The great outdoors' are truly magnificent in Nepal. Rising up between the fertile plains of India in the south and the desert-like plateau of Tibet in the north, Nepal has been described as the biggest natural museum in the world. With its environment ranging from sub-tropical to artic, it's full of surprises. In addition to its infamous mountain range, Nepal has thick tropical jungles teeming with rare and endangered wildlife, thundering rivers inviting you to conquer them, forested hills and some awesome glaciers. That's a striking record for a country only 880km wide (E - W) and between 145km - 241km deep (N - S).
While its population of approximately 23m people speak Nepali, Nepal comprises more than 61 ethnic groups and 70 dialects. These dialects can normally be heard more in rural areas outside Kathmandu, Nepal's capital city. Nepal's key religions, Hinduism and Buddhism will add extra colour to your visit as you'll see shrines to the Gods and experience festivals that take place throughout the year.
Striving to differentiate itself from India, Nepal's standard time is 15 minutes ahead of Indian standard time and 5 hours 45 minutes ahead of GMT. The Nepali Rupee (Rs.) is available in denominations of one, two, five, 10, 20, 25, 50, 100, 500 and 1000 rupees. There are a growing number of ATM's in Kathmandu and other international currencies including the US dollar, Pound sterling and the Indian rupee are readily accepted in most places, although small denominations of the Nepali Rs. are a necessity out of the main cities.
Communication is continually improving in Nepal. Internet and telephone services are widespread and reliable in Kathmandu and Pokhara. These facilities are becoming more readily available in other towns although the cost, speed and quality of connection can differ greatly. The same is true of electricity supply, which is found in major towns and some interesting outposts such as Namche Bazaar, 3343m above sea level!
Entry Requirements
Visa
You'll need a visa to enter Nepal. You can obtain a visa at the Nepal embassy or consulate in your home country or you can get one on arrival at Kathmandu's Tribhuvan International airport or at any road border. If you plan to stay longer than the duration of your initial 60-day visa, you’ll need to apply for a visa extension. The standard Nepali visa is valid for three months from the date of issue, so if you are getting yours before you leave home, don't apply too early, or it will expire before you want it to! Children under 10 years do not require a visa.
To ensure that you are given the most accurate information and obtain the right visa, we advise you to contact on your own, the embassy or consulate.
Temperature and Weather/When to visit
Many of Nepal’s ‘extreme’ activities will be weather dependent and only available at certain times of the year. Trekking is available almost all year round (although some routes might be inaccessible during the winter) but the weather conditions will influence the type of experience you’re in for!
Nepal basically has two seasons, a dry season that occurs between October to May and a wet season (monsoon) that starts roughly in June and continues until September. Both seasons have advantages and disadvantages; you just have to decide what you're planning to do when you get here.
Kathmandu sizzles at 30°C between May - September particularly just before the monsoon starts. Although the temperature drops to 20°C in the city during the winter, bright sunny days make it a comfortable place to be but it’s much colder at night and it's a very different picture in the mountains. Altitude has a significant impact on temperature. Trekkers on the Annapurna Circuit around Christmas time should be prepared with their down sleeping bags as night-time temperatures can plummet to about -7°C. While that sounds harsh, by braving frosty mornings you are rewarded with incredible mountains views on perfectly crisp days. Worth every moment of the early morning chill!
October to November followed by February to April is tipped as the best times to visit Nepal. The former months present you with Nepal at its most beautiful as the recently finished monsoon leaves the countryside lush and green and the most colourful festivals take place. The latter is especially good for high-altitude trekkers as the weather starts to get warmer and the rhododendrons are in bloom.
