NEPAL
Capital: Kathmandu
Area: 147,181 sq kms (around 60% of UK area)
Population: 27 million (less than half of UK population)
Religion: 86% Hindu, 8% Buddhist, 4% Muslim, 2% Others
Languages: Nepali, English
Time: GMT + 5 hours 45 minutes
Getting there
There are no direct flights available from the UK to the Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu. One of the best options is on Qatar Airways via Doha (total flying time from London, including change at Doha, is approximately 14 hours) or on Gulf Air (via Bahrain). Alternatively, you can fly into Kathmandu from Delhi, Kolkata or Varanasi (India) or Bangkok (Thailand).
Another option is to enter by road from India.
When to go
October and November are good months to visit Nepal, when the air is crisp and clear, and the country is lush and green following the monsoon. February to April is also a good time, when the weather is warming and many flowers are in bloom. Some haze does set in by April obscuring the mountain views. The weather is clear but chilly in December and January. May and early June are the warmest months, and the monsoon is prevalent from the middle of June to September. At 4000 metres, the Kathmandu Valley is relatively temperate. Chitwan in the Terai region is warm and can get quite hot by April.
