The country can be divided into three different regions: the north, which is covered by the Himalaya mountain range that includes the world’s tallest peak Mt. Everest, which rises to 8,848 m (29,000 ft); the central area, consisting of the relatively low Himalayan foothills which are home to the capital Kathmandu and a fascinating variety of cultural groups; and the south, which consists of vast plains and jungle and is home to most of the country’s population.
Geographically, Tibet can be divided into three major parts, the east, north and south. The eastern part is forest region, occupying approximately one-fourth of the land. Virgin forests run the entire breadth and length of this part of Tibet. The northern part is open grassland, where nomads and yak and sheep dwell. This part occupies approximately half of Tibet. The southern and central part is agricultural region, occupying about one-fourth of Tibet’s land area with all major Tibetan cities and towns such as Lhasa, Shigatse, Gyantse and Tsetang. it is considered the cultural centre of Tibet. Tibet spreads over 1,200,000 square kilometres.
If you’re going to Nepal for trekking, there are two main seasons: October-December and February-April. This is because the majority of trekkers come to visit the popular areas of Annapurna and Everest and spring and autumn are the best times for these areas. Autumn is best, when the air has been washed clean by summer monsoons and the passes haven’t yet been snowed in. The weather is brisk but not too cold. In spring, the alpine passes are open again, but the air is hazy, and the views, while good, aren’t the same as in autumn (if spring is the only time available, it’s still worth going!).
If however you are more intrepid and want to explore the Nepal that lives off the beaten trail, then there is somewhere for you to trek in Nepal all the year round. In spring and autumn you can trek basically anywhere; in the monsoon you can trek in the rain shadow of the Himalayan Range; in winter you can have delightful trekking in the culturally rich mid-hills! If you’re going to Chitwan National Park be aware that it can be very hot and humid for most of the year, although from December to March it’s fantastic! The monsoons, which occur June-September, affect the whole country except for those areas in the rain shadow, and flooding is a strong possibility in the Chitwan region.
Official Name: Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal
Capital: Kathmandu
Population: Approx 29 million
Languages: Nepali is the National language but there are thought to be 20 language groups and many more dialects
Main Religions: 81% Hindu, 9% Buddhist, 4% Muslim, 6% other (Kirat, Christianity, Bon po, Shaman, other)
Time Zone: 5 hours 45 ahead of Greenwich Mean Time (+5:45 GMT). Daylight Saving Time is not observed.
Voltage Requirements: 220 Volts. Sockets are of the European two pronged round pin variety. Supply is erratic and power cuts are common – even in the cities.
Telephone Codes: 977, country code for Nepal; 1, city code for Kathmandu.