21 Things Nobody Tells You About Nepal

A series of snow-capped mountains, varied landscapes, lakes, and adventurous treks is exactly how people often know Nepal. But there are a lot of things to explore that nobody tells you about Nepal!

Indeed, Nepal’s forte is natural abundance and serenity, yet the country is equally rich in diversity of people and their cultural practices. People here observe different kinds of festivals around the year, offer a variety of food cuisines, and are the most hospitable people in the whole wide world.

Intrigued to find out more? Keep reading the article to learn the best 21 things nobody tells you about Nepal.

1. Nepal Inhabits Ethnically Diverse People

Though the country is densely populated by Hindus, Nepal is actually a secular state of people from different ethnic groups and races. You will find many people practicing Buddhism and also some Christian, Sikh, and Muslim people. Despite the diversity in races, Nepali people live in harmony in a single community.

Besides, different terrains and cities of the country are populated by different races. While Sherpa people pre-dominate the Himalayan areas, the Terai region is home to ethnic races like Tharus and Madhesis. Similarly, the capital city, Kathmandu Valley is densely inhabited by Newars and the rest of the races are spread out throughout the entire nation.

2. Almost Every day is a Festival

Being ethnically diverse, the festivities and traditions are also equally diverse in Nepal. Although the major festivals celebrated in the country are Dashain, Tihar, and Teej, many other auspicious days are also celebrated as festivals.

In fact, the Newari people, primarily the ones residing in the capital city have an auspicious occasion to celebrate every third day in the entire year.

3. Nepal Proudly Holds World’s 10 World Heritage Sites

It is a matter of pride to Nepal that it holds the record for the world’s top 10 heritages as listed by UNESCO. Out of those, 7 heritages are present in Kathmandu, the capital city of the country, and the rest in three different regions.

These world heritage sites are, Kathmandu Durbar Square, Patan Durbar Square, Bhaktapur Durbar Square, Pashupatinath Temple, Boudhanath Stupa, Swayambhunath Stupa, Changunarayan Temple, Chitwan national Park, Lumbini and Sagarmatha National park.

4. Variety of Traditional Dances

As like the Nepali people their cultural practices also vary widely based on their location, religion, and lifestyle. Despite the influence of modern culture, some communities have preserved their traditional dances throughout their generations.

Some of the most popular folk dances are Lakhey dance, Maruni dance, Dhan Nach, Sorathi nritya, Deuda Naach, Sakhiya dance, etc. These dances are performed only on special occasions.

5. Nepali Flag is Triangular

The Nepali flag is one-of-a-kind in the entire world as it is the only country with a non-quadrant flag. The Nepali flag actually is made of two co-joined triangles that are perpendicularly connected to the base pole.

Its base is red in color and the border is blue. You will also see a white-colored structure in the middle of each triangle on the flag, representing the sun and moon.

6. Nepal is Enriched with a Wide Variety of Floral and Faunal Diversities

The vegetation and faunal species of an area depend on the elevation and climatic conditions of the region. Given the varying physio-geographic conditions of Nepal, one can see a lot of variety in its biodiversity too.

While the high-altitudes have alpine and temperate vegetation, the hills have sub-tropical and terai has tropical vegetation. Similarly, the higher altitude inhabits yaks, bears, and snow leopards whereas the lower elevations are home to tigers, ghorals, and elephants.

As per a recent WWF database, Nepal in-houses 13,067 species of plants and 17,097 different species of animals.

7. Inhabited by Many Endangered Plants and Animals

Along with a wide variety of bio-diversity, the country is also home to many rare yet endangered species of plants and animals. Rhododendron, the national flower of Nepal, Himalayan Blue poppy, the aromatic spikenards are some of the rare plants found here.

Similarly, the forests of this Asian country are home to rare Red pandas, Snow leopards, Swamp Deer, Himalayan Musk Deer, and One-horned rhinoceros.

8. Best Place for Bird-Watching

While most of the visitors might not know it, many regions in Nepal are the best places for watching birds. Depending upon the season, tourists visit the countryside and national parks to observe the native as well as migratory birds of the country.

The Koshi Tappu Wildlife Reserve, Bardiya National Park, Chitwan National Park, and Shivapuri Nagarjun National Park area are some popular bird-watching destinations.

9.Nepal is the Birthplace of Lord Buddha

Buddhism is one of the most celebrated religious practices in the whole wide world. The preaching and practices of Buddhist people originated in Nepal as the preacher himself was born here.

Siddharth Gautam, also known as Lord Buddha was born in Lumbini, a city in western Nepal. He was a royal prince who left all the royal amenities and responsibilities to seek meaning in his life.

10. Nepalese Worship the Living Goddess

Have you ever heard of a living goddess? Oh yes, that’s right! While visiting the Kathmandu Durbar Square, you will see a temple on the southern side just across the historical palace building. Named Kumari temple, this intricately designed wooden building is the house where Kumari “the living goddess” resides.

In literal meanings, Kumari means a virgin girl which is why young girls from the Shakya clan of the Buddhist family are chosen to respect the cultural practice. Usually, very young girls around at a very young age of 5 years are selected for the procession as a living goddess and they reside in the Kumari house and are worshipped at the temple.

Foreigners aren’t actually allowed to worship the goddess but can enter the temple courtyard where she gives her divine glimpse through a window. You can enter the temple courtyard early morning or in the evening after 4 pm to catch her sight.

If you are interested to learn more about the goddess, read our article on: Why do Nepalese Worship Kumari, the Living Goddess of Nepal?

