Put your hands together and say Namaste and smile as they return your gesture with genuine smiles of acceptance. 'You are welcome, you are our guests' say the friendly smiles. Nepali people are some of the friendliest people in the world which is one of the reasons visitors keep coming back.
Nepal is an incredibly diverse country and home to multiple religions, race, tribes, and cultures. The country has over 100 ethnic groups and is virtually a melting pot of many (more than 90) languages and ethnicities.
It's fascinating to learn how people have adapted to their environment in amazing ways. Because of the inaccessibility of the mountains some people's lives have changed very little in the last century. You can still encounter caravans of mules transporting essential goods to and from distant settlements in the Himalayas. Oxen plough the land, black smiths make tools and bullock carts still transport grain and straw from the fields in the plains. Firewood is still a major source of energy for cooking in villages which are like an open air history museum.
City life may look modern with all the trappings of modernity, but traditions and cultures remain the same as they were centuries ago. Much of the festivals are celebrated exactly as they were centuries ago with some locals representing forgotten kings who once ruled over their ancestors. Ancient rituals are adhered to in their original form as people are deeply religious and visit the temples daily.
A Nepali family once introduced to you is most likely to invite you in for a meal. Even the poorest people will share their meals with guests. Perhaps, this is the major reason, why a tourist cannot remain a tourist for very long in Nepal. Once a tourist begins to know the place and its people, he is no longer a stranger - he is a valued guest.
The best means of meeting the people of Nepal are during a trek or just strolling down the streets of the cities or during one of several day tours offered by local tourism operators. Tourists visit Nepal repeatedly and that says it all about the attachment they feel..
From the high Himalayas to the lush green foothills, from arid plateaus to shimmering glaciers, Nepal offers an incomparable array of hiking trails. I...
