About Nepal Tucked between India and China, Nepal is a small yet breathtakingly beautiful country located within the continent of Asia. Possessing a rich affluence of nostalgic heritages, predominant ethnic cultures and traditions, varied geographical topography, amusing festivity, awe-inspiring natural scenery, scintillating rivers and lakes, mouth-watering tasty delicacies and amazing variety of rare wild animals and birds, Nepal is well-regarded as one of the most fantastic touristic travel destination for bona fide foreign travelers and explorers.   Geographically, Nepal occupies a land area of 147,181 sq.km. and ranks as the 94th largest country in the world as the statistics. There are numerous ethnic communities with their own language, culture, festival and history in Nepal. Also, more than 28 million people reside within the national territory of Nepal with an average population growth rate of 1.35 per cent. The ethnic diversity of Nepal gives way to the various sets most popular religion of Nepalese people. Mof ancestral and religious customs which fill up Nepal with diverse arts, dance, folklore and belief systems. Largely Hinduism and Buddhism are the mainly because of the fact that, Lumbini- the birthplace of Lord Buddha and Pashupatinath Temple- one of the most sacred Hindu shrines in the world are located inside Nepal.   Likewise, when you take a look at the economic sector of Nepal, you will find out that a huge portion of Nepal’s population depends upon agriculture as their main source of income. As Nepal is an agro-based country, industrial and commercial activity mainly involves around agriculture. However, agriculture only accounts for only one-third of total Gross Domestic Product of Nepal. Besides agriculture, Nepal’s economy is highly reliant upon remittances, which makes up 29% of the total GDP of Nepal. Having said that, manufacturing, trade and tourism are the next major economic activity of Nepal after farming. Travel and tourism sector directly contribute to Nepal’s overall development and progress both nationally and locally by separate/distinct regions. Hence, visiting Nepal for travel purposes can significantly help improve Nepal’s economy and empower its inhabitants. About the Himalayas   The multi-dimensional heritage of Nepal consists of several ever-lasting natural and cultural specialities that have received worldwide praise and admiration from countless numbers of people. Among such peculiarities, one stands above of them all and that is the legendary ‘Himalayas’. Even before the popularity of Nepal as the perfect holiday destination for travellers, the Himalayas have captured the attention of many visitors who simply wished to travel along the secluded, natural trails of Nepal.   Located in the northern flank of Nepal, the Himalayas showcase the eternal magnificence of travelling in Nepal. It is one of the world’s highest mountain chains and covers a huge land mass of 612,021 square kilometres of earth’s 153,295,000 square kilometres. 0.4% of earth total land area is only occupied by the Himalayas and hence it’s no surprise that you can find a large variety of wild animals such as Himalayan Tahr, Snow Leopard, Himalayan Monal, Wild Boar, Himalayan Blue Sheep, Red Panda and several migratory birds that are great to observe while going a journey inside the stunning Himalayan trails.   What’s more is that the Himalayas also make sure that Nepal is known throughout the world for trekking and other adventure activities. As the world’s tallest snowclad mountain- Mt. Everest is located in the eastern region of Nepal within the Himalayan mountain range, people from various countries visit Nepal for a very rewarding trek to Everest Base Camp. Some come for mountain expeditions to the summit of a mountain while some simply want to enjoy a blissful Himalayan adventure that we call trekking in Nepal with their loved ones and family members by their side.   Places like Everest Base Camp, Langtang Valley, Annapurna Base Camp, Ghorepani Poonhill, Mardi Himal, Gokyo Lakes, Khopra Danda, Gosaikunda, Kanchenjunga Base Camp, Dolpa area and Upper Mustang are some of the most sought after trekking destinations of Nepal. So, if you were to choose any of these places for your first Himalayan adventure in Nepal, then you can rest assure that the entire journey will be something really remarkable and worth remembering.   About Guide and Porter   If you have decided to visit Nepal and go for a life-altering journey to the Himalayas then you must be quite thrilled to land in Nepal. After all, there’s no denying the fact that Nepal is an ultimate travel destination for adventure enthusiasts and foreign travellers alike. From the stunning trekking trails of Everest region to the lush green landscapes of Chitwan National Park, everything is well suited for travellers to get the maximum amount of joy and happiness. However, if trekking is the thing you are most thrilled about your travel plan in Nepal. Then, you must also acknowledge the uttermost significance and need for guides & porters.   To start, let me first inform you what a guide is and what a porter is (individually)? Generally, guides are those expert individuals who have years of experience when it comes to trekking through several/more than one trekking route of Nepal. They typically lead the trekking group towards their desired final destination such as Everest Base Camp and Annapurna Base Camp. They help foreign trekkers find their way through some of the most unmapped, remote regions of Nepal where it’s very hard to find landmarks and clear pathways. Furthermore, there are some restricted trekking regions in Nepal where trekkers are obliged and required to hire a guide for their journey as having a guide is deemed compulsory by the state authorities in those regions. Similarly, a porter is a person who has been hired to carry your bags and luggage for your planned trip/trek. It doesn’t matter whether you are going to Rara Lake or Kanchenjunga, hiring a porter will be necessary for you if you don’t want to get stuck with the burden of carrying your heavy luggage. You surely would not want to walk on a demanding Himalayan trail for several hours while carrying your luggage from the start of your trip till its very end. Well, at first it might sound easy and not so daunting at all to those who don’t doubt their physical capabilities. But you have to understand that when you are travelling at high elevated places that go beyond 3,000 meters above sea level, your body tends to exhaust sooner than it usually does on places near to the sea level. So, you decide, how much important it is to hire a porter for your trek in Nepal? Because I surely would prefer enjoying the trip rather than struggling to carry my own luggage.   In addition to that, when trekkers hire a guide, they are assuring themselves that their guide will carry out all the necessary responsibilities such as booking local lodges for the night during busy seasons when nearly all rooms get booked in advance for foreign trekkers. Guides can also be very helpful for you in desperate situations when you need immediate medication and evacuation. You guide will help you get evacuated via helicopter by contacting the related establishments. All in all, your guide will be very crucial for you and your journey in Nepal as they will make sure that all the complicated things get taken under control as swiftly as possible and help you get the most out of your trip in Nepal.