Practical Information

Passport

Your passport must be valid for at least six months when you submit your application for a visa. You should also ensure your passport is up to date, valid for the entire length of your stay and that you have completed the emergency contact details page inside your passport.

Visa

Nepal

Travellers from the UK, US and EU normally need a visa to enter Nepal. Visa requirements often change and it is your responsibility to obtain any required visas for this trip. Therefore, we recommend that you check with the nearest embassy or consulate of your chosen destination(s), including any countries you may be transiting or transferring through.

Some local governments provide guidance on what visas their citizens need. To help, we’ve gathered a selection of useful links below.

• Australia: www.smartraveller.gov.au/destinations/asia/nepal
• Canada: www.travel.gc.ca/destinations/nepal
• United Kingdom: www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/nepal/entry-requirements
• USA: www.travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/international-travel/International-Travel-Country-Information-Pages/Nepal.html

You can obtain your visa in advance or on arrival. If possible, apply in advance as queues on arrival can be very long and the Immigration Department of Nepal has suspended visas on arrival for certain nationalities – please check if this applies to you with your nearest embassy or consulate.

Visa in advance: Apply for this through your local consulate or embassy. The Nepalese government has an online application system, but it is currently only accepting payments through Nepalese payment channels.

Visa on arrival: When you arrive at Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu, there will be three lines. If you have already secured your visa, go straight to the Immigration line. If not:

1. Fill in a tourist visa form at the electronic kiosks. After inserting your passport, the machine will automatically fill out an application form, take an electronic photograph of you and print a paper slip. If the machine won’t read your passport, complete the details manually using the touchscreen. We recommend taking a passport photo with you just in case.
   • This process can be completed through the online immigration portal (click ‘Visa On-Arrival’) within 14-days prior to arrival in Kathmandu, helping you to avoid lengthy queues at the kiosks when you come through immigration – ensure you print and bring the confirmation with you. If you have completed your visa on arrival form in advance, go directly to the visa fees counters with your printed confirmation and skip the kiosk queues.
2. Proceed to the visa fees collection counter and pay the visa fee (in cash, if possible). Make sure to keep the receipt. Card payments are not always possible, so paying in cash is easiest, most currencies are accepted but US dollars are preferred.
3. Go to the relevant immigration desk and present your tourist visa form, payment receipt and passport to obtain your 15-, 30- or 90-day visa stamp. Please check you have been given the correct visa duration.

Vaccinations and Health

There are no mandatory vaccination requirements. However, recommended vaccinations include polio, tetanus, diphtheria, typhoid, hepatitis A.

The risk of malaria is present in certain regions only (such as Chitwan); you may wish to consult your GP or travel health clinic for further advice. The risk is highest in the low lying southern ‘terai’ districts bordering India.

A yellow fever certificate is only required if travelling from a country with risk of yellow fever transmission or for travellers having transited for more than 12 hours through a country with risk of transmission.

Dengue fever is a known risk in Nepal. It is a tropical viral disease spread by daytime biting mosquitoes. There is currently no vaccine or prophylaxis available; therefore, the best form of prevention is to avoid being bitten. There was a dengue outbreak in September 2022 with a number of cases recorded in Kathmandu and the Kathmandu Valley. We therefore recommend you take extra precautions to avoid mosquito bites such as wearing full length trousers, long sleeves and applying insect repellent during the day as well as at dawn and dusk.

Altitude is not a factor of consideration on this trip as all activities take place below 6,560ft (2,000m).

Ticks are known to be present in this region and can carry Lyme disease, tick-borne encephalitis and other diseases. Please take care to protect yourself. You can read more about ticks here.

Ticks are known to be present in this region and can carry lyme disease, tick-borne encephalitis and other diseases. Please take care to protect yourself. You can read more about ticks here.

Local Time

Nepal's time zone: Asia/Kathmandu (UTC +05:45)

Electricity

Plug types C (two round pins, European standard), D (three round pins) and M (three round pins) – 230V, 50Hz Mains electric ‘load shedding’ (planned temporary power cuts) occur regularly throughout towns and cities in Nepal.

Money

Nepal's currency: Nepalese rupee (NPR) It is illegal to import or export rupees, but foreign currency is not limited, provided it is declared on arrival. Keep your change receipts, as you will need them if you want to change rupees back into hard currency at Kathmandu airport.

ATM Availability

There are ATMs in Kathmandu, Pokhara and other major towns.

Please do not rely wholly on ATMs as many are broken or run out of money. Often there are ATM lounges (a small room with numerous different ATMs). Some banks have a withdrawal limit equivalent to about US$120 per time but there is usually a transaction fee, if you need to withdraw more money than this you should look for another ATM with a higher limit (others have a maximum withdrawal limit equivalent to about US$360 per time).

Credit cards are accepted in many of the larger shops and restaurants in Kathmandu and Pokhara.

Extra Expenses & Spending Money

Your trek and stay in Chitwan are both on a full-board basis, so you will only need a small amount of cash for incidentals. There are local lodges/teahouses along the trekking route where it is possible to buy things such as beer, cold drinks and snacks. If you buy these, you should expect to spend a bit more each day.

Optional excursions

Several optional tours and activities are available from Kathmandu.

Prices for a half-day sightseeing tour start from approximately 4,600 Nepalese rupees (US$35) per person, based on a group of six and above. For all trips, return transport and a qualified sightseeing guide are included. The price does not include lunch or entry fees. Please inquire with your leader in Kathmandu, who can provide further information.

