Traveling to Nepal & the Himalayan Mountains
The small South Asian country of Nepal is probably best known worldwide for being home to the Himalaya, the tallest mountain range on Earth. The hiking and trekking in Nepal is among the best in the world, featuring views of seemingly endless white peaks. Shanghai Tower, one of the world’s tallest skyscrapers, reports a height just over 2km while Mount Everest boasts a height 8 times that at 8,850m!
Nepal is also home to some amazing adventure activities like paragliding, hiking and backpacking. Travelers can explore countless ancient temples and religious sites (including the birthplace of the Buddha).
While in Nepal make sure you enjoy some really delicious food (the Nepali take on dumplings, called momos, are not to be missed).
Although parts of the country are still recovering from the massive, devastating earthquakes of April and May 2015, Nepal is open for tourism. Even with the rebuilding efforts, Nepal is still an incredible place to travel. Read on to discover how to travel to Nepal, and what you should see when you get here!
Getting to Nepal
Flying Is Your Best Bet
Nepal is bordered by Tibet on the north and India on the south. The Tibetan side is impassable by land (unless you plan on climbing over a very tall mountain). Unless you’re interested in a very long bus ride from India, your best bet for getting to Nepal is flying into its largest city, Kathmandu.
Kathmandu’s Tribhuvan International Airport (airport code KTM) has many direct flights from major cities such as Bangkok, Delhi, several Chinese cities, and many locations in the Middle East. If you’re planning on flying from somewhere beside Asia, however, you will probably have to transfer at least once.
Getting a Nepal Tourist Visa
It is easy to get a tourist visa upon arrival in Tribhuvan International Airport if you’re a citizen of most countries. Notable exceptions are Nigeria, Ghana, Zimbabwe, Swaziland, Cameroon, Somalia, Liberia, Ethiopia, Iraq, Palestine, Afghanistan and Syria. Indian citizens do not need a visa to travel to Nepal.
A 15 day tourist visa costs $25 USD, a 30 day visa costs $40 USD, and a 90 day visa costs $100 USD. You MUST bring cash with you to pay for your visa upon arrival. Accepted currencies include US dollars, Canadian dollars, Euros, Japanese yen, Thai Baht, and a few others. Nepali rupees, however, are not accepted. If you don’t want to carry a large amount of cash with you, you can also apply for a tourist visa online.
You may extend your tourist visa for up to 150 days in a calendar year, for an additional $2 per day. That may seem like a long time to travel in Nepal, but once you get here you’ll understand how easy it is to fall in love with this beautiful country!
Traveling Within Nepal
Nepal has a number of airports, and many tourists use air travel to get to various trekking start points. For example, most people trekking to Everest Base Camp fly into Lukla Airport. Flights to most locations cost about 100€ one way.
Many other people opt to take tourist buses, which are a cheaper, if much longer, way to travel. Tourist buses run frequently between popular destinations, and many are quite comfortable. These can be a great option if you have some more time to travel and are on a budget. For example, a one way flight to Pokhara (the jumping off point for the Annapurna Base Camp trek) costs about 90€ ($100) and takes one hour. In another example, a tourist bus to Pokhara takes about 8 hours, but only costs about 8€ ($10).
If you are really on a budget, local and minibuses are also available. Local buses do not have the best safety records. This is mainly due, to Nepal’s often sub-standard roads and twisting mountain paths. Minibuses are safer and quicker, but can be quite crowded.
If you want to travel by land in a bit more comfort, renting a car and driver is also an option that many tourists take. Cost varies depending on where you’re going, the type of vehicle you rent, and petrol prices. A rule of thumb for rentals will be around 50€ ($55) per day. Taxis are also available, and many drivers in Kathmandu are willing to go longer distances if given some notice.
Overwhelmed by these choices? Luckily, there are hundreds of reputable travel agencies in Nepal that can help you get from place to place and make sure that your traveling goes easily when you’re in Nepal. If you’re a first-time traveler to this part of the world, I highly recommend that you use a reputable (and preferably locally-owned) travel agency to help you get around! TripAdvisor and Lonely Planet are good places to start to find these agencies.
