Home to Mount Everest and more than half of the planet’s other 8,000m-plus mountains, Nepal stakes a strong claim as the trekking capital of the world.

Nepal was closed to outsiders and most foreign influences for the first half of the 20th century, and when the first western mountaineers and trekkers arrived in the 1950s they were enchanted by what they discovered. The country was living in a medieval time warp and even the capital, Kathmandu, was little more than a collection of temples, shrines, palaces, markets and red brick townhouses. There were almost no roads in the country and those first mountaineers and trekkers had to walk from Kathmandu’s Durbar Square to Everest and the other big peaks.

Things have come on a long way since then. Kathmandu is now a sprawling mega-city, the ever-expanding road network fans out across much of the lower and flatter parts of the country and the Nepal trekking industry is second to none. One thing that hasn’t changed though is the magnificence of the mountains, the sheer beauty of the countryside, and the unending warmth of welcome displayed by the Nepalese people. These are what continue to make Nepal such an attractive trekking destination.

With the spectacular Himalayas running down its eastern side, it’s no surprise Nepal is known as the roof of the world. Getting out into these vast panoramas with their immense snowy peaks, flower-strewn meadows and sparkling lakes — while also making time to relax at chilled out Pokhara — is reason enough to visit.

But there's far more to Nepal than just mountains and trekking.

Down on the hot lush plains of the Terai, you'll find a brace of magical national parks where rare beasts like one-horned rhino and tiger roam and the trees twitch with birdlife. Your chances of seeing rhino are surprisingly high if you visit in the spring. Then there are the cultural jewels, a scattering of ancient cities stuffed with serene temples, cobbled alleys and hidden squares. In parts of Bhaktapur, Patan and the vibrant capital Kathmandu, it feels like life hasn't changed in generations.