Nepal is one of the last remaining kingdoms of the world. Its predominantly Hindu population has been greatly tempered by the Buddhism of India and Tibet and to a much lesser extent, by Islam. It is a mosaic of cultures, ethnic groups and languages. It is remarkable that in a country about the size of England there are over 30 different ethnic groups, with at least as many languages. The population of Nepal is currently around 18 million, 1 million of whom live in the Kathmandu Valley. Ninety percent of the population lives in the rural areas that are predominantly the lower and middle hills of the Himalayan range. Apart from the obvious beauty of the mountains, one of the great features of a trek in Nepal is the close contact in the hills with the Nepalese people. They are physically strong, sharp-witted and have an incredibly positive attitude towards a life that we would consider extremely tough. Most of our trekking is done in the upper hill areas where many of Nepal's people live and work.