“A yam between two stones” is how Prithvi Narayan Shah, the 18th century King of the first unified Nepal described his country. Indeed, the Himalayan nation of Nepal occupies a tiny strip of land (approximately 147,200 square meters) relative to the giants of China and India to its northern and southern borders. Sharing borders with Bhutan and Tibet as well, Nepal has an incredibly rich history and variety of ethnic influences, which have resulted in its vast breadth of cultural facets that continue to intrigue visitors from around the world. In Nepal it is possible to encounter cultural groups who range from modern city dwellers to nomadic hunter-gatherers, and everywhere in between.

Nepal’s status as the world’s premier trekking location remains uncontested – its Himalayan region contains over 240 peaks over 6000 meters and 8 of the world’s tallest mountains, including Mt. Everest, the highest point on earth at 8,848 meters. Nepal’s appeal to adventurers, cultural connoisseurs, and spiritual seekers makes this country a truly unique travel destination. Nowhere else on earth can one go from walking among the world’s tallest mountains to visiting places like Pashpatinath, Hinduism’s most sacred pilgrimage site, or Lumbini, birthplace of the Buddha, Siddhartha Gautam.