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Tourism is the largest industry in Nepal and its largest source of foreign exchange and revenue. Home to eight of the ten highest mountains in the world, Nepal is a destination for mountaineers, rock climbers and adventure seekers. The Hindu and Buddhist heritage of Nepal and its cool weather are also strong attractions. [1]
Mount Everest, the highest mountain peak in the world (8,848.88m above the sea level), is located in Nepal. Mountaineering and other types of adventure tourism and ecotourism are important attractions for visitors. The World Heritage Site Lumbini, birthplace of Buddha, is located in the south of the West region of Nepal (which despite the name is located in the center of the country) and there are other important religious pilgrimage sites throughout the country. The tourist industry is seen as a way to alleviate poverty and achieve greater social equity in the country. Tourism brings $471 million a year to Nepal. [2]
According to statistics of 2019, there was a growth rate of 2.1%. According to statistics from Nepal Tourism Board (NTB), a total of 1,197,191 foreign tourists entered the country in 2019 as compared to 1,173,072 in 2018. The government of Nepal declared 2011 to be Nepal Tourism Year, and hoped to attract one million foreign tourists to the country during that year. [3] The government of Nepal has also declared Lumbini Tourism Year 2012 to promote Lumbini. The government of Nepal has also recently declared Visit Nepal 2020 with the aim of bringing in two million tourists by 2020.
Most of tourists visit for short stays. In 2022, 64.7% of the tourists came to Nepal for holiday vacations,10.03% came for adventure, such as trekking and mountaineering, 12.87% came for religious visits, and 12.39% for other reasons. Tourists who come from the USA, UK, France, Spain, India, and Germany have a main target of activity: mountain climbing. Mt. Everest, Mt. Ama Dablam, and Mt. Manaslu are the most popular mountains. [4]
The tourism industry of Nepal was affected after the destructive earthquake in 2015, by the series of earthquakes in 2015. In 2020, the tourism sector in Nepal collapsed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. [5]
In 2022, tourism income increased by 190% from 2021. The gross foreign exchange earnings were Nrs 46,756,824 thousand (Around 326,282 thousand US$). [4]
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The majority religion in Nepal is Hinduism, and the Pashupatinath Temple, the world's largest temple of Shiva, located in Kathmandu, attracts many pilgrims and tourists.This is arguably the most famous Hindu temple in the Indian Subcontinent. Adjacent to the temple is a crematorium where bodies are burned to ashes. Pashupatinath also listed in UNESCO heritage sites [6] .Other Hindu pilgrimage sites include the temple complex in Swargadwari in the Pyuthan district; Janaki Mandir in Janakpurdham in Mithila region; Lake Gosainkunda near Dhunche; the temples at Devghat; Kalinchowk Bhagwati Temple in Dolakha ;Manakamana temple in the Gorkha District; Pathibhara near Phungling; Galeshwordham Myagdi and Mahamrityunjaya Shivasan Nepal in Palpa District where the biggest metallic idol of Lord Shiva is located.
Buddhism is the largest minority religion. The World Heritage Site at Lumbini, which is traditionally considered to be the birthplace of Gautama Buddha, is an important pilgrimage site. Another prominent Buddhist site is Swayambhunath, the Monkey Temple, in Kathmandu.
Dang valley is a sacred place for Hindus as well as other religions. Kalika and Malika Devi in Chhillikot hill, Ambekeshawori temple, Krishna temple, Dharapani temple are among the sacred places in Dang district. Chillikot hill is also a good place for sightseeing and also an ancient palace of a king.
Muktinath is a sacred place for Hindus as well as Buddhists. The site is located in Muktinath Valley, Mustang district.
Badimalika temple in Bajura District, Gadhimai Temple in Bara district, Halesi-Maratika Caves in Khotang. Bhageshwori Mandir in Nepalgunj.
Bhagwati Temple in Rajbiraj are also some popular temples in Nepal.
According to Nepal's Ministry of Tourism, major tourist activities include wilderness and adventure activities such as mountain biking, bungee jumping, rock climbing and mountain climbing, trekking, hiking, bird watching, flights, paragliding and hot air ballooning over the mountains of Himalaya, exploring the waterways by raft, kayak or canoe and jungle safaris especially in the Terai region. [7] International elephant polo is played at Chitwan National Park.
