Travel Essentials for Nepal

All major international airlines call in at either New Delhi or Bangkok. From here, there are daily flights to Kathmandu.

Kathmandu also has direct flights from Baharain, Bangkok, Bombay, Calcutta, Dhaka, Doha, Lhasa, Paro, Varanasi, and Vienna.
There is an airport tax $ 25 per person payable upon departure from Tribhuban International airport, Kathmandu.

Visa Formalities-

With the exception of Indian nationals, all visitors must be in possession of a valid passport and a visa. Visas are available at the Nepalese Embassies located in major cities around the world. Visas are also available on arrival at Tribhuban International Airport and in some of the border towns if you are arriving overland. You are required to fill in a form, submit 2 photographs and pay a fee of US $ 30 for a 30 days single entry visa.

Trekking Permits-

A visa will not suffice if you decide to go into areas designated for trekking. In such cases, you are required to obtain an additional trekking permit. These are available at the immigration offices in Kathmandu or Pokhara. You are required to fill a form , submit 2 photographs and a fee of US $ 5 per week that you will spend trekking. The trekking fee increases for longer trips and is much higher for restricted areas.

Currency-

The currency of Nepal is the Nepali Rupee (Nrs.) Each rupee is made of 100 paisa. Curriencies which are accepted for exchange by the banks in Nepal are:

US Dollar 1 $ = Rs. 75
Euro 1 E = Rs. 95
Australia 1 A$ = Rs.
Japan 100 Y = Rs. 65
UK 1 P = Rs. 135

Travellers cheques are accepted in banks and all major hotels. Major credit cards are accepted in the hotels, restaurants and larger shops in the capital and major cities. ATM machines are available in Kathmandu and Pokhara.

In the towns, changing money is not a problem, but while on trek, it is advisable to carry some change in smaller denominations.

Banks are open Sundays through Fridays – 10 am to 3 pm, and on Fridays, 10 am to 12 noon. Saturday is the weekly day off in Nepal.

Time–

Nepal is 15 minutes ahead of Indian Standard time, 5 hrs 45 minutes ahead of GMT, and 10 hrs and 45 minutes ahead of Eastern Standard Time (United States).

Climate–

Average Temperatures in Kathmandu:
December through February
2 – 21 *C Foggy mornings, Daytime warm and sunny , Evenings Cool

March through May
11 - 28 *C Warmer weather , Good views

June through August
19 - 32 * C Hottest time of the year, Mainly cloudy and rainy

September through November
3 - 25* C Good Sunny weather, Excellent Views

Pokhara is about 4 * warmer than Kathmandu and Chitwan about 8 * warmer than Kathmandu.

Electricity–

220 volts/ 50 cycles. Electricity is available throughout the country except for certain trekking routes. Two and three pin round plugs are the most frequently used.

Telephone–

Country Code – 977 Kathmandu - 1

Good telephone services are available from all the major towns in Nepal, as are fax, email, and internet services. The mobile phone network is increasing and already covers the major towns. Your mobile handset with and international roaming will work in the cities . Along the trekking routes , you will find that telephones are located at random in villages enabling you to keep in touch with Kathmandu at least every other day.