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| General Infos Of Nepal |
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| »About
Nepal |
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| »Traveller's
Information |
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| About
Nepal |
Nepal is a country
of amazing extremes. Its beauty evokes the kind of magic
that few tourists destinations in the world can hope
to match. The elevation of the country ranges from 60
meters above sea level to the highest point on earth,
Mt. Everest 8848 meters, all within a distance of 150
kilometers resulting in climatic conditions from sub-tropical
to arctic. The northernmost strip is mountainous which
includes 8 of the 10 highest mountains in the world
including the highest Mt. Everest 8848 meters (Sagarmatha).
Nepal is a land of great aesthetics, the greatest of
them being the Lord Buddha who was born in the erstwhile
kingdom of Lumbini. It is also a treasure trove of culture
and architecture. Monuments, temples and monasteries
dating back to per-historic period abounds her historic
cities. Nepal is home to ethnic groups and sub-groups
speaking over 93 languages and dialects.
Nepal offers an astonishing diversity of sightseeing
attractions and adventure opportunities found nowhere
else on earth. Nepal provides something for everybody-
tourist, trekker, river runner, wildlife, enthusiast,
poet, artist, scholar or the weary in search of a personal
Shangrila. Numerous annual festivals are celebrated
throughout the year in traditional style highlighting
enduring customs and beliefs. |
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| Nepal occupying
only 0.1 % of the total landmass of the earth- is home
to: |
- 2% of all the flowering plants in the world;
- 8% of the world’s population of birds (more
than 848 species);
- 4% of mammals on earth;
- 11 of the world’s 15 families of butterflies
more than 500 species;
- 600 indigenous plant families;
- 319 species of exotic orchids.
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Area:
147,181 Sq. Km
Location: Situated between China in
the north and India in the south, east and west.
Capital: Kathmandu
Population: 23.1 Million
Language: Neapli is the national language,
written in Devnagari script. Many different ethnic groups
have their own languages for dialects. However travel-trade
people understand and speak English.
People and Culture: Nepal has more
than 101 ethnic groups and 93 spoken languages.
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Religion:
Hindus and Buddhism constitute two major religions of
Nepal.
Climate: Nepal has four
climatic seasons |
1) Spring: March-May,
2) Summer: June-August
3) Autumn: September-November and
4) Winter: December-February
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Nepal can be visited
the whole year round.
Currency: Nepalese
Rupees (NRS.) (approximately US$ 1 equals NRs. 71 as of
February 2007)
National Bird: Impend
Pheasant Danfe
National Flower:
Rhododendron arboretum (LALI GURANS)
Political
System: Multi- party Democracy.
What
to wear: Light weight clothing is recommended
for May through October. Warm garments are required in
October-March. An Umbrella or a raincoat is a must for
the rainy season. |
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| Traveller's
Information |
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| Entry Procedures & Visa
Rules |
Free visa for all tourists
who visit Nepal for 3 days or less.
Free visa for tourists of SAARC countries and People's
Republic of China.
Visa Fee:
Single entry - US$ 30 days for 60 days
Multiple entry - US$ 50 + US$ 30.
Visa will be extended subsequently for 30 days each upon
payment of US$ 30 for a maximum period of 150 days in
a visa year (Jan-Dec).
Visa can be obtained either on arrival in Nepal or from
Nepalese Embassy or Consulate or other Mission offices
abroad. Two passport size photographs required.
Indian nationals do not require visa to visit Nepal. However,
Indians traveling to Nepal have to show upon arrival at
entry point any one of the following documents while travelling
between the two countries. Valid national passport, Voter’s
Identity card issued by the Election Commission of India,
or an identify card with photograph issued by the Central
or State Government of India. Temporary identity card
with photograph issued by Nepal-based Indian diplomatic
missions for identification of Indian nationals will also
be considered in case of exceptions. Children under 10
years not need to show any identification. For students
between the age of 10-18 years, School/College photo ID
Card is valid.
