Travel guide Nepal

Created in 1972, the concept of "Gross National Happiness" has made Bhutan famous. Its objective? To replace the Gross National Product and propose a new indicator of wealth based on 4 pillars: environmental protection, promotion of Bhutanese culture, good governance and responsible economic development.

Buddhism, which is omnipresent in Bhutan, was introduced there in the 8th century. The kingdom is the only country in the world to have recognized Tantric Buddhism (or Mahāyāna) as the state religion. It is therefore deeply rooted in the traditions of the kingdom. Three-quarters of Bhutanese claim to be Buddhist and draw inspiration from it on a daily basis.

In Bhutan, the wearing of national costume is compulsory in public, at school and during official performances. Women wear an elegant, long traditional dress, the kira, with a short jacket, while men wear the go, a kind of kimono pulled up to the knees in a skirt and tightened at the waist with a belt.

This is Nepal's national dish. You can't go wrong with this lentil soup, served with white rice and a vegetable curry. The Nepalese love it and eat it morning, noon and night! It's served with spinach, a spicy mix (sensitive souls please refrain!), yoghurt(dahi) and a spicy wafer(papad), of course!

Often built on the mountainside, these imposing fortresses, typically Bhutanese, are strategically located in strategic points of the country. They serve both as regional administrative centres and as seats of religious power for each of the provinces. A particular sign: the dzongs were all built without an architect's plan!

A natural border between the Indian continent and the Tibetan plateau, the Himalayas mean "home of the snows" in Sanskrit. Crossing five countries (Pakistan, Nepal, India, China and Bhutan), the mythical mountain range is home to the highest peaks in the world. Of the fourteen peaks, eight are located in Nepal, all over 8,000 metres above sea level.

You can hear it everywhere! And with good reason: "Namaste" means "hello", "goodbye", or "nice to meet you". In reality, the expression means "I salute the divine in you". In Nepal, it is most often pronounced as a greeting by raising your two hands together in front of you and bowing slightly.

They are the first inhabitants of the Kathmandu valley. Ethnicity represents less than 10% of the population and speaks a language that has nothing to do with Nepali. Talented artists, the Newar excel in stone carving and woodworking. The prowess of Newar architecture is most visible in the Kathmandu Valley.

These "holy men" (and a few women) have renounced the world in an attempt to achieve liberation, the ultimate stage of life in the Hindu religion. Supposed to devote themselves exclusively to meditation, they live off public charity. In places frequented by tourists, sadhus are more often beggars than true ascetics.

On April 25 and May 12, 2015, two earthquakes of magnitude 7.8 and 7.3 hit Nepal. The Kathmandu valley was the hardest hit. The toll was heavy: almost 9,000 dead, tens of thousands injured and homeless, and historic temples destroyed. A tragedy that is still very much alive today.

This is Bhutan's emblematic animal. This mammal lives in herds in the Himalayan steppes. According to legend, it was a lama master who, after eating an entire cow and goat, assembled the bone remains to create a takin. Hence its strange appearance: a goat's head, a cow's body and lyre-shaped horns.

This is one of the highlights of Bhutanese life: attending a Tschechu, one of those festivals with ritual dances (cham) performed by dancers wearing masks and spectacular costumes. A unique experience! The tschechu season starts in autumn and the dates differ from region to region.