The short answer
Nepal covers a small share of the earth's land, yet it holds a very large variety of life because its height ranges from the near-sea-level Terai to Everest within about 150 kilometres. Climate runs from subtropical to arctic, so jungle, hill forest, alpine meadow and snow all sit close together.
The country is known for hundreds of bird species, hundreds of butterfly species, many orchids and several large mammals such as tigers, rhinos, elephants and snow leopards. Exact counts differ by source, so treat numbers as approximate and use them in context only.
Key facts
- Height range
- Near sea level to Everest
- Distance
- About 150 km
- Climate
- Subtropical to arctic
- Counts
- Approximate; sources differ
How it works
- Choose a zoneTerai, hills or mountains.
- Pick the seasonWinter for jungle, spring for flowers.
- Hire a naturalistBetter sightings.
Insider tip
Visit two zones, Terai and hills, to see the most variety.
Avoid this
Do not quote exact species counts without a source.
Related questions
Where to see tigers?
Chitwan, Bardia, Parsa and Banke.
Where to see snow leopards?
Shey Phoksundo and high Himalayan parks, rarely.
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