Travel Information
and FAQs

Nepal generally has very consistent weather. Monsoon begins in late May or early June and goes through until late September or early October; the coldest temperatures are generally in mid November through mid February; and the hottest ones in May. However, temperatures can vary greatly depending on where and when you’re traveling, so it’s best to check ahead of time! If you’re going to be in the mountains at higher elevation, you’ll want to pack warm layers no matter what time of year. If you’re traveling in the Tarai (plains) region of southern Nepal, it will be fairly warm year round. As a general rule, though, it’s good to dress in layers and to carry a scarf (for extra warmth and/or to protect your face from city dust!)

In terms of style of dress, responsible travelers will note that Nepal is a culturally conservative country. Even in relatively cosmopolitan Kathmandu, men and women cover their shoulders and knees. Avoid tight, revealing clothing. For women, the color red is quite popular— wear it if you want to blend in a little more!

Open-toed shoes that dry quickly are recommended for the monsoon. If you’re trekking, you’ll want to bring good quality hiking shoes. Cheap shoes are easy to purchase in Kathmandu and other larger cities and towns, but the large-footed among us should know that it can be quite hard to find properly sized footwear.

• 1st  Step
  • Fill in ' Arrival Card '
  • Fill in Online ‘Tourist Visa ‘form ( you can fill it up  prior to your arrival  visiting our official website  Department of Immigration / fill it up using Kiosk machines upon your arrival at the airport).  If you fill it from the website, you will get submission Receipt with barcode, please print it out and bring it along for acquiring visa. It works for fifteen days and becomes invalid then after.  If so, you will have to fill it up again.

• 2nd  Step  
  • Make payment  at the bank according to your visa requirement ( 15/30/90 Days)
  • Get the receipt

While you can use different modes of payments (at visa fees collection counter), we advise you to carry some cash to be on the safe side.

On Arrival Visa Fee at Entry Points

15 Days – 30 USD

30 Days – 50 USD

90 Days – 125 USD

• 3rd Step  
  • Proceed to the Immigration Desk with your online form,  payment receipts and your passport
  • Hand in your documents to immigration officer for visa processing. He/she issues visa to you upon his/her satisfaction.

• Tourist visa extension is done for minimum 15 days with USD 45 and USD 3 per day for additional days.
• In the case of delay less than 150 days additional USD 5 per day as late fine.

Gratis Visa is issued free of cost in case of following categories of Visa applicants:

• Children below 10 years except US citizens
• Up to 30 days for SAARC Citizen (except Afghanistan) visiting Nepal for the first time in a given visa Year.  Afghan citizen are eligible for Gratis Visa on Arrival only upon the recommendation of Department of Immigration. If you are an Afghan citizen, you can request concerned institution inviting you to Nepal for necessary paperwork with Department of Immigration to get you Gratis Visa 'On Arrival'.
• Non Residential Nepalese(NRN) card holder ( issued by MoFA /Nepalese diplomatic missions abroad)
• Chinese Nationals

Officials from China, Brazil, Russia and Thailand do not need Entry Visa based on reciprocal visa waiver Agreement

Visas of all kinds including ‘Gratis’ issued at the Airport are Tourist Visas. Contact Department of Immigration for extending your visa or changing the category of your visa. Tourist Visa extension can be done from Immigration Office, Pokhara too. Non tourist visa extension can be done only at Department of Immigration (if eligible) for a period of maximum one year (except business visa).

Nepal has four climatic seasons.

Spring (between March – May): The temperature is mildly warm in low lands while moderate in higher altitudes with plenty of opportunities to have tryst with the mountain views. It is also the time for flowers to blossom and the national flower of Nepal – rhododendron sweeps the ascending altitudes with its magnanimous color and beauty.

Summer (between June – August): This is also the monsoon season in Nepal. The weather is hot and wet at times. It rains almost everyday with occasional thunderstorms in the evening. The rain spreads the pleasantness around with lush green vegetation.

Autumn (between September – November): This is the best tourist season in Nepal with the summer gone by and the winter to set in. The weather is highly pleasant so are the mountain views. This is the peak season for trekking as mountain views are guaranteed so better book your flight in advance. This is also the season of festivities as Nepal celebrates the biggest Hindu festivals Dashain followed by Tihar.

