It's not just mountaineers with their hearts set on conquering Everest who fall in love with the Himalayan country of Nepal. With stunning scenery, fringed by the highest peaks on the planet, leading down to steamy jungle packed with wildlife, there's something for everyone.

In addition to a distinctive ancient Hindu and Buddhist culture, Nepal has jaw-dropping mountains with spectacular scenery for walkers and trekkers. If there is a hikers' paradise, this is it, with picturesque mountain villages linked by hundreds of trails that have been used for centuries, with little change noticeable even today. Trails are dotted with intriguing temples to discover on the way.
 
Nepal was created from an amalgam of principalities in 1768 under King Prithvi Narayan Shah. Under the control of a hereditary king, it became a ‘buffer state' between the British Empire and territories to the north. The country became independent in 1923, but it was not until 1947 (the year of Indian independence) and total withdrawal of the British before Nepal achieved complete autonomy . In May 2008, the monarchy was abolished making Nepal the world's newest republic.

See or climb the lower slopes of Mount Everest , Sagarmatha ( Roof of the world ) in Nepalese. At an altitude of 8,848m (29,022ft), Everest is the world's highest peak and has been opened for commercial mountaineering for decades. Don't forget your climbing permit, however.

Head for the hills - or mountains in this case: Nepal is a paradise for walkers and trekkers , with glorious mountain landscapes, remote ruins and villages. Trekking season is September to May. Check beforehand if a permit is required.

Stop on the way up the steep steps to Swayambhunath Stupa (also known as the monkey temple) in Kathmandu to watch the monkeys and have your fortune told by a Tibetan astrologer .

Go shopping for Tibetan handicrafts and artifacts at the hugely impressive Bodnath Stupa , a centre of Tibetan exile culture, a short ride from central Kathmandu. Alternatively, visit the lively bazaar in the hill town of Gorkha, the ancestral home of the Shah Dynasty and residence of the original Gurkha soldiers. Go on an elephant ride in the Chitwan National Park , Nepal's first national park, and keep your eyes peeled for endangered Royal Bengal tigers and Indian one-horned white rhino .

Meditate on the teachings of Buddha at his birthplace near the border town of Lumbini .

Chill out by taking a rowing boat out on Phewa Tal , the mesmerising lake at Pokhara , and get up early to watch sunrise over the Annapurna mountains from Sarangkot .

Take a Mountain flight over Mount Everest . Most of the domestic airlines arrange flights in light aircraft. Flights are also available from Pokhara and other locations west of the capital, flying over the spectacular Annapurna range. 

Try some high octane sports. River rafting is superb here; permits are required for Himalayan rivers. Or g o ballooning , hang-gliding or fly a micro-light plane from Kathmandu, Pokhara or the Langtang region. Paragliding and power paragliding are also available in Pokhara.

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