While traveling to Nepal no special vaccinations are currently required for the entry but, it is always worth checking which vaccinations are recommended by your country's official travel and health advisor bureau. You can get a vaccination in Nepal's capital Kathmandu and major cities like Pokhara but they are little time consuming to find the service and often cheaper to get them before you travel from the home country. It is better to consult your doctor and nurse for up to date travel and inoculation advice at least 6 weeks before your departure date to Nepal.
Hepatitis A, Typhoid, Malaria, and Meningitis are some of the recommended vaccinations in Nepal. Boosters are also recommended for Tetanus, Polio, Mumps, and Measles. Depending on which region of Nepal you traveling, you may also consider inoculations against Japanese Encephalitis, Hepatitis B, and Rabies vaccine. This is especially important if you have young children are coming for an extended period, working in health care, or visiting rural areas and the Terai.
During summertime, there are some mosquitos found in Nepal but, there are lots of measures taken to avoid it like teahouse and hotels provide mosquito nets. It is always good to wear clothes that cover your full skin to avoid the mosquito bites. Nowadays, anti-mosquito repellent is also used in many hotels to avoid mosquito. It is always good to carry some effective first aid kit with some medicines of Diarrhoea, mosquito repellent sprays, water purifying tablets, and plasters. They are easily found in Kathmandu, Pokhara, and many cities but it is good to get by yourself these items with you. Please see the health advice given by the UK Government for further information.
This information is useful for travelers who are doing trekking in higher altitudes. In rural areas of Nepal, rescue services are limited and medical facilities are primitive or nonexistence. There are now lots of good heli rescue services from Pokhara and Kathmandu and we are also working with some of the reputed rescue companies from Pokhara and Kathmandu for the extra safety of our customers. During the emergency evacuation, the cost needs to bear up from the trekkers travel insurance.
We recommend all our customers to get the travel insurance policy that covers theft, loss and medical treatment before you left your country. You should make sure that your insurance policies also cover soft adventure activities during your stay in Nepal. For high altitude trekkers and climbers, policies should also cover helicopter evacuation expenses in case of serious illness or accident or if clients are stranded in remote areas due to the unexpected reason.
Only a few trekkers end up in trouble who are coming to Nepal but accidents can often be avoided or risks minimized if people have a realistic understanding of trekking requirements. Do not take a Himalayan trek lightly. One basic rule should be followed: do not take alone. You will appreciate having someone around when you are lost, sick, or suffering from altitude sickness. It is useful to have someone to occasionally watch your pack or valuables when you visit the bathroom or take a shower.
These are the common sickness while you go for the trek.
A variety of languages are spoken in Nepal because the country is itself multicultural and multilingual. You hear different languages depending on which region of Nepal you are traveling. In Nepal, more than 123 languages are spoken by 126 ethnic groups. Nepali is widely spoken throughout Nepal and is the national language as well. Maithili is the second most spoken language, basically from the Terai region of Nepal which is connected with India. Other major spoken languages are Newari in Kathmandu Valley, Bhojpuri, Tharu, Gurung, Magar, Sherpa, Limbu, Tamang, Rai, and many more.
However, English is spoken by most of the young generation because Government is prioritizing the English medium teaching system in schools to compete with globalisation. In most of the rural areas and trekking routes of Nepal, you can easily communicate with local people in English, however, they may not be fluent English speakers.
Nepal has its own unique culture and traditions according to which ethnic groups they belong to. More than 80% of Nepali people follow the Hindu religion and they follow festivals like Dashain, Tihar, Teej and many other festivals. Different communities have their own dress culture, food culture, unique ornaments, traditional kitchenware, and home design. Nepal is an unexplored museum to research and study. It is one of the unique countries in the world where you will find many unique experiences within this Himalayan nation.
In Northern Nepal (where lots of world's biggest mountains are situated and connect with Tibet, China) summers are cool and winters are severe, while in Southern Nepal summers are very hot while winters are mild to cold. Nepal has five seasons: spring, summer, monsoon, autumn, and winter. The plain region connected with India (Terai) is hot in summer and sometimes the temperature exceeds 40 C while winter remains from 7 to 25 C. In mountainous regions (hills and valleys) summers are not too hot and winter can go below zero degree Celsius with snowfall. The average temperatures in Nepal drop 6 C for every 1,000 m you gain in altitude.
The Himalayas act as a barrier to cold winds from Central Asia in winter and form the northern boundary for monsoon rains, leaving some places like Manang and Mustang rain-free. Eighty percent of all rain in Nepal is received during the monsoon (June-September). Winter rains are more pronounced in the western hills. The average annual rainfall is 1,600 mm, but varies by eco-climatic zones, such as 3,345 mm in Pokhara and below 300 mm in Mustang.
There is no seasonal constraint on traveling in and through Nepal. Even in December and January, when winter is at its severest, there are compensating bright sun and brilliant views. As with most trekking areas in Nepal, the best time to visit is during spring and autumn. Spring is the time for rhododendrons to bloom while the clearest skies are found after the monsoon in October and November. However, Nepal can be visited year-round.
Consuming Nepali food while traveling to Nepal means a sort of responsible travel. You will be helping and encouraging local farmers who are producing these foods on their farmlands to support daily life. It also helps Nepal reduce food imports and sustain local economic balance.
Nepal has traditional food dishes that vary from ethnic groups and castes and also depend on various villages. In many parts of Nepal, food habits are based on almost organic products grown nearby homes, though this trend is changing in major cities due to globalisation.
Most hotels and tea houses offer Dal-Bhat (lentils, rice, and cooked vegetables), the most popular Nepali meal. Besides this, Momo (dumplings) is one of the most liked foods by foreigners.
Fried rice, Sel roti, Thukpa, and Dhindo are other common foods you can enjoy in Nepal. While traveling, do not forget to taste Newari foods and Thakali food at good restaurants in Kathmandu, Chitwan, and Pokhara.
For more information about Nepali food and recipes, you can follow the travel section of The Kathmandu Post. If you like to prepare Nepali food by yourself at home, you can follow a Nepali YouTube cooking channel.
Nepal has its currency called Nepali Rupee (NRS). Visitors can withdraw cash from various bank ATMs throughout Nepal with a small withdrawal fee per transaction and cover their expenses. Most hotels and big supermarkets now have POS machines where you can pay directly using international cards.
In Nepal, international Visa, Mastercard, UnionPay, Maestro, and JCB cards are widely accepted by shops and ATMs. However, for tour payments, check with your operator in advance for the best method. Reliable ATMs include Nabil Bank, Siddhartha Bank, Himalayan Bank, Standard Chartered Bank, and others.
The voltage in Nepal is 230 volts and we advise you to carry a travel adapter. Power outages were common before, but Nepal has generated an abundance of clean energy from hydropower and is now largely out of load shedding.
