What to pack for Nepal

Documents and money

• Passport valid for at least six months after your date of entry, with at least one free page for the visa (two to be safe). Visa lengths, prices and steps: Visa Nepal.
• US dollars in cash for the visa on arrival (30, 50 or 125 USD (≈ €27, €45 or €110) depending on length), in clean, recent notes, or euros, accepted at the day's rate; a few extra notes in reserve. Cards are sometimes accepted at the counter, but cash is safer and faster. Cash above the equivalent of 2,000 USD (≈ €1,790) must be declared on arrival.
• Two bank cards, on two networks if possible (Visa and Mastercard), kept separately: each withdrawal costs 400 to 850 NPR (≈ €2 to €5) in local fees. See Money and https://atm-fees.com/en/nepal.
• Two or three passport photos for trekking permits. For a SIM card, your passport is usually enough: the shop takes the photo on the spot.
• Travel insurance certificate with the assistance number, on paper and on your phone.
• Copies of your passport and bookings, on paper and in online storage, in case of loss or theft.

Clothes for each season

The basics, in every season: long trousers or a long skirt, tops that cover the shoulders, a fleece, a windproof jacket, something warm to sleep in.

• Modest clothing for temples, and ideally everywhere outside Thamel and Lakeside: shoulders and knees covered. A large scarf or shawl comes in handy (shoulders, sun, dust). See Customs & etiquette.
• Neutral colours for a walking or jeep safari in Chitwan and Bardia: green, beige, khaki rather than white or bright colours.
• An old t-shirt if you are there for Holi, in March: the coloured powder does not always wash out.

Shoes

• A pair of comfortable walking trainers, already broken in: Durbar Square paving, the steps of Swayambhunath, streets without pavements.
• Sandals or shoes that slip off easily: you take your shoes off at the entrance of temples, monasteries and homes, sometimes several times a day.
• Hiking boots only for walks of several hours (Poon Hill, Australian Camp, the Nagarkot hills); for a real trek, see Trek Nepal.

First-aid kit and toiletries

• Your usual medication, enough for the whole stay, in its original packaging, with the prescription (in English if possible, with the generic name).
• For traveller's diarrhoea: oral rehydration salts, an anti-diarrhoeal, and whatever treatment your doctor prescribes.
• An effective mosquito repellent (DEET or icaridin) for the Terai and the monsoon, and sunscreen: what you find locally is expensive and of uneven quality.
• FFP2 / N95 masks for Kathmandu from December to April (pollution), hand sanitiser, plasters and blister care.
• Toilet paper and tissues: public toilets and those of small restaurants do not always have any. Squat toilets are still common outside hotels.
• Earplugs: dogs barking at night, horns, temple bells and loudspeakers from dawn.
• Period products: pads everywhere, tampons and menstrual cups mainly in Kathmandu and Pokhara, rare elsewhere.

Electricity and electronics

• Adapter: 230 V, type C sockets (European two-pin), D and M (Indian three round pins), often universal in hotels. Flat two-pin charger plugs fit almost everywhere; chunky round earthed plugs (hair dryer, laptop) not always, and UK, US or Swiss plugs never: a universal adapter avoids surprises.
• Power bank: useful for long bus rides and occasional power cuts.
• Head torch: poorly lit lanes at night, power cuts, sunrises at Sarangkot or Nagarkot.
• An unlocked phone to take a Nepali SIM card, or an eSIM-compatible one. See SIM & internet.
• Binoculars for Chitwan and Bardia: birds, rhinos and, with luck, tigers are often seen from a distance.

Small things that help

• A water bottle, with a filter or purification tablets: refill it at the filtered-water stations of hotels and cafés, and avoid plastic bottles.
• A small daypack and a small padlock (hostel lockers, closing your bag on buses).
• A sleeping-bag liner and a microfibre towel if you stay in budget guesthouses.
• A cloth bag for shopping and markets.
• Sunglasses and a hat: the sun is strong, even in winter, as soon as you gain a little altitude.

What you can buy there

Suitcase or backpack?

• A soft bag or a backpack is easier than a big hard-shell suitcase: cobbled lanes, stairs without lifts, the hold of tourist buses, the roof of local buses and jeeps.
• Domestic flights: 15 to 25 kg of checked baggage depending on the airline and fare, sometimes only 10 kg (promotional fares, small planes to Jomsom or Lukla), and 5 kg in the cabin. See Getting around.
• Left luggage: most hotels in Kathmandu and Pokhara keep a bag during an excursion or a trek, often for free if you come back to stay.

What to leave at home

• A drone: you must declare it at customs, register it with the civil aviation authority (CAAN) and get extra permits for each place (Department of Archaeology for heritage sites, park authorities for national parks). Flying is banned within 5 km of an airport. These steps are slow and costly; an undeclared drone can be held at customs, and an unauthorised flight can mean a fine and confiscation.
• An e-cigarette: the Ministry of Health banned their import and sale in March 2025. A court first suspended the measure, then, according to the Nepali press, dismissed the case at the end of 2025; a law is being drafted. The rules for travellers are unclear and seizures happen; CBD refills are treated as narcotics. Plan to do without.
• A satellite phone or satellite internet terminal: using one requires permission from the telecoms authority, which warned unauthorised users in 2025. Small satellite messengers (inReach type) are commonly used on treks, with no official status spelled out: ask your agency.
• Medicines containing narcotics (some painkillers, sleeping pills) without a prescription in your name. For codeine, tramadol or a sleeping pill, check with the Nepali embassy: prior authorisation may be required.
• Jewellery and valuables: they serve no purpose and attract attention.