Nepal Travel Guide

• An excellent budget destination this country can easily be combined with other trips due to its close proximity to India and China.
• Experience the real Nepal! Get up close with the friendly locals and join in the fun of traditional Nepalese festivals.
• Exercise your adventurous side with treks in the Himalayan Mountains.
• Seek spirituality in the hidden temples and secret shrines in the backstreets of towns and villages.
• Exhilarate the senses by crashing through the natural waterways on a river rafting excursion.

The capital of Nepal is Kathmandu and, as the only large city in the entire country, it attracts intrepid travellers from all over! This vibrant city will have you shocked and stunned by the bustling daily life and spectacular sights!

• Ascend the ‘steps to heaven’ by trekking to Everest base camp!
• Learn the secrets to tasty local cuisine by doing a Nepalese cooking course.
• Walk through a variety of landscapes from Sherpa villages, glacial landscapes and lush green forests on multi-ability trekking trips.
• Brush up on your yoga skills and maybe even join a retreat at the yoga school in Patan.
• Get lost in the madness of Kathmandu at the Asan Tole shrine. Dedicated to the Goddess of Abundance this area is also a hotspot of market activity!
• Discover the traditional architecture of the UNESCO world heritage site of Durbar Square in the heart of the old town of Kathmandu.
• Explore the Tibetan villages and caves around the beautiful lake town of Pokhara.
• See if you can spot tigers or the rare rhino in the Royal Chitwan National Park.

Nepalese food is very healthy and nutritious! As it is influenced by neighbouring Indian and Chinese cuisine expect to find a variety of food during your stay! Rice is a staple food and in high-altitude areas where rice is scarce, the staple food is Dhiro (a thick paste produced from corn or millet).

As the majority of Nepalese are Hindu, no beef is eaten as cows are considered holy and sacred. Being a vegetarian is not a problem in Nepal as vegetables are abundant and usually eaten as part of most meals.

A typical meal might include rice, lentil soup or vegetable curry with an assortment of spicy condiments.

Due to the vastly varied landscape across the country, the weather will vary. The general rule is the higher up you travel the colder and drier it is! High up in the Himalayas the temperatures rarely rise above freezing - something to bear in mind for trekkers!

From March to April and October to November the temperatures become a lot warmer (24-28°C range). Watch out for the Monsoon season in May and June when the weather is hot, sticky and wet, wet, wet! During the winter months (November to March) the weather can get very cold and snow is common, although rarely settles in places like Kathmandu and Pokhara!

Visas

Visas may be required in order to enter or transit through certain countries depending on your passport nationality, your reason for travel and how long you intend to stay.

Visa, passport and entry rules are subject to change and you should check the most up-to-date information from the relevant embassy or visa specialist.

To make things easier we have teamed up with The Travel Visa Company who are one of the UK’s leading travel visa specialists. You can use their website, alongside embassy websites,  to find out the specific entry requirements for the countries you intend to travel to.

For a fee, their dedicated team of experts can also apply for visas on your behalf, taking away the hassle and streamlining the process for you if you wish. For more details on the services they provide please click here – The Travel Visa Company

Passports

Passports must be kept in good condition. Travellers with damaged passports may be refused entry at immigration. It is the responsibility of the traveller to ensure that all travel documents are in good condition before they travel. Most countries will also require at least 6 months of validity on your passport from the time you finish your trip.

Further Entry Requirements

Some countries will require proof of certain vaccines, such as yellow fever or covid, in order to gain entry. Please check with the relevant embassy or a visa specialist before travelling.

The official language is Nepali, though there are hundreds of local and regional languages used by the more remote populations.

European plugs with two circular metal pins can be used in Nepal. British travellers will need to bring a universal adapter for use with British appliances.

Road Safety

We do not recommend hiring motorbikes, scooters, ATV vehicles, quad bikes or other types of motorised vehicles whilst abroad. Safety and quality of vehicles vary considerably and the traffic conditions can be much more dangerous than what UK travellers are used to. Should you wish to go against this advice, you should ensure you are hiring from a reputable company and that your travel insurance covers you for such activities.