Nepal 1998

Basic facts

More information about Nepal

Svensk version

In Nepal, you find 8 of the highest peaks in the world, and around 75 % of the surface is situated higher than 3000 meters above sealevel.

The name of the country comes from the words Ne and pala. Ne is the name of a divinity and pala means preservation in sanskrit. The name of the mountainchain connected with Nepal, Himalaya, is coming from the words him (snow) and alaya (home) consequently, "The Home of Snow". 

Nepal is offering the best possible high altitude trekking environment!

My third trip to Nepal I made in April 1998. This time as a tourleader for a group of ten swedish trekkers. The target was to trekk "The Annapurna Circuit", which has been my dreamtrekk since the first visit.

Arriving in Kathmandu this time was almost as "coming home". The city was cleaner as the campaign "Visit Nepal 1998" had been going on for a long time and resulted in actions to give the city a "facelift". But it was as chaotic as usual. I love this city!

The first days we spent making excursions in the Kathmandu- valley.

We visited Bhaktapur, the Dakshin Kali-temple where animalsacrifacions can be seen twice a week. We also were lucky to see the annual Seto Machendranath-festival in Kathmandu before the trekk.

Our trekk started in a very adventurouess way, when I fell down from the top of the bus, on the trip between Turture and Besisahar. For a while I was hanging outside the bus but was lucky to climb up again, before the driver was able to stop the bus.

We trekked the more than 300 kilometer long trail around the Annapurna-range in 21 days and were lucky to experience different culture-, botanical- and climatezones.

In the lowlands it was very hot with tropical vegetation. On the high altitudes occasionally very cold and desertlike conditions.
In the villages we met people belonging to different ethnic groups as rai, gurungs, thakalis, ghurkas and people with tibetan heritage. All of them very openminded, kind and fascinating!

We passed many exciting and beautiful places, as Manang, the holy Muktinath, Jomsom and Poon Hill, from where you can see more than ten high Himalayan- peaks in the morning sun. The view over Dhaulagiri, the 6th highest mountain in the world, surrounded by rhododendronflowers, is something you never forget. 

Our highest point during the trekk was the pass Thorung La, 5416 mas, close to the tibetan border. 

The trekk ended at Dhampus with fantastic views over the peaks Machhapuchhare (Fishtail mountain), Annapurna South and Hiunchuli.

After coming back to Kathmandu we were lucky to see the annual Rato Machendranath festival in Patan, which is even more spectacular than Seto Machendranath.

As the trekks in Nepal mainly are done on high altitudes they sometimes are rather tough and dramatic, but very rewarding. In the villages you meet different mountainpeople and the views with the high, snowcovered peaks is something you never will forget.
There is a big difference compared with the trekks I am used to do in the swedish mountains!

I will take this opportunity to thank our trekking agency Sports & Nature in Kathmandu, Mrs Nandini Lahe-Thapa and Mr C B Gurung, as well as our guide Ganesh, assistant guide Raju and all our porters (8 ), who all supported us to arrange and fullfill the trekk and made it to a lifetime memory.

"Visit Nepal - when ever!"

55 Window Castle.
Bakthapur

Potters square.
Bakthapur

The Kumar festival.
Pokhara

Mountain people

Holy man.
Muktinath

Landscape.
Muktinath

View from 
Poon Hill

Rhododendron flowers

Sunset over Macchapuchhare

Farmer.
Manang

Newarwoman.
Kathmandu

The Rato Machhendranath festival.
Patan

Holy temple.
Muktinath

Mountain village

Basic facts:

Area, total: 147 181 sqkm
Population: 28 563 000
Population / sq km: 196
Coastline: 0 km
Capital / Population: Kathmandu / 856 000

Lowest point: Kanchan Kalan 70 m
Highest point: Mount Everest 8 850 m
Largest rivers: Karnali, Narayani, Kosi
Largest lakes:

Pop. growth rate: 1.28 %
Infant mortility rate: 47
(deaths / 1 000 live births)
Life expectancy at birth (years):
Male / Female  64 / 67

Ethnic groups:
Newars, Indians, Tibetans, Gurungs, Magars, Rais, Sherpas, Ghorkas and other
Religions:
Hindu 80.6 %, Buddhist 10.7 %, Muslims 4.2 %, Kiranti 3.6 %, Other 0.9 %
Languages:
Nepali (official) spoken by approx. 90 % of population, 20 other languages divided into different dialects
Literacy; % pop. over 15 years:
Male / Female: 63 / 35

GNP/capita: 470 USD
Population below poverty line: 82.5 %
Currency: Nepalese Rupee (NPR)
Tourists (annually): 375 000

Mobiletelephones: 4 200 000
Internetusers: 499 000
Railways: 59 km
Mainroads: 17 282 km

Source: CIA World Factbook 2010/03

Map of Nepal

The flag of  Nepal is the only non rectangular flag in the world. The currrent layout was descided in 1962 when the faces of the sun and the moon were removed. The points of the flag are symbolizing the peaks of the Himalayas. The sun and the moon reflects the hope that the country will remain as long as the heavenly bodies.
The red colour in the flag comes from the rhododendronflower and is the nationalcolour of Nepal.

In the rear of the crest you can see a river valley and the peaks of the Himalayas. The flora and fauna are represented by a white cow, a golden pheasant and rhododendrondflowers.  The ghurkasoldiers, one of them in a british uniform, is symbolizing the braveness of the nepaleses in combat. In the crest you can also find the symbols for the sun and moon as well as the footprints of Bhudda. He was born in Nepal. The crown is representing the royal family.
The inscription at the bottom says:
"The nation is more important than heaven".