In 2018, research into global volunteering behaviour identified Nepal as one of the world’s ten most popular destinations for orphanage voluntourism. [8]
Leading responsible tourism and child welfare organisations agree that it is irresponsible for short term and/or untrained international volunteers to work in orphanages. [9] Few volunteers are qualified to interact with traumatised, vulnerable children [10] and many orphanages lack the facilities, trained staff, and child protection policies to create safe, nurturing environments for children in care. [9]
There are over 800 orphanages in Nepal, with 80% of those in tourist areas. [11] Out of the 75 districts in the country, most registered orphanages and children’s homes are found in the five most-visited by tourists (Kathmandu, Lalitpur, Bhaktapur, Kaski, and Chitwan). [12]
Orphanages attract well-meaning tourists who want to volunteer their time and donate money, unaware that they are supporting an industry exploiting impoverished families. [13]
In Nepal, there are an estimated16,886 children living in orphanages, 80% of whom [14] have at least one parent who could care for them. With promises of an education and a better life, children are recruited into orphanages from rural areas which are still suffering from the economic effects of ten years of civil war, to meet demands for donations [14] – a phenomenon known as orphanage trafficking. [15]
The ChildSafe Movement reports instances of orphanages keeping children in impoverished conditions to attract more donors. [12] ECPAT has also identified a link between orphanage tourism, and an increase in child sexual exploitation by foreigners and volunteers. [13]
In 2007, the number of international tourists visiting Nepal was 526,705, which was an increase of 37.2% compared to the previous year. In 2008, the number of tourists decreased by 5% to 500,277. In 2018, the number of international tourists arrival was 1.17 million. In 2019, the number increased to 1.19 million. In 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic had a major impact on tourism in Nepal, with tourist arrivals dropping to just 230,085 with a decrease of over 80.7% and further decrease by 30% in 2021 with a total number of 150,962. Pokhara is one of the main tourist destinations in Nepal.
In 2008, 55.9% of the foreign visitors came from Asia (18.2% from India), while Western Europeans accounted for 27.5%, 7.6% were from North America, 3.2% from Australia and the Pacific Region, 2.6% from Eastern Europe, 1.5% from Central and South America, 0.3% from Africa and 1.4% from other countries.
Foreign tourists visiting Nepal in 2008 stayed in the country for an average of 11.78 days which has now increased to 15.1 days and 15.5 days in 2020 and 2021 respectively [16] [17] [18]
This statistic shows the number of international tourist arrivals by year, 1993–2021: [19] [20] [21]
 | Graphs are unavailable due to technical issues. There is more info on Phabricator and on MediaWiki.org. |
| Year | Number of international tourists arriving in Nepal | % change from previous year |
|---|---|---|
| 1993 | 293,567 | -12.2% |
| 1994 | 326,531 | +11.2% |
| 1995 | 363,395 | +11.3% |
| 1996 | 393,613 | +8.3% |
| 1997 | 421,857 | +7.2% |
| 1998 | 463,684 | +9.9% |
| 1999 | 491,504 | +6.0% |
| 2000 | 463,646 | -5.7% |
| 2001 | 361,237 | -22.1% |
| 2002 | 275,468 | -23.7% |
| 2003 | 338,132 | +22.7% |
| 2004 | 385,297 | +13.9% |
| 2005 | 375,398 | -2.6% |
| 2006 | 383,926 | +2.3% |
| 2007 | 526,705 | +37.3% |
| 2008 | 500,277 | -5.0% |
| 2009 | 509,956 | +1.9% |
| 2010 | 602,867 | +18.2% |
| 2011 | 736,215 | +22.1% |
| 2012 | 803,092 | +9.1% |
| 2013 | 797,616 | -0.7% |
| 2014 | 790,118 | -0.9% |
| 2015 | 538,970 | -31% |
| 2016 | 753,002 | +40% |
| 2017 | 940,218 | +24.8% |
| 2018 | 1,173,072 | +24.8% |
| 2019 | 1,197,191 | +2.1% |
| 2020 | 230,085 | -80.7% |
| 2021 | 150,962 | -34.3% |
| 2022 | 614,869 | +307.3% |
| 2023 | 1,014,885 | +65.1% |
Nepal received 614,869 and 1,014,885 tourists in 2022 and 2023, respectively, according to the Department of Immigration. [22]
Most tourists arriving to Nepal on short-term basis were from the following countries of nationality: [23] [24] [25] [20]
| Graphs are unavailable due to technical issues. There is more info on Phabricator and on MediaWiki.org. |
| Country | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | 2014 | 2013 | 2012 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 India | 254,150 | 194,323 | 160,832 | 118,249 | 75,124 | 135,343 | 180,974 |
 China | 169,543 | 153,633 | 104,664 | 104,005 | 66,984 | 123,805 | 113,173 |