Winter (between December – February): The weather is cool and the sky is clear with occasional snowfalls at higher elevations. This season is good for trekking in lower elevations. The morning and night is cold and the days are warm when sunny.

temperature & rainfall
Nepal is the country of extremes. The low-land plains of the Terai can have tropical temperatures and also the mosquitoes. The Himalayas can get to sub-zero temperatures, but the sun blaze can bring some warmth during the day, even in the mountains. The temperature of Kathmandu goes below 1 Degree Celsius (34 Degree Fahrenheit) in winter and rises to an average of 25 Degree Celsius (77 Degree Fahrenheit) in summer.

1. Clothes: Instead of bringing a lot of clothes it is better to wash them and use them. While selecting clothes to pack, do pack clothes made of cotton/poly bends which do not wrinkle / wring out but easier to wash/ pack and dries fast. T-shirts, half paints, paints etc are easier for summer stay. For women traveling Nepal it is not recommended to bring scrappy tank tops, shorts, short skirts and sheer material made clothes because of cultural difference.
2. Shoes: In Nepal you will be mostly walking on unpaved roads so keep it on mind to pack shoes and sandals.
3. Rain jacket/ Umbrella
4. Water bottle
5. Day backpack
6. Hand sanitizer
7. Flash light
8. Pocket Knife
9. First aid supplies and medicine
10. Camera
11. Sunglasses
12. Sunscreen cream
13. Insect repellent
14. Passport photocopy
15. Power Bank

By Land

Nepal has open border with india in the East, West and South and China in the north. You have to enter nepal either India or Tibet (China). The entry point to Nepal from lndia are Kakarbhitta, Birjung, Belhiya, Bhairawa, Nepalgung, Dhangadi and Mahendra Nagar. The entry point to Nepal from Tibet (China) is Kodari pass.

By Air

Can I get visa on arrival?

Yes visa available on arrival at TIA Kathmandu and at all border crossings which are opened for foreigners. You should have original passport which must be vaild for at least six month, photos and pay visa fee.

Of course. There are many ATM machines in Kathmandu Valley and Pokhara Valley and other cities of Nepal  and is being slowly introduced in other rular places too. All types of cards are accepted. Visa , MasterCard, American Express and Credit cards.

Nepal is a landlocked country located in southern Asia couched between two Asian giants India and China. Nepal is geographical, cultural and linguistically diverse. The capital city of the country is Kathmandu, commonly known as ‘city of temples’ where we can explore traditional artistic beauty. Draped along the greatest heights of the Himalaya, Nepal is where the ice-cold of the mountains meets the steamy heat of the Indian plains. Moreover, it’s a land of yaks and yetis, stupas and Sherpas and some of the best trekking on earth. The Himalaya’s most sophisticated urban cultures took shape here, in the three great mini-kingdoms of the Kathmandu valley- Kathmandu, Patan, and Bhaktapur – home to a world-class artistic and architectural heritage.

Nepal is Known for Mt. Everest, the highest peak in the world and Lord Buddha, who was the pioneer of the Buddhist religion. Besides, among 14 eight thousand meters cross mountains in the world, eight are located in this naturally beautiful country. Nepal has been the focus of outstanding achievements in the world of peak climbing expeditions with the identification of more than one thousand peaks above 6,000 meters. Trekking through the Everest region offers astounding mountain views, an opportunity to take a glimpse into the life of world heritage sites, discovering a variety of Himalayan flora and faunas, and an opportunity to explore the highest Buddhist monasteries in the world. Overall, Nepal is known for its hospitality and the local people believes in the mantra ‘Atithi Debo Bhaba’ (Guest are god).

Common form of greeting in Nepal is called `Namaste' or `Namaskar'. Namaskar is used in a formal conversation while Namaste is often used in informal communications. Namaste is pronounced as "Namastay", and it is both a spoken greeting and a gesture. Proper way to say and use a gesture is to put your palms together and /ping it about few inches below your chin or how ever feels comfortable, with head gently bowed, you say "Namastay".

