August 20, 2018

The Himalayas are towering majestic landscapes that form a mountain range in Asia spanning across Pakistan, India, Nepal and Bhutan. They have been a source of wonder and excitement for all travel enthusiasts as there are plenty of things to see there. This is especially true in the Himalayas of Nepal.

The Himalayas of Nepal is full of ancient, wonderful culture. They are also home to some of the most important places of religious worship like temples and monasteries. Furthermore, the Himalayas themselves are considered to be the resting place of gods of Hindu mythology. So there is a religious devotion to the see the mountains of the Himalayas themselves.

The places around the Himalayas of Nepal are also the resting place of some unique flora and fauna. This is the reason why many conservation areas and national parks have been established around the Himalayas of Nepal. These conservation areas are densely covered with forests of various types and exotic plant and animal species can be found in these protected areas.

The Himalayas in Nepal are the sources of origin of many wonderful rivers of the country. Many beautiful lakes lying at some of the highest altitudes can be found in the Himalayas of Nepal. Glaciers of the Himalayas are also a source of wonder to all nature lovers.

Finally, the beauty of the Himalayas also lies in the people you encounter there. The people who live in the Himalayas often have a lifestyle that is quite rural and authentic. They are receptive to travelers and are often some of the most hospitable people you could wish to meet.

Let us look at all these wonderful attractions of the Himalayas and the things you can do here that makes every traveler long to spend their time there.

 

Mountains of the Himalayas

Mount Manaslu

The most attractive part of the Himalayas is the rich number of glorious mountains that you can find there. Some of the tallest mountains in the world are a part of the Himalayas of Nepal. The Nepalese Himalayas is home to 8 of the ten tallest peaks in the world. All of these 8 peaks are over 8000 meters high.

Everest, the tallest mountain in the world, is a part of the Himalayas of Nepal. It is a constant source of pride for all the Nepalese. Many trekkers come to trek to the Everest Base Camp. Every year, thousands of mountaineers also come for mountaineering expeditions to Everest.

Annapurna massif is another exquisite mountain range of Nepal that attracts many trekkers and mountaineers to it. Deemed as the toughest of the highest peaks to climb, Annapurna has a total of more than 30 peaks that are over 6000 meters high.

There are also some other mountains in the Himalayas of Nepal but they are not as popular as Annapurna or Everest. Kanchenjunga, Dhaulagiri, Mardi, Machhapuchhre, Manaslu, and Ganesh Himal are other places for trekking and mountaineering expeditions in the Nepalese Himalayas. The fact that these are not as popular as among tourists means that there is often quiet and solitude in these regions that you are not as likely to get in the Everest or Annapurna.

Cultures and Religions of Himalayas

Buddhist Monk

The Himalayas of Nepal is bordered on the northern side by Tibet. Therefore, there is a strong influence of the Tibetan culture in these regions. The main religion of the Himalayas of Nepal is, therefore, Tibetan Buddhism.

As there is a heavy influence of Tibetan Buddhism in the Himalayas of Nepal, you are more likely to find Buddhist monasteries and Gompas in the Himalayas.

Tengboche Monastery is perhaps the most popular place of Tibetan Buddhism in Nepal. Devotees from all over the Everest region gather there to celebrate any important festival. The monastery is placed in a beautiful location where you can get a panoramic view of the mountains like Everest, Ama Dablam, Nuptse etc.

Muktinath is another equally important religious place in the Annapurna ranges. It is a unique religious place where Hindus and Buddhists alike have their religious folklores attached making it popular amongst people of both these faiths. Other important gompas in the Himalayas of Nepal includes the Kyanjin Gompa located in the Langtang region and Shey Gompa in the Upper Dolpo region.

Lakes of the Himalaya

 

Gangapurna Lake in Manang

There are many wonderful lakes in the Himalayas of Nepal ranging from the Himalayas in the western part of the country to the eastern part of the country. These lakes are often draped with panoramic views of the mountains that border it making your ascent to these lakes an extremely satisfying journey.

