While it may not be for tourists looking to laze around in the sunshine, Nepal is a legendary travel destination in its own right, especially as it is the gateway to the tallest peak in the world, Everest!
Whether you’re looking to conquer the highest peak there is to conquer on earth or to discover the diverse Nepalese culture, here are some tips you can take to travel to Nepal in 2022, including requirements related to COVID-19.
Tipping culture
If tipping is a big part of your culture, you might be surprised to find out that in other cultures it might not even be a thing in other countries.
In general, tipping is not customary in Nepal, except for trekking guides and porters.
Do tip them 10-15% for a job well done in giving you the adventure of your life! In other places, such as in restaurants or transport (rickshaws, taxis), rounding up your payment is appreciated.
After all, you’re a guest and they’re showing you their home!
Currency exchange
Nepal is no newcomer to tourism, so this country is ready with currency exchange offices so you can comfortably exchange your home currency for Nepalese Rupees.
However, don’t expect to do this at home! It is illegal to bring Nepalese Rupees out of Nepal, and this is why you can’t exchange for Nepalese Rupees in your home country.
This is also why you should exchange all your Rupees back into your currency before leaving Nepal.
Visa application
While Nepal’s entrance policy is relatively liberal, you will still need a visa to enter the country.
Nepal allows vaccinated citizens of most countries to apply for a visa on arrival.
You will also need to prove your vaccination. More details on that are in the next part of the article.
However, if you’re traveling during the high season, you might find the queue for visas on arrival tiring, so you may opt to apply for a visa online.
If you’re unvaccinated, you will also need to apply for your visa ahead of time. Here are the documents you need for an online visa application:
- Your valid passport;
- Your accommodation details in Nepal;
- A copy of the trekking permit if you’re going trekking;
- Contact information;
- Digital identifying photo.
To make your visa application and your travels even smoother, get professional help for your online Nepal visa photo!
Entry requirements regarding COVID-19
This might be the most burning question if you’re traveling to Nepal during this pandemic. What’s required of you when you enter Nepal depends on your vaccination status. If you’re vaccinated, you will need to present:
- Proof that you have completed the post-COVID-19 vaccination incubation period, which lasts 14 days
- COVID-19 negative test result obtained within 72 hours before departure (if arriving from air travel), or within 72 hours, if arriving on land
If you’re unvaccinated, here are the requirements:
- Take a COVID-19 antigen test at the port of entry
- Upon negative result, you may continue to travel, but you must stay in hotel quarantine for five days
- Take a PCR test on the sixth day. If your result is negative, you may exit isolation. If it’s positive, you will have to continue quarantine.
Sometimes it’s worth staying on the beaten track
We understand that you’re looking for adventures in Nepal, and a popular approach among adventurers is to “go off the beaten track”.
However, there’s a reason the beaten tracks are traveled a lot.
It’s not just because they’re easy, as you know Nepal is not the country of gentle slopes. It’s also because they’re safe. Trust your guide, or rather: always have a guide when trekking!
Respect and follow their instructions. They know better.
Be ready to navigate
While it’s hopefully common sense to have a trekking guide, and there is no shortage of them in Nepal, there is another issue in navigation in Nepal, in which trekking guides don’t help.
It can get tricky to navigate Kathmandu, the capital! Kathmandu is a dense city filled with people, and it can be tough to navigate for foreigners!
Always have your accommodation details on hand, remember your routes, and remember: there’s no shame in using online navigators.