Nepal A landlocked nation of monasteries and mountains
Whether you want to trek the Himalayas – home to some of the highest peaks in the world – stroll through temple-lined city squares or comb lush jungles in search of Bengal tigers, Nepal will take your breath away. Literally: the country has an average elevation of 3265m above sea level, not forgetting it’s also home to the mighty Mt Everest. Even after you’ve acclimatised to the heights, the beauty of this mountainous nation will leave you speechless.
Where it is
Indian Subcontinent
When to go
March to April
October to December
Why go there
Mountain scenery
Towns and temples
Wildlife
What to see
Kathmandu
Everest Base Camp
Chitwan National Park
Marvel at Everest
Sagamartha (Nepalese for Everest) is the country’s major draw. And Cosa can help you undertake the epic trek to safely reach Everest Base Camp, 5364m up.
Explore Kathmandu
A cacophony of sights, sounds and smells, Nepal’s captivating capital is packed with pagodas, temples, markets and, of course, ancient Durbar Square.
Go on safari
Chitwan National Park is a haven for wildlife aficionados. On a safari with Cosa, you could spot rare Bengal tigers, along with the one-horned rhinos and wild elephants.
Make a pilgrimage
The village of Boudhanath is home to Asia’s largest, and most spectacular, stupa. And Cosa can arrange for you to join the monks and pilgrims at dusk for their daily kora.
Travel in Nepal
The Asian nation, which is about 3½ times larger than Switzerland, can be divided into three main areas: the Himalayas in the north, the middle hills and the Tarai plains to the south. While distances aren’t big, getting around Nepal can be challenging due to the terrain. For example, from Kathmandu to Lumbini in southern Nepal, believed to be the birthplace of Siddhartha Gautama (better known as Buddha), is only 280km but takes almost nine hours by car.
Nepal facts
Wedged between China and India, landlocked Nepal was closed to the outside world until the 1950s. The end of the autocratic Rana regime, which had ruled Nepal for over a century, saw the creation of a multi-party parliamentary system and ultimately the abolition of the monarchy. Nepal has a unique national flag, the only one in the world that doesn’t have four sides: it consists of two overlapping triangles, representing Hinduism and Buddhism, the country’s two main religions.
Time zone
UTC +5.45
Flight time
Nine hours from Switzerland
Local currency
Nepalese rupee
Dialling code
+977
