All Essential Information

Travelling to Nepal During COVID 19

a) In view of the new variant Omicron, entry permit for the travelers coming from South Africa, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Namibia, Lesotho, Eswatini, Mozambique, Malawi and Hongkong or transiting through these countries has been suspended since 2 December 2021.

b) The Department of Immigration may issue travel advisory for the travelers coming to Nepal from a country other than mentioned in (a) based on Omicron situation. Such travel advisory, besides other, will include suspension of on-arrival visa and mandatory 7-day hotel quarantine after arriving in Nepal. However, Nepali citizens, holder of diplomatic or official passports and foreign citizens having residence visa of Nepal can go to home quarantine for 10 days if they are fully vaccinated before 14 days of their arrival in Nepal, they have PCR test report showing negative result taken not earlier than 72 hours of their first boarding and they do not have any COVID-19 symptoms.

Visa on Arrival at Kathmandu Airport

The Government of Nepal has decided to resume visa on-arrival to those who have taken full dose of vaccination at least 14 days prior to arriving in Nepal. The followings provisions will be applicable to avail the visa-on-arrival:

1. The visitor shall submit the following documents in addition to the regular visa related documents:

a. COVID-19 vaccination certificate showing full does of vaccination with the last does taken at least 14 days prior to arriving in Nepal,

b. COVID-19 test report (RT-PCR, Gene Expert, True NAAT or WHO accredited test) showing negative result done within last 72 hours of boarding from the first airport or, if the traveler is entering through land boarder, taken within 72 hours of entry. This report will not be required for the children below 5 years. 

c. Copy of the permit, if applicable, for mountaineering, trekking and other activity that will require permission.

d. confirmation of hotel booked in Nepal,

e. A printed copy of the online form (International Traveler Online Arrival Form) to be filled by logging in to ccmc.gov.np.

2. All foreigners arriving in Nepal must make COVID-19 test at the immigration point in Nepal. If one is found COVID-19 positive, s/he shall go to any isolation center or hospital designated by the Ministry of Health and Population.

However, if such test facility is not available at the entry point the passenger must make COVID-19 test at any place near his/her hotel and remain isolated in the hotel till the test result comes negative.

3. Passport holder of those countries that are eligible for visa-on-arrival in Nepal can avail this facility. If your country is not listed for visa-on-arrival in Nepal, you must take prior visa to enter Nepal. 

Travelers without full doze of vaccination.

Travelers without certificate of full doze vaccination are not eligible for visa-one-arrival. They must take visa from the Embassy to enter into Nepal.  Such persons require to go for 10 days of hotel quarantine in Kathmandu to the designated hotels (please click here for the list of hotels). On the 10th day they have to test for COVID-19 in their own expenses and wait till the result. They can leave the hotel if the test result comes negative. Otherwise, if the test report comes posit they will be sent to the isolation canter or hospital designated by the Ministry of Health and Population of the Government of Nepal.  

However, diplomats and their family members, staffs working in UN agencies, International Organizations and International Non-Governmental Organizations in Nepal and their family members, who have not completed their vaccination can go for a quarantine of 10 days in a place recommended by the respective diplomatic mission or international organization if their COVID-19 test report at the entry point found negative.   

If a person who has not completed full doze of vaccination before 14 days of arrival in Nepal wishes to apply for visa to the Embassy, he/she should:

a. Submit a valid reason for not being vaccinated,

b. Submit a health insurance that covers health expenses during his/her travel in Nepal. 

c. Submit a hotel booking in the designated hotel of at least 10 days for quarantine in Kathmandu (please click here for the list of hotels).

Nepal Currency

In Nepal the currency  is the Nepalese rupee. The Indian rupees are also accepted.The euro € and US $ is accepted in exchange offices and banks. In Kathmandu, Bhaktapur, Patan in all tourist places you will easily find currency exchange offices.

Money Exchange & ATM

Lots of Commercial and Development Banks are offering ATM and accepting international cards such as visa cards, American Express, Master card etc.

For the Money exchange services, Nepal Rastra Bank publishes the official exchange rates. Whatever the exchange office, the exchange rate is fixed and the same.  The exchange counters are available in most places of Thamel, Tribhuwan International Airport, and other major tourist places such as Pokhara and Kathmandu valley.

