Nepal

Nepal a country where the Snow Leopard is located. The expedition treks into the Himalayas which sit in the northwest corner of the country. The country is located in Southeast Asia, bordered by China and India. The majority of the highest mountains in the world are located in Nepal, including Mt. Everest.

Matthiessen and Schaller are fascinated by the culture of Nepal, particularly the diversity of its people. There are various religions in the country, predominantly Hindu and Buddhist. Nepal has a deeply-rooted religious history that forms much of its culture. The country was home to Siddhartha Gautama, an ancient holy mendicant, who eventually became the much revered Buddha.

There is a definite caste system and the ranking of the peoples often leads to conflict. At the time the book was written, Nepal was ruled by a monarchy. This often made the attainment of government travel documents...