Nepal most commonly means Himalayas, treks, temples … This is a paradise for nature lovers, hiking and authenticity! Located between India and Tibet, Nepal is a small country in which culture, religion and breathtaking landscapes intermingle.
The country can be divided into three different geographical regions: the Himalayan region, the middle mountain region, and the Terai Plains region. The highest point of the country (and of the world!) is obviously Mount Everest (Sagarmatha), nicknamed «the roof of the world», which culminates at 8,848 m. The lowlands of Terai are home to forests renowned for their rich fauna, while the Middle Mountain region is home to the two beautiful valleys of Kathmandu and Pokhara, covered with rice fields and surrounded by wooded slopes. Finally, the high mountain region of the Himalayas includes alpine pastures, some temperate forests and eternal snow. In addition, Nepal is crossed by many rivers.
Nepal benefits from several climate zones (tropical, temperate, alpine), which allows it to have a great variety of ecosystems, and therefore to possess a great diversity of animal and plant species. These include the Asian elephant, the royal tiger of Bengal, the snow leopard … As for the plant species, let us note the rhododendron, the bamboo, the pine, the acacia, and so many others!
Nepali is the official language of Nepal. The writing system is the same as Hindi, Indian writing. Nepali is the mother tongue of 45% of Nepalese, nand serves as their lingua franca among the 123 mother tongues (!) recorded in the country in 2011. There are, however, two other languages spoken which benefit from a great written and literary tradition: Newari and Tibetan.
Have a nice trip to Nepal !