Yes. The main tourist centers like Kathmandu, Pokhara, Chitwan and Lumbini are connected by good roads and all main routes are well serviced by tourist buses. However, roads to other towns for example Mustang and Dhunche are steep and narrow and only local buses are available. We advise you to hire a private jeep (4WD) to travel these roads safely. Typically tourist buses are driven with more care than local buses.

Both Euro and US dollar travellers’ cheque are accepted in most tourist visited areas and can be cashed easily at banks and most hotels. There are ATMs in Kathmandu and Pokhara. Visa, Master Card and American Express credit cards are accepted in many tourist hotels, shops, restaurants and by few travel agencies. Plan ahead and change money in the larger cities before heading out to more remote areas. The best form of money in US dollars in cash but due to the risk of losing them /ping only small amounts in mixed denominations. If you save the receipts for money exchanged, you can exchange back from local currencies up to 15%. Exchange rates seem to be better at the Banks than in the hotels or money exchange counters for current conversions rate.

If the tour itinerary given in the website suits you, you can book online, e-mail or call us. Also if you want to customize your trip, we can start the dialogue and together we can develop an itinerary that really suits your utmost interests and travel dates. To help you in customizing the trip, decide the duration that you wish to spend in Nepal, destinations and the duration of stay in Nepal will determine your package costs.

The currency of Nepal is the Nepali Rupees (Rs). You can find bills in denominations of Rs.5, Rs 10, Rs. 20, Rs. 50, Rs. 100, Rs. 500 and Rs. 1000.

While Nepal does not require vaccinations per se, it is recommended that you get inoculated for typhoid and meningitis. Please also keep updated with your shots for tetanus, polio, mumps and measles. 

If you have pre-existing health conditions, make sure you carry enough medicines with you, as it might be difficult to obtain over the counter medication in Nepal. 

- Since air pollution has become a major issue for Kathmandu, it’s best to carry a face mask with you. 

- When you’re trekking be sure to carry a lip balm and sunscreen. 

- Travelling on the plane can get noisy, so be sure to use earplugs or some good noise-cancelling headphones. 

- If you’re trekking, invest in a pair of good trekking/hiking boots. 

- Nepal sometimes experiences power cuts, so be sure to carry power banks and an LED torch. 

- Get a good padlock and always lock your baggage. 

- Get a reusable water bottle so you can refill it with drinking water.

The main language that people in Nepal speak is Nepali. However, people here are friendly and do speak and understand English. Hindi is spoken mostly in the Terai region.

The currency of Nepal is the Nepali Rupees (Rs). You can find bills in denominations of Rs.5, Rs 10, Rs. 20, Rs. 50, Rs. 100, Rs. 500 and Rs. 1000. 

The main language that people in Nepal speak is Nepali. However, people here are friendly and do speak and understand English. Hindu is spoken mostly in the Terai region. 

Nepal is connected with highways and roadways. However, public transport in Kathmandu is usually cramped and travellers prefer to take the taxis.

Tourist season or the high season to go to Nepal is during October - November where the skies are clear and the cool temperature make it a pleasant visit. People who visit during this season mostly prefer to go trekking. If you cannot go during October - November, then the next best time to go is during March and April. Spring is here and the rhododendrons are in full bloom. 

Since Nepal experiences monsoon from June to September, people do not prefer to travel during this season. The monsoon rains make trekking difficult, and floods might happen as well. 

The easiest way to get to Nepal is to fly to its only international airport, Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu from your country of origin. 

You can also arrive in Nepal through the Panitanki, Jogbani, Raxaul, Rupaidiha, Banbasa and Sunauli border in India. 

• Since air pollution has become a major issue for Kathmandu, it’s best to carry a face mask with you. 

• When you’re trekking be sure to carry a lip balm and sunscreen. 

• Travelling on the plane can get noisy, so be sure to use earplugs or some good noise-cancelling headphones. 

• If you’re trekking, invest in a pair of good trekking/hiking boots. 

• Nepal sometimes experiences power cuts, so be sure to carry power banks and an LED torch. 

• Get a good padlock and always lock your baggage. 

• Get a reusable water bottle so you can refill it with drinking water. 

