Travel Guide Nepal

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Whatmakes the logistics relatively easy is that many trails pass through mountain villages where you can eat and sleep. The more remote trails are dotted with tea houses, a lodge offering basic accommodation and food for just a few dollars worth of rupees a night. For an extra fee, some tea houses may even let you shower or charge your electronics.

It may seem a bit decadent to hire porters or a guide, but this service provides a valuable source of income to Nepal. Even more capable hikers may hire some support, and this is encouraged and highly appreciated in Nepal. In saying this, it is also possible to trek certain routes independently.

This is not just some rote advice. During my trek, I met an Australian who had severely injured his knee and urgently needed a helicopter ride back to Kathmandu. As the chuga-chuga of the helicopter approached the tea house, he was definitely bragging to everyone how his insurance was the best money he ever spent. His insurance covered this emergency in full, a cost of well over $10,000.

You need a tourist visa to enter Nepal. The cost depends on your intended length of stay (15, 30, or 90 days, with a maximum extension to 150 days). A visa-on-arrival is available for many nationalities, as was the case for mine. I paid for my visa in USD at the airport terminal in Kathmandu. It took about ten minutes to issue.

Almost any street scene in Kathmandu can feel like an establishing shot from a movie, with different things weaving in and out of your field of view. It might be porters carrying sacks of goods, vendors selling fruits, monks on their way to prayer, colourful rickshaws zipping past, or a stray cow milling about, unimpressed with the mayhem surrounding it.

The best way to bathe in the sensory overload of Kathmandu is to just head into any street that seems interesting. I spent an entire day just wandering around with no particular plan other than absorbing the atmosphere.

Pokhara is a deceptive city: upon approach, it looks like an intimidating sprawl. But once you get to the tourist district appropriately named Lakeside, you may feel like Pokhara is just a small and quiet village.

Small villages or colourfully painted tea houses decorated with Tibetan prayer flags make for key waypoints. The multi-coloured flags are used to bless the surrounding area, believed to be spreading good vibes carried by the wind. Picturing this can help keep your spirits up as you tackle a difficult ascent.

The huge upside is that it was very quiet. I met other trekkers maybe once every half hour; there were enough for a friendly atmosphere at the tea houses, but not so many as to detract from the nature experience. Amazingly, when my friend and I made it to the top, there were only two other trekkers there at the same time.

While relaxing, my eyes turned to the skies, where paragliders can be seen soaring over Lake Phewa almost every day. It looked awesome, so my friend and I knew we had to do this before we finished our trip.

Travelling independently and not being too fussy about staying in basic or standard hotels and hostels, I spent about $20 per day on average in Nepal. This excluded paragliding in Pokhara, which cost around $100 for one tandem flight.

I would also consider staying in a valley somewhere off the classic trekking trails, perhaps as part of a homestay experience, to get a better taste of local life. For a future trip to Nepal, I would certainly put this at the top of my list.

I have never visited Annapurna Base Camp, But During the Mardi Himal Base Camp trek, My guide show me the path of Annapurna Base Camp and i was too desperate to visit there. I think i will visit there this June. Lets see.

Marek, I suggest you to visit Mardi Base Camp too. That was quite amazing and you will see the way to Annapurna Base Camp and that will surely motivate you.

Hey Marek, thank you for sharing an interesting blog. It is really helpful for those who are planning to visit Nepal. I am planning to visit Nepal after Covid19. What is the status there? Any guide for me?

nepal is a beautiful place with full of culture,temples,mountains.it is great place to treckking.in this country buddhisam is very famous.can you please tell me how much of money your are spended total in nepal..?

And return, we did! We visited Nepal for the second time in May 2019, this time for a travel conference and a bit of trekking (of course!). And we can say once more, this will not be our last trip! There is just something about Nepal that speaks to us. It is a country that we have fallen for for in many ways: We fell for the landscapes, the trekking, the culture, the people.

Affiliates: Also, there are some affiliate links in this guide, which means when you click we get a small percentage of the purchase at no extra cost to you. This allows us to keep sharing great Nepal travel tips with you, so feel free to click away!

