Things to do in Nepal

Kathmandu, the capital, fills a valley of royal squares, pagoda temples and great stupas such as Swayambhunath and Boudhanath, with the medieval cities of Patan and Bhaktapur close by. It is the starting point for nearly every journey into the mountains.

Pokhara, beside Phewa Lake, looks up at the Annapurna range and is the base for treks such as the Annapurna Circuit and Poon Hill. The Everest region, reached by small planes to Lukla, draws trekkers to Namche Bazaar and Everest Base Camp. In the lowlands, Chitwan National Park shelters rhinos, tigers and elephants, and Lumbini, birthplace of the Buddha, is a place of pilgrimage.

Dal bhat, rice with lentil soup and vegetables, is the national staple, often eaten twice a day, alongside momo dumplings, Newari feasts and spiced milk tea. Autumn, the main trekking season, brings the clearest skies and the great festival of Dashain, spring paints the hills with rhododendrons, and the summer monsoon is wet.