Even for the most seasoned traveler, it's still important to be up to speed on Nepal before you arrive in the country. So here are few things to be considered:
Best Season
Nepal has five season temperate climate. Due to its location, landscape and power outages those seasons often dictate when the best time to visit.
Autumn: The peak tourist season is in the autumn between September to late November. This is just after the monsoon season so the air is dry and clear. This is perfect time for visiting Nepal if you are going trekking also.
Winter: December and January are cold winter months throughout Nepal. Though it doesn't snow in any of the main non-trekking cities in Nepal it does hit freezing.
Spring: February to April is Nepal's second busiest tourist season. The climate starts cold but in preceding months get increasingly warm. Flowers in the valleys begin to bloom and there's little rain. It does however get quite hazy so mountain views will be lessened.
Summer: May to June is the start of the pre-monsoon summer. It gets hot and humid with several showers on the hottest of days. Climate change has meant a lengthening of showers.
Summer (monsoon): June to late August is when the monsoon rains hit Nepal. Climate change again mean that the monsoon may be earlier or later than this. Rain are heavier and there's a risk of flooding in places. The sky is heavy with cloud but it also means blooming flowers and lush green valleys.
Nepal Visa/Entry Requirement
Nepal visa can be obtained on arrival at the Tribhuwan International Airport, Kathmandu. Your passport needs to be valid for 6 months after your return dates and two passport-size photo with a light background.Nationals of SAARC countries and China do not need visa when visiting Nepal. As per this rule, Indian nationals do not require visa.Transit visa is provided for foreign nationality for 3 days. Visa must be obtained for staying over the initial period of three days.
Tourist Visa Fees: 3 days transit visa - Free of Cost
Multiple entry 15 days - US$ 25 or equivalent convertible currency
Multiple entry 30 days - US$ 40 or equivalent convertible currency
Multiple entry 90 days - US$ 100 or equivalent convertible currency
Note: Outside of Nepal, a visa can also be obtained at the nearest Nepal Embassy or Diplomatic Mission.
(For further information, please, contact Department of Immigration, Maitighar, Impact Building, Kathmandu, and Tel: 00977-1-4221996 / 4223590 / 4222453)
Download visa form: www.nepalimmigration.gov.np
Money Matter
Always keep your encashment receipt while making foreign exchange payments or exchanging rupees from any foreign currency. You might need the receipt to exchange the money left over from your trip before you leave. Service providers such as hotels, travel agencies, and airlines accept foreign currency for payment of service provided. American Express, Master and Visa are widely accepted by the tourism service providers. ATM machines are available in most of the cities but many local banks do not offer withdraw service to the foreign cards. You can contact some international banks such as Standard Chartered, Nabil, SBI and Everest to withdraw money from ATM.
Health Advice
No vaccinations are required. But it's wise to be inoculated against typhoid and hepatitis A. Depending on how long you plan to stay, you may also want to get vaccinations for rabies, meningitis and Japanese encephalitis. We recommends to carry mosquito repellents if you are visiting in summer can be wise or you can buy it in Kathmandu if you are travelling to the southern plain of Nepal. Consulting your doctor is a better idea.
People/Language/Time Difference/Currency
Nepal is a country of mixed settlements of various ethnic groups and castes. They welcome travelers with their best hospitality. Nepalese greet each other by saying "Namaste" joining both palms together meaning "I salute the divine in you". It is used both when people meet and depart. Nepali is the official language. Other Hindu dialects are spoken however English is widely spoken across the country.
The GMT of Nepal is +5:45 and currency used is Nepalese Rupees (NPR).
Tailor-Made Trip & Departure
Enchanting Kathmandu & Pokhara Tour cover two destination Kathmandu and Pokhara. Nagorkot being 32km east of Kathmandu is a village in central Nepal (at the rim of Kathmandu Valley). We have some fixed departures for this tour. However, we can tailor this trip to suite your specific requirement. You can either shorten this tour to meet your planning time or extend the journey to explore other places in Nepal. Advanced Adventures Nepal is there to assist you.
Group Size
Minimum group size would be two and maximum group size is twenty or more on request. We can also organize private trip to solo person with single supplement cost. Or join our estimated group departure dates available online or request us with your personal dates. We will open group date on the same date.
Guides/Trip/Safety
With Advanced Adventures, it is very essential that you are accompanied with very experienced and qualified tour guide for the safety and successful of the trip. Our guides are trained and licensed from Nepal Government and fluent in any language as per your need. Our guides are especially for the tour in which they have very well and depth of knowledge about history, culture, tradition and places as well. We assure you that your trip is at the right and in professional hands.
Accommodations
For Kathmandu and Pokhara tours, we use 3 star hotels which are available for the overnight. Based on your requirement, we can arrange suitable budget hotels from standard, deluxe to luxury.
Meals
All meals in hotels include only breakfast. And on the day of arrival, there is welcome cultural dinner hosted in typical and authentic Nepali restaurant.
Transportation
In every trip, we use our private transport based on your itinerary. We provide car for 1-3 person, jeep or tourist van for up to 10 persons. We also provide option for flight from Kathmandu to Pokhara which will be 30 minutes flight instead of 6-7 hours' drive.We recommends to keep at least one-way by road so that you can see landscape and visit natural places along the way. From your last city - you can fly back to Kathmandu and save time for other activities.
Road Safety
Due to country geographical region, few roads in Nepal that are badly maintained with massive potholes and many are constructed round the terrain which includes winding roads, bends and steep precipices with no safety barriers. Thus, driving during night is particularly dangerous in Nepal and any journey is best done in daylight hours. Also depending upon the weather and traffic conditions, your trip duration might extend but it is very less probability. Advanced Adventures team will assists you over such matters.
Travel Insurance
Travel insurance is compulsory. You are required to purchase comprehensive travel insurance before travelling with us. Please ensure that you know exactly what you are covered for such as trip cancellation insurance, general medical expenses and hospitalization.
To Book
Once you choose which trip you would like to book, write to us with the information or call us on our number for the trip booking confirmation. In our online trip booking option, you may go on the link, choose your trip, date and follow the instruction with information required and submit to us. Each tour has an itinerary with everything that is included for that specific trip.Once your trip booking request is received, we would suggest you the final trip booking procedure with advance payment. Non-refundable deposit of 20% (per person) is required to confirm a place on your selected trip.
Please contact us with any concerns or questions.
Note: After the devastation earthquakes that shook Nepal in April and May 2015, the country is slowly getting back on its feet. Keeping this in a view, Nepal government has come up with the project to promote the tourism in Nepal by announcing "Visit Nepal 2020".