Nepal Travel Information

Visa Information for Nepal

All foreigners who intend to visit Nepal must hold valid passport or any travel document equivalent to passport issued by the government for visiting a foreign country prior to applying for visa. Nepal embassies and consulates abroad issue visas, or they can be issued upon arrival at the Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu. If you wish to stay for longer than your initial 60 day visa, you will require to extend your visa. Children below 10 years of age do not require a visa.

Best Time to Visit Nepal

The best season to visit Nepal is after the monsoons that end in August, and before the winter sets in. The months between September and December are the most preferred ones by the visitors. The rains wash the dusty tracks and the valley looks magnificent with blooming flowers. Post -Monsoon Nepal welcomes you with flower-laden plains and brimming rivers. It is humid in plains at that time but it is still better than the scorching heat of the summers.

It is best to visit hilly areas in summers; that is, the month of May and June. The average temperature at that time hovers around 22-25 Celsius. Nights are a bit chilly in the lower Himalayan region but are comfortable. Mountainous areas are extremely unsafe in the Monsoons. The persistent rains make the hilly tracts slippery. The landslides are very common in the monsoons. Again in the post-monsoon months, you can start for the hill tours.

In winters, most of the hilly areas become out of bound due to very heavy snowfall and avalanches. But if you are fond of snowfall then you can opt for lower Himalayan regions that look beautiful in the blankets of snows.

Getting into Nepal Via Air

You can fly directly to Kathmandu from London, Paris, Frankfurt, Vienna, Amsterdam, Doha, Dubai, Dhaka, Karachi, Munich, Abu Dhabi, Bahrain, Paro, Lhasa, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Bangalore, New Delhi, Mumbai, Patna, Calcutta and Varanasi. Charter flights can also be arranged for large movements. All flights feature business class and amenities of international standards. Many a time, the Captain offers a guided sightseeing of the Himalaya for no extra charge!

Airfares fluctuate with the changes in exchange rates and are to be paid in foreign currency by foreign nationals. Only Nepalese and Indian nationals are permitted to pay in rupees for air passage between Nepal and India. Departure flight tickets should be reconfirmed three days in advance to avoid inconveniences by possible flight cancellation or changes in the flight schedule. Overweight luggage charges are levied in foreign exchange.

Getting into Nepal Via Road

All visitors entering Nepal by land must use no other entry points other than (1) Kakarbhitta (2) Birgunj (3) Belhiya, Bhairahawa (4) Nepalgunj (5) Dhangadi and (6) Mahendra Nagar in the Nepal-India border and (7) Kodari in the Nepal-China border. The overland tourists entering the Kingdom with their vehicles must possess an international carnet.

Foreign Currency And Credits Cards

Payment in hotels, travel agencies, and airlines are made in foreign exchange. Credit cards like American Express, Master and Visa are widely accepted at major hotels, shops, and restaurants. Remember to keep your Foreign Exchange Encashment Receipt while making foreign exchange payments or transferring foreign currency into Nepalese rupees. The receipts may be needed to change left-over Nepalese Rupees into hard currency before leaving the country. However, only 10 percent of the total amount may be converted by the bank. ATM is widely in use in Kathmandu. Major Banks, hotels, and the exchange counters at Tribhuvan Airport provide services for exchanging foreign currency.

Language

Nepali, written in the Devanagari script is the national language. English is widely understood in the urban centers and areas frequented by tourists. Most Nepali people speak more than one language.