Pokhara is an enchanting city in Asia, and, of course, a remarkable destination within the country due to its glory,
How to Plan a Trip in Nepal: Routes, Costs, and Tips
Nepal, with its magnificent landscapes, ancient Hindu temples, beautiful Buddha stupas, and Himalayan Mountains, has been enthralling the hearts of travelers since time immemorial. Whether you’re an adventure seeker looking to hike the world-famous trails of Annapurna or a culture enthusiast looking to explore rich history and vibrant traditions like Lumbini, the birthplace of Buddha, Nepal has something for everyone to enjoy.
Traveling to Nepal is easy and pocket-friendly too. It is impossible in any other country to see snow and ancient heritage for such a small amount of money. Before planning a trip to this beautiful country, you should know why Nepal must be on your bucket list.
Why Visit Nepal?
Eight of the world’s ten highest peaks (Mount Everest, Kangchenjunga, Lhotse, Makalu, Cho Oyu, Dhaulagiri I, Manaslu, Annapurna) are in Nepal, making it a paradise for trekking and mountaineering enthusiasts. Also, Nepal’s rich cultural heritage and incredible flora and fauna delight nature lovers.
Apart from this, Nepal’s national parks offer rare species such as the Bengal tiger, one-horned rhinoceros, and red panda. The most attractive of these is the warm hospitality and friendliness of the Nepalis, making every journey memorable for tourists. Now, take a look at how to plan your trip to Nepal.
First Thing First, Which Season is Best for You
Undoubtedly, the ideal time to visit Nepal is the autumn (September to November) and the spring (March to May). Although other times of the year, tourists also visit Nepal.
Visiting in Autumn
The balance of Nepal’s comfortable weather and picturesque nature in autumn gives travelers a wonderful experience. During this time of year, having a clear sky, you can enjoy the majestic beauty of the peak of Everest. The temperature ranges from 15°C to 24°C (59°F to 75°F), and it is ideal for trekking. Besides, the weather makes it comfortable to roam around and do different outdoor activities in Nepal. Nepal has several festivals in autumn.
The most popular of these are Tihar and Doshain. During this festival, colored paper decorations are all over the streets, and Buddhist Monks perform Nepal’s famous Llama Dance. During this time, Kathmandu Valley becomes less crowded as most migrants go to their villages in Nepal to celebrate the festival. Such quiet Nepal is not available at other times of the year. As a result, trekkers enjoy trekking in deserted environments quite well.
Visiting in Spring
Spring Nepal is also quite enjoyable. At this time, the nature of Nepal blooms with various flowers in the morning. Flowers include Rhododendron, also known as Lali Gurans, Primula, Orchid, and Daphne, also known as Suntala Phool. Temperatures in Nepal range from 12°C to 25°C (54°F to 77°F) in spring. This balance of nature and climate of Nepal is ideal for wanderlust. At this time of year, tourists overcrowd national parks and mountain trails to enjoy Nepal’s beautiful nature. Besides, spring is warmer, so you do not need heavy clothing while trekking.
Visiting in Winter
Temperatures in Nepal are below-freezing in winter (December to February). If you enjoy traveling in such cold weather, you should visit Nepal. In winter, white snow covers the peaks of the mountains. It’s a heavenly scene to experience. Snow falls at higher altitudes, so you should not trek during this time. Accommodation in Nepal is cheaper in winter as it is off-season. Although the cold limits outdoor activities, you can enjoy a hot chocolate in your cottage sitting next to the fireplace.
Visiting in Monsoon
Nepal receives heavy rainfall during the monsoon season. This rain causes floods in the city and landslides in the hilly areas. Both these natural calamities take a severe form during the monsoon period. Heavy rain floods Kathmandu, and the roads become very dirty. Traveling to Nepal at this time is not ideal. Trekking areas are slippery, and camping is impossible due to heavy rainfall.
Required Documents
Visa– Most travelers do not require a tourist visa to visit Nepal. You can effortlessly get a visa on arrival at the Airport in Kathmandu or various land border crossings. You can also apply for an advance visa through Nepal Embassy. Here’s how to get a visa for Nepal.
Passport– The passport should be valid for at least 6 months from the entry date.
Vaccination Certificate– Although a vaccination certificate is not mandatory, you should get the vaccine for COVID-19, hepatitis A, typhoid, and tetanus as a precaution.
Whom to Consult
There is so much to see and do in Nepal that planning a trip can be overwhelming. There is so much to see and do in Nepal that planning a trip can be overwhelming. So you can leave this burden to the professionals. Many travel planners will plan the trip according to your taste and ability. You can also find some Nepal travel consultants online.
Decide How Long to Spend in Nepal
The length of your stay in Nepal depends on your budget and the type of experience you want to have. Nepal has an incredible combination of diverse nature, ancient heritage, and adventure activities.
Short Stay (3-5 Days)
If you are familiar with Nepali culture and want to explore cities like Kathmandu, then a 3 to 5-day trip is best for you. On this short trip, you can visit Kathmandu Valley, UNESCO World Heritage Sites like Shambhunath and Pashupatinath, Durbar Square, and the National Museum of Nepal. If you are a nature lover, you can visit the Garden of Dreams, the National Botanical Garden, and Sundarijal.
One Week (7-10 Days)
After exploring Kathmandu, consider extending your stay to experience some of Nepal’s beautiful short trips. Short treks to Ghorepani, Poon Hill, and Nagarkot will be ideal destinations for you. Also, visit Pokhara to see the regal beauty of the famous Annapurna range. Apart from this, you can enjoy a scenic boat ride at Phew Lake to enjoy the greenery and birds of Nepal.
