Nepal

This chapter contains the Nepal Today, History, People & Culture, Religion, Arts & Architec-ture, Environment & Wildlife, Directory A-Z, Transport, Health, and Language chapters from Lonely Planet’s Nepal guidebook.

All the info you need on everything from history Buddhist architecture, cultural groups and religion to flights, public transport, climate, money, the internet... you name it. Get tips for women travellers, gay and lesbian travellers, travellers with disabilities, and travellers with kids. And get the most out of your conversations with a handy language guide and glossary.

• a rundown on Nepali cuisine and drinks
• info on Hindu gods and Buddhist deities
• full coverage of Nepali literature and cinema
• details on Nepal’s national parks & conservation areas

Coverage includes: Nepal Today, History, People & Culture, Religion, Arts & Architecture, Environment & Wildlife, Directory A-Z, Transport, Health, and Language.

This is the Trekking Routes chapter from Lonely Planet’s Nepal guidebook.

Easily the best way to see Nepal is on foot. Nothing beats walking under your own steam under a crystal-clear Himalayan sky, passing Sherpa, Gurung and Thakali villages, Tibetan monasteries and sacred lakes, while staring at a range of 8000m peaks.

• trek planning
• maps
• routes & conditions
• transport
• sleeping & eating

Coverage includes: Choosing a Trek, Shorter Treks, Life on the Trail, Routes & Conditions, Sleeping & Eating, Everest Base Camp Trek, Annapurna Circuit Trek, An-napurna Sanctuary Trek, Other Annapurna Treks, Ghachok Trek, Ghandruk Loop, Panchase Trek, Annapurna Panorama, Mardi Himal Trek, Khopra Ridge, Langtang Valley Trek, Tamang Heritage Trail, Gosainkund Trek, Restricted Area & Other Treks.

This is the Terai & Mahabharat Range chapter from Lonely Planet’s Nepal guidebook.

The south of the country is the very opposite of the Himalayan north: the hot, subtropical plain of the Terai. The Mahabharat Range and Chure Hills stand in the middle, as if mediating between snow-capped peaks and a flat horizon.

• roam through the elephant grass Chitwan National Park in search of tigers and rhinos
• maps
• explore one amazing Buddhist temple after another in Lumbini, the Buddha’s very own birthplace
• transport
• raft through the extraordinary natural beauty of Bardia National Park looking out for those marsh muggers!
• restaurants & accommodation

Coverage includes: Central Terai, Narayangarh & Bharatpur, Chitwan Na-tional Park, Siddharthanagar (Bhairawa) & Sunauli, Lumbini, The Siddhartha Highway, Butwal, Tansen (Palpa) & Around, The Tribhuvan Highway, Hetauda, Daman, Western Terai, Nepalganj, Bardia National Park, Sukla Phanta National Park, Bhimdatta (Mahendranagar), Eastern Terai, Birganj, Janakpur, Koshi Tappu Wildlife Reserve, Biratnagar, Dharan & Around Hile & Around, Ilam & Around, Kakarbhitta.

This is the Pokhara chapter from Lonely Planet’s Nepal guidebook.

Pokhara ticks all the right boxes, with spectacular scenery, adventure activities, and accom-modation and food choices galore. Whether you’ve returned from a three-week trek or endured a bus trip from hell, Lakeside Pokhara is the perfect place to recharge your batteries.

• wake up to a spectacular panorama as the rising sun illuminates the Himalayas at Sa-rangkot
• maps
• paddle a colourful boat out to the middle of Phewa Tal to reveal a magical reflection of Machhapuchhare and its surrounding peaks
• transport
• climb a forest trail to the dazzling white World Peace Pagoda for a bird’s-eye view of Pokhara
• restaurants & accommodation

Coverage includes: Pokhara & Around, Sarangkot, Begnas Tal & Rupa Tal, Beni & Around, Tatopani & Around, Marpha & Around, Jomsom & Around.

This chapter contains the Welcome to Nepal, Nepal’s Top 15, Need to Know, What’s New, If You Like..., Month by Month, Itineraries, Planning Your Trek, Outdoor Activities, Volunteering & Responsible Travel, Eat & Drink Like a Local, and Regions at a Glance chapters from Lonely Planet’s Nepal guidebook.

Your journey to Nepal starts here. You’ll find the tools to plan your adventure: where to go and when, how much to budget, plus in-depth info on post-earthquake recovery.

