Travel Advice Nepal | Travel Tips| Pyala-Travel.com

Travel Advice Nepal | Travel Tips Nepal

Moneymatters
The currency is the Nepalese Rupee (NPR). This is fixed to the Indian Rupee and is a soft currency, which means it cannot be changed outside the country. It is fixed to the Indian Rupee at 100 IPR to 160 NPR. It is best to bring a mixture of cash and travelers’ checks in major currencies – USD, CAD, EUR, AUD – and ensure you have a mixture of large and small denominations. Exchange – Money may easily be exchanged at Kathmandu airport on arrival and banks and licensed moneychangers in the cities (shop around as at money changers, a small amount of bargaining can sometimes get a more favorable rate). Bank rates and commission tend to vary. There are many licensed moneychangers in Thamel and Pokhara, though anywhere else is more difficult. The rates at the money changers is slightly lower than banks, but their opening hours are longer and usually you don’t have to queue. There are a number of banks that can provide money transfers and foreign exchange. Standard Chartered is the only international bank in Nepal and has several branches in Kathmandu and Pokhara. Outside of Kathmandu and Pokhara however, banks are unlikely to be able to provide these services. Credit cards and ATMs – Credit card cash advances and ATM withdrawals are in NPR only. ATM machines can be found in Kathmandu and Pokhara, and other larger towns, but not in smaller places. Outside these places, in general credit cards are not widely accepted and invariably payment is processed using the paper slips, often with an additional charge of 3-4%. How much you will need for shopping is difficult to predict, but most people buy more than they plan to. If you want to buy quality art works including hand-painted thangkas, carpets or traditional jewelry you can easily spend USD200+ for top quality items.

Communication
Email
All the major cities have internet access either in hotels or internet cafes. In smaller places, you are unlikely to find the internet, though at places like Manang, Namche Bazaar and at Tengboche – for a price – you can access the internet (satellite connection). Expect connection speeds to be slow.  

Telephone
International calls can be made from nearly all the centers you are likely to visit except for when you’re rafting and trekking in the remote regions. In Kathmandu, there are many ‘communication centers’ where you can call, send faxes and emails. A few places have internet phone services that are much cheaper. Mobile phone coverage is available but is very unreliable. Apart from the sometimes patchy coverage (especially in the hilly and mountainous areas), the network is overloaded, so its often very difficult to get through.. It is easy to get a Nepali SIM card in Kathmandu or Pokhara (bring a photocopy of your passport and two passport photos). However coverage is poor in many of the areas where you might go trekking. Even traveling on the road from Kathmandu to Pokhara, there are many areas where there’s no coverage. Global roaming agreements exist with some international phone companies. Check with your provider before leaving home if you wish to access roaming.

Post
Receiving post is not convenient as you are normally doing something or traveling during the opening hours of most post offices. When posting mail to international addresses, it is best to leave your mail at the post office rather than in a post box. In Kathmandu, some bookshops sell stamps and will take your post to the post office for you. Most hotels can also help you post your mail.

In Summer (May - September) Nepal is 4 hours and 45 minutes ahead of the UK. In winter it is 5 hours and 45 minutes.