11. Lakes, Rivers, and Mountains are Sacred in Nepal

You will certainly find several lakes, rivers, mountains, and green hills but these also hold religious values to Nepali people. Most of the rivers are the places people go to take sacred paths and purify themselves from sins, and they are also places to burn off the dead and say their final goodbyes.

Gosaikunda which is one of the most popular trekking destinations is also a place where Buddhist and Hindu pilgrims visit during August. Similarly, the temple “Muktinath” in the lower Mustang is also often visited by pilgrims. Kalapathar, a peak that comes across en route to the Everest base camp is also a pilgrimage.

Similarly, many tourist destinations such as Lumbini, Peace Pagoda of Pokhara, Kanjin Gompa of Langtang valley, and Pashupatinath temple of Kathmandu are sacred heritages.

12. Pilgrimage Tour is a Common Thing

If you are a Westerner, you might not have heard often about Pilgrimage tours but to Asians, specifically South Asian people it is a big deal. Many domestic and international tourists who follow or preach Hinduism and Buddhism often visit Nepal as a pilgrimage.

While Buddhists mostly visit Lumbini, the Stupas of Kathmandu, and Monasteries in the Himalayas, Hindu people visit Muktinath Temple in Mustang, Pashupatinath and Budhanilkantha temples in Kathmandu, Taplejung district for holy blessings of Hindu gods.

13. Nepal is Home to Eight of the World’s Tallest Peaks

One of the reasons why most adventure seekers visit Nepal is because it is home to about 488 peaks that are open for climbing. Among these, eight are the tallest peaks in the world with elevations over 8000 meters including Everest, Manaslu, Makalu, Kanchenjunga, Annapurna, Cho Oyu, Lhotse, and Dhaulagiri.

Not only these are mesmerizing to look at, but these peaks also offer different types of terrains, routes, and variations to adventurers.

14. Nepali People are the Most Hospitable Hosts

Guests are considered equivalent to gods in Nepal because of this, you will receive the most amazing hospitality everywhere you visit in the country. Indeed, Nepal has a diverse culture and people with different beliefs, yet the hospitality will be the same.

May it be a local teahouse where you will stay during the trek or the restaurants you visit, you will always receive a warm welcome. Indifferent to the star rating or payment made, the behavior towards visitors is always welcoming and so is the service.

15.A Culturally Diverse Country

Nepal doesn’t only have variation in its landscapes or natural diversity, people who live there are equally diverse yet live in harmony. The most notable king in the history of Nepal, Prithvi Narayan Shah stated Nepal as a garden of 4 castes and 36 subcastes. It means that culturally diverse people who belong to different ethnic groups live in harmony in the country.

Every other city or settlement you visit in Nepal is most likely to have a different set of cultural practices.

16. Nepal has Never Been Colonized

It is a matter of fact, this small piece of land locked between the biggest nations like China and India has never been colonized in the course of history. This is one of the reasons why Nepalese people never celebrate Independence Day.

Some stories do tell the East India Company which took over India in the mid-seventeenth century, tried to conquer Nepal but was unsuccessful.

17. Nepal was Declared a Secular State

Initially, most people knew Nepal as a Hindu nation as it was densely populated by Hindus. However, the Nepali Constitution was amended in 2015 to address multiple races, religions, and culturally diverse people settled in the country.

Since then, Nepal has been officially declared a secular state where people from multiple religions co-exist. Additionally, the country has never seen a war in the name of religion or race of people. To be honest, Nepali people are very simple, honest, and peace-loving people.

18. Squatty Toilets is Quite a Common Thing

If you are used to the Western style loos, then it might be a little struggle for you to adapt to the squatty toilets in Nepal. Even though the three-star and five-star accommodations in the city areas do have toilet bowls, the washrooms on the trek will mostly require you to squat.

Given the hygiene practice, squatty toilets are actually a good thing to have in public spaces- even more so on the trekking route.

19. Nepali Lifestyle is Influenced by Indian and Chinese

One of the things that nobody tells you about Nepal is it’s equation with its neighboring  countries. Being geographically sandwiched between India and China, the Nepali lifestyle is heavily influenced by both countries. People have migrated from these countries and often settled down which is why you can find a lot of cultural influence too.

From the food found in Nepal to the festivals celebrated and the clothing styles, India has majorly made an influence. Mostly you will find Chinese food like Kungfu Noodles, Chowmein, Soup dumplings, and Szechuan cuisines in popular streets of the country. Whereas Indian food is a very common delicacy in every other street.

20. Nepal was Once Called a Weed Capital

Many might not be aware of this, but Nepal was once considered the infamous weed capital of the world. A major reason behind the name was that the rural farmlands, close to the rugged mountains which was favorable for growing weeds.

In fact, the country was a common ground for weed lovers around the world and they often visited Nepal only for weed. People would often gather in the freak street of Kathmandu to smoke a pot or get a stash for themselves. But when weed was illegalized in 1973, this trend of tourism broke off.

21. Monarchs Ruled the Country Until the Early 21st Century

Nepal was always ruled by monarchs until a major conflict occurred between the government forces and the insurgent forces of the Communist parties in the country. Following a royal massacre of the year 2001, the monarchy was abolished in the year 2008 and a new governance system was implied.

Although some kings and queens still reside in the country, they no longer play a part in the country’s governance of the constitution. However, you can visit the royal palaces that are now converted into museums to take a peek at the royal lifestyles in the past.