Two Weeks (14-16 Days)
If you are a trekking enthusiast, consider staying in Nepal for at least two weeks. To experience the famous treks in Nepal, you need this lengthy stay. You can trek on the Annapurna Circuit Trek, Gokyo Lakes Trek, Everest Base Camp Trek, Langtang Gosainkunda Trek, or Manaslu Circuit Trek. All of these treks have 14 to 16-day duration. After this, you can spend a few days in Kathmandu and Pokhara to explore the local adventures. You can visit Chitwan National Park to explore the diverse flora and fauna to complete your Nepal trip. This two-week trip will help you get to know Nepal more deeply.
Three Weeks or More (21+ Days)
If you want to experience Nepal more deeply, you should increase the number of travel days to 3 weeks or more. You can make long treks to Nepal in this long time. Also, you can do multiple trekking. One can do the famous Kanchenjunga Base Camp Trek, which lasts 20-25 days. You can trek at Dolpo Trek in the remote areas of Dalpur in Nepal. The duration of this trek is 18-24 days.
If you are not interested in the trek, you can visit the Hindu and Buddhist monuments spread around Nepal. Among these, Lumbini, the half-sunken Buddha in Pashupatinath, Moneky temple in Kathmandu, the sleeping Vishnu in Budhanilkantha, Changu Narayan Temple in Bhaktapur, and Janaki Temple in Janakpur are particularly noteworthy.
How Much Does it Cost?
Nepal trip cost depends on three factors— what kind of activities you want to enjoy, how you want to enjoy it, and in which season you want to enjoy it. Here’s a rough idea of how much you can expect for a budget trip, mid-range trip, and luxury trip:
Flight
The price of round-trip international flights to Kathmandu from the US, Europe, or Asia depends on the season and origin location. These can range from 400 to 1,500 USD. Popular routes in domestic flights, like Kathmandu to Pokhara, will cost 100-150 USD one-way. If you want to go to a remote area of Nepal, like Lukla, also known as the gateway to Everest, it will cost you 180 USD for a one-way flight.
Accommodation
If you are tight on money, you can get budget accommodation for 5-10 USD per night. At this price, you can get basic guest houses or hostels where you have to use shared bathrooms. If you want to stay in a better place than this, you can find mid-range hotels for 25-60 USD per night. Mid-range hotels include private bathrooms, advanced amenities, and breakfast. A luxury stay will cost you 100-300+ USD per night. You’ll get better rooms, private bathrooms and spas, Wi-Fi, three-course meals and more.
Food and Drink
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Transportation
Transportation costs in Nepal are affordable. You can get buses and taxis within your tight budget. Local bus fare will be less than 1 USD. On the other hand, a taxi will cost 2-5 USD in Kathmandu or Pokhara. If you want to travel in a rented car, the daily fare will be 30-100 USD.
However, this fare may be more or less depending on the location and distance. You can also hire Jeeps and Helicopters. A shared Jeep will cost you 20-50 USD for shorter routes, and a private Jeep will cost you 100-200 USD daily. Helicopters will cost you 800-7000 USD based on the distance.
Activities and Attractions
There are many options to explore in Nepal – from trekking in the mountains to visiting national parks. All traveling options are pocket-friendly. You will need a trekking permit to hike in the mountains. At Annapurna or Everest Base Camp, trekking permission will cost 20-50 USD. Guides or porters are also available there. A guide will cost you 20-30 USD daily, while the porter fee will be 15-20 USD. The ticket price for museums, temples, and historical places will be 2-15 USD.
Besides, various thrilling activities like paragliding, Zip lining, or rafting will cost 40-150 USD. However, mountaineering is among the most expensive activities. If you want to climb Everest, you will be charged 10000 USD for climbing permission. In other peaks, the cost ranges from 300-4000 USD. Here’s a list of what activities you should do in Nepal.
Now, How to Get to Nepal
Tribhuvan International Airport (KTM) is the only international gateway in Nepal. It is the busiest airport located in the capital Kathmandu. Every day approximately 340 flights operate daily through Tribhuvan airport. Unfortunately, there are no direct flights from Australia, the United Kingdom, the United States of America, or other European countries.
You can reach Kathmandu via layovers like Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Doha, Dubai, or Istanbul, and this journey takes 20-30 hours, including layovers. Depending on the airline, you will be charged 800 to 1200 USD for a round trip to Nepal. You can get a comfortable flight from Singapore Airlines, Thai Airways, Malaysia Airlines, Turkish Airlines, Qatar Airways, and Etihad.
How to Move Around
You can find different types of vehicles in Nepal. Shuttle Buses, Taxis, and Pathao or Tootle ride-sharing are available outside Tribhuvan Airport. You can get these transportation services in Kathmandu and Pokhara. In other areas, you will find public buses, microbuses, and many jeeps in hilly areas. There are comfortable private bus services available in Nepal to cover longer distances. Also, you can rent motorcycles or bikes at budget prices. If you don’t want to waste time journeying through buses, hundreds of domestic flights in Nepal will reach the farthest areas of Nepal in a short time from Kathmandu.
Safety Tips
Traveling to Nepal is an outstanding adventure. But, it is crucial to make your safety a top priority. Before planning your trip, know how to cope with altitude sickness. Also, be aware of the challenging weather in Nepal. Carry extra warm clothes for this unpredictable weather. Fresh water is scarce in Nepal. Bottled mineral water is available in cities but not in remote areas.
So, carry extra bottled water and water purification tablets. Weather often disrupts flights in Nepal. In that case, keep your schedule flexible. Keep your bags and money safe. It is better not to display expensive items, especially in crowded places. Along with these precautions, do not litter the road. Dispose of garbage in designated areas.
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