When Should You Come to Nepal?
Nepal’s high season is in October and November, with good reason. The air is clear, the days are warm, and the nights are still temperate. The winter season begins in December and lasts through February. During the winter season certain high-altitude treks may be difficult to complete. Check with your guide or travel agency to see whether a winter trek is possible; many places are still lovely in the winter!
The second high season lasts from the end of February through mid April. While the views oftentimes aren’t as clear, the weather is good and there’s no rain!
April and May are hottest months, which may make certain treks a little harder. Again, though, it is best to check with your company.
Low season is also monsoon season, which usually lasts from the middle of June through the middle of September. Many roads in Nepal become impassable during this time, and trekking, while possible, is certainly not ideal.
Must See Destinations In Nepal : What to Do
What to Do: Trekking in Nepal
Nepal is best known, hands-down, for its trekking. For those of you unfamiliar with the term, a trek is another word for a multi-day hike. Treks typically feature guesthouses, hot food, and sometimes even hot showers and wifi! Nepal’s well-traveled trekking routes all have a number of small guesthouses (also called teahouses) where most travelers choose to spend the night. This allows people to travel without the extra burden of carrying tents, sleeping bags, food, and cooking equipment. These teahouses also can be a great way to get to know other travelers.
Nepal has dozens of amazing treks to choose from, which you can narrow down depending on your fitness level and vacation length. It’s possible to trek for months at a time, going into the most remote areas of the country; it’s also possible to do a two-day trek around the Kathmandu Valley.
The most popular treks in Nepal include: Everest Base Camp (12-13 days); the Annapurna Circuit (13-14 days); Annapurna Base Camp (9-10 days); Poon Hill (4-6 days); and Langtang National Park (7-13 days). A longer trek is the Annapurna Circuit which is at least a week of travel. It’s also possible to create a multi-day trek featuring great Himalaya views around the Kathmandu Valley if you don’t have time to travel far from the city.
Trekking in Nepal is an incredible experience, featuring altitude at thousands of meters, varied landscapes, breathtaking views, and otherworldly sunrises and sunsets. If you decide to come to this amazing country and are in appropriate physical shape, I highly recommend that you go on at least a short trek— or, if you have time, a longer one. Getting up close and personal with the Himalaya is not an experience to be missed.
Trekking in Nepal: Guides and Porters
Most travelers choose to hire guides and/or porters during their treks. What’s the difference? A guide is a just that: A person who guides you through your trek. This person knows where you should go, speaks your language well, coordinates guesthouse stays, meals, and travel, and keeps you company during your time out on your trek. I recommend hiring a guide if this is your first time trekking in Nepal, or if you plan on going to a more remote place with fewer tourist facilities.
Guides are not responsible for carrying your belongings. If you would like to hire someone to help you carry extra weight so you can enjoy your trek without a heavy backpack, you should hire a porter. Porters generally do not speak your language (although some of them do!) and are not responsible for coordinating your travel. They are there to make your trip easier by carrying some of your belongings.
Your tour company should have connections with reputable, experienced guides. I recommend meeting up with your guide before you head out. After all, you want to make sure that you get along with each other! Guides generally get paid anywhere from 18€ to 75€ ($20-$80) a day (not including tip), depending on the number of people in your group and their experience level.
It is important to emphasize that when you hire a porter or guide, you are an employer. That means that you are responsible for paying them, providing room, board, and insurance during the trek (which a travel company should be able to coordinate), and maintaining a respectful relationship. Being a guide is a reliable and comparatively well-paying job option for many Nepalis, and the vast majority of guides take their jobs very seriously. Make sure that you, in turn, are a respectful guest.
Porters in particular can get the short end of the stick, since their work is backbreaking and they are often from poorer families. If you hire a porter through a travel agency, check to make sure that they are carrying only a reasonable amount of weight (25kg at most, adjusted for altitude) and are being paid a fair wage (9€-14€ ($10-$15) a day, not including room, board, and insurance).