All travellers, except Indian nationals, require a visa to enter Nepal. Citizens of the South Asian Area Regional Cooperation (SAARC) who include Pakistan, Bhutan and Bangladesh can travel visa-free for 30 days. Tourist visas are issued upon arrival at Tribhuvan International Airport, Kathmandu and other official border entry points. You should have a valid passport and a passport size photo for visa application. You will have to pay the visa fee. 

You can get 15 days, 30 days or 90 days visa and the tourist visa can be extended up to 150 days in a calendar year. If you overstay your tourist visa, then you will have to pay an extra visa extension fee and fines. However, since immigration lines are quite long at the airport, it’s best to apply for your Nepal tourist visa online through Nepal’s official immigration office website. 

While Nepal does not require vaccinations per se, it is recommended that you get inoculated for typhoid and meningitis. Please also keep updated with your shots for tetanus, polio, mumps and measles. 

If you have pre-existing health conditions, make sure you carry enough medicines with you, as it might be difficult to obtain over the counter medication in Nepal. 

Nepal is 5 hours and 45 minutes ahead of GMT. 

Nepal does not observe daylight saving time. 

It is not necessary to tip when you’re eating in restaurants that already add a service charge to your final bill.

However, you can tip when you’re trekking, but this is not a necessity. 

In terms of crime, Nepal is a fairly crime-free country compared to other developed nations. This does not mean that travelling should be done without precautions. Pickpockets might be lurking in crowded areas and popular tourist spots. Be sure to keep your wallets, purses and other valuable items safe when you’re walking through crowded areas and even public transportation. 

Violent crime is extremely rare, but there have been cases of robberies and murders. Also, there could be occasional strikes called bandhs. These strikes are minor annoyances you might have to deal with because public vehicles are not allowed on the roads. However, tourist vehicles and emergency vehicles are allowed. There could be demonstrations on the road, but these demonstrations are not violent in nature. Furthermore, during bandhs, some shops and offices are also closed. 

There are chances of earthquakes and aftershocks in Nepal after the recent earthquake in 2015. There are fears that a larger earthquake might hit the county, but experts say that this is in the next fifty years (although there is no guarantee). If you experience an earthquake while in Nepal, go outdoors and look for open spaces. Stay clear of power lines, walls, heavy furniture, etc. 

If you’re trekking, stay clear of landslide-prone areas and walk up from riverbanks. 

We have divided our tours to Nepal into three different sections: 

• Pilgrimage tours to Nepal 

• Wildlife tours to Nepal 

• Trekking tours to Nepal 

You will experience the best that Nepal has in offer for you in each of the tours. Some of the tours are even a combination of pilgrimage and wildlife tours, trekking and pilgrimage tours, etc.

You can get detailed itineraries of each of these tours on our website.

Besides the trekking packages to Nepal, most of the tours around Nepal are not physically demanding or strenuous. Most of our tours come included with domestic flights and travelling in private vehicles. You avoid the hassle of booking flights and rides. 

Yes, all of our holiday packages are family-friendly.

An adult must always accompany a child in all of our trips. We will not let children travel alone without adult supervision.

All of our holiday packages to Nepal besides trekking packages are planned on a twin sharing basis. A minimum of two people is required per trip. 

If you are a solo traveller, you will most likely be paired with another solo traveller. 

However, if this arrangement does not suit you, then we do offer solo trips to Nepal, but you will be charged as a single supplement. 

If you only complete part of the tour, you will not be reimbursed for the unused portion.

Yes, we will allow minor changes to the itinerary, but this must be pre-informed if not, the changes cannot be made. You will have to pay for any extra charges that are incurred due to the changes. 

Our best advice is to plan your holiday to Nepal properly and make sure any amendments and requirements to the itinerary are made before you come to Nepal for your holiday. 

The prices displayed on our website are on a twin-sharing basis. However, we can accommodate triple sharing rooms, but this must be specified when you communicate with us. 

Buddha Air has all the necessary equipment to check the symptoms of COVID-19 and screening your temperature and making necessary queries to certain passenger’s health status will be executed. Besides, all passengers will be disembarked four at a time from the rear and loaded on the ramp bus at 75% seating capacity. Hence, we can assure that you will be safe with us.

Buddha Holidays have selected only limited hotels and their shuttle services, monitoring each and every activity of our partner hotel associates whether they have completely followed the WHO safety procedure and guidelines.