In December-January the temperatrues and visibility are still good, though it can get very cold. Trekkers need to be well prepared, as snow can be encountered on high-altitude treks. Heading for the Everest Base Camp at this time of the year can be a real feat of endurance and the Annapurna Circuit trek is often closed by snow on the Thorang La pass. Down in Kathmandu the cheaper hotels, where heating is non-existent, are often chilly and gloomy in the evenings. There's sometimes a brief winter monsoon, lasting just a day or two in January.
February-March-April, the tail end of the dry season, is good second-best time. The weather gets warmer so high-altitude treks are no longer as arduous, although by the end of the dry season, before the monsoon breaks, it starts to get too hot for comfort. Visibility is not good as earlier in the dry season since the country is now very dry, and dust in the air reduces that crystal Himalayan clarity. In compensation, Nepal's wonderful rhododendrons and many other flowers are in bloom so there's plenty of color to be seen along the trekking trails.
May and the early part of June are not the best months as it is extremely hot and dusty and the coming monsoon hangs over you like a threat. Mid-June to September, when the monsoon finally arrives, is the least popular time to visit Nepal. The rains wash the dust out the air, but the clouds obscure the mountains so you're unlikely to enjoy more than a rare glimpse of Himalaya. Although it doesn't rain all day it usually does rain everyday and the trails will be muddy and plagued by leeches. Despite this, it is possible to trek during the monsoon, although high rivers may further complicate matters and it's certainly not as pleasant as other times of the year. Landslides sometimes block roads during the monsoon but many visitors still come to Nepal form India as the weather is even less pleasant down on the plains. The latter part of the monsoon, the months of August-September, are a time of festivals which will certainly enliven a visit to Kathmandu.
Location: Nepal borders with the Tibet Autonomous Region of the People's of China in the North and India in the East, South and West respectively.
Area: 147,181 sq. Kilometers
Altitude: Varies from 70 meters to 8848 meters
Capital: Kathmandu
Population: approx. 22 million
Language: Nepali is the national language of Nepal. Educated people understand and speak English as well.
Time: Nepali is the national language of Nepal. Educated people understand and speak English as well.
Climate:
Nepal has four major seasons.
(1) Winter: December-February,
(2) Spring: March-May,
(3) Summer: June-August,
(4) Autumn: September-November.
Nepal can be visited all year round
People and Religion: Nepalese people are mainly divided into two distinct groups, the Indo-Aryans and the Mongolians. Kathmandu Valley is the spiritual and cultural meeting point of all these groups. Nepal is the only Hindu Kingdom in the World. Hindu Temples and Buddhist shrines are scattered all over the kingdom. Nepal is the birthplace of Lord Buddha, the Light of Asia. Hindus and Buddhists live together harmoniously in Nepal.
Currency and Foreign Exchange: Nepali Rupee notes come in Rs. 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, 25, 50, 100, 500, 1000 denominations. Coins come 5p, 10p, 25p, Rs. 1, 2, 5 denominations. Foreign currencies must be exchanged only through the banks or authorized foreign exchange dealers. The receipts from such transaction are to be obtained and retained. Visitors can exchange foreign currency at the foreign exchange counter at the airport upon arrival. Visitors other than the Indian national have to make the payment in foreign currency in hotel, travel agencies or trekking agencies and air tickets. Non-Indian visitors are not allowed to import or export Indian currency. The approximate value of one USA dollar is equivalent to Rs. 73.65 as of January 30, 2001.
Entry Procedure: All visitors except the Indian nationals must hold a passport and a valid visa. The visas can be obtained at the Nepalese Diplomatic Missions and Consulates abroad and entry points issue visa for visitors. The visa will be extended at the Department of Immigration.
Entry: A visa is necessary to enter Nepal and can be obtained for the following duration from any Royal Nepalese Embassy or Consulate or at the entry points in Nepal.
1. The single entry tourist visa can be obtained from the entry points of Nepal or from the Royal Nepalese diplomatic missions abroad by paying US$30 for 60 days.
2. If the visitors, who has already visited Nepal under tourist visa, intends to come again within 15 days of the same visa year he/she can obtain entry visa by paying US$50 for 30 days at the entry points or at the Royal Nepalese diplomatic missions abroad.
3. The visitors who wish to stay for more that 60 days in Nepal can extend their tourist visa by paying the equivalent of US$50 in the Nepalese currency for 30 days from the Department of Immigration.
4. Business visa with multiple entry facility for the period of one year and five years can be obtained from the Department of Immigration on the recommendation of Ministry of Industry by paying the equivalent of US$250 and US$100 respectively in the Nepalese currency for the foreign investors.
ENTRY POINTS: By Air: Tribhuvan International Airport, Kathmandu
By Land: (1) Kakarbhitta (2) Birgung (3) Belhiya (Bhairahawa) (4) Nepalgung (5) Dhangadi (6) Jogbani (Biratnagar) and (7) Mahendra Nagar in Nepal-India border and (8) Kodari in Nepal-China border.
The overland tourists entering the kingdom with their vehicles must possess an international carnet.
Customs formalities: All baggage must be declared and cleared through the customs on the part of entry. Personal effects are permitted free entry. The duty on articles brought by the visitor varies according to the volume and value of the goods. A tourist may bring in dutiable goods, such as tobacco and liquors, within the prescribed quantity free of duty. Carrying narcotics, arms and ammunition are strictly prohibited. Visitors can export souvenirs to their respective countries. The export of antiques requires special certificate from the Department of Archaeology, National Archive Building, Ram Shah path, Kathmandu (Tel: 215358). Gold, silver, precious stones, wild animals and their skins, horns, wild flora and fauna etc. and all drugs whether processed or in their natural state are prohibited to export.
Travel route: Royal Nepal Airlines the national flag carrier of Nepal and other International airlines operate scheduled flights to Kathmandu from Abu Dhabi, Bangkok, Bombay, Calcutta, Doha, Delhi, Dubai, Dhaka, Paro (Bhutan),
Varanasi, Frankfurt, Paris, Hong Kong, Karachi, London, Moscow, Singapore, Osaka, Lhasa and Vienna. The International Airlines operating their flights to Kathmandu include Aeroflot, Biman Bangladesh Airlines, China South West Airlines, Druk Air, Gulf Air, Indian Airlines, Lufthansa, Pakistan International Airlines, Qatar Airways, Singapore Airlines and Thai International.
Airport tax: Rs. 1100 for departure to other international destinations.
Airport transportation: In addition to metered taxis, limousine service is also available at the airport for transport to major hotels in the city. Cost to Kathmandu is approximately Rs. 200.
Other transport services: Metered taxis having black plates with white figures are available in Kathmandu. Metered tempo (three wheeler scooters) is also available and is slightly cheaper than taxis. Bicycle, motorcycles and rickshaws are also available on hire. The fare for the bicycles or motorcycles is fixed where as the fare of rickshaws is to be negotiated. There are regular bus services between the main town and interiors of the Kathmandu valley. The Bus Terminal is located at Gongabu (new bus terminal) and Bagbazar (old but terminal). Similarly, scheduled bus services for outside the valley operate from the Gongabu Bus Terminal which is located near Balaju, Kathmandu
Facilities:
Nepal has every type of accommodation facilities that a tourist might ask for. This ranges from the international standard star hotels to budget hotels and lodges. Similarly one can also have a choice of sightseeing from a range of different tour packages. In order to have an assured quality service it is advisable to use the facilities and services of government-registered hotels, lodges, travel agencies the licensed tour guides only and engage an authorized travel/trekking agency.
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