 United States | 93,218 | 91,895 | 79,146 | 53,645 | 42,687 | 49,830 | 47,355 |
 United Kingdom | 61,144 | 63,466 | 51,058 | 46,295 | 29,730 | 36,759 | 35,688 |
 Sri Lanka | 55,869 | 69,490 | 45,361 | 57,521 | 44,367 | 37,546 | 32,736 |
 Thailand | 41,653 | 52,429 | 39,154 | 26,722 | 32,338 | 33,422 | 40,969 |
 South Korea | 29,680 | 37,218 | 34,301 | 25,171 | 18,112 | 23,205 | 19,714 |
 Australia | 38,972 | 38,429 | 33,371 | 25,507 | 16,619 | 24,516 | 20,469 |
 Myanmar | 36,274 | 41,402 | 30,852 | 25,769 | 21,631 | — | — |
 Germany | 36,641 | 36,879 | 29,918 | 23,812 | 16,405 | 18,028 | 22,263 |
 Bangladesh | 25,849 | 26,355 | 29,060 | 23,440 | 14,831 | 21,851 | 22,410 |
 Japan | 30,534 | 29,817 | 27,326 | 22,979 | 17,613 | 25,892 | 26,694 |
 France | 30,646 | 31,810 | 26,140 | 20,863 | 16,405 | 24,097 | 21,842 |
 Malaysia | 21,329 | 22,833 | 18,284 | 13,669 | 9,855 | 18,915 | 18,842 |
 Spain | 19,057 | 20,214 | 15,953 | 12,255 | 6,741 | 13,110 | 10,412 |
 Canada | 17,102 | 17,317 | 15,105 | 12,491 | 8,398 | 11,610 | 12,132 |
 Netherlands | 15,032 | 15,353 | 13,393 | 11,453 | 7,515 | 12,320 | 10,516 |
| Total Foreigner | 1,197,191 | 1,173,072 | 753,918 | 753,002 | 538,970 | 790,118 | 797,616 |
Kathmandu, officially "Kathmandu Metropolitan City", is the National Capital Territory and the most populous city of Nepal with 845,767 inhabitants living in 105,649 households as of the 2021 Nepal census and approximately 4 million people in its urban agglomeration. It is located in the Kathmandu Valley, a large valley surrounded by hills in the high plateaus in central Nepal, at an altitude of 1,400 metres.
Nepal, officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal, is a landlocked country in South Asia. It is mainly situated in the Himalayas, but also includes parts of the Indo-Gangetic Plain. It borders the Tibet Autonomous Region of China to the north, and India to the south, east, and west, while it is narrowly separated from Bangladesh by the Siliguri Corridor, and from Bhutan by the Indian state of Sikkim. Nepal has a diverse geography, including fertile plains, subalpine forested hills, and eight of the world's ten tallest mountains, including Mount Everest, the highest point on Earth. Kathmandu is the nation's capital and the largest city. Nepal is a multi-ethnic, multi-lingual, multi-religious and multi-cultural state, with Nepali as the official language.
Lumbinī is a Buddhist pilgrimage site in the Rupandehi District of Lumbini Province in Nepal. It is the place where, according to Buddhist tradition, queen Maya gave birth to Siddhartha Gautama at around 623 BCE. Gautama, who, according to Buddhist tradition, achieved Enlightenment some time around 528 BCE, became Shakyamuni Buddha and founded Buddhism. Lumbini is one of many magnets for pilgrimage that sprang up in places pivotal to the life of the Buddha.
Tourism in India is 4.6% of the country's gross domestic product (GDP). Unlike other sectors, tourism is not a priority sector for the Government of India. Forbes magazine ranked India as the 7th most beautiful country in 'The 50 Most Beautiful Countries In The World' rankings. The World Travel and Tourism Council calculated that tourism generated ₹13.2 lakh crore (US$160 billion) or 5.8% of India's GDP and supported 32.1 million jobs in 2021. Even though, these numbers were lower than the pre-pandemic figures; the country's economy witnessed a significant growth in 2021 after the massive downturn during 2020. The sector is predicted to grow at an annual rate of 7.8% to ₹33.8 lakh crore (US$400 billion) by 2031. India has established itself as the 5th largest global travel healthcare destination with an estimated market size of around $9 billion in 2019, out of the total global travel healthcare industry of $44.8 billion(2019). In 2014, 184,298 foreign patients travelled to India to seek medical treatment.
Buddhism in Nepal started spreading since the reign of Ashoka through Indian and Tibetan missionaries. The Kiratas were the first people in Nepal who embraced the Buddha’s teachings, followed by the Licchavis and Newar people. Buddhism is Nepal's second-largest religion, with 8.2% of the country's population, or approximately 2.4 million people, identifying as adherents of Buddhism in a 2021 census.
The culture of Nepal encompasses the various cultures belonging to the 125 distinct ethnic groups present in Nepal. The culture of Nepal is expressed through music and dance; art and craft; folklore; languages and literature; philosophy and religion; festivals and celebration; foods and drinks.
