Nepal

until 12 PM only. Government offices 9 AM to 5 PM. Monday- Friday. Business offices 10 AM to 5 PM Sunday – Friday. Embassies and International organization 9AM to 5PM Monday – Friday. Shops 10 AM to 8 PM and are usually closed on Saturdays.

BUSINESS HOURS OUTSIDE THE VALLEY
Government offices 10AM – 5 PM. Sunday – Thursday. Fridays till 3PM. Banks 10AM to 3 PM. Sunday – Thursday. On Fridays, banks remain open until 12 PM only. Business offices 10 AM to 5 PM Sunday – Friday. Embassies and international organizations 9AM to 5 PM Monday – Friday. Shops 10AM to 8PM and are usually closed on Saturdays.

Nepal is five hours 45 minutes ahead of GMT.

season from October to May and there is the wet season, the monsoon, from June to September. September-November, the start of the dry season, is in many ways the best time of the year in Nepal. When monsoon just ends, the countryside is green and lush. Nepal is at its most beautiful and during this season there are plenty of colourful festivals to enjoy.

port of entry. Passengers arriving at Tribhuvan International Airport 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 litre 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: Binoculars, Movie or video camera, still camera, laptop computer, and portable music system.

EXPORT
It is illegal to export objects over 100 years old (scared 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. The Department of Archaeology at Ramshah Path near Singha Durbar has to certify all metal statues, sacred paintings and similar objects before they are allowed to be sent or carried out of the country. Handicraft dealers and travel agents are able to assist you in this process. For more information on customs matters, contact the Chief Customs Administrator, TIA customs office.

AIRPORT TAX
As per the decision of His Majesty’s Government of Nepal dated 2001/02/19, Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal has announced a hike in the airport taxes at the Tribhuvan International Airport and other domestic airports, with immediate effect. The new Airport Tax is equally applicable to Nepalese as well as non-Nepalese Citizens flying from Nepal.

Meningitis, Tetanus and Diphtheria, Typhoid and Gamma Globulin should be considered for your trip. Please consult your physician and get a complete check-up before departure. Most hotels have a doctor on call.

Sunshine can stronger than you are used to, heat, digestive upsets, insect bites for which you have developed no immunities, all these can spoil your trip. So please take a few basic precautions.

Carry a kit containing sunscreens and other lotions for protection from the sun, insect repellents and sting relief creams, water sterilising tablets and medicines for possible stomach upsets or indigestion. To protect yourself from mosquitoes when outdoors in the evenings, use an insect repellent on exposed skin, and wear socks, trousers and long-sleeved Shirts.

EATING AND DRINKING

Tap water is not purified for drinking. Unless you have access to a water filter, or are sure water has been boiled, it is safer to stick to bottled water. Avoid ice in your drinks outside your hotel. Avoid ice cream or food sold by roadside vendors, uncooked or undercooked foods, fruit or vegetables that cannot be peeled.

though accents and grammar may vary considerably. Different ethnic groups have their own language or dialects, but Nepalese is the national language. The script is Devangari. English is widely understood in urban Centres.

Note that we always ensure that our clients are paired with guides who can speak their language.

COMMUNICATION

Making long distance calls is easy from major cities like Kathmandu and Pokhara. Cyber cafes and communication shops offer phone and internet services in every corner. They let you receive and send fax and provide computer for internet access for a free.

Landline telephone calls to most countries are now direct. Fax and Telex facilities are now ubiquitously available. Internet facilities are also easily available in most cities and tourist centres, in cybercafés and business centres, but free wireless connectivity is rare.

Connectivity – wireless or conventional broadband – in five-star hotels tends to be many times more expansive then cybercafes in the same areas.

The postal service is fairly spread out, you are likely to find post offices in the most remote towns. You can usually buy stamps and leave letters for posting at most hotels.

small shops, you can bargain the prices for purchasing goods. (Do note that we did be happy to provide you with expert shopping assistance). You can shop at colourful, crowded bazaars, on the roadside, in air-conditioned hotels arcades and bustling modern malls.

own specialities. The cultural diversity of Nepal has provided an ample space for the growth of a number of cuisines based on the ethnic groups and the geographical features of the nation. Hence, Nepalese cuisine encompasses a whole array of different cuisines rather than one single type of cuisine. Dal Bhat – lentil soup served over boiled rice – is a staple dish of Nepal.

Snacks commonly eaten outside mealtimes include popped or parched corn, “chura” (beaten rice), “samosa” (turnovers stuffed with meat or vegetables), biscuits (packaged cookies) and Indian-style sweets.

Beverages include – tea usually taken with milk and sugar, “Jard” (homemade beer made from rice), “Sarbat” (juice of sugar cane), “Raksi” (spirits made in rustic distilleries). At higher elevations “chang” (Millet beer).