Nepal

Understand

Geography

Nepal can be divided into the follwoing geographic regions, south to north:

Outer Tarai — Level plains, a cultural and linguistic extension of northern India. Here Nepali speakers are outnumbered by Awadhi, Bhojpuri and Maithili languages. Lumbini and Janakpur are major tourist and pilgrimage spots here, with most other cities being transport hubs for travel between India and Nepal. It offer opportunities for intimate exposure to traditional Indian culture that have become less available in India itself. Sivalik Range or Churia Hills — the outermost and lowest range of the Himalayas, about 600 m (2,000 ft) high. Extends across the country east to west but with significant gaps and many subranges. The area is largely undeveloped due to poor soil and no agriculture, and is home to primitive hunter-gatherers. Inner Tarai — Large valleys between the Sivaliks and the higher mountain ranges. The Dang and Deukhuri valleys in the Mid West are the largest, offering opportunities to experience Tharu art and culture. Chitwan south of Kathmandu is another of these valleys, known for the Chitwan National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site where tigers, rhinos, crocodiles, deer and birds can be observed. Originally these valleys were malarial and lightly populated by Tharus who had evolved resistance and developed architectural and behavioural adaptations limiting exposure to the most dangerous nocturnal mosquitoes. Suppression of mosquitoes with DDT in the 1960s opened these valleys to settlers from the hills who cleared forests and displaced and exploited Tharus. Nevertheless, more remote parts of these valleys still have the Garden of Eden quality - forests broken by indefinite fields, lazy rivers, fascinating aboriginal peoples. Mahabharat Range — A prominent conti

See

Mount Everest, the highest mountain in the world is probably Nepal's most famous sight, and much of the country consists of very high mountains. There are four UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Nepal:

The Kathmandu Valley, obviously including the capital but also the cities of Bhaktapur and Patan. Sagarmatha National Park. Chitwan National Park. Lumbini, the birthplace of Buddha.

Do

Trekking

Since 2023, solo trekking in many reg

Getting there

Entry requirements

Visas

Citizens of India may stay in Nepal indefinitely without a visa. Citizens of Bangladesh, Bhutan, the Maldives, Pakistan and Sri Lanka may obtain a free visa-on-arrival for stays of up to 30 days regardless of reason of visit. citizens of China (mainland), Hong Kong and Macau are also eligible for a free visa-on-arrival for stays of up to 30 days, but are only permitted to visit for tourism. Nationals of Nigeria, Ghana, Zimbabwe, Cameroon, Eswatini, Somalia, Liberia, Ethiopia, Iraq, Palestine and Afghanistan are required to obtain visas before arrival. Tourist Visas are available on arrival for citizens of many countries at Kathmandu airport and designated frontier posts (see below) and cost:

US$30 for 15 days US$50 for 30 days US$125 for 90 days Tourist visas can be granted for a maximum of 150 days in a visa year. You can also pay this on arrival in other convertible currencies such as euros, pounds sterling, Chinese reminbi and Australian dollars, although US dollars are always preferred and some smaller entry points (like Birgunj) may only accept US dollars, and Kodari only accepts US dollars and Chinese reminbi. All tourist visas are the "multiple entry" type and allow multiple entries and exits during the period of validity. Volunteering while on a tourist visa without permission is strictly prohibited. More details are available on the official website of Nepal Immigration Visa Application Visas can be applied for online at nepalimmigration.gov.np, but as the online application form requires information about the intended place of stay in Nepal that is difficult to acquire (such as ward number, municipality, district etc.), it generally more convenient to complete the visa application after arrival. To extend your tourist visa, visi

Getting around

By plane There are a number of domestic airlines in Nepal such as Yeti Air, Tara Air and Nepal Airlines that offer frequent flights to many destinations around the country. Destinations to and from Kathmandu include places like Biratnagar, Nepalganj, Lukla, Pokhara, Simikot, Jomsom, Janakpur and Bharatpur. To arrange flights from outside Nepal, there are a number of on-line booking agents who can make bookings, take payment (credit/debit cards/PayPal) and then send e-tickets. If you are buying tickets while in Nepal or if you are flying at short notice, it is necessary to be flexible on flight times and dates as the planes often get fully booked in advance. Cancellations and delays due to severe weather conditions do occur. If you have time, just board the next plane.

By bus

Micro bus – They are 10-12 seaters with very fast and popular service. It has almost replaced local bus service given its fast service. However, apart from previous few routes, Micro Bus has come up with many other alternate routes and now has good coverage. The fare is more expensive than local buses. Tourists should be aware that microbuses are often driven with great speed and very little care and have unfortunately been the cause of a large percentage of the road accidents in Nepal. Use microbuses with caution. Tempo – These come in two types. One is a three-wheeled electric or propane powered micro-bus for 10-13 passengers. They run in different routes around Kathmandu and cost Rs5-12. The other type is a newer Toyota van running the same routes at a higher price and a bit faster and safer. Be prepared for a crowd. Local bus – Although the system can be confusing, they are cheap. They can be crowded at times both with people and domestic animals such as goats, ducks etc. Some buses will n