Nepal, the Mountain Kingdom, is the home of the Gurkhas. Our soldiers grow up in the shadows of the Himalayas. Most come from the foothills of the country, characterised by steep valleys and precipitous gorges cut by raging mountain rivers. 

Villages are perched high on hillsides, surrounded by networks of paddy fields, patiently constructed over generations. Community life is all important, and the selfless nature of the Gurkha is forged in these conditions. School may be an hour's walk from home, often up steep hills. 

The country is starkly divided into three main areas; the Gangetic plain to the south is completely flat, stretching away across the Indian border. It is here that you will find the famous tiger and rhinoceros sanctuaries of Chitwan and Bardiya. 

In the central belt of the country lie the foothills of fertile but steep sided valleys from where most Gurkhas originate. In the north and bordering Tibet are the mighty Himalayas, home of the world's largest peaks such as Everest , Lhotse, Makalu, Ama Dablam, Dhaulagiri and Annapurna.