An optional Everest sightseeing flight is available on your free day (weather permitting) from around 27,750 rupees (US$210) per person – subject to change. Anyone taking an internal sightseeing flight in Nepal should pay attention to the statement ‘Flying in Nepal’.

Tipping

On this Premium Adventure, tipping for any local support staff is included, and will normally be taken care of by your tour leader (or in some cases through our local agent). So no need for any tipping kitty contributions, or to make your own tips during the trip.

Our ‘included tips’ will normally cover drivers, local specialist guides, certain hotel staff, and serving staff for included meals. Amounts will be in line with the local standard. Of course, if you wish to make a further tip for some extra special service you may do so.

Tips for the Tour Leader are not included. Whether to tip at all and the amount is entirely at your own discretion, but as a starting point, we suggest around 35,000-40,000 Nepalese rupees (US$265-US$300) in total from the group as a whole. Tipping of the leader is usually done on the last night in Kathmandu – we suggest passing an envelope for each staff member around the group so that everyone can put in what they feel comfortable with anonymously.

People, Places & Planet

We work hard to create trips that improve life for the people and places we visit, and look after the planet we explore. Find out more about our sustainable travel ethos and practice here, and find out about the work of the Exodus Travels Foundation here. 

Some sustainable travel highlights of this trip include:

People

How this trip helps improve life for local communities.

• The mountain lodges are a source of local employment, sell locally made handicrafts, carry out cleaning campaigns in the village and contribute towards school building and improving the water supply.
• Barahi Jungle Lodge does a lot to support the local community; funds have been provided for infrastructure at the village school, tents provided to flood victims in 2017 and a weekly river cleaning campaign is carried out. Much of the food at the lodge is locally grown.
• The use of a local leader and trekking support staff (guides, porters/yak herders) means our customers will be well informed about local traditions and cultural and social sensitivities.
• It was not until 2005 that the ancient tradition of ‘chhaupadi’ (banishing menstruating women and girls to huts or sheds during their period) was made illegal in Nepal. In rural parts of the country, menstruation is still a taboo subject. Since 2018, Exodus has supported the Freedom Kitbag Project, providing reusable sanitary wear and education in reproductive health to many hundreds of women and to their wider communities.
• Exodus has had a deep connection with Nepal since the 1980’s and over the years has supported, and continues to support many Himalayan Community Projects, including an elderly person’s home, the High Altitude Workers Welfare Association, providing solar cookers, smokeless stoves and running medical camps in hard to reach communities, to name but a few.

Places

• By travelling in a small group, led by a local guide, we ‘tread lightly’ to minimise our impact on local resources and the environment.
• Our trips adhere to ABTA’s industry-leading animal welfare guidelines to ensure the best possible practices with regard to working animals and wildlife viewing. Our animal welfare policy can be found here.
• We work with our partners on the ground to proactively eliminate or reduce waste, for example eliminating all single-use plastic water bottles and instead providing refills for re-usable bottles.
• Read about our commitment to nature protection and restoration here, including our rewilding commitment for every customer who travels with us and the eBioAtlas.

Planet

How we seek to keep the carbon footprint of this trip low.

Read about our climate action here, including our carbon reduction and compensation commitments.

• Barahi Jungle Lodge is reforesting 12 hectares of land which were previously damaged through overgrazing.
•  A vegetarian diet is common in Nepal, especially in the mountains where eating meat is not generally recommended due to hygiene concerns and a lack of refrigeration facilities. The staple diet is dal baht, which comes in various forms but generally includes lentil dal, vegetable curry, and rice.
• The mountain lodges use solar power as much as possible.

Tips for sustainable travel on this trip

• Leave no trace: We do all we can to ensure we leave no rubbish behind in the wild and beautiful places we visit; we ask that you do the same. If there are no recycling facilities in-country, we’d ask you to consider bringing recyclable materials home with you. When trekking – biodegradable soap, shampoo, and toilet paper are recommended. Keep to paths to reduce damage to plants & disturbances to wildlife.
• Plastic waste reduction: Avoid using plastic bottles or buying mineral water and instead use refillable water bottles wherever possible. Buy boiled water or carry water purification treatment (we recommend a SteriPEN or similar type of handheld UV water purifier).
• Try to buy locally made handicrafts but be wary of items made from wild animals eg. shahtoosh shawls made from endangered Tibetan antelope.
• If while packing, you find a spare bit of space in your bag then you may be interested in donating to one of our projects. Exodus supports a Porter Clothing Bank in Kathmandu and also distributes clothing to villages and schools.

Cultural respect:

• The Nepalese greeting is ‘namasté – with hands held in front of the face, the higher they are held, the more respect it exudes. Men will shake hands with men but not with women.
• Walk in a clockwise direction around temples or monuments. Ask permission before entering places of worship and remove your shoes. Leave leather behind before entering Hindu temples.
• Pointing your feet (the least sacred body part) at people or religious places or pointing or beckoning with a single finger is considered impolite.
• Displays of affection should be kept at bay, and loose-fitting clothing that covers legs and shoulders is advisable, especially when visiting homes, monasteries or temples.
• Do it like the locals! The left hand is associated with toilet duties, so eat, wipe your mouth, pass food, give and receive with your right hand. Only handle your own food and drink.
• Ask before you capture people on camera. Exchanging a few words or gestures beforehand can go a long way. Offering (and actually sending) a copy via post is a great way to benefit both parties!

Important Information

Optional activities and excursions

If you would like to join an optional activity or excursion outside those listed in the itinerary, your leader may be able to assist with selecting a provider. However, Exodus has not assessed the safety standards of activities or excursions that are not listed in the Trip Notes. All optional activities or excursions are undertaken at your own risk.