FAQs

A travel insurance policy that covers medical treatment is recommended for all tourists.
It is advisable to have Emergency Evacuation Insurance covering helicopter charter if you are
traveling to remote areas in Nepal.
Getting special vaccinations are not legally necessary when visiting Nepal.
We still recommend that you consult with your physician regarding special immunizing
against any tropical disease.
It is recommended that tetanus, hepatitis A and Polio vaccines be up−to−date.
Carry an adequate supply of any special prescription medications in your baggage, stored in
their original, labeled containers. Please do not assume that your prescription drugs or
replacement eyeglasses or contact lenses – will be available in Nepal.
Carry a simple travellers’ first−aid kit containing remedies for headache, minor stomach
complaints, motion sickness and colds, as well as Band-Aids, antiseptics and/or other items, as
you and your doctor feel may be required.
Avoid suspect foods, including peeled fruits, unwashed vegetables and any dairy, which may
not have been properly cleaned or refrigerated. Stick to food served piping hot.
Do not use tap water for drinking. Avoid ice cubes in drinks. Even if purified, water in flasks
and thermoses can be suspect and should be avoided. Drinking directly from a sealed bottle or
can is safer.
Nepal and India are countries with a high risk of rabies due to the large population of stray
dogs in the cities. Monkeys can also transmit rabies to humans; therefore, any contact with an
animal in Nepal that results in a wound, a bite, a scratch or mucous membrane exposure
should lead the person to seek a medical opinion as to whether rabies post-exposure
prophylaxis is necessary.

Symptoms of altitude illness can begin to occur at 8,000ft (2,400m) or lower, but serious altitude illness is rare below 10,000ft (3,000m). Symptoms occur due to your body not adapting well to having less oxygen at high altitudes. At 18,000ft (5,500m), there is 1⁄2 the oxygen available as at sea level and it is about 1/3 on top of Mount Everest. The body tries to adapt to lower amounts of oxygen in the air mainly by increasing the rate and depth of breathing so you breathe faster and deeper. There is also an increase in heart rate. Both of these mechanisms try to bring more oxygen to the body. There is a wide individual susceptibility to altitude, which seems to be genetically determined- how well someone does at altitude seems related to how well they breathe at altitude.

What happens to the body in altitude illness? Lack of oxygen causes fluid leakage and accumulation in between cells in the brain and/or the lungs. Symptoms can be mild or severe. Mild symptoms of Acute Mountain Sickness or AMS are headache, loss of appetite, nausea, and fatigue, lack of sleep and dizziness. These symptoms can be resolved once someone is acclimatized to the altitude for example by spending one or two extra nights at the same altitude or going to a lower altitude. If symptoms worsen then the person must descent to a lower altitude as soon as possible.

i. to prevent altitude illness?
It is recommended to climb not more than 1,000ft (300m) a day above an altitude of 10,000ft (3,000m). If the terrain is such that it is not possible, one needs to have two rest days. It also helps to “Climb high” and “sleep low” You can use Diamox, a medicine that blocks an enzyme in the kidney and makes the blood acidic which is interpreted by the brain as a signal to breathe more. Diamox therefore, enhances the physiological response to altitude by increasing the rate and depth of breathing and it also acts as a mild diuretic, tingling of fingers and toes and tingling around the mouth. ii. Treatment of altitude illness For mild symptoms, one can stay at the same altitude to see if symptoms will resolve and ascend when symptoms have resolved completely. Diamox can also be used to treat mild to moderate symptoms. If symptoms persist or worsen at this altitude, descent is required.

Other treatment modalities to help:
Diamox is generally useful for mild to moderate AMS. Dosage: One 250mg tablet two or three times a day Dexamethasone is a very potent steroid used in High Altitude Cerebral Edema (HACE) temporarily to facilitate descent. This drug improves the symptoms but does not help acclimatization, It is not recommended to ascend while still taking this drug even if one is symptom free. Dosage: 4mg every 6hours Nifedipine is useful in High Altitude Pulmonary Edema (HAPE) by lowering pressure in the pulmonary blood vessels and thereby decreasing fluid in the lungs. This drug also lowers blood pressure.

The Gamow Bag is a portable bag and when inflated, converts into a high-pressure bag in which an individual with severe symptoms of HACE and HAPE is put into and air is pumped in with a foot-pump. Pressure created inside the bag increases the oxygen tension and a person’s symptom should improve rapidly. This is used to sustain a person during an acute crisis before descent is possible or pending helicopter evacuation.

iii. Three golden rules to avoid altitude illness
Learn the early symptoms of altitude illness and recognize when you have them. Remember, you may be the only person in a group with symptoms Never ascend to sleep at a new altitude with any symptoms of AMS. Descend if your symptoms are getting worse.

