Visiting Nepal: frequently asked questions

We recommend two weeks at least (see Nepal in 2 weeks): journeys are long and slow, and two weeks give you time for the Kathmandu Valley, Pokhara, Lumbini and Chitwan without rushing. A week only covers the Kathmandu Valley and Pokhara (Nepal in 7 days). With a trek, allow three weeks in all.

October and November: clear skies, visible mountains, mild temperatures. December to April is good too; the monsoon (June to September) hides the peaks but the cities are still worth visiting. See When to go.

Yes, for almost all nationalities, but you get it on arrival at Kathmandu airport or at the border: 30, 50 or 125 USD (≈ €27, €45 or €110) for 15, 30 or 90 days. All the steps on Visa Nepal.

About 25 to 35 USD (≈ €22 to €31) per day per person as a backpacker, 50 to 90 USD (≈ €45 to €80) in comfort, excluding international flights and visa. See Budget.

Not much: you can find almost anything in Kathmandu and Pokhara. The essentials: dollars or euros for the visa, layered clothes suited to the season that cover shoulders and knees, shoes that slip off easily for temples, your medication, repellent, sunscreen and an adapter. Leave the drone at home. The full list: Packing list.

Not to visit the cities: tourist buses, hotels and entry tickets are easy to book yourself. An agency is useful for a car with driver or a safari in Chitwan, and compulsory for most treks, where a licensed guide is required (see Trek Nepal).

US dollars for the visa, or euros (accepted at the day's rate). After that, ATMs are plentiful in towns, but each withdrawal costs 400 to 850 NPR (≈ €2 to €5) depending on the bank: withdraw the maximum each time. See Money.

In hotels, larger shops and some tourist restaurants, often with a 3 to 4% surcharge. Everywhere else (site entries, taxis, buses, small restaurants): cash only.

With an Ncell or Nepal Telecom SIM card, bought at the airport with your passport (a few dollars, packs from 500 to 1,200 NPR (≈ €3 to €7)), or an eSIM. Wifi is free in almost all hotels. See SIM & internet.

No. Refill your bottle at the filtered-water stations in hotels and cafés, use a filter bottle or buy bottled water. See Health & safety.

The tourist bus costs 1,200 to 1,800 NPR (≈ €7 to €10) and takes 6 to 10 hours; the plane about 100 to 150 USD (≈ €89 to €135) and 25 minutes. The bus is fine if you have time; the plane saves you a day. See Getting around.

No: crime is low and Nepalis are very welcoming. The real risks are the roads, the water, air pollution in winter and, in the mountains, altitude. See Health & safety.

Yes, many women do. The usual precautions apply: modest clothing outside the tourist districts, care in the evening, and no hiking alone on isolated trails.

No: some Hindu temples are for Hindus only (Pashupatinath, Taleju…). Elsewhere, take off your shoes, cover shoulders and knees, and walk round stupas clockwise. See Customs & etiquette.