What is Nepal known for?
Nepal is known for Mount Everest, the highest mountain in the world, spectacular natural beauty that can be seen in its land especially hilly regions, known as the birth place of Lord Buddha, and the Hindu Goddess Lord Sita. Also known as the home of Gurkha Warriors. It is also known as a country with abundant Natural Water Sources.
What’s the currency of Nepal?
Currency is spelled as Nepalese Rupees or Rupee (Rs) or in short NRS. 100 Paisa equals 1 Rs. Nepali Notes are: 1000, 500, 100, 50, 10, 5, 2, and 1 rupees.
How do I get to Nepal?
In order to fly directly to Nepal from your home country, Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA) in Kathmandu is the only international airport in Nepal. Thai Airways, Gulf Air, Qatar, Indian Airlines, Jet Airways, Korean Air, Etihad Air, Silk Air, Air Arabia, Druk Air, Jet lite, Dragon Air, Air China and Cathay Pacific carry most of the foreign travelers to Kathmandu. If you buy tickets from any other airlines, you will probably connect with one of these airlines for the final leg of your flight. Alternatively, if you have valid visa, you can also travel to Nepal via India and Tibet (China).
When is the best time to visit Nepal?
October and November is considered the best time of the year. The main festivals of Dashain and Tihar (greatest Hindu festivals) fall during these months. The sky will remain clear and the temperature is pleasant. February-May are also months for travel, as you will see rhododendrons blooming in the mountains while you are on trek. December and mid-February will be snowy and cold in the mountains, still very good times to come.
What are my options to come to Nepal from India?
You can fly between Delhi and Kathmandu as there are many flights available in this sector. There are a number of overland entry points for travel by road and you could come by train to Ghorakpur, travelling the rest of the way by road.
Do I need visa to enter Nepal?
All foreign nationals, except Indian citizens, need visa to enter Nepal.
What do I need to get my visa?
You need a valid passport, two passport size photos and money.
Where do I apply to get my visa?
The best way to apply for visa is from the Royal Nepalese diplomatic missions in your home country. The other choice is to get it from Immigration Office at the entry points of Nepal. You can get a visa on arrival at Tribhuvan Airport.
How to book the trip?
To book any of our trips, you are requested to fill our online booking form or just send us a simple e-mail with your requirements. We charge 5% of the total trip cost, which is a non-refundable deposit. We will send you a comprehensive trip itinerary after booking.
What are the entry points of Nepal?
They are:
Tribhuvan International Airport, Kathmandu
Kakarvitta(Jhapa)- Eastern part of Nepal that has border with India
Birgunj, (Parsa)- Central part of Nepal that has border with India
Jamunaha (Nepalgunj)( Banke, mid-western part that has border with India)
Mohana(Dhangadi)(Kailali, Far western part that has border with India)
Gadda Chauki (Mahendranagar)(Kanchanpur, Far western part that has border with India)
What are my options to come to Nepal from India?
Please note that Delhi-Kathmandu-Delhi flight is very busy and without proper reservations in advance it can be difficult to get seats.
Alternatively, you can travel overland to Nepal from India by bus. There are three main entry points: Sunauli-Bhairahawa, Birgung-Raxual and Kakarvita. The Sunauli border crossing is the best option to make your entry into Nepal from Varanasi; the Birgunj crossing is the easiest from Calcutta and Kakarbhitta is the best crossing point from Darjeeling and Sikkim. These overland trips from India can be quite long and stressful and are not recommended for those people who want to have stress-free travelling.
What is the payment method?
You can pay us by cash/travellers check/visa or master card while booking the trip with us. There will be certain bank charges if you pay by credit card.
Do we need to cover travel insurance?
Yes, we advise you to get your insurance cover from your home country.
What is the Night-Life like in Nepal?
Night life in Nepal is almost dead in comparison to other parts of the world. A few places in Kathmandu and Pokhara can offer you unmatched opportunities. You can have an enjoyable experience in Thamel, Lazimpat and Durbarmarg regions where hundreds of tourist shops, restaurants and bars awaits to your full entertainment and night-life hangouts. Metered Night Cabs are available so can you easily reach your hotels from any restaurants in the city area.
Do I need to obtain Permit before trekking in Nepal?
Trekking permit is only required to trek in the restricted areas such as Dolpa, Kanchenjunga. Permit can be obtained easily from the Tourism Department, located at Thamel, Kathmandu. Application can be submitted after your arrive in Nepal. The permit is not required to trek in areas such as Everest, and Annapurna.
What kind of Accommodation I can have during the trip?
In Kathmandu we do provide stars hotel as per you request and during the trekking, we provide you guest house which is called tea house. Tea house are more like hotels with hot showers, western food and private room (twin sharing). In this arrangement overnight halts with dinner and breakfast will be in Tea houses (Lodges) and Lunch in local restaurants en-route. Furthermore as you will be staying in locally owned lodges you will be benefiting and interacting with the local community. It will give you a true feel for the Nepalese people and their lives.
Do I have to tip my guide/porter?
Your porter/guide should not ‘ask you’ for anything, however at the end of your trek if he has done a good job and you feel he warrants a thank you, by all means give him something.
How fit do I have to be for Trekking?
No, you do not have to be a marathon runner or training for the Olympics. But you do have to be fit and healthy. Depending on your walking/trekking speeds, you may have to trek for 5 to 7 hours per day on a trek, and no mountaineering skills needed, to do trek.
Can I make my trek longer?
Yes, it is our pleasure. Just let us know what you would like and we will do our best to help you. We never force our clients to follow our set itineraries. We can make our itineraries flexible accordingly client’s interest.
Is Communication to home possible on trek?
There are telephones in many villages along the popular trekking routes from which you can make international calls. Also most mobiles will work in mountains but please ask for a Nepali sim card. We inform daily trekking report to your relatives to home.
What will happen if I get injured?
If it is serious (this has never happened). You will again be taken care by our staff. If evacuation is required this will be arranged by Himalayan Spirit Treks team. It’s advised that if you have any personal doubts you should have evacuation insurance arranged. Himalayan Spirit Treks team can advise you on this.
Will I get sick?
Not likely. The worst is you may get some diarrhoea or temporary stomach upset. Please look our staying healthy during holiday topic for details .Follow the health advice given in our briefings during welcome dinner and you’ll be fine.
What equipment should I bring?
Following are the general idea of the personal items to be brought by a trekker to trek in Nepal. The personal items, in fact, are the individual interest, choice & the luxury. Besides, the most important fact he/she must consider is the time of the year, trekking days, region & altitude.