Nepal
Nepal Holiday
Kathmandu! The name alone summons images of the exotic, adventurous and remote. Such words accurately describe Nepal even today. Much of the population of this country, open to foreign visitors only since 1951, lives in villages reached by days of climbing mountain trails. But Kathmandu, the extraordinary valley capital at the foot of the Himalayas, concentrating the essence of Nepali customs and culture, is now in easy reach of the most comfort-conscious traveller.
Almost everyone enters Nepal via Kathmandu's Tribhuvan International Airport. The approach from the south by air is spectacular. First you fly over jungles and the narrow lowland strip, the Terai, that adjoins India, then the brown wall of the Mahabarat Range. In the distance, the highest part of the Himalayas, including the peak of Mount Everest, embraces the horizon. Rather abruptly, your pilot swoops down into the wide bowl of Kathmandu Valley, green in summer, gold in autumn, as rice paddy sprouts and matures.
In the valley, you'll get three cities for the price of one: Kathmandu, the seat of the constitutional monarchy with its Old Town maze of palaces, temples and markets; rose-red Patan of the golden roofs just across the Bagmati River; and medieval Bhadgaon, a city of artisans 10 km (6 miles) to the east. Each has outstanding monuments of architecture and art. A short drive or bicycle ride from Kathmandu's centre are major shrines dating back 1,500 years, as well as villages where rural life styles have not changed in centuries. Because of these diverse riches, the entire valley has been designated a World Heritage site by UNESCO.
Whenever you visit, you're bound to witness colourful rituals of Hinduism, the faith of nine out of ten Nepalis. But some of the most impressive temples and festivals are Bhuddist, and the people of Kathmandu are remarkably impartial in revering holy sites, figures and celebrations of both religions. There are 30 official holidays a year.
Wherever you go you will be welcomed by a greeting that is suitable for kings and commoners alike: namaste. This is said while holding both hands at breast level in an upright prayer position. It means "I salute the divine in you." The citizens of Nepal, some of the planet's most hospitable people, sincerely mean it.