For further information please refer:
Dept. of Immigration, Bhrikutimandap, Kathmandu
Tel: 00-977-1-4223681/ 4470650 |
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| Foreign Exchange and Credit
Cards |
Foreign currencies must
be exchanged only through the banks or authorized foreign
exchange dealers. The receipts from such transaction are
to be obtained and retained. Major Banks, hotels, and
the exchange counters at Tribhuvan International Airport
provide services for exchanging foreign currency. Exchange
rates are published in English dailies such as The Rising
Nepal, The Kathmandu Post and The Himalayan Times.
Payment in hotels, travel agencies, and airlines are made
in foreign exchange. Credit cards like American Express,
Master and Visa are widely accepted at major hotels, shops,
and restaurants. Remember to keep your Foreign Exchange
Encashment Receipt while making foreign exchange payments
or transferring foreign currency into Nepalese rupees.
The receipts may be needed to change left-over Nepalese
Rupees into hard currency before leaving the country.
However, only 10 percent of the total amount may be converted
by the bank. ATM is widely in use in Kathmandu.
Important note for the Indian nationals and travellers
visiting Nepal via India
Indain Currency Rs. 500 and Rs 1000 bills (notes) is not
allowed to be brought into Nepal and will not be exchanged
and will not be accepted for transaction of any kind. |
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| How to Enter Nepal? |
By Air:
Nepal Airlines is the National Flag Carrier of Nepal with
flights to/ from Delhi, Bangalore, Mumbai, Kuala Lumpur,
Dubai, Bangkok, Hong Kong, Osaka, Shanghai and Singapore.
Beside that other International Airlines are operating
from/ to Kathmandu are Austrian Airlines (Vienna), Air
Arabia (Sharjah), Air China (Lhasa), Air Sahara (Delhi),
(Biman Bangladesh (Dhaka), Gulf Air (Baharain, Muscat),
GMG Airlines (Dhaka), Indian Airlines (Delhi, Kolkotta,
Varanasi), Jet Airways (Delhi), Korean Air (Seoul), PIA
(Karachi), Qatar Airways (Doha), Royal Druk Air (Delhi,
Paro), Thai Airways (Bangkok).
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All above mentioned flights land and take off
from/ to Tribhuvan International Airport.
By Land: All visitors entering Nepal by land
must use no other entry points other than 1) Kakarbhitta
2) Birgunj 3) Belhiya, Bhairahawa 4) Nepalgunj 5) Dhangadi
and 6) Mahendra Nagar in the Nepal-India border and 7)
Kodari in the Nepal-China border. The overland tourist’s
entering the Kingdom with their vehicles must possess
an international carnet or complete customs formalities. |
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| Custom Formalities |
Customs:
All baggage must be declared and cleared through the customs
on arrival at the entry. Personal effects are permitted
free entry. Passengers arriving at Tribhuvan International
Airport (TIA) without any dutiable goods can proceed through
the Green Channel for quick clearance without a baggage
check. If you are carrying dutiable articles, you have
to pass through the Red Channel for detailed customs clearance.
Import: Apart from used personal belongings, visitors
are allowed to bring to Nepal free of duty cigarette (200)
or cigars (50), distilled liquor (one 1.15 liter bottle),
and film (15 rolls). You can also bring in the following
articles free of duty on condition that you take them
out with you when you leave: binocular, movie or video
camera, still camera, laptop computer, and portable music
system.
Export: The export
of antiques requires special certification from the Department
of Archeology, National Archive Building, Ram Shah Path,
Kathmandu. It is illegal to export objects over 100 years
old like sacred images, paintings, manuscripts that are
valued for culture and religious reasons. Visitors are
advised not to purchase such items as they are Nepal's
cultural heritage and belong here.
For more information on customs matters, contact the Chief
Customs Administrator, TIA Customs Office (Phone: 4470110,
4472266) |
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| Airport Tax +Tourism Service
Fee (TSF) |
| 1) International Sector |
a) Airport Tax: Rs. 791 .00 + TSF: Rs. 565.00 for
departure to SAARC (South Asian) countries:
b) Airport Tax: Rs. 1130.00 + TSF: Rs. 565.00 for
departure to other international destinations.
