Nepal Travel Information

GENERAL INFORMATION

Full country name: Kingdom of Nepal
Area: 147,181 sq km
Population: 23 million
Capital city: Kathmandu (pop 1.5 Million)
People: Various ethnic groups, including the Bhotiya (which include the Sherpa), Khas, Kirati, Magar, Newari, Tharu, Tamong and Tibetans
Language: Nepali (also called Gurkhali)
Religion: 90% Hindu, 5% Buddhist, 3% Muslim
Government: Democracy

GETTING THERE

There are few direct flights to Nepal, which means most travellers from Europe, North America and Australia have to change aircraft and/or airline en route. Nepal's only international airport is Kathmandu's Tribhuvan International Airport. If you want to see the mountains as you fly into Kathmandu, make sure you sit on the right-hand side of the plane.
More than 90 percent of all non-Indian visitors to Nepal arrive by air at Tribhuvan International Airport, about 6 kms. from Kathmandu city.

CLIMATE & WEATHER

Nepal has a typically monsoonal two-season year: the dry season (October to May) and the wet season (June to September). The monsoon affects the whole country, often flooding the southern plains, before tailing off as it moves away to the north and west. Temperatures vary but are generally hottest in the summer months of end May and June and coldest during December and January.

Climatic factors are very important in deciding when to visit Nepal. End of September -November, the start of the dry season, is in many ways the best time of year: the weather is balmy, the air is clean, visibility is perfect, and the country is lush following the monsoon. February-May, the tail end of the dry season is the second-best period: visibility is not so good because of dust, but the weather is warm and many of Nepal's wonderful wild flowers are in bloom. In December and January the climate and visibility are good but it can be chilly, trekkers need to be well prepared for snow, and cheaper hotels in Kathmandu - where heating is nonexistent - can be gloomy in the evening. The rest of the year is fairly unpleasant for travelling: May and early June are generally too hot and dusty for comfort, and the monsoon from mid-June to September obscures the mountains in cloud and turns trails and roads to mud.

CURRENCY, FOREIGN EXCHANGE

The local currency  is the Rupee, and one Australian dollar will buy approximately 50 Rupees. We  recommend taking American/Australian dollar  travellers cheques which are readily accepted.  Major credit cards can be used at most hotels and larger shops and department stores.  Local cash is always best for bargaining at markets and souvenir stalls.
 
Small amounts of currency can be bought and sold at major airports & Foreign Exchange outlets.  There are a small number of ATMs in Kathmandu and Pokhara

When you change money legally, you are issued with a Foreign Exchange Encashment Receipt showing the amount of hard currency you have exchanged. If you leave Nepal via Kathmandu airport and haven't spent all your rupees, you can exchange up to 15% of the amount shown on these unused receipts back into hard currency.
Major international currencies such as the US dollar, EURO, Pounds Sterling, Australian dollars are readily accepted, and the Indian rupee is also considered a 'hard' currency. Outside the Kathmandu Valley, it may be difficult to use large-denomination Nepalese notes, so keep a decent portion of your money in small-denomination notes. If you're trekking, take enough small-denomination cash with you to last the whole trek.

BAGGAGE

Checked baggage on flights to Nepal is restricted to 20 kilos free baggage allowance per passenger travelling in economy class.

ACCOMMODATION

We have carefully selected a range of first class hotels (ranging from 3 star to 5 star Deluxe) in Kathmandu and of course the best first class hotels for use on all tours, with consideration for high levels of comfort, service, and ease of location. On tours that travel to remote areas we use the best available hotels in that region.

All hotel rooms have private bathrooms. E-Mail, international phone and fax services are available in most hotels.

INSURANCE

It is essential that all passengers have adequate insurance cover. Full comprehensive travel insurance coverage, particularly for trip cancellation, ill health, lost baggage’s and interruption due to different circumstances is highly recommended.

AIRPORT TAXES

Foreign nationals departing from the Tribhuvan International Airport are required to pay an airport tax of NRs. 770.00 if going to SAARC countries (Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Pakistan and Sri Lanka) and Rs. 1100.00 to all other international destinations. Domestic airport tax is Rs. 165.00 for all nationals including Nepalese.

TIPPING

As in most countries around the world, tipping is now expected. Supplied with your travel documentation, we offer you suggested tipping rates for reasonable service from guides, sherpas, drivers and bellboys. Rest will completely depend upon your satisfaction.

