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Nepal Travel Guide

Nepal is sometimes bypassed by travelers because they figure it’s an extension of India; it’s not. Nepal has a beautiful, fascinating, long history. The Nepalese are incredibly friendly and fun — learn a bit of Nepali and they will love you for it. Nepal is a mecca for outdoorsy type travelers because of the Himalayan mountains that offer up some of the best trekking opportunities in Asia. In fact, Nepal boasts eight of the 10 highest peaks in the world. The country is generally safe (check out the political situation with the Maoists, it can change rapidly) and Nepal attracts both outdoorsy types and volunteers in equal measure. The power situation makes working remotely from Nepal tricky (there can be as few as eight hours of power every day).

I loved visiting Nepal and  I loved learning about culture and language. I highly recommend a visit, but that being said,  post-earthquake Nepal is a very different place than it once was. The April 2015 earthquake had a devastating effect on the people of Nepal, on the country’s transportation infrastructure, and on the tourism industry. Now, it’s still a place you can travel and have a wonderful time. In fact, I am a firm supporter of responsible tourism as a way to help Nepal rebuild. But the impact, death toll, and the level of destruction mean that travelers should be keenly aware that the country will take years to rebuild. Some posit that it will take decades to recover from this earthquake. All this to say, be sensitive to the fact that this country is facing a long road ahead. Tourism is one part of a solution, but only when tourists are committed to a responsible approach to helping the country come out stronger on the other side of this quake.

Nepal’s history dates back more than 2,500 years. But much of that ancient history is unknown. Many of the UNESCO sites worth visiting date back to the 1400s. It’s worth knowing a bit about Nepali politics, as it’s an unstable and ever-changing topic. A monarchy ruled Nepal until 2008, at which time a democratic republic and a constitution were established and adjusted over the next several years.

As Nepal developed, unlike many countries it remains about 80% rural. It’s also one of the least developed countries in the world according to the U.N. This means travelers will see drastic differences between life in the cities and life in the small villages. As a result of this mix, lifting the rural areas out of extreme poverty has proven difficult. The political climate is often tense, and the lack of education in these rural areas has had a direct impact on the preservation of Nepal’s natural resources. As tourists come to Nepal, the country struggled to meet tourism demand. This has resulted in poorly maintained transportation infrastructures and the use of natural resources in unsustainable ways. It’s a bit of a tough situation, as the tourists are both the core issue, and yet also the only way to bring money into these areas.

Modern Nepal is a fascinating, diverse place. Neighboring countries have had a marked influence on modern Nepali life. Travelers will see influences from India, Tibet, China, and even Mongolia. The country has 30+ ethnic groups, and with these a large variation in the number of religions and dialects. With all this diversity, the country has a mixed bag of religions as well. Predominantly Hindu, the country integrates Buddhism and animism too. All this to say, the mixing of cultures over the years have given Nepal a history as beautiful as the landscape.

The Fast Facts About Nepal Travel

Currency: Nepalese Rupee (NPR) (current exchange rate)

Electricity: 220V/60Hz (multiple plugs as they have retrofitted many to fit American and European plugs. Be careful of plugging in some electrical devices as the the U.S. runs at 120V)

Primary Airports: Kathmandu’s Tribhuvan International Airport (KTM)

Water: Not safe. Drink bottled, or consider the merits of a SteriPen or LifeStraw for your trip.

Internet Situation: Kathmandu and Pokhara have extensive access to internet shops filled with computers. There are also restaurants and cafes in both of these primary cities that offer free WiFi. The internet is decent in both of these very tourist-heavy cities. You can do most anything you need to on the internet, uploading information, photos, emails. Video calls likely only in the bigger cities. Outside of Pokhara and Kathmandu, it’s fair to non-existent. Beyond the internet, it’s the lack of consistent power that will foil your plans. You have to carefully plan your internet time if you’re running a business, you will surely want to buy a SIM with data as a backup.

Local SIM: Travelers can easily purchase a SIM card as well as data. And it’s quite affordable. Read this SIM card guide for tips on how to get one, how to top up, and what that whole process will look like.

