Federal democratic republic of Nepal is a landlocked country situated in the Himalayas. It shares its borders with Peoples republic of China in the east and Bhutan in the south and west by India. Until recently, it was the world’s only Hindu kingdom governed by monarch. However, now it has switched over to parliamentary system of governance.

Although the country is predominantly Hindu, there is a sizeable population who follow Buddhism. Nepal is a small country but it boasts of one of the diverse cultures. It is a multi ethnic, multi linguistic, multi religious society. The capital city Kathmandu is a visual paradise with scenic mountains and fabulous night life. The geography of Nepal is quite different as one may find humid terrais in the south and mighty Himalayas in the north.

Tourism is the only major source of revenue in Nepal. As a matter of fact, Nepal is also considered to be a trekker’s paradise. The highest mountain peak in the world Mount Everest captivates every single tourist with its mighty presence. Those who are seeking peace and tranquility in life should make a visit to Nepal. There are various destinations one can choose from while visiting Nepal. For instance, there is sagarmath national park, which is well k known for its varied topography and flaura and fauna.

There are also other options like adventure sports such as river rafting, hiking, Para sailing and gliding etc. One way or the other, everyone can find something in Nepal. Moreover, what makes your experience worthwhile is the cheerful nature of the people. They are always present and willing to assist you even if it means loosing their valuable time.

You can also visit the numerous medieval temples dotting this tiny Himalayan country, among which Macchendra Nath Temple, Durbar Square, Hanuman Dhoka are prominent. To learn more about the country and its people, you can visit the national state museum situated in the heart of the city.

As of now, the country is s lowly getting back to its feet after nearly a decade of civil war. Even then, before embarking on a journey to Nepal, special emphasis should be laid on to have a secured journey. The best time to visit Nepal is in between October until April. so take a trip of the mighty gorkhaland and soak yourself in its history.

Summary: Tourism in Nepal is its bed and brother. This country is located in the foot hills of the Himalayas. To know more about this county, read the following article.

Bolivia is sometimes called the Tibet of the Americas, for its arid, high-altitude desert-like plateau, more vivid when called by its Spanish name altiplano. This is one of the toughest inhabited environments on earth from shimmering Lake Titicaca, the only lake to give birth to an empire, to the surreal Salar de Uyuni, the biggest and highest salt lake in the world – 12,000 sq km of blinding white, completely flat nothingness.

Bolivia has also been called the Nepal of the Americas, for its Cordillera Real with almost a thousand peaks soaring over 5,000 meters and matching anything the Himalayas can offer in climbing and trekking, but with much less of the human traffic.

The major attraction tourists have for Bolivia is its wild, unexplored natural beauty. The country, or the greater part of it, lies off the beaten track; a vast wildness waiting to be seen and appreciated. This land-locked country at the heart and peak of South America offers magnificent trekking, especially around Coroico and Sorata in the Cordillera Real. You can go to the Amazonian rainforests in its eastern parts by breath-taking airplane flights or by hair-raising, or rather, heart-stopping bus rides.

Special Treats

Some travel companies offer the adventurous a one-week ice-climbing and biking vacation. After a day of training on the mountain bike, you pedal away on a mountain road ringed on the sides with 800-foot drops. If that’s not enough, another route will pass by a section with a 14,000-foot drop. The route takes you from the peak of the Chacaltaya Mountain and goes down into the impenetrable jungles of the Zongo Valley. A brief rest, and then you undergo one more day of training prior to a two-day climb up Huayna Potosi, one of the highest peaks in the world at 20,000 feet.

What Else to Do

Most parts of the country are remote, and can be reached only by long bus rides. Vacations lasting a few weeks would hardly be enough to see what should be seen. You may have to fly to other destinations. La Paz is the jump-off point for Bolivia’s sites. From the capital La Paz, you could take a trip north to the city of Tiahuanaco, which preceded the great Inca Empire; further north is Lake Titicaca. On the lake is the beautiful Isla del Sol, where legend says the Inca empire was created. You can also go down a terrifying but spectacular road to Coroico, a popular resort town in the sub-tropical Yungas valleys.

With more time, you could explore the remote corners of the Southern Altiplano. Old colonial Potosi is said to be the most interesting of Bolivia’s cities and the site of the Spanish silver mines. Nearby is the official capital, Sucre, with its fascinating colonial architecture. Southwest of Potosi is Uyuni, which sets you off on a 3-4-day tour to the Salar de Uyuni, the world’s largest salt lake. Further south, near the Chilean border, are deserts, volcanoes and multi-colored soda lakes carpeted with flamingoes. The south is also home to the vineyards of Tarija and the graveyards of dinosaurs. The Sajima National Park, near the Chilean border, includes the highest peak in Bolivia.

East of La Paz, you escape the cold of the altiplano and go down the Amazon jungle towards Brazil. The Torotoro National Park is full of fossils, dinosaur footprints, caves and waterfalls, the real trip for those who love the unbeaten paths.

Bolivia’s newest attraction is the Chalalan Eco-lodge, in the Madidi National Park, right in the Amazon jungle. This is ecotourism in capital letters, and the place has the greatest biodiversity in the whole planet. There are over 300 types of birds, 1,200 butterfly species, monkeys, jaguar, tapir, caiman, and other wildlife.