Gokyo lakes are located in the Khumjung village of the Everest region. Six lakes in this region are collectively known as Gokyo lakes and these are the world’s highest freshwater lakes. These lakes are considered to be holy lakes by Hindus and Buddhists. Many people take a ritual bath in these lakes as a devotion to the deities of their faiths.

Tilicho lake is located in the western part of Nepal near the Himalayas that form the Annapurna range. Tilicho is considered to be a lake at the highest altitude for its size. Trekkers to the Annapurna Base Camp or the Annapurna Circuit trek usually come to this lake.

Gosaikunda is another lake in the Himalayas in the Langtang region that has a special religious significance. There are several references to the lake in several holy books of Hindus like Mahabharata and Ramayana. Therefore many Hindu devotees make their way to this lake, that is located at an altitude of 4380 meters.

Rara Lake is a beautiful freshwater lake in Nepal that has peaks like Chuchemara, Ruma Kand and Malika Kand surrounding it. Other important lakes that you can visit in the Nepalese Himalayas includes Khayer Lake, which is located in Dhaulagiri region and Shey Phoksundo Lake, located in Dolpa.

National Parks in the Himalayas

Chitwan National Park

As a way of preserving the natural beauty, plants, as well as animals found in the Himalayas of Nepal, the government of Nepal has declared many of the regions in the Himalayas as protected areas. These protected areas stretch across a vast area of land and are home to many species of plants and animals.

Sagarmatha National Park

Sagarmatha National Park was established in 1976 and covers an area of 124,400 hectares. The park ranges in elevation from 2845 meters to 8848 meters. The park was declared a World Heritage Site in 1979. Since then, many nature lovers and travel enthusiasts have come to this region to view the rich diversity of life here.

In the lower altitudes of the park, many types of forests of silver birch, birch, juniper trees, rhododendron etc grow. Due to permanent snow lines in elevations above 5750 meters, no vegetation exceeds above this threshold. The National park is home to various rare animals such as snow leopard, musk deer, red panda, Himalayan black bear etc. It is also home to 118 species of birds and has been identified as an important bird area.

Langtang National Park

Langtang National Park was also established in 1976 and covers an area of 1,710 square kilometers. There is a wide variety of vegetation in this region as the altitude variation in this region spans from 1000 meters to 7245 meters.

Many animal species like Musk Deer, Red Panda, Himalayan Black Bear, Wild dogs, Ghorals etc can be found in this national park. More than 250 species of birds are protected in the area of this national park. Silver fir, larch, hemlock and oak forests are found in this national park.

Rara National Park

Rara National Park, which lies in the western part of the country, is Nepal’s smallest national park. It covers an area of merely 106 square kilometers and spans across only two districts of Nepal i.e. Jumla and Mugu. The elevation of the park varies from 2800 meters to 4039 meters.

A total of one thousand and seventy-five species of plants are estimated to live in Rara National Park. The park is replete with rhododendron, fir, birch, and brown oak species. Indian leopard, jackal, Musk deer, red panda etc. are some of the 51 species of animals found in this region. In addition, you can find 241 species of birds here, 49 of which are wetland species.

Glaciers in the Nepalese Himalayas

Khumbu Glacier

As Nepal is home to many mountains, you also expect there to be glaciers along these mountains. Most of the glaciers in Nepal are found in the Sagarmatha district- in the Everest region.

The most popular glacier in Nepal is the Khumbu glacier. With elevation spanning from its top, which is 7600 meters to its base, which is 4900 meters, Kumbu is the world's highest glacier. The glacier also has an icefall which is known as Khumbu icefall.

There are plenty of other glaciers in the Everest region like Ambulapcha glacier, Hunku glacier, Nangpai Gosum glacier, Lhotse Shar glacier, and Imja glacier. Ngozumpa glacier is the world’s longest glacier and lies below Mt. Cho Oyu.