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| 2) Domestic Sector |
a) Rs. 169.50 for all the sector
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| Time and Business Hours
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Nepal is 5 hours
45 minutes ahead of GMT.
Business
hours within the Valley: Government offices are
open from 9 am to 5 p.m. from Monday through Friday in
the Kathmandu Valley. Outside the Kathmandu Valley it
opens on Sunday also. Banks are open from Sunday through
Friday from 10 am to 3.30 pm. open until 12 pm only on
Friday. Most Business offices are open from 10 am to 5
p.m. Sunday through Friday. Embassies and international
organizations are open from 9 am to 5 pm Monday through
Friday. Most shops open after 10 am and close at about
8 pm and are usually closed on Saturdays.
Business
hours outside the Valley: Government offices
outside Kathmandu valley open from 10 am to 5 p.m. from
Sunday through Thursday. On Fridays they remain open until
3 pm. Banks are open from Sunday through Thursday from
10 am to 3 pm. On Fridays, banks remain open until 12
pm only. Business offices are open from 10 am to 5 pm
Sunday through Friday. Embassies and international organizations
are open from 9 am to 5 pm Monday through Friday. Most
shops open after 10 am and close at about 8 pm and are
usually closed on Saturdays.
Holidays:
Nepal observes numerous holidays, at the least a couple
in a month. So please check the holiday calendar. Government
offices observe all the national holidays and banks observe
most of them. Businesses observe major holidays only. |
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| Communication Facilities |
Postal Services:
The Central Post Office located near Dharahara
Tower, is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through
Friday. The counters are open from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m.
and provide stamps, postcards and aerograms. Post Restante
is available Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5
p.m. Express Mail Service (EMS) is available at GPO
and at Thamel, Basantapur and airport postal counters.
Telephone Services: Telephone, fax,
telex and telegraph services are available at the Nepal
Telecommunications Corporation at Tripureshwor. Hotels
and private communications centers provide long distance
telephone. For calling from outside, country code for
Nepal is 977 and the area code for Kathmandu is 1.
Internet Services: Several Internet
cafes and communication centers have opened up in the
Valley and around the country in the past few years.
Visitors only have to find a place they are most comfortable
in to use the facilities to keep in touch with home.
E-mail and Internet services are also offered by hotels.
Media: Nepali media has sped light
years ahead in just a few years time and what used to
be a controlled and tight knit community, is so no more.
The government audio and television news networks are
Radio Nepal and Nepal Television respectively. However,
numerous FM radio stations and upcoming regional television
stations are dominating the market. Major Nepali daily
newspapers are Gorkhapatra and Kantipur, while the English
dailies are The Rising Nepal, The Kathmandu Post and
The Himalayan. A number of other newspapers and magazines
are also available.
Electricity: Major towns have electricity
and the voltage available is 220-volts and 50 cycles.
Load shedding is sometimes experienced. However, most
major hotels have installed their own generators. |
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| SOME DO’S AND DON'TS
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- The form of greeting in Nepal is "NAMASTE"
and is performed by joining the palms together.
- Before entering a Nepalese home, temple, and stupa
remember to remove your shoes.
- Be careful not to use your spoon, fork or a hand
being used for your eating to touch other's food,
plate, cooking utensil or the serving dish. Do not
eat from other people's plate and do not drink from
other people's bottle or glass. It is considered impure
by the Nepalese.
- Never touch anything with your feet. This is considered
an offence among Nepalese.
- While travelling dress appropriately. Women should
specially avoid dressing in skimpy outfits.
- Seek permission first before entering a Hindu temple.
Many Hindu temples do not allow westerners or non-Hindus
to enter.
- Leather articles are prohibited to be taken inside
the temple precinct.
- Walking around temples or stupas is traditionally
done clockwise.
- Take photographs only after receiving permission
for the object or person being photographed.
- Public displays of affection between man and woman
are frowned upon. Do not do something that is totally
alien to our environment.
- Remember, many times, when a person shakes his
head from left to right, he may mean "Yes".
- Develop a genuine interest to meet and talk to
Nepalese people and respect their local customs.
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