Need to know Nepal

The great outdoors' are truly magnificent in Nepal. Rising up between the fertile plains of India in the south and the desert-like plateau of Tibet in the north, Nepal has been described as the biggest natural museum in the world. With its environment ranging from sub-tropical to artic, it is full of surprises. In addition to its famous mountain range, Nepal has thick tropical jungles teeming with rare and endangered wildlife, thundering rivers, forested hills and some awesome glaciers. That's a striking record for a country only 880km wide (E - W) and between 145km - 241km deep (N - S).

While its population of approximately 23m people speak Nepali, Nepal comprises more than 61 ethnic groups and 70 dialects. These dialects can normally be heard more in rural areas outside Kathmandu, Nepal's capital city. Nepal's key religions, Hinduism and Buddhism will add extra colour to your visit as you will see shrines to the Gods and experience festivals that take place throughout the year.

Striving to differentiate itself from India, Nepal's standard time is 15 minutes ahead of Indian standard time and 5 hours 45 minutes ahead of GMT. The Nepali Rupee (Rs.) is available in denominations of one, two, five, 10, 20, 25, 50, 100, 500 and 1000 rupees. There are a growing number of ATM's in Kathmandu and other international currencies including the US dollar, Pound sterling and the Indian rupee are readily accepted in most places, although small denominations of the Nepali Rs. are a necessity out of the main cities.

Communication is continually improving in Nepal. Internet and telephone services are widespread and reliable in Kathmandu and Pokhara. These facilities are becoming more readily available in other towns although the cost, speed and quality of connection can differ greatly. The same is true of electricity supply, which is found in major towns and some interesting outposts such as Namche Bazaar, 3343m above sea level!

How to reach Nepal

By Air
Most international visitors to Nepal arrive by air into Kathmandu's Tribhuvan International Airport. Austrian Airlines, Lauda Air and Martin Air operate direct flights from Europe. Gulf Air and Qatar Airways (Middle Eastern airlines) are used my many European visitors. New Delhi is most often the transfer point for travelers using other airlines from Europe and the east coast of North America where Indian Airlines and Royal Nepal Airlines Corporation (RNAC) operate the onward journey to Kathmandu. Recently, Jet Airways and Air Sahara are another carriers added to fly to Kathmandu from main Indian cities. Travelers from the west coast of the States or Australia are likely to change in Bangkok where Thai Airways and RNAC have easy connections to Kathmandu. Flights to Kathmandu are also available from Hong Kong, Singapore, Dhaka, Karachi, Paro and Chengdu/Lhasa).

Overland
There are seven main entry points into Nepal, one from Tibet and six from India. Accessibility overland is dependant on political conditions as well as the weather. For the latest information about overland access, please visit Nepal Immigration. 
 

Entry Requirements

Visa
You will need a visa to enter Nepal. You can obtain a visa at the Nepal embassy or consulate in your home country or you can get one on arrival at Kathmandu's Tribhuvan International airport or at any road border. If you plan to stay longer than the duration of your initial visa, you will need to apply for a visa extension. The standard Nepali tourist visa is valid for six months from the date of issue as long as your passport remains valid, so if you are getting yours before you leave home, don't apply too early, or it will expire before you want it to! 

To ensure that you are given the most accurate information and obtain the right visa, we advise you to contact your own embassy or consulate Foreign & Commonwealth Office. For more general information about the types of visa available visit Nepal Immigration. (For the UK you can apply for a visa at the Nepalese Embassy in London www.nepembassy.org.uk )

Medical
As with visa’s, this website aims to point you in the right direction to find professional and accurate advice to suit your own needs. All travel books explain that your state of health on holiday will depend on your pre-departure preparations, your daily health care while you are away and how you handle any medical condition that may develop. Many of these books also provide an extensive list of optional and essential immunisations!  We strongly advise that you see your doctor as they have access to comprehensive medical information for travelers and can provide you with the most reliable up to date advice. Leave sufficient time between your appointment and your departure date; some immunisations need to be administered weeks before you set off on your trip and some malaria (advised for parts of the Terai) tablets should be started before your departure too. We also advise that you pay a visit to your dentist before departure.

Temperature and Weather/When to visit

Many of Nepal’s ‘extreme’ activities will be weather dependent and only available at certain times of the year. Trekking is available almost all year round (although some routes might be inaccessible during the winter) but the weather conditions will influence the type of experience you’re in for!

Nepal basically has two seasons, a dry season that occurs between October to May and a wet season (monsoon) that starts roughly in June and continues until September. Both seasons have advantages and disadvantages; you just have to decide what you're planning to do when you get there.

Kathmandu reaches 30°C between May - September particularly just before the monsoon starts. Although the temperature drops to 20°C in the city during the winter, bright sunny days make it a comfortable place to be but it’s much colder at night and it's a very different picture in the mountains. Altitude has a significant impact on temperature. Trekkers on the Annapurna Circuit around Christmas time should be prepared with their down sleeping bags as night-time temperatures can plummet to about -7°C. While that sounds harsh, by braving frosty mornings you are rewarded with incredible mountain views on perfectly crisp days. Worth every moment of the early morning chill!

October to November followed by February to April is tipped as the best times to visit Nepal. The former months present you with Nepal at its most beautiful as the recently finished monsoon leaves the countryside lush and green and the most colourful festivals take place. The latter is especially good for high-altitude trekkers as the weather starts to get warmer and the rhododendrons are in bloom.

The table shows what the weather is like in Nepal:

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Helpful Links

Nature and Wildlife
National Trust fo Nature Conservation
Department Of National Parks And Wildlife Conservation
WWF Nepal Program

Tourism Information
Ministry of Tourism in Nepal
Nepal Tourism Board

News
www.nepalnews.com
www.kantipuronline.com   

Health
CIWEC Clinic Travel Medicine Center
Lonely Planet

Money
Change Your Currency into Nepali Currency
Oanda's Currency Converter

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