Credit Cards & Service charge

All Credit Cards allows the cardholder to withdraw cash. Vast network of ATM located in various points in Kathmandu/Bhaktapur/Patan/Pokhara and other major cities. Most of the credit cards are widely accepted at midrange and star hotels, restaurants. Most places take a 4% surcharge to cover the credit card company’s fees to the vendor.

Personal Pharmacie

You go in the mountain in isolated areas have not always of a dispensary, therefore you must carry a personal pharmacy with medicine for treatment of a duration of 5 to 8 days: painkillers (paracetamol, aspirin), broad-spectrum antibiotics (provide a treatment of 8 days, on medical prescription), throat lozenges, spray for the nose, anti-diarrheal more intestinal antiseptic, medicine against stomach pains, pellets for the treatment of the water (hydrochlonazone or Micropur), earplugs and / or sleeping pills light, necessary to dressings (for wounds treatment and prevention of the bulbs), Elastoplaste, disinfectant, an antibiotic ointment (terramicyne), scissors, a band velpeau, biogaze, gel for aches, eye drops, ointment anti-inflammatory, vitamins C, Lip Cream, solar protection, cream for irritation of the Skin (Homéoplasmine type).

Electricity in Nepal

In Nepal the voltage and frequency are the same as in Europe (230 V, 50 Hz). You can therefore use all your devices without adapter.

In the mountains the electricity is often provided by solar panels so there is no electricity without the sun. To recharge the digital cameras, mobile phones the service is often surcharge. We advise you to bring with you two batteries.

Telephone & Internet in Nepal

It is possible to buy a local sim card prepaid  at your arrival at Kathmandu. For this you need a copy of your passport and a photo of identity. You will find of cyber cafes easily to Kathmandu and Pokhara.

NTC, NCELL, UTL and different ISP’s provide the internet facility in Nepal.

WIFI in Hotels: Many hotels and guesthouses in Nepal offer free Wi-Fi as standard.

High Altitude Sickness (HAS)

In Nepal, most of the circuits of trekking occur in altitude. The circuits having at least one night or more in more than 3 500 m of altitude are qualified of trekking in High Mountain. This altitude can generate the symptom of acute mountain sickness. The treatment to always apply is to descent (go back) as quickly as possible to a lower altitude.

Acute mountain sickness (AMS) is a syndrome of suffering, linked to a rise too fast in high altitude, at the absence of acclimation and to a personal sensitivity more or less important. Its symptoms are headache, nausea and vomiting, insomnia, general fatigue, tiredness, dizziness, balance disorder, dyspnoea and of the loss of appetite.

It is therefore a frequent disease affecting people in good health but exposed to an extreme environment of high altitude. Its incidence is variable, but increases very rapidly with altitude; it would be 15% to 2 000 meters of altitude and 60% to 4 000 meters.

This evil usually appears in the 4 to 12 hours following the arrival in altitude: it is regressing with the acclimation and disappears immediately to the descent.

Your Trekking & Hiking Equipment

Every trek & hike begins with the first step, but before you can even get started, you should make sure you have every important piece of equipment you might need for that hike or trek. You will have twice the fun with the right hiking & trekking  equipment in tow.

What equipment should I bring? for hiking & trekking in Nepal. Equipment Gear List, it depends on the type of trek you are doing. The following items are recommended for a typical multi-day trek in Nepal.

• > A Backpack  of 60 to 70 liters
• > A Good Pair of Trekking Shoes
• > A Good Pair Hiking sandals
• > Gaiters to Keep Your Ankles and Feet Dry
• > Multiple Pairs of Socks (Thick and Thin)
• > A Pair of Gloves High-Mountain or Ski Gloves
• > A Water and Windproof Jacket (Gore Tex)
• > A Sweater in Polar
• > Two Pants of Trekking
• > Shorts and Trousers For Low Altitude
• > Comfortable Hiking Trousers 
• > 3 or 4 Tee-Shirts, a Long-Sleeved Shirt
• > Glasses for The Sun and Snow
• > A Gourd of 1 Liter Minimum
• > A Frontal Lamp
• > The Solar Cream High-Protection
• > A Towel
• > A Cap 
• > A Pair of Walking Sticks
• > Rainwear
• > Rain Cover for Your Backpack
• > Water Purification Tablets
• > Hand Sanitizer
• > A Personal Medical Kit