John's Testimony

Every detail  was attended to and it was obvious that a great deal of .. preparation (by Mayadevi Trekking) went into this trip. - John Moniz, Texas

Karen Says

[It] brought wonderful energy leading up to a fantastic and memorable journey through Nepal. -Karen Rosenbloom, Los Angeles

   

Sean's Testimony

Only in Nepal could we come to see Everest an end up getting a shower from an elephant. -Sean Barton, California

Nepal; A Glimpse at a Glance

Geography of Nepal Nepal is a small, landlocked, mountainous and 'sandwich' country between India and China with spectacular diversity in terms of race/caste and ethnicity, language, religion, region/ecology society and culture as well as independent. Geographically, it is located between 26° 22’ North to 30° 27' Northern latitude and 80° 4' and 88° 12' Eastern longitude in the Indian subcontinent, South Asia known as SAARC Region (South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation). Nepal has the total land area 147,181 sq. km. Nepal falls in the temperate zone north of the Tropic of cancer. Nepal has covered 0.03 percent of the total land  of world and 0.3 percent of total land mass of Asia. Generally, the country is divided into three main geographical regions, Himalaya regions, Hilly region and the Terai or Plain land. In terms of reliefs, the highest point in the country is Mt. Everest (8848 m. from the sea level) and the lowest point is in the Kechanakalan in Jhapa (70 m. from the Sea level ).  (Source: The Official Portal of Government of Nepal) On Route to Mount Everest People of Nepal Nepal is a melting pot of many races and tribes. With the population of twenty-two million, Nepal is an assortment of races and tribes, living in different regions, following different costumes and speaking different languages. Nepalese live under diverse environmental conditions from the low, nearly sea level plains at the border of India, northward through the middle hills and up to the flanks of the great Himalayan range where there are settlements at altitude of up to 4,800m. Farming practices are therefore equally diverse along with life styles and social customs. Kumari; The Living Goddess   Culture of Nepal Nepal is blessed with one of the richest cultures in the world. Culture has been called 'the way of life for an entire society'. The statement holds particularly true in case of Nepal where every aspect of life, food, clothing and even occupations are culturally guided. The culture of Nepal includes the codes of manners, dress, language, rituals, norms of behavior and systems of belief. » The culture of Nepal is a unique combination of tradition and novelty. The traditions are followed as they were and new customs are created to keep pace with the changing times. » Culture in Nepal is an assemblage of music, architecture, religion and literature. » The mountain kingdom of Nepal is multi-ethic and multi-lingual. The land is rich with unique cultural groups like Tharu,Yadav, Ahir, Newars and others. Hospitality Nepalese are among the most hospitable hosts. This is the reason for which tourists from far and wide enjoy coming to Nepal time and again. Local Nepalese are generally rural people who welcome the tourists to their homes for tea, coffee or supper. Nepalese are culturally warm, hospitable and affectionate hosts who place their heart above their head. Cultural Sites Astonishing enough, seven out of the ten world heritage sites in Nepal are termed cultural by UNESCO. Thus, the stupas, monasteries, temples and architecture are all representatives of the rich cultural heritage of Nepal. The following are the cultural world heritage sites of Nepal. » Kathmandu Durbar Square » Patan Durbar Square » Bhaktapur Durbar Square » Changu Narayan Temple » Swayambhunath Stupa » Pashupatinath Temple » Lumbini » Bouddhanath Stupa Kathmandu Durbar Square; A melting pot of Religion, History and Architecture