TRAVELLING WITHIN NEPAL

Royal Nepal Airlines and several private companies offer domestic air services, but flights are relatively expensive and often delayed or cancelled due to inopportune weather. It's advisable to book domestic flights a week in advance and keep re-confirming your ticket just to make sure you don't slip off the passenger list if the flight is full. Airlines only accept payment in hard currency from visitors. Kathmandu's domestic airport is a shabby, chaotic place usually full of stressed tourists whose flights have been delayed.
Public buses are the main form of transportation and are incredibly cheap, incredibly uncomfortable and tediously slow. Buses ply almost every paved road (not that there are many), as well as some of the unpaved ones, and nearly every visitor comes back with horror stories about 'almost' plunging into a ravine. There are several services between Kathmandu and Pokhara aimed specifically at tourists. Those who dislike having chickens and goats supplementing their human travelling companions will prefer them. There are no trains and no drive-yourself rental cars in Nepal. Cars with drivers can be hired.
Bike-riding is quickly gaining popularity with visitors for short jaunts and a bike is often quicker than using local buses, especially in the Kathmandu Valley. Walking is still the most important and most reliable method of getting from A to B and for moving cargo. In most of Nepal walking is the only option. More goods are carried by human porters than by every other form of transport combined.
Local transport in the Kathmandu Valley and around Pokhara includes metered and unmetered taxis, buses, tempos (three-wheeled buses), auto-rickshaws, bicycle rickshaws and bicycles.

VOLTAGE and COMMUNICATIONS

Electricity: 220V, 50 Hz (when available).

HEALTH

Health risks: Altitude sickness, hepatitis A, malaria (low-lying areas only), meningococcal Meningitis (Kathmandu Valley region) and typhoid Although there is not more danger to health in Nepal that in many other countries, elementary sanitary precautions are in order.  Health requirements are lax for entry, but travellers are advised to get injections against typhoid and meningitis and to have gamma globulin against hepatitis. Make sure your routine tetanus and polio inoculations are up to date.  Cholera inoculation is not required nor recommended.

NEPALI FOOD

Nepal's food is surprisingly dull given that it lies at the intersection of the two great gastronomic giants India and China. Most of the time meals consist of a dish called dhal bhat tarkari which is a combination of lentil soup, rice and curried vegetables - hardly the makings of a dynamic national cuisine. On the other hand, Nepal has adapted famously to Western tastes, markedly evident in Kathmandu's smorgasbord of menus: Mexican tacos; Japanese sukiyaki; Thai chocolate; Chinese marshmallows; onion and minestrone soup; borscht, quiche and soyburgers; and some of the best desserts - apple and lemon pies, almond layer cakes, fruit cakes - found anywhere in the world. To wash any (or all) of these offerings down, try a lassi (a refreshing mixture of curd and water), the locally produced beer or chang, a Himalayan home brew made from barley.

WHAT TO WEAR

From mid-September to March, light clothing is fine in the Kathmandu Valley. For evenings and early mornings, a heavy woollen sweater or a paded anorak or jacket will be needed.

From April - September only light clothes, preferably cotton, are needed in Kathmandu.   Avoid synthetic fibres which irritate the skin.

Special gear required for trekking can be hired or bought in Kathmandu or Pokhara, in standard Western sizes.  The same applies for sweaters, caps and other woolen or down clothing, though it is best to arrive self-sufficient. Try avoiding revealing clothes as much as  possible, either in temples, monasteries or even in public places as Nepalese find this against their culture and tradition.

SHOPPING

Kathmandu is a treasure trove for the shoppers.  Traders appear wherever tourists stray and metchants wait on temple steps.  Wares are spread on every pavement but watch out for the junk, fake antiques and souvenir Khukuris. Peer into shops, take your pick or take your leave; try the next boutique or the next stall.  There are good buys amongst the bewildering and dazzling array.

Hope the above info will be helpful. I am also forwarding some other information for your consideration.

BOOKINGS & VISA FORMALITIES (FOR TIBET)

Bookings should be made atleast one month in advance and the follwings should be sent along with it: Nameas in the Passport, Nationality, Sex, Occupation, Date of birth, and passport Issue and expiry date. Clients are also requested to bring 02 passport size photographs along with them. Tibet Visa Fees depends upon the nationality and normal & urgent visa fees are applicable according to situation.

PAYMENT & CANCELLATION POLICY

A deposit of 40% on the total cost should be made at least a month ahead of the tour. The rest of the payment can be made upon arrival in Kathmandu. Payment through bank transfer is highly recommended as the postal service in Nepal is not reliable.

There will a cancellation charge of 25% on the total cost for confirmed bookings being cancelled up to 15 days and 40% (the total amount received) up to 7 days prior to departure. No refund for no shows, delay arrivals, flight cancellation, whatsoever the reason.

RISK & LIABILITY

We extend our best hands to see to your convenience at all times. As the Tibet authority and Chinese Tour Operators strictly conduct the Tibet – China programmes, we will not be held responsible for alteration of programs, sightseeing in restricted areas, nature’s disruption for transportation (air or land), delay in the arrival of client’s vehicle, ill health, accidents or lossof personal belongings. For such inconvenience, clients ill have to bear the extra cost on the spot. The amount paid for travel does not include any insurance against accidents, injuries, sickness, emergency evacuation, etc.  

Health Tips
Best Season
Visa Info.

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