Climate & average monthly Temperature & Rainfall  

While Nepal can be visited throughout the year, the best times are October through May. Activities like treks, climbing, rafting etc; undergo a temporary halt from June till September due to monsoon rains.  

Language & People  
Nepali is the official language. English is understood by majority of people in the cities. The country is a potpourri of more than 61 ethnic groups & sup-groups and has over 70 different languages & dialects.  
 

Entering Nepal  
Kathmandu, the capital of Nepal is linked by air with Delhi, Kolkata, Varanasi, Banglore, Mumbai, Dhaka, Paro, Karachi, Frankfurt, Paris, Munich, London, Vienna, Amsterdam, Dubai, Hong Kong, Singapore, Doha, Moscow, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, Osaka, Shanghai & Lhasa. Notable entry points for those entering the country by surface are Bhairahawa (Sunauli), Birgunj (Raxaul) & Kararbhitta (Siliguri) from India and Kodari (Zhangmu) over Tibet.

Customs & Export  
Passengers arriving at the airport without any dutiable goods can proceed through the Green channel for quick clearance without a baggage check. If the passengers are carrying dutiable articles they must pass through the Red channel with Customs clearance.  Beside personal belongings, the passengers are allowed to bring into Nepal free are; 1 pair of Binoculars, one still camera (with 15 rolls of film), one movie or video camera, a laptop computer, a portable music system, 200 cigarettes or 20 cigars, 1 bottle of liquor and a reasonable amount of perfume.  

It is illegal to export objects over 100 years old (sacred images, paintings, manuscripts) that are valued for their cultural and religious significance. As such, tourists are advised not to purchase any item of antique value as they are Nepal’s cultural heritage. The Department of Archaeology at Ramshahpath, Kathmandu has to certify all metal statues, sacred paintings & similar objects before carried out of the country.  

Electricity
All cities and towns in Nepal have electricity and rural electrification in selected areas through mini hydel projects are currently underway. Voltage available is 240-220 volts AC & 50 cycles throughout the country. Load shedding is frequently experienced in Nepal but mostly during dry months only.  

Culture  
Nepal has a rich and a most diverse culture because of its unique location between the world’s two largest and ancient civilizations. Nepal is the Holy Land of Lord Pashupatinath & Gautam Buddha, where the Hindus & Buddhists have coexisted for centuries in total harmony. Lord Buddha, the ‘light of Asia’, was born in Lumbini in Nepal’s southern plains, which makes Nepal a scared pilgrimage destination for all Buddhists as well. The Temple of Pashupatinath is Nepal’s most scared Hindu shrine and one of the four most important sites in the world for Shiva worshippers. The three ancient cities of the Valley - Kathmandu, Patan and Bhaktapur represent an epitome of harmony in urban design, elegant architecture and refined culture.  

Adventure  
Because of its geo-diversity, Nepal offers an astonishing variety of holiday activities and adventure opportunities found nowhere else on earth. Adventure tourism in Nepal dates back to the early attempts to scale the world’s highest peaks. While trekking, mountaineering and game watching have long been popular, an entire range of other possibilities have been explored in the recent years; hot-air ballooning, mountain flight excursion, whitewater rafting, canoeing, mountain-biking, motor-biking, fishing, rock climbing, paragliding, ultra-light aircraft flights, pony treks & bungy-jumping etc; The varied landscape offers some of the best sites for such exciting activities; raging rivers to run, mountains to scale, clear blue skies to glide through, beautiful lakes to swim in, fascinating villages to explore, unpolluted rivers to fish in or raft down and a wild terrain to travel through.  

Holidays  
Saturday is the weekly holiday. Only government offices in Kathmandu are closed on Sundays as well. Most of the shops and Tibetan refugee camps remain closed on Saturdays. All museums remain closed on Tuesdays and government holidays.  

Money, Currency regulations & Credit cards  

The local currency is Nepalese Rupee subdivided into 100 Paisa. Currency notes are available in 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, 25, 50, 100, 500 & 1000 rupee denominations.  

Import of Indian currency by any tourist except Indian nationals is strictly prohibited. A foreign exchange encashment receipt must be obtained for all foreign currency exchanged and it is possible to exchange back into foreign currency upon production of exchange receipts at the time of departure at the airport. Credit cards like American Express, Master & Visa cards are widely accepted at all major hotels, shops & restaurants.  

Passport & Visa  
A valid passport is required for all tourists except Indian nationals.

Visa fees:

Customs & Export
Passengers arriving at the airport without any dutiable goods can proceed through the Green channel for quick clearance without a baggage check. If the passengers are carrying dutiable articles they must pass through the Red channel with Customs clearance. Beside personal belongings, the passengers are allowed to bring into Nepal free are; 1 pair of Binoculars, one still camera (with 15 rolls of film), one movie or video camera, a laptop computer, a portable music system, 200 cigarettes or 20 cigars, 1 bottle of liquor and a reasonable amount of perfume.

It is illegal to export objects over 100 years old (sacred images, paintings, manuscripts) that are valued for their cultural and religious significance. As such, tourists are advised not to purchase any item of antique value as they are Nepal’s cultural heritage. The Department of Archaeology at Ramshahpath, Kathmandu has to certify all metal statues, sacred paintings & similar objects before carried out of the country.

Health Guide - Inoculation  
We recommend that the clients get themselves immunized against certain illness that are not prevalent in their home country such as Cholera, Typhoid, Malaria, Meningitis, Hepatitis etc; Their physician would be best able to advise them on the availability and administration of these inoculations.  

Please ensure that all water is boiled & filtered before consumption. Normally all hotels and reputed restaurants in Kathmandu serve boiled & filtered water. If in doubt, please stick to soft drinks or bottled mineral water.  

Health Guide - Insurance  
A travel insurance policy that covers theft, loss & medical treatment is recommended. Tourists should make sure that their insurance policies also cover soft adventure activities during their stay in Nepal such as rafting, trekking etc; For high altitude trekkers and climbers, policies should also cover helicopter evacuation expenses in the eventuality of serious illness or accident or if clients are stranded in remote areas due to unexpected bad weather conditions

Health Guide - Medical Kit  
A simple but adequate First Aid medical kit can be most useful. The followings are recommended:  

1.  Aspirin - for pain or fever  
2.  Antihistamine - useful as a decongestant for colds, allergies, to ease the itch from insect bites  
3.  Antibiotic - useful if the clients are traveling well off the beaten track  
4.  Kaolin preparation (Pepto-Bismol), Imodium or Lomita, for treatment of severe diarrhea.  
5.  Antiseptic, Mercurochrome & antibiotic powder or similar “dry spray” - for cuts & stings  
6.  Bandages & band-aids - for minor injuries.  
7.  Scissors & a thermometer.  
8.  Insect repellent, sun block, sustain lotion, water purification tablets.  
9.  Paracetamol  
10. Antacid tablets  

WORLD HERITAGE SITES IN NEPAL & NATIONAL PARKS / CONSERVATION AREAS  

AIRFARES (subject to change)  

Domestic sector (Y class) (excl. airport taxes)
 

International sectors (excl. airport taxes)

Note: The airport taxes must be shown on the tickets for the flights from Paro (US$ 19), Delhi (US$ 6), Kolkata (US$ 6), Bangkok (US$ 20) and Lhasa (US$ 11).