A Guide to Tourism in Nepal

Nepal is a beautiful kingdom which is situated in the heart of the Himalayas. The highest mountain peak in the world, Mt. Everest lies in Nepal and it attracts many tourists from around the world, every year. Nepal offers several opportunities for entertainment like sports such as golf, tennis, squash, hockey, soccer and cricket and other activities such as fishing, swimming and rafting down the mighty rivers that flow down from the Himalayas to the green valleys.

However, the most practiced activity is hiking, amid scenery. There are numerous agencies that offer attractive Nepal tour packages through Kathmandu, the capital of Nepal. Kathmandu is the city that can fill your leisure time in different ways, although the nightlife is practically nonexistent. People can attend different cultural events, dance shows and music festivals which are organized from time to time, by the hotels in the city.

Most of the people, who visit Nepal, are attracted by the mountains, lakes, rivers and forests that one can enjoy in Nepal. It is a heaven for people who like adventure sports and activities. People like to explore the great Himalayan Mountains that lie in Nepal and also the green and serene valleys surrounding the mountains. Many environmental and ecological enthusiasts also visit Nepal to study the ecological diversity of the country.

There are many holidays and festivals in Nepal and they are very attractive because they are full of color, music, dance and people, willing to have fun, who treat the visitors with cordiality. The dates of the festivals vary, due to the different calendars, but you can get a brochure in the Tourism Department of Kathmandu that shows all the festivities of the year.

These festivals are mainly centered around the Hindu religious festivals and customs and so, they are mainly to celebrate different occasions pertaining to the lives of the Hindu Gods and Deities. Popular Hindu festivals like Holi and Diwali are also celebrated by the people with great zeal and enthusiasm and the tourists are welcomed to participate in such festivals.

Here is a brief calendar of festivals celebrated in Nepal

In January-February, Magha Sankranti takes place, which celebrates the passing of winter the warm seasons. Spring is heralded by the Basanta Panchami which takes place in the Hanuman Dhoka Palace in Kathmandu.

February-March: highlight the Democracy Day, the Maha Shivaratri, festival in honor of Shiva and the Tibetan New Year.

April-May: Buddha Jayanthi in which the birth of Buddha is celebrated throughout Nepal, Jatra in Thimi Balkurari, and the lively Red Nath Machhendra Festival in Patan.

May-June: The festival in honor of Sithinakha Kumar, god of war, during which, people clean their wells to welcome the rainy season. The Sherpa festival of Mani Rimdu, where monks from Thamel, Namche Bazaar, perform masked dances and various dramas also takes place during these two months.

July-August: the Ghanta Karna is celebrated by the Newar people to drive away demons, the Naga Panchhami in honor of the divine serpents Janai Purnima.

September-October: the Ganesh Festival honors the elephant-headed god.

December-January: two national holidays, Constitution Day and the Birthday of the King who was born on December 28, 1945.

If you are not interested in taking part in any of these festivals, you can try adventure activities such as hiking or mountain climbing. There are many agencies in Nepal which can take you to hiking trips, exploring the mountains of the country. You can also visit other tourist attractions in the country such as Swayambh Stupa, Narayanhiti Palace Museum, Pashupatinath Temple, Budda Neelkanth, Kathmandu Durbar Square etc. The temples of Kathmandu are very popular with tourists around the world.