Best time to go

Bolivia’s roads are notoriously poor, so you’ll want to avoid the rainy season from November to March, if you want to visit the jungles. The Altiplano does not get much rain, so timing is not so crucial although hiking trails can get muddy. June and July, the winter months, are colder but the nights are clearer, and these are the best months to visit the Salar de Uyuni. June to August are the busiest tourism months and hotels will be full. The best festivals (Carnival and Holy Week) happen during the rainy season.

Planning your trip

Airlines are busiest from early December to mid-January and July to September. The best connections to La Paz are through Sao Paolo, Rio de Janeiro, Buenos Aires or Miami. The main cities have their hotels, but away from them, there are suitable hotels for every budget, which offer excellent value – not luxurious but clean and popular with travelers.

When it comes to packing all your gear ready for a backpacking trip it can be very easy to over pack. Over packing leads to a heavy load that could mean the difference between a good enjoyable trip, and one that you remember for all the wrong reasons. So learning a few ultralight backpacking tips to help you pack light can be very useful.

The first thing of course is to ditch anything that is not really essential. Try to think if you can do without an item and if so leave it behind. Next try to consider items that can be used for more than one task. This can be quite easy if you give it some thought. (For instance do you need to take a plate or will the lid of your cooking pot do the job)?

A few other things that can have more than one use are things such as candles; these can do more than just provide you with light. You can use a candle to help start a fire, and they can also work as a great waterproofing agent. Compared to a lantern or lamp that has the extra weight of the batteries a candle weighs next to nothing.

Parachute cord is a very useful piece of equipment and should always be included in your pack. It can be used for many different tasks, from using it as a clothes line, using it for emergency boot laces, tying awkward shaped items to your pack, or using as guy lines for your tent or tarp.

Do you really need to take a complete set of cutlery? There are many items on the market such as a spork, which combines a spoon at one end and a fork at the other, and if you carry a small pocket knife, then this is really all you need. Buy lightweight Titanium cookware as apposed to heavy stainless steel pots and pans.

If you know that you will have access to a good supply of water on your chosen route, Then you can save weight on your food by taking a good quantity of dehydrated ready meals, instead of lots of heavy canned goods.Also take crackers instead of bread, not only are they lighter but they don’t go stale as quick as bread will do.

These are just a few ideas of how to cut down the weight and go ultralight backpacking I am sure that when you think things through you will be able to come up with many more ideas to enable you to become a lightweight camper.

In my capacity as the UK Director of Operations for One World Tours Limited, I am often asked about the destinations I have been to, especially some of the more unusual ones. I try to give a good opinion on those places and offer some helpful advice, with that in mind here then, are my top suggestions for sites to visit during your holiday in Nepal.

Nepal’ s capital city is Kathmandu with other smaller cities which include, Biratnagar, Patan, Pokhara, Birgunj, Dharan and Nepalgunj. The climate is sub tropical in Kathmandu as opposed to further south of the country where the summers are cooler and the winters are severe in the mountains. Nepal is home to 8 of the most highest peaks in the world one of which includes Mount Everest. This is one of the reasons that Nepal has become a country that attracts many tourists as there are plenty opportunities for hiking, mountain biking, camping, jungle safaris, fishing, river rafting, its stunning places of worship and majestic temples.

June through to September is the time when the monsoon season occurs in Nepal, during which showers occur almost every day.

There are many tourist attractions in Kathmandu many of which are temples, here are some of the most amazing Machchhendrananth Temple is noted for its elaborate artistic beauty. Pashupatinath Temple has a beautiful two tiered golden roof and silver doors it is also famous for its creative architecture. Atop the Phulchowki mountain is another shrine to behold.

The main square of the city (Durbar Square) contains many other temples and architectural statues and structures such as the lion gate and the statue of King Bhupatindra Malla.

Dattatraya Temple is believed to have been built entirely from trunk of a single tree.

Pokhara is a city in central Nepal making one of the most popular tourist destinations in Nepal. It is located on the north west corner of the Pokhara Valley where its beautiful lake cascades into impressive waterfalls and then disappears with a thunderous roar into a hole.

This wonderful city has a sub tropical climate and is home to some unique and vibrant festivals which enchant the onlooker with its cultural festivities.

Langtang National Park is one of the most natural and unspoiled parks of Nepal. The Langtang Valley, hillside covered in forests and the holy lakes at Gosainkunda are some of the jewels of the park. This stunning landscape is home to the red panda along with the Himalayan black bear, grey langur monkey, leopard and wild boar. This park has to be explored on foot and offers many trails for the visitor to choose from.

If you have taken the time to visit Nepal then, whatever you beliefs, it is worth experiencing Lumbini the birthplace of Buddha more than 2600 years ago. It is a place that is enclosed with forests making the atmosphere tranquil and serene.

Mount Everest is the world’s tallest mountain and can be experienced in a variety of ways. You can see the mountain with a flight-seeing tour, visit places in Nepal where there are specific sites to view the mountain, although this is of course not so close up. There is only a short window for ascending the mountain for the more adventurous among you. This is between April and May with the easiest route to the summit being the southern ridge and by far the most popular.