Adventure of a Lifetime: Nepal

Nepal is known for notonly the highest mountainpeak in the world (Mt.Everest), but also for thefact that its naturalhimalayas beautyconsisting of ecotourism,adventure tourism and richarchitectural masterpiecesare interesting attractionsfor visitors from all walksof life.

Located in Southeast Asia between China andIndia, Nepal is a mixture of various cultures which

all point to its interesting history deriving from theancient Sanskrit language. The country’s name

derives from ancient Vedic texts that is associatedwith the Newar populations, who had inhabited

Kathmandu valley during the prehistoric era.

Kathmandu Valley, Nepal

Ghandruk Village

An inside glimpse into everyday Nepalese life, this

village depicts the importance of the simplistic, down

to earth living in which locals live off the land. After

you have finished hiking Mt.Everest or exploring

temples in monasteries, be sure to connect with the

local Nepali culture to get a better sense of how

different areas of this country’s society operate.

While the Himalayas and monasteries (such as Lumbini)tend to base their local economies more on tourism,

Ghandruk offers tourists the opportunity to appreciatethe agricultural sphere that defines hundreds of

Nepalese nationals in various corners or neighborhoodswithin the country. Full of quaint gardens with dahliasand land plots cultivating vegetation that have been infamilies for generations, take a step back to experience

the local Nepalese culture as well as the wondrousnatural beauty that marks the country as particularly

unique.

The Himalayas

Within the Himalayan mountain range alone, eightout of the ten highest mountains are currently

located amidst the snowy peaks that encompass theuntouched, pure nature reserves in this area. If

you’re planning to visit the Himalayas for your nextvacation, be sure to make the trip out sometime

from late October to early May in order to maximizeyour time hiking, exploring and seeing all the natural

scenes that this mountain range has to offer.

Lumbini

Lumbini is a well-known, UNESCO World Heritagesite due to its rich cultural value as the birthplaceof Gautama Buddha, who was the founder of the

Buddhist religion around 563 BCE. At this Buddhistpilgrimage site, visitors can experience the manyintricately designed temples, including Mayadevi,the different monasteries and monuments whichare still cherished by local Nepalese populations

across the country.

Currently, Lumbini is encompassed by

monasteries named Theravadin, Mahayan and

Vajrayana, which all date back thousands of

years in Nepalese history. To receive an

authentic Nepali experience, making the

pilgrimage to see this symbolic landmark is

essential when understanding the ways of life

in this uniquely woven society.

Currently, Lumbini is encompassed by

monasteries named Theravadin, Mahayan and

Vajrayana, which all date back thousands of

years in Nepalese history. To receive an

authentic Nepali experience, making the

pilgrimage to see this symbolic landmark is

essential when understanding the ways of life

in this uniquely woven society.

FoodSimilar to various countries across the world, localcuisines vary by region, agricultural practices andavailable resources in the surrounding area. The

standard meal which is often consumed by Nepaleselocals in most of the country, Dal-bhat-tarkari (lentils

and rice) is a staple dish due to not only itsaffordability for many residents, but also the low-fat

protein nutrients that the lentils contain.

Heading to NepalAnother great time ofyear to visit this countryis somewhere betweenMarch and April, whentourists can experiencethe freshly bloomedspring flowersthroughout the lightgreen foothills scatteredin the countryside.