Nepal is one of the most popular travel destinations for travelers all around the world. Every year thousands of tourists visit Nepal to experience a once in a lifetime experience. And with Visit Nepal 2020 starting with the new year there are an estimated 2 million visitors planning on visiting Nepal. The people in Nepal are always friendly and welcoming everywhere you go. Its cultural and natural beauty is definitely one of a kind and can be overwhelming. So if you are a traveler visiting Nepal for the first time here are a few must-know travel tips for Nepal.
Travel Tips for Nepal – Visit Nepal 2020
Nepal’s Visa
All tourists traveling to Nepal will require to get a travel visa upon entry. Make sure you have a few passport size photo’s for convenience. Dollar or Euro is accepted at the airport. A single-entry visa valid for 15/30/90 days costs USD $25/40/100. You can also apply for the visa online. Sorting out your visa is essential and one of the major things to consider before visiting Nepal to make sure you have a good time ahead.
Extending your visa is also pretty easy. If you intend on extending your stay you can visit the Department of Immigration in Kathmandu or Pokhara. You can also fill the visa extension form online. Print the confirmation and take the confirmation copy to the immigration office. The whole process is pretty easy and there won’t be much hassle. But depending on the season be prepared to wait. The extension will cost about US$30 for a 15-day extension, a longer option is also available.
Don’t travel alone
Although the idea of traveling the beautiful nation alone sounds like an experience, it is not recommended. Always get a travel guide or go through a trusted travel agency in Kathmandu. There have been instances of travelers getting lost in the vast wilderness. So no matter how comfortable you feel always have a travel guide if you plan on traveling far from the capital. Also never get a travel guide online there are lots of scams around. You can visit any travel agency and get a trusted certified guide for a day or more. Although new laws are coming so that tourists can only travel with a guide to National parks and trekking regions but it’s still yet to be decided.
Buy your clothing in Nepal
If you’re traveling or going on an expedition then you’re better off buying your gears in Nepal. The quality might not be the greatest but several knockoffs are on par to the real stuff. If the price of North face jackets seems too good to be true then it usually is. Thamel is the best spot for getting travel gears. And there are lots of places to choose from so go around ask for their best price and choose the one you like. Usually, mountaineering gears are provided by your travel agency.
Weather in Nepal is pretty much predictable so you want to wear according to the weather. Make sure you check the weather forecast before visiting Nepal.
Bring your own medications
Although there are pharmacies in Nepal you’re better off getting your meds from your home country. As there might not be the exact ones available and knock offs are not the best ones. Better to get yourself checked before visiting Nepal and get all the medications you might need. Also always carry around a hand sanitizer with you. The rural area might not have soap and water and sometimes hand sanitizers are the best option.
The air in Kathmandu is not the best. Invest in some good mask if you plan on staying in Kathmandu for a long time. For first time travelers, the pollution might also cause some respiratory problems such as coughing so get some medicines for those too.
Plan your Budget
There are so many things you can do in Nepal that you can lose track of your finances. Always plan your trip ahead and plan how much you intend on spending. Always carry some reserve cash with you as the credit card are not always reliable. If you’re traveling alone then always check your finances on a daily basis. If you’re traveling with an agency then make sure you know what will be paid for in your trip before making any payments. Nepal is relatively cheaper to travel than other countries but it can get expensive the further to travel from the capital. A good travel agency will handle all of your expenses such as airfares, rides from the airport to the hotel, hotel reservations and much more.
The prices are not fair for tourists, everywhere you go there will be tourist price and local prices. But that’s just the way it is. Make sure you convert your Dollars, Euros or any currency to Nepali rupees. Nepali currency is accepted everywhere so they are pretty useful.
Fix your accommodations before visiting
If you’re traveling alone you want to fix your accommodations before getting to Nepal. There are several hotels to choose from. Almost too many for some, that’s why it is one of the major things to consider before visiting Nepal. You could just roam around the city and find a hotel but walking around with your luggage is the last thing you want to do after a long flight. There is a website OYO where you can find rooms and book them in advance. They also have a mobile app “OYO” so you can easily choose hotels based on price and quality.
Gadgets and Accessories
If you have lots of gadgets such as cameras and smartphones you might want to get some extra juice for them. There used to be usual power outages in Kathmandu but nowadays not so much. The rural areas still have a problem with the power supply so buy yourself some power banks and extra batteries for your cameras. Also, bring a universal plug and voltage adapter kit for your electronics. Nepal uses 220V. Wifi is usually available everywhere but is not always the fastest. You might want to get a Nepali sim on arrival. Ncell is the most widely used cell network. It’s pretty cheap and the internet is also fast compared to some hotel wifi. There are various Ncell centers all around the city and registration is pretty simple. Don’t bother getting the tourist sim. A normal sim is good enough.
Essential Apps
There are some apps that are a lifesaver for tourists when they travel in Nepal. Here are some of them you might want to get before getting here.
- OYO: Find Best Hotels & Book Rooms At Great Deals
- XE Currency Converter & Exchange Rate Calculator
- MAPS.ME – Offline Map and Travel Navigation
- PeakFinder AR
- Pathao: Ridesharing App
- FlightAware Flight Tracker
- Mero Sajha: Bus Tracking App
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Hello everyone reading this comment, if you want to have memorable journey then please come to visit Nepal.