Trekking
With the stunning Himalayas covering 64% of the country, there are fantastic hiking opportunities in Nepal. In fact, it is arguably the best country in the world for walks and hikes. Temples, monasteries, and lakes scattered across the mountainside, no matter which hike you choose, there will be great views and experiences. Watching the sunrise and getting behind the Himalayas is wonderful.
There are so many treks in Nepal that it would be very difficult to write about all of them, however, the two most famous are the trek to the base camp of the highest mountain in the world and the Annapurna circuit.
It is always best to book any trip through a trusted agent where your safety is paramount. Hiking boots are recommended due to the uneven terrain. Check the weather conditions carefully, so that you are not trekking in the monsoon season or waiting for it to be hot when the weather is really cold.
National Parks
There are nine national parks, three wildlife reserves and three conservation areas in Nepal, this equates to 18% of Nepal having protected land. Most of the people head to the Royal Chitwan National Park. This is by far the most famous park in Nepal and covers 932 km2 of salt forests, salt marshes and grasslands. The biggest draw and the reason most people visit it is that it is the home of the endangered Indian one-horned rhinoceros and there is a good chance of spotting tigers and leopards.
The other parks are nice and worth seeing, but they are not actually on the main tourist route.
Meal
Unlike many of its neighbors, Nepalese food isn’t that great, it’s basically rice with vegetables. However, there is a wide variety of Tibetan, Mexican, Chinese, Japanese, Indian, and Western food available. A large part of Nepal is vegetarian, yet meat makers eat most of the animal. Try bul-la, which is rice wine slag with diced spleen or ti-syah, friendly spinal cord or how about swan-puka, which are lungs filled through the windpipe with spicy dough and then boiled, sliced sliced and fried and topped with steamed blood sausage.
Even if the main meals aren’t great, Nepalese make delicious sticky sweets.
Drink
It is better to avoid water. Although most restaurants boil and filter the water. The tea here is not good, it tends to be very weak. Lassi is a delicious non-alcoholic drink made from yogurt mixed with sugar.
Nepal produces a decent beer, usually the best is Everest beer, but you can also get imported beer like Kingfisher or Guinness.
Independent travel to Nepal: top ten experiences
1). Everest base camp hike
2). The Annapurna Circuit Walk
3). Spend a few days exploring Kathmandu
4). Chitwan National Park
5). Flight to see Everest
6). Visiting Bhaktapur
7). Relax with a cold beer by Lake Pokhara
8). Poonhill hike
9). White water rafting
10). 160 m bungee jump (one of the largest in the world) at Bhote Kosi, (12 km from the Tibetan border)
