|
CHOICE
OF PROGRAM
We at Four Season Travel and at Nepal
Trekhouse feel that the best way for
visitors to see Nepal is by travelling
on customized programs that takes
your personal interest and requirements
into consideration.
For this, we are willing to spend
time listening to your side of the
story; what is it that you want out
of your holidays, what are the sort
of places that interests you; what
level of comfort are you looking for
and what tickles your imagination..
Perhaps there is that one place you
had heard about when you were a child
and have always wanted to visit. Or
maybe a colleague at work mentioned
about visiting a place so remote that
you couldn't locate it on the map,
but then neither could he!
Whatever your interest or wherever
your dreams take you, we will try
and make them possible for you. For
real.
Just to get you going, we have some
itineraries listed for you to have
a look. These will give you an idea
on various possibilities and should
help you plan your trip to Nepal.
INTRODUCTION
Nepal is a country of amazing extremes.
From the world's highest mountains
to temperate Alpine valleys down to
tropical plains and jungles, all encompassed
within a distance of 150 odd kilometers.
The Himalaya vista; centuries old
culture of the hill-folks and the
wildlife of the Terai perhaps epitomizes
the diversity of what Nepal has to
offer.
In Kathmandu, to cross a street is
to travel across centuries. Shrines,
temples, palaces, palace squares,
ageless sculptures and legends that
are parts of every brick and stone
and gilded masterpiece, make Kathmandu
Valley a verifiable living museum.
GEOGRAPHY
Nepal, a sovereign Independent Kingdom,
lies between 80-degree 12' east longitude
and 26 degree 22' and 30 degree 27'
north latitude. It is bounded on the
north by the Tibet Autonomous Region
of the People's Republic of China;
on the east by Sikkim and West Bengal
of the Indian Union on the south by
Indian States of Bihar and Uttar Pradesh
and on the west by Uttar Pradesh of
Indian Union. The length of the Kingdom
is 885 kilometers east west and its
breath varies from 145 to 241 kilometers
north south. Climatically, it lies
in the Temperate Zone with the added
advantage of altitude.
The country can be divided into three
main geographic regions:
- Himalayan Region: The altitude
of this region ranges between 4877
meters and 8848 meters with the
snow line running around 48848 meters.
It includes 8 of the existing 14
summits in the world which exceed
an altitude of 8000 meters. They
represent. (1) Sagarmatha (Mt. Everest)
8848 m, (2) Kangchenjunga - 8586
m, (3) Lhotse - 8516m, Makalu -
8463m, (5) ChoOyo- 8201 m, (6) Dhaulagiri
- 8167m, (7) Manaslu - 8163m, and
Annapurna- 8091 m.
- Mountain Region: This region accounts
for about 64 percent to total land
area. The Mahabharat range that
rises to 4877 meters forms the region.
To its south lies the lower Churia
range whose altitude varies from
610 meters to 1524 meters.
- Terai Region: The low-land Terai
region which has a width of about
26 to 32 kilometres and a maximum
altitude of 305 meters, which occupies
about 17% of total land area of
the country. Kechanakawal the lowest
point of the country with an altitude
of 70 meters lies in Jhapa District
of the eastern Terai.
HISTORY
Nepal has a long glorious history.
Its civilization can be traced back
to thousands of years before the birth
of Christ. Modern Nepal is an amalgamation
of a number of principalities, which
had independent entities in the past.
Before the campaign of national integration
launched by King Prithivi Narayan
Shah the Kathmandu Valley was ruled
by the Malla Kings, whose contribution
to art and culture are indeed great.
In the Kathmandu Valley were the Gopalas
the Abhiras and were succeeded by
the Thakuris and Mallas. In 1768 A.D.
the Shah dynasty ascended the throne
of this unified kingdom. His Majesty
King Birendra Bir Bikram Shah Dev,
is the tenth king in the Shah dynasty.
The revolution of November 1950 brought
to an end of Rana regime that ruled
the country for 104 years since 1846
A.D. After the fall of Rana regime
in Feb.1951, Nepal saw the dawn of
democracy. The parliamentary government
under the multi party system was adopted
for some years, which was followed
by Panchayat System since 1960. The
popular democratic revolt of 1990
has reinstated the multi party democratic
system since April. The new democratic
constitution of the Kingdom was promulgated
on November 9,1990.
Nepal is one of the founder members
of South Asian Association for Regional
Cooperation (SAARC) of which third
summit was held in Kathmandu in Nov.
1987.
PEOPLE
Nepal has a population more than
18 million, made of different races
and tribes, living in different regions
wearing different costumes and speaking
different languages and dialects.
The Gurungs and Magars live mainly
in the west and in the mountain area.
The Rais, Limbus and Sunuwars inhabit
the slopes and valleys of the eastern
mid hills. The Sherpas also known
as " the Tigers of the Snow"
live in the Himalayan region up to
an average altitude of 4570 m. The
Newars constitute an important ethnic
group in the capital valley Kathmandu.
There are Tharus, Yadavas, Satar,
Rajvanshis and Dhimals in the Terai
region. The Brahmans, Chhetris and
Thakuris are spread generally over
most parts of the kingdom.
RELIGION AND CULTURE
Hinduism and Buddhism constitute
two major religions of Nepal sharing
between them some 86.5 and 7.8 percent
of the total population respectively.
Both these religions are bound together
by a sense of oneness particularly
displayed in their worship of common
deities and joint celebration. Kumari,
the Virgin Hindu Goddess, for instance,
is selected from a Buddhist clan.
LANGUAGE
Different ethnic groups have their
own language or dialects, but Nepalese
is the national language. The script
is Devanagari. English is widely understood
in urban centers.
CLIMATE
Nepal's climate varies with its topography
and altitude. It ranges from tropical
to arctic. The Terai region, which
lies in the tropical southern part
of the country, for instance, has
a hot, humid climate. The mid-land
regions are pleasant almost all the
year round, although winter nights
are cool. The northern mountain region
around an altitude above 3353 meters
has an alpine climate with a considerably
lower temperature in winter as can
be expected. Nepal has four climatic
seasons. (a) Spring: March-May, (b)
summer: June- August (c) autumn: September
- November and (d) winter: December
- February.
|
