LOCATION

Hemmed by People's Republic of China in the north and India in the south, east and west.

PEOPLE
23.2 Million people with more than 61 ethnic groups and more than 60 spoken languages.

RELIGION The only Hindu Kingdom with over 86.5% Hinduism, 7.78% are Buddhists 3.59 Islam and rest Christian, Kirati etc.

AREA
Nepal has an area of 147181 sq. km.

LAND
Average Length : About 885 kms, Breadth 191 kms. Divided into Himalayan, Mountain and Terai regions, there is great variation in altitude.

LANGUAGE
TThe National language of Nepal is Nepali and written in Devanagari script. People in travel trade understand and speak English as well.

POLITICAL SYSTEM :
Multi-party Democracy with constitutional monarchy.

CLIMATE
There are mainly four seasons in Nepal.
1) Winter : December - February, 2) Spring : March - May, 3) Summer : June - August and 4) Autumn : September - November. The climate range from tropical to alpine. Nepal can be visited all the year round. But activities like mountain flight, jungle safari excursions, rafting and trekking are best from October till May.

CLOTHING
Medium-weight and easy-to-wash cottons can be a good choice year-round in the Kathmandu Valley. Woolen sweaters, jackets or similar other warm garments are necessary for winter, short or long-sleeved shirts for spring and light and loose garments are advisable for summer.

FOOD & WATER
It is safer to take food in Hotel itself. Local restaurants should be avoided as far as possible. Tap water is not recommended for drinking. Major hotels and restaurants in major tourist destination provide boiled and filtered water. Mineral water is available in most of the places.

ACCESS
BY AIR : Tribhuwan International Airport - Kathmandu, Nepal.
BY SURFACE : Travelers may also enter the country by surface through six major entry points to Nepal - Kakarbhitta, Biratnagar, Birgunj, Bhairahawa, Mahendranagar from India and Kodari from Tibet.

CUSTOMS
Passengers arriving at Tribhuwan International Airport (TIA) without any dutiable goods can proceed through the Green Channel for quick clearance. If you are carrying dutiable articles, you have to pass through the Red Channel.

PASSPORT
A valid passport is required for all the nationals.

NEPAL ENTRY VISA
All the nationals are required to obtain visa except Indian nationals for the entry into the country. The visa can be obtained from Royal Nepal Embassy or Consulate or at the entry points in Nepal.

Visa Fee structure :
US$ 30 for 60 days single entry. US$ 25, US$ 40 and US$ 60 respectively for single, double or multiple re-entry visa.
72 hours transit visa can be obtained at the arrivals hall of the (TIA) Airport of Kathmandu FREE OF CHARGE by all persons through Nepal and staying less than 3 days.

TREKKING PERMITS
The fee of a trekking permit is as follows:
Kanchenjunga and Lower Dolpo – US$ 10 per week for first four weeks and US$ 20 per week thereafter; Upper Mustang and Upper Dolpo – US$ 700 for first 10 days and US$ 70 per day thereafter; Manslu – US$ 90 per week (September to November) and US$ 75 per week (December through August); Humla – US$ 90 for first seven days and US$ 15 per day thereafter.

Legends :
WHS = Recognised as " World Heritage Site" by UNESCO.
BB = Bed with Breakfast
= An easy and short trek steep ascending and descending for beginners for beginners
= Moderately easy and long trek involving steep ascending and descending. Previous Trek / Hike experience is better but not compulsory.
= Long, and moderately strenuous trek involving steep ascending and descending. Previous Trek / Hike experience is required. Elevation over and above 4500m.
=Long, and strenuous trek involving crossing of passes, steep ascending and descending. Previous Trek experience is required. Elevation over and above 5000m.
Depending on the walking capacity of the clients, the average walking will vary from 4 / 6 hours each day.

National Park Fee :
US $ 29.00 per person in Annapurna Area, US $ 15.00 per person in Everest Area. The above fees are subject to change.

AIRPORT TAX
Rs.1356 for the passengers departing to a member country of SAARC and Rs.1695 for the travel to a third country.
Domestic Airport Tax from major tourist destinations is Rs. 169.00 per person

TIME DIFFERENCE & HOLIDAYS
The Nepal Standard Time is 5 Hours 45 Minutes ahead of GMT. Government offices, Embassies and International Organizations are open from 9 AM to 5 PM; Banks are open from 10 AM to 3 PM Monday through Friday while most of the business houses are open from 9 AM to 5 PM Sunday through Friday.

CURRENCY REGULATION
Indian Rs. 500 and Rs. 1000 rupees are not allowed to be brought into Nepal and it will not be accepted by banks, hotels or elsewhere. Import of Indian currency by any national except Indian is strictly prohibited. Any other currency either in traveler's cheques or cash can be brought in any quantity provided it is declared upon arrival. The money can be exchanged from a bank or an authorized foreign exchange dealer.

LOCAL CURRENCY
Nepalese currency unit is Rupees (locally pronounced Rupiah) and denoted by currency symbol Rs. One Rupees is subdivided into 100 paisa. 1 US $ = Rs. 71.35 ( as on Feb. 2006).

CREDIT CARDS
Major credit cards such as American Express, Visa and Mastercard are honoured and accepted at major hotels, restaurants, carpet and curio shops throughout the country.

TOURIST SECURITY :
The Nepal Police has a