as the higher valleys and meadows blossom with flowers and lush vegetation. It is recommended to carry