Besides providing you with excellent support, your guide and porter can be a wonderful way to get to know the locals in the areas where you’re trekking. It’s likely that the porter is from the area. Be friendly with your guide and porter, ask them to teach yousome Nepali (or local language), and remember that one of the best things about coming to Nepal is getting to know new friends!
What to Do: Kathmandu Valley
Kathmandu is Nepal’s biggest city, with about 2 million living in the city proper and as many as 5 million living in the greater Kathmandu Valley. Kathmandu is where most travelers enter and leave the country, and it certainly the most cosmopolitan and developed part of the country. The Kathmandu Valley is also home to some of the most amazing cultural sites in South Asia, and no travelers should leave Nepal without spending a few days here.
Most trekkers stay in Thamel, Kathmandu’s famed (and perhaps notorious) tourist district. In the 1960s and 70s, the Thamel and neighboring Freak Street area is where hippies from Europe and the United States came to partake of drugs and Hindu and Buddhist spiritual practices. Some of them still haven’t left. Thamel is quieter these days, but its still the only place in Kathmandu with a sizable nightlife, and you could spend a full day wandering its streets, buying local crafts, and eating delicious food from all over the world.
Outside of Thamel, most travelers choose to spend their time in Kathmandu checking out Boudhanath Stupa, one of the largest stupas in Nepal. Post-earthquake reconstruction was just completed, and it is particularly beautiful at sunset. Other not-to-be missed sites in Kathmandu are Pashupatinath, the largest temple complex in the Kathmandu Valley, and Swayambhunath, also known as the Monkey Temple, a tall hill on the city outskirts with Buddhist temples, a monastery, and incredible views (not to mention many, many monkeys; don’t feed or pet them!) Kathmandu Durbar Square has suffered some earthquake damage, but is definitely worth a visit.
You should also take a day or two to explore Bhaktapur and Patan, Kathmandu’s quieter neighboring cities. Patan is home to Patan Durbar Square, where the ancient kings used to live, as well as Mangal Bazaar, a Newari neighborhood filled with twisting alleyways and hidden courtyards. Don’t miss sampling selroti, a rice-flour donut you can buy at most bakeries in the neighborhood, or chhang, the local rice wine.
Bhaktapur, about 10 kilometers east of Kathmandu, is home to the incredible Bhaktapur Durbar Square, and is known for its pottery and yogurt. In my opinion, it’s worth a trip out to Bhaktapur just to sample its “King Curd,” known locally as jujudau.
What to Do: Safaris, Cultural Sites, and More in Nepal
Although Nepal is best known for its trekking, it is also home to a number of other amazing sights. Chitwan National Park and Bardia National Park are excellent jungle trekking areas where tourists can spot rhinos, leopards, and sometimes even Bengali tigers. Chitwan is more developed than Bardia.
Lumbini, the birthplace of the Gautama Buddha, founder of Buddhism, contains a number of sacred sites. Many Buddhists make a pilgrimage to Lumbini each year, praying by the very spot where Queen Mayadevi supposedly gave birth to Siddartha Gautama. In 1997, Lumbini was made a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.
Many trekkers beginning the Poon Hill or Annapurna Base Camp treks will spend a few days in Pokhara, the second-largest city in Nepal. Most travelers will stay in Lakeside, the tourist neighborhood next to Phewa Tal, the second-largest lake in Nepal. There are a few lovely day hikes from Pokhara, including one to the World Peace Pagoda on the opposite side of Phewa Tal. Travelers can catch one of the most awe-inspiring sunrises in the country from Sarangkot, a nearby hill. Pokhara also has some of the best paragliding in the world!
With all that amazing Himalayan water power, rafting is a very popular activity in Nepal. I suggest rafting sooner rather than later, though. Many dams are being built to create hydroelectricity, and certain rivers will no longer be possible to traverse.