Dang District is a district of Lumbini Province located in the Inner Terai of midwestern Nepal. Deukhuri Valley of the district is the capital of the province and is the second largest valley of Asia surrounded by Sivalik Hills and the Mahabharata Range. The district headquarter Ghorahi is the seventh largest city and the largest sub-metropolitan city of Nepal. Tulsipur sub-metropolitan city, the second largest city of Dang, is a major transportation hub with extensive road and air networks. The district covers an area of 2,955 km2 and has a population of 674,993.
Rukum District was a "hill" and "mountain" district some 280 km (170 mi) west of Kathmandu partially belonging to Lumbini Province and partially to Karnali Province before split into two districts Western Rukum and Eastern Rukum after the state's reconstruction of administrative divisions in 2017. Rukum covers an area of 2,877 km2 (1,111 sq mi) with population of 207,290 in 2011 Nepal census. Musikot was the district's administrative center.
Rupandehi District, a part of Lumbini Province, is one of the seventy-seven districts of Nepal and covers an area of 1,360 km2 (530 sq mi). The district headquarter is Bhairahawa. As per the national census 2011, the population of Rupandehi was 880,196.
Butwal, officially Butwal Sub-Metropolitan City ,previously known as Khasyauli, is a sub-metropolitan city and economic hub in Lumbini Province in West Nepal. Butwal has a city population of 195,054 as per the 2021 AD Nepal census.
Tourism in Pakistan is a growing industry. In 2010, Lonely Planet termed Pakistan "tourism's 'next big thing'". The country is geographically and ethnically diverse, and has a number of historical and cultural heritage sites. Condé Nast Traveller ranked Pakistan The Best Holiday Destination for 2020 and also declared it the third-highest potential adventure destination in the world for 2020. As security in the country improves, tourism increases; in two years, it has increased by more than 300%.
Gautam Buddha International Airport, also known as Bhairahawa Airport, is an international airport located in Siddharthanagar serving Lumbini in Lumbini Province, as well as the Butwal﹣Siddharthanagar urban agglomeration in Nepal. In May 2022, it became Nepal's second international airport, after previously only handling domestic services.
The following outline is provided as an overview of and topical guide to Nepal:
Yeti Airlines Flight 101 was a domestic flight in Nepal that crashed on final approach to Tenzing-Hillary Airport in the town of Lukla in eastern Nepal on 8 October 2008. The De Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter Series 300 registered as 9N-AFE originated from Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu.
Rampur is a municipality in Palpa District in Lumbini Province of West southern Nepal. According to hindu mythology, Maharishi Vasistha taught Yogavasistha to lord Rama in the cave of Rampur. Rampur is 65 km northeast from the headquarter city Tansen. The valley is bounded by Syangja District in the north, Tanahun District in the northeast, and Nawalparasi District in the east. The popular religious river Kaligandaki disconnects the boundary in the northern part.
Sworgadwari is a hilltop temple and pilgrimage site in Pyuthan District, Nepal, commemorating the special role of cows in Hinduism. It is said to have been founded by Guru Maharaj Narayan Gautam Khatri, who spent most of his life in the vicinity herding and milking thousands of cows. According to traditional stories, some of his devotees followed him to see where he took the cows, but they could never find him. According to older people in the locality, he came from Rolpa to the present temple site and asked the owner of that land to donate the land to him. He dug the land and obtained curd mixed rice and fire. He had explained that these things were those buried by the Pandavas in Dvapara Yuga, when they worshipped in this place before departing to heaven. The landlord was astonished. He agreed to hand over the land instantly. Thereafter the holy fire burns continuously until then. The Bivut (ash) of the firewood burnt by the holy fire is believed to cure different physical disorders like headaches and stomach aches.
Tourism in Cambodia is one of the most important sectors in the country's economy. In 2013, tourism arrivals increased by 17.5 percent year on year, with business travelers increasing 47 percent.
Lumbini Province is a province in western Nepal. The country's third largest province in terms of area as well as population, Lumbini is home to the World Heritage Site of Lumbini, where according to the Buddhist tradition, the founder of Buddhism, Gautama Buddha was born.
Subedar Major and Honorary Captain Chhering Norbu Bodh, SC, (retd.) is a retired personnel of the Indian Army, known for his mountaineering achievements while in the army. Bodh holds a number of Indian summiting records related to 8,000m peaks. Among others, he is the first Indian mountaineer to have climbed six of the fourteen 8000m peaks in the world, and the first Indian to stand atop Lhotse and Annapurna-1.
The trails snaking through the Himalayas are deserted, including those leading up to Everest Base Camp. Fewer than 150 climbers have arrived this fall season, immigration officials said, down from thousands last year.
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Nepal travel guide from Wikivoyage