• tailor-made itineraries, arranged by region, themes and events
• list of highlights and best experiences
• everything you need to know about planning your trek
• user-friendly country overview ensures you won’t miss a thing

Coverage includes: Welcome to Nepal, Nepal’s Top 15, Need to Know, What’s New, If You Like: Temples, Trekking, Villages & Day Hikes, Wildlife Watching, Adrenaline Rushes, The Sacred & the Spiritual, Getting Off the Beaten Track, Himalayan Views, A Life of Luxury, Month by Month, Itineraries, Planning Your Trek, Outdoor Activities, Volunteering & Re-sponsible Travel, Eat & Drink Like a Local, and Regions at a Glance.

This is the Biking, Rafting & Kayaking chapter from Lonely Planet’s Nepal guidebook.

Nepal’s world-class rapids and exhilarating mountain descents are made for white-water raft-ing and mountain biking. It boasts rafting and kayaking routes suitable for beginners and pros alike, and your choice is dependent on how much of a buzz you can handle.

• savour dawn views over the Himalaya during a two-day cycle
• explore historic Newari towns off the beaten track
• get the adrenaline pumping while navigating rapids on a raft
• learn to kayak surrounded by jungle scenery

Coverage includes: Mountain-Bike Routes, The Scar Road from Kath-mandu, Kathmandu to Pokhara, Upper Mustang: Jomsom to Lo Manthang, Muktinath to Pokhara, Kathmandu Valley Loop via Nagarkot & Namobuddha, The Rajpath from Kathmandu, Pokhara to Sarangkot & Naudanda, Rafting & Kayaking Routes, Trisuli, Bhote Kosi, Upper Sun Kosi, Seti Khola, Upper Kali Gandaki, Marsyangdi, Karnali, Sun Kosi, Tamur, Other Rivers.

This is the Kathmandu chapter from Lonely Planet’s Nepal guidebook.

For many, stepping off a plane into Kathmandu is a pupil-dilating experience, a riot of sights, sounds and smells that can quickly lead to sensory overload. This endlessly fascinating, some-times infuriating city has enough sights to keep you busy for a week.

• wander labyrinthine backstreets, little-known temples and hidden courtyards such as the Kathesimbhu Stupa in Kathmandu’s Old Town
• maps
• marvel at the ornate courtyard of Kumari Bahal and at how much survived the 2015 earth-quake in Kathmandu’s regal Durbar Sq
• transport
• dine on momos (dumplings) and wild boar to the beat of madal (drums) and bansari (flutes) at a traditional restaurant
• restaurants & accommodation

Coverage includes: History, Kathmandu, Sights, Activities, Courses, Fes-tivals & Events, Sleeping, Eating, Drinking & Nightlife, Entertainment, Shopping, Around Kath-mandu.

This is the Kathmandu to Pokhara chapter from Lonely Planet’s Nepal guide-book.

While many travellers head directly from Kathmandu to Pokhara, missing out on some of Nepal’s finer attractions. This includes the historic town of Bandipur, a lovingly restored, pic-ture-postcard village offering European ambience in the middle of gorgeous Nepalese vistas.

• step back in time among the Newari houses of historic Bandipur, set on the ancient trade route to India
• maps
• ride the majestic cable car to the mountaintop Manakamana Temple
• transport
• scramble into the gloom to see spectacular stalactites and stalagmites at Siddha Gufa, Ne-pal’s largest cave
• restaurants & accommodation

Coverage includes: The Trisuli River to Abu Khaireni, Manakamana, Gorkha, Bandipur, Dumre.

This is the Around the Kathmandu Valley chapter from Lonely Planet’s Nepal guidebook.

Created from the bed of a sacred lake by the deity Manjushri, according to Buddhist legend, the Kathmandu Valley is a patchwork of terraced fields and sacred temple towns that showcase the glory of the architects and artisans of Nepal.

• wander Patan’s courtyards on a walking tour, soaking in the glorious Newari architecture of Durbar Sq and visiting Patan Museum, the best in the country
• maps
• explore the fascinating backstreets of Bhaktapur, Nepal’s best preserved medieval city
• transport
• have a medieval mini-adventure in the historic city of Panauti, which escaped the earth-quake’s destruction
• restaurants & accommodation

Coverage includes: Around the Ring Road, Pashupatinath, Chabahil, Bodhnath (Boudha), Kopan, The Northern & Western Valley, Budhanilkantha, Shivapuri Nagar-jun National Park, Patan, Bhaktapur & Around, Suriya Binayak Temple, Thimi, Changu Narayan Temple, The Northeastern Valley, Gokarna Mahadev, Gokarna Forest, Sankhu, The Southern Valley, Kirtipur, Pharping & Around, Bungamati, Khokana, Chapagaon, Godavari, The Valley Fringe, Nagarkot, Dhulikhel, Panauti, Namobuddha, Balthali, Beyond the Valley, Arniko Highway to Tibet, The Road to Langtang.