Visas: Nepal issues visas on arrival for citizens of most countries. These can be purchased for 15, 30, or 90 days and range from $25 to $100. Check your visa requirements here. You must bring a passport-sized photo, or stand in line and pay for one when you arrive. Volunteers technically require a visa arranged by the place they are working with as volunteering on a tourist visa is expressly forbidden, though harder for them to enforce.

Festivals of Note: Phalgun Festivals, Kathmandu (Feb/March). Dashain, country-wide (September/October). Indra Jatra, Kathmandu (September).

Safety: One of the most common issues facing travelers is gastrointestinal issues. There is very poor sanitation in Nepal so you will need to be careful with your food and water consumption. You must carry a medical kit; make sure you have several courses of antibiotics as well as a decent supply of oral rehydration salts. These ORS can save your life in the case of diarrheal illness. Anything can happen on the road. I am a firm advocate of travel insurance; here are my tips to pick a good travel insurance.

Budget: Nepal is very budget-friendly and cheap to travel. Hiking and trekking will add some expenses, but even those are reasonable. A solo traveler can anticipate rock-bottom budget of $15 per day if traveling around. If you’re volunteering some daily rates are in the $10-15 per day range to cover food and board. A little extra budget goes a long way here and you can upgrade to nice digs and eat decent food on just $30 per day per person when you are not trekking. Once you add in trekking fees, that gets a bit more. Baseline though — it’s cheap. You can scale up and have a very nice couple trip too, like this woman did.

When to Go: You’ll need to plan your visit around your planned activities. If you’re hiking, the trails are closed during monsoon season, which runs from June through August. Trekking season is September through May. Autumn and spring are beautiful; lush and green in the fall and flowering and cool in the spring. Winter can be chilly at altitude, but is pleasant in the Kathmandu Valley.

Food Considerations: Vegetarians will love traveling through Nepal because the national dish, dal bhat, is lentil soup and traditionally served with rice and veggies. Warning though, don’t be fooled into thinking that the food is similar to India — there is much less variety and the Nepalese do eat meat (unlike most of India). The Tibetan momos (dumplings) are fantastic and a staple of any vegetarian diet in Nepal. Also, many travelers get gastrointestinals issues as there is very poor sanitation. Avoid unpeeled fruits and salads. Please always sterilize your water, and follow these food safety principles.

Accommodation: Nepal has a huge range of options. From cheap, basic rooms for backpackers to much nicer hotels. And even some eco-lodges and fun things like treehouses and such. While the links in city guides below go to a hotel booking site, many are also found on AirBnB if you are member. (A Little Adrift readers get a $20 AirBnB credit here to give it a go.) For backpackers, Hostelworld is perfect for pre-booking hostels; in high season the bigger towns book up fast. Consider Agoda for researching hotels as it’s one of the best sites for Asia travels. And if you buy a local SIM (which you should), you can easily call ahead and directly reserve spots en route. Hotel owners are often on Whatsapp, and you should use that if trying to get a quick response in-country. If none of these will do, check out my detailed guide to finding good places to stay.

Transportation: Transportation between cities is easy to organize and takes the form of buses. If you’re faint of heart, don’t watch as the buses careen around curves and the rusting carcasses of other buses dot the bottom of the hillsides. The buses are the main form of transportation, but Nepal has serious infrastructure issues so be careful. But, the buses are effective and they’re virtually the only budget option. In more recent years, there has been a rise in micro-buses of 10-12 people — a bit more but likely a bit safer. If you’re in a group, it’s fairly affordable to hire a private driver or taxi for longer distances. Bicycle and taxis are great for navigating around Kathmandu.

Possible Issues: Women should not trek alone in Nepal, not under any circumstances. Go with a guide, or use a one of the buddy trek sites to find a trekking partner. Be particularly cautious as a woman hiking in the Langtang area. Transportation issues are a serious safety threat. Landslides and road accidents are high all year round, but particularly during the summer monsoon rains. I highly recommend travel insurance as health care quality is low and you’ll likely need to be airlifted out of Nepal if something serious happens.