Other important glaciers outside the Everest region are Langtang glacier, which lies in the Langtang mountain and Nupchu glacier in the north of Kanchenjunga.

Weather and Climate of the Himalayas

The Himalayas lie at a very high altitude. Therefore, you expect cold climate in these regions. But, all the parts of the Himalayas don’t experience don’t experience snowy conditions throughout the year. The places above the permanent snow line are covered with snow all year round. But the places in the lower altitudes have various types of seasons throughout the year.

Summer

The summer in the Himalayas of Nepal falls in the months of June, July, and August. These months also happen to be the wettest months of the year. Thus the Himalayas are hot and wet during summers. However, the amount of rain received in these regions is lower compared to the low altitude regions of the country.

Winters

Winter in the Himalayas of Nepal falls in the month of December, January, and February. During these months, the temperatures in the Base Camp regions of the Himalayas can get as low as -20 degrees. Snowfall might cause some trekking trails of the Himalayas to be closed during the winters. The very low temperatures make the Himalayas during winters means that this is not the most popular season to visit them.

Spring

Spring lies in the months of March, April, and May. This is the time for mountain expeditions in the Himalayas. The weather in these months is gorgeous as the skies are clear and the views of the mountains are awesome. The possibilities of rain are also quite low making it a popular month for visiting the Himalayas.

Autumn

Autumn falls in the month of September, October, and November. These are the busiest months in the Himalayas as a great number of tourists come here for viewing the mountains by trekking, mountain flights, or chartered helicopters. There is a very low probability of rain in these months except in early September. Mild sunshine and low wind speeds are some reasons why this season is quite popular amongst travelers in the Himalayas.

Peoples of the Himalaya

 

People of Himalaya region

People of the Himalayas are mostly Tibetan Buddhists Sherpa. The abundance of many monasteries and gompas are a testimony to this fact. They have a culture that is quite authentic and unaffected by the modern lifestyle. People in the Himalayas of Nepal mostly rear animals for their livelihood.

In addition to the Tibetan Buddhists, there are people across various backgrounds that live in the Himalayas of Nepal. As India borders in the Eastern part of the Nepalese Himalayas, there are some people of Indian origin in those parts of the Himalayas.

Further, some people of Tamang, Chhetri. And Limbu communities also live in certain parts of the Himalayas of Nepal.

Rivers of the Himalaya

Marshyangdi River

The Himalayas also form a part of some intricate river systems in Nepal. Some of these rivers help in settlement of the regions in the periphery of these rivers. These rivers also come in handy for some water sports or generation of hydro-electricity.

Gandaki

Gandaki is an important river in Nepal and is a tributary of the Ganges river of India. The river basin of Gandaki has 1025 glaciers and 338 lakes. Along the banks of Gandaki, major towns, as well as cities like Jomsom, Baglung, Lo Manthang are located.

Gandaki river is well known for its deep gorge of Kali Gandaki that lies in the Himalayas. The source of Kali Gandaki lies in the Mustang district at an elevation of 6268 meters. The river basin of Gandaki also contains mountains like Dhaulagiri, Manaslu, and Annapurna I.

Trishuli

Trishuli is one of the most popular rivers in Nepal for water sports like rafting. The river originates in Tibet as a stream. 11% of the catchment area of the river lies above an elevation of 6000 meters. 9% of this river is covered by snow and glacier.

Arun River

Arun is a river that is a part of the Koshi river system. It is the largest trans-Himalayan river in Nepal. It also has the highest snow-covering amongst all the rivers in Nepal. This river originates in China and is called Phung Chu there.

Conclusion

With so many awesome attractions, it is no wonder that the Himalayas are one of the most popular places in the world for travel enthusiasts and adventure seekers. The Himalayas of Nepal is truly a monumental figure that has a rich history, culture, beauty, and awe. If you have not been here, you definitely should.