Bradley Mayhew - Lonely Planet Nepal

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Wedged between the high wall of the Himalaya and the steamy jungles of the Indian plains, Nepal is a land of snow peaks and Sherpas, yaks and yetis, monasteries and mantras.

The majestic Annapurna Range, viewed from the Annapurna Circuit Trek ()
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Ever since Nepal first opened its borders to outsiders in the 1950s, this tiny mountain nation has had an irresistible mystical allure for travellers. Today, legions of trekkers are drawn to the Himalayas most iconic and accessible hiking, some of the worlds best, with rugged trails to Everest, the Annapurnas and beyond. Nowhere else can you trek for days or even weeks in incredible mountain scenery, secure in the knowledge that a hot meal, cosy lodge and warm slice of apple pie await you at the end of the day. Nepal is nirvana for mountain lovers.

Other travellers are drawn here by the adrenaline rush of rafting down a roaring Nepali river or bungee jumping into a bottomless Himalayan gorge. Canyoning, climbing, kayaking, paragliding and mountain biking all offer a rush against the backdrop of some of the worlds most dramatic landscapes.

Other travellers prefer to see Nepal at a more gentle pace, admiring the peaks over a gin and tonic from a Himalayan viewpoint, strolling through the temple-lined medieval city squares of Kathmandu, Patan and Bhaktapur, and joining Buddhist pilgrims on a spiritual stroll around the centuries-old stupas and temples that lie scattered across the Kathmandu Valley.

Further south lie Nepals wild and woolly national parks, where nature buffs scan the treetops for exotic bird species and comb the jungles for rhinos and tigers from the backs of lumbering Indian ele-phants. Whether you cross the country by mountain bike, motorbike, raft or tourist bus, Nepal offers an astonishingly diverse array of attractions and landscapes.

There are few countries in the world that are as well set up for independent travel as Nepal. Wandering the trekking shops, bakeries and pizzerias of Thamel and Pokhara, its easy to feel that you have somehow landed in a kind of backpacker Disneyland. Out in the countryside lies a quite different Nepal, where traditional mountain life continues stoically and at a slower pace, and a million potential adventures glimmer on the mountain horizons.

The biggest problem faced by visitors to Nepal is how to fit everything in. Many people have spent a lifetime exploring the mountain trails of the Himalaya and the atmospheric temple towns of the Middle Hills, and they still keep coming back for more. Our advice is to pick a handful of essential experiences for your first visit and save the rest for trips two, three and four

Gurung women () performing a traditional dance
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Kathmandus Durbar Square

The historic centre of old Kathmandu is an open-air architectural museum of magnificent medieval temples, pagodas, pavilions and shrines. Once occupied by Nepals cloistered royal family and still home to the Kumari, Kathmandus very own living goddess, Durbar Sq () through the hidden backstreet courtyards and temples of the surrounding warren-like old town.

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Everest Base Camp Trek

Topping many peoples travel bucket list is this two-week-long trek () to the base of the worlds highest, and most hyped, mountain. The actual views of the mountain are partial at best but the surrounding Himalayan peaks are truly awesome, and the half-hour you spend watching the alpenglow ascend beautiful Pumori or Ama Dablam peaks is worth all the altitude headaches you will doubtless suffer. The crowds can be thick in October but the welcome at the Sherpa lodges is as warm as the fresh apple pie that is served.

Nuptse with Everest in background
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Annapurna Circuit Trek

This 19-day hike () around the 8091m Annapurna massif is Nepals most popular trek, and its easy to see why. The lodges are comfortable, the mountain scenery is superb, the crossing of the 5416m Thorung La provides a physical challenge and the sense of journey from lowland to Trans-Himalayan plateau is immensely satisfying. Our best tip is to take your time and explore the spectacular side trips, particularly around Manang. Road construction may have eaten away at the western sections around Jomsom, but some spectacular alternative footpaths continue to avoid the road.

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Bhaktapur & the Kathmandu Valley

The Kathmandu Valley boasts the worlds densest collection of World Heritage Sites. Of the valleys three former cities, all Unesco sites, medieval Bhaktapur () is easily the most intact and is bursting with temples, pagodas and ornate pools. Winding backstreets of traditional red-brick buildings lead onto squares used by locals for drying corn and making pottery. The traffic-free streets offer fabulous scope for exploration on foot. For the full experience, stay overnight in a guesthouse or attend one of the citys fantastic festivals.

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Elephant Safari, Chitwan National Park

In the other Nepal, down in the humid plains, Chitwan is one of Asias best wildlife-viewing spots and the place to don your safari togs, clamber atop a lumbering elephant () and head into the dawn mist in search of rhinos and tigers. Theres plenty to keep you busy here, from joining the elephants at bath time to visiting local Tharu villages, and the brave can even take a guided walk through the jungle, surrounded by the hoots and roars of the forest.