people walking on a suspension bridge on Nepal's Annapurna Circuit — Trekkers cross a suspension bridge along the Annapurna Circuit in the Mustang region of Nepal.

Photograph by Tyler Metcalfe, National Geographic

Why You Should Travel to Nepal Now

This enchanting Himalayan country is ready for travelers to return.

ByAvery Stonich

Photographs byTyler Metcalfe

March 15, 2016

6 min read

If the devastating April 2015 earthquake dashed your hopes of visiting Nepal, think again. A year later, this struggling Himalayan country urgently needs tourism, which pre-quake included 800,000 annual visitors and contributed 8.9 percent of gross domestic product. Rest assured Nepal’s rich history, infinite hospitality, and majestic beauty are still there.

tourists standing near a Buddha statue at the Pokhara Shanti Stupa in Pokhara, Nepal — Tourists stand near a Buddha statue at the Pokhara Shanti Stupa.

Photograph by Tyler Metcalfe, National Geographic

IMMERSE IN CULTURE

Nepal is a colorful jumble of pagoda-topped temples, ornate religious monuments, carved wooden Newari (native Kathmandu) architecture, chaotic streets, and majestic mountains. The country is home to ten UNESCO World Heritage sites and is bursting at the seams with cultural and natural wonders. Some monuments are still under repair, but their stories of rival kingdoms, mythical deities, and spiritual devotion are unchanged.

The Kathmandu Valley includes the ancient cities of Kathmandu, Patan, and Bhaktapur, each with its own Durbar Square of courtyards, royal palaces, and temples from the Malla days (12th to 18th centuries). Dotted around this cultural collage are superlative religious sites—like Boudhanath, a giant white dome that is Nepal’s largest stupa and center of Tibetan Buddhism. The Hindu mecca is Pashupatinath, a sprawling temple complex on the banks of the Bagmati River where the devout cremate their dead. And towering above western Kathmandu, one of Nepal’s oldest Buddhist stupas, Swayambhunath (or Monkey Temple), shares a hilltop with a medley of Hindu shrines and, of course, monkeys.

the snowcapped Himalaya mountain range, Nepal — Visitors can take a flight over the snowcapped Himalaya.

Photograph by Tyler Metcalfe, National Geographic

FLY HIGH

Nestled in a lush valley northwest of Kathmandu, Pokhara lulls with lakeside charm and a jagged, snowcapped Annapurna backdrop. While serene, this small city, which experienced little earthquake damage, can also prime your adrenaline pump. Whiz down the world’s longest zip line, take an ultralight flight past Himalayan peaks, or paraglide in dreamy swirls down to the lake. If you prefer to stay grounded, hit the trails on a mountain bike.

a rider in the Yartung horse racing festival in Lo Manthang, Mustang, Nepal — A man dressed in traditional Tibetan clothing rides through the streets of Lo Manthang during the annual Yartung horse racing festival.

Photograph by Tyler Metcalfe, National Geographic

SEE ANNAPURNA AND MUSTANG

Nepal’s northern border scrapes the top of the world, with eight of the world’s 14 tallest peaks. You could amble in awe for weeks in the Everest region or along the Annapurna Circuit, popular trekking areas that are open after the earthquake. Lodging ranges from basic teahouses with no electricity and heat to swanky guesthouses with cozy beds and en suite bathrooms. To get off the beaten track, fly to the tiny Himalayan outpost of Jomsom (north of Pokhara) and explore the Upper Mustang, a dry mountainous region that borders Tibet.

a greater one-horned rhino near Chitwan National Park, Nepal — A greater one-horned rhino makes its way through a river near the northern edge of Chitwan National Park in southern Nepal.
Photograph by Tyler Metcalfe, National Geographic

GO ON SAFARI

The steamy subtropics of southern Nepal cradle Chitwan National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage site that’s home to 68 species of mammals, 544 species of birds, and 556 species of reptiles and amphibians. Highlights include tracking tigers and rhinos through thick jungle and canoeing lazy rivers in search of gharials—the world’s second largest crocodiles. You’ll see oodles of wildlife and no evidence of the earthquake.

statue ruins near Hanuman Dhoka Palace gate in Durbar Square, Kathmandu, Nepal — Ruins from the statue of King Pratap Malla lie near Hanuman Dhoka Palace gate in Durbar Square, Kathmandu, Nepal. The statue was destroyed in the April 2015 earthquake, along with a handful of additional landmarks in Durbar Square, a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Photograph by Tyler Metcalfe, National Geographic

National Geographic Expeditions

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HELP REBUILD

If you’re keen to roll up your sleeves, sign up for a trip that combines service work with adventure. Journeys International’s Hands on the Himalayas includes trekking and physical labor, like building houses or painting schools, in the Okhaldhunga District, 75 miles east of Kathmandu. Grand Asian Journeys offers four different rebuilding itineraries, mixing mountain biking or trekking with volunteer work, such as digging foundations, hauling water, or teaching at a school. Plus each participant must raise $500 for relief efforts.