Enjoy a cocktail with a view! We loved the rooftop at our hotel, Traditional Comfort, but there are others throughout the city as well. Plan your drinks to align with sunset for the best view!

Even though Pokhara is the second largest city in Nepal, it is known for its laid back vibe with which many travelers fall in love. The city is situated on the shore of Phewa Lake, and is surrounded by mountains, making it both charming and beautiful.

Watch a film under the stars at the open-air theater called Movie Garden. Showings start at 7pm each evening, and they play a variety of new and old movies. Check out their Facebook page to see the up-to-date schedule.

Known for rare animals, like one-horned rhinos, wild elephants, Bengal tigers, as well as a variety of bird species, Chitwan National Park is a worthwhile stop for anyone interested in wildlife and conservation. Situated in the Terai Lowlands of of south-central Nepal, this is a popular spot for travelers to take wildlife viewing safaris and experience a region that is vastly different than the mountainous parts of Nepal.

Want to trek to EBC? If trekking to Everest Base Camp is a dream of yours, we have you covered with all you need to know about planning your bucket list journey: from what to pack, to the best itinerary, and even how much it costs, we have it all! We even filmed some (hilarious!) video diaries from the trek. Check out our EBC trekking guide for more info!

The second most famous region for trekking in Nepal is the Annapurna Region. There are a variety of treks in varying levels of difficulty. From the short and accessible Poon Hill Trek, to the more challenging Annapurna Base Camp (ABC) Trek, there is a little something for every type of hiker in this region of Nepal.

If you want to add a couple lesser-known places to your Nepal itinerary, here are some ideas to get you started. Just know that some of them can be a bitdifficult (or time consuming) to get to. There are plenty more towns and regions of Nepal to explore, but this should at least give you a start.

Bandipur: Situated between Kathmandu and Pokhara, you can break up your trip between the two with a stop at this beautiful town that boats traditional Newari houses. Spend the night in a homestay and explore Siddha Gufa, the largest cave in Nepal.

With Nepal being extremely diverse, there are festivals happening all year round. If you want to plan your visit to Nepal around a festival, be sure to look up the dates ahead of time as they may change every year according to the Nepalese calendar.

Holi: The festival of Colors! This festival has grown in international popularity. People throw colored powder and water balloons at each other to spread happiness. Typically occurs in March or April.

When arriving in Nepal, you will need to pay for a Visa on Arrival (VoA) and the amount you pay depends on how long you plan to stay in the country. There are 3 options: 15 days, 30 days, and 90 days.

Helpful Tip: To make it easy during our travels, we thought about prices as 100 rupees to $1 USD, moving the decimal place over 2 spots. For instance, if the price of a place of momos is 400 rupees. We move the decimal over two places to the left, and think of it as $4 USD for an easy conversion.

Restaurants: Tip is usually included. There is usually a 13% VAT and a 10% service charge, which you will see listed on your receipt. Sometimes the prices listed on the menu include the tax and tip, and other times there is a note that says it will be added to the bill. You can round up if you had great service.

Pro Tip: Before your trek, it is a good idea to message the company and ask how many guides and porters there will be so you can be prepared. It is also worth noting that there will likely not be any ATMs along your trek, so be sure to bring along cash.

For instance, spending a bit more money for a trekking company that pays its guides and porters fairly can make a big difference. And staying in sustainably-run hotels may cost a bit more, but your money will be put back into the community and will help protect the local environment.

There are many different types of Buddhism practiced around the world. For instance, the type of Buddhism practiced in Thailand and much of Southeast Asia is called Theravada Buddhism. The type practiced in Nepal falls underMahayana Buddhism, similar to what is practiced in Tibet and China.

In Nepal, the standard voltage is 230V with a standard frequency of 50Hz. Most modern plugs and computer chargers can handle this voltage, but be sure to check your converters first before plugging in.

The power sockets are similar to the European style (plug styles C, D, & M). U.S. travelers will need an adapter. Sometimes, higher-end hotels have a one-type-fits-all outlet, but it best to carry an adapter or two.

Insider Tip: We always travel with a universal adapter. This way, we can charge several electronics at once using only one adaptor. Note: This only works for things that can be charged using a USB port. Our laptops and DSLR cannot be charged from this.

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