What to Do: Safaris, Cultural Sites, and More in Nepal
Although Nepal is best known for its trekking, it is also home to a number of other amazing sights. Chitwan National Park and Bardia National Park are excellent jungle trekking areas where tourists can spot rhinos, leopards, and sometimes even Bengali tigers. Chitwan is more developed than Bardia.
Lumbini, the birthplace of the Gautama Buddha, founder of Buddhism, contains a number of sacred sites. Many Buddhists make a pilgrimage to Lumbini each year, praying by the very spot where Queen Mayadevi supposedly gave birth to Siddartha Gautama. In 1997, Lumbini was made a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.
Many trekkers beginning the Poon Hill or Annapurna Base Camp treks will spend a few days in Pokhara, the second-largest city in Nepal. Most travelers will stay in Lakeside, the tourist neighborhood next to Phewa Tal, the second-largest lake in Nepal. There are a few lovely day hikes from Pokhara, including one to the World Peace Pagoda on the opposite side of Phewa Tal. Travelers can catch one of the most awe-inspiring sunrises in the country from Sarangkot, a nearby hill. Pokhara also has some of the best paragliding in the world!
With all that amazing Himalayan water power, rafting is a very popular activity in Nepal. I suggest rafting sooner rather than later, though. Many dams are being built to create hydroelectricity, and certain rivers will no longer be possible to traverse.
Many trekkers beginning the Poon Hill or Annapurna Base Camp treks will spend a few days in Pokhara, the second-largest city in Nepal. Most travelers will stay in Lakeside, the tourist neighborhood next to Phewa Tal, the second-largest lake in Nepal. There are a few lovely day hikes from Pokhara, including one to the World Peace Pagoda on the opposite side of Phewa Tal. Travelers can catch one of the most awe-inspiring sunrises in the country from Sarangkot, a nearby hill. Pokhara also has some of the best paragliding in the world!
With all that amazing Himalayan water power, rafting is a very popular activity in Nepal. I suggest rafting sooner rather than later, though. Many dams are being built to create hydroelectricity, and certain rivers will no longer be possible to traverse.
Responsible and Respectful Travel in Nepal
For travelers who did not grow up in South Asia, it’s important to realize that Nepal has some important social norms that may be different from their own home. As a traveler in another country, it is essential to make sure that you understand and follow certain customs, to ensure that you are being a good and respectful foreign guest!
Nepalis generally dress more conservatively than most Westerners. As a general rule, make sure that your shoulders and knees are covered. Thin-strapped tops, miniskirts, and shorts are considered risque and potentially rude, and men should never go bare-chested in public.
If you are traveling as a couple, Nepal is probably not the best place to publicly display your affection. Hand-holding in becoming more common in Kathmandu and Pokhara amongst young people, but most couples don’t touch— and certainly don’t kiss or cuddle— in public. Do not place your feet on furniture or point the soles of your feet at another person, as feet are considered the dirtiest part of the body. Likewise, do not step over another person, as this causes the soles of your feet to face them!
Haggling is a part of life in Nepal, and you should haggle for taxis, clothing, crafts, and produce prices. While you will almost certainly be charged more as a tourist, remember that haggling should be done in good spirits, and that $1 is probably worth much more to the shopkeeper or taxi driver than it is to you.
If you want to volunteer while you are traveling, make sure to thoroughly research the organization with which you will be working. Unfortunately, there are a large number of fake orphanages in Nepal, which oftentimes keep children from their families so tourists can pay money to play with them. Additionally, do not give money to street children. Giving money encourages children to stay on the street, and there are nonprofit organizations dedicated to helping these children that could use your money more effectively. The same goes for earthquake relief. While there are projects that could use volunteers, it’s often better and more efficient to donate your money instead of going out on a project yourself.
Conclusion
Nepal is a truly incredible country, with unique cultural sites, miles-high mountains, and delicious food. Many travelers find Nepalis to be some of the most welcoming people on earth. Those who spend time in this amazing place almost always want to come back, and many do! This article has given you an overview of how you can get to Nepal, and some of the not-to-miss activities and sites you should visit during your time here, but there is so much left to discover. Book your flight soon!
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