Tourist Police is a special unit of Nepal Police, which was established in 1979 under Ministry of Tourism and Civil Aviation. The division is working under Ministry of Tourism and Civil Aviation, Tourism Industry Division. The main function and responsibility of Tourist police is to look after the welfare of tourist and assist tourist in safety and security during their stay in Nepal
For More information visit – http://www.nepalpolice.gov.np

The form of greeting in Nepal is “Namaste” performing by joining both palms together. It literally means, “The divine in me salutes the divine in you”. As a mark of respect Nepalese usually take their shoes off before entering someone’s house or place of worship.

Local people are likely to have strong feelings about religious topics and political events- which they may or may not feel comfortable sharing with visitors. The same can hold true for your guides. You may wish to avoid engaging in conversations of a religious or political nature. As a part of the tradition some Hindu temples do not allow non-Hindus to enter. Leather articles are prohibited inside some temple areas. It is a good idea to carry a pair of socks to wear.

Walking around temples or stupas is traditionally done clockwise. Please do not encourage begging by giving sweets or money to local people who may approach you on the street. Do not take pictures of people without asking permission. Photography within airports, of military installations and at “sensitive” areas is not permitted. Displays of intimacy are not considered acceptable in public. Nodding of head means, “Yes” while shaking of head means a “No” A slight dangling of head from left to right means “OK”.

Many travellers view tipping as a difficult subject, though this need not be the case. The first thing to remember is that tipping is not compulsory, nor are there any fixed amounts but part of the culture. The bottom line determining whether and how much to tip is to ask yourself how much the individual did to make your travel more enjoyable. The cost sheet does not include any Tips, Gratuity for drivers, cleaners, and for other support staff. However, we will recommend the following scale:

For Bus Driver & Cleaner: USD2.00-USD3.00 per person tip is usually satisfactory; more if he helps you with your bags and/or takes special steps to get you to your destination on time. For Airport Representative: If you want to ensure special treatment from the concierge, you might consider a USD10.00–USD20.00 tip upon arrival.

For Bell Desk/Portage: A standard tip for porterage is USD1.00 per bag; more if your luggage is very heavy. Note: A USD5.00 per person tip upon arrival can usually guarantee you special attention should you require it.

Guides: USD1.00per person for a half-day tour, USD2.00 per person for full-day tour, and anywhere from USD5.00-USD10.00 for a weeklong tour.

For waiters at Restaurant: 10% of your pre-tax check is considered standard. The same applies for room service waiters. Some restaurants will automatically add a 10% gratuity to your bill, look for it before tipping. Please note these are just recommendations and solely at your discretion.

You will arrive at Tribhuvan International Airport. You will need to fill the White Arrival Immigration card, which is placed at the arrival terminal, and proceed to Immigration. After the immigration officer has stamped the passport, you will need to take the escalator down to baggage claim area and identify your luggage (please do have your baggage tags ready with you as there will be officer/s checking the same before you leave the area).

Technically, visitors cannot be met inside secured areas (including Immigration, Customs and Baggage Claim area) but on case by case basis, we can help assist the same if we receive the written notice at least 72hours prior the arrival of the guests at an additional cost.

A valid passport with at least six months validity, one passport size photo and a duly filled visa application form are required to obtain tourist visa to enter Nepal. Visa fee should be paid in any equivalent cash but it is best advisable to make the payment in US Dollar cash. Traveller cheques, personal cheques and credit cards are not accepted for visa fees.

*Note: The above-mentioned visa fees are based on per person and are subject to change without prior notice.

For More information visit – http://www.immi.gov.np/visa

Indian Nationals: For Indian Nationals to travel to Nepal, visa is not required. However a valid INDIAN passport or Voter’s ID card needs to be presented to enter Nepal.

Landline and mobile phone services are available in Nepal. Network covers Kathmandu, major cities and towns and most of Nepal, except some rural Himalayan places. Nepal Telecommunications Corporation at Tripureshwor, Kathmandu, is the national service provider. There are also private service providers like NCELL. Local sim cards can be easily made available within the city (documents required: fill the necessary forms, copy of the passport and colored photo).

Hotels and private communication centers also provide long distance telephone and fax facilities. To call Nepal from other countries: 00 + country code (977) + city code + telephone number

Telephone area codes of major cities:

(a) Spring: March – May
(b) Summer: June – August
(c) Autumn: September – November
(d) Winter: December -February

Spring is colorful season, which is punctuated by the odd shower of life-giving rain, but the heat gradually builds until the monsoon relief arrives. During summer the Monsoon; moisture-laden wind, gathers in the Bay of Bengal and sweep up across India to spend its force on the Himalayan mountain chain. Autumn is renowned for clear skies and pleasant temperature. By winter the high hills take dry brown shades and the mountains are occasionally dusted with fresh snow. However due to Nepal’s vast range of diversified land orientation as well its amazing climatic variation effects regular seasons different and are six in Nepal.

Temperature Chart Approx. (in Degree Celsius & Degree Fahrenheit)

Best Time to Visit: Autumn (september−November) and spring (March−May) bring almost perfect weather and are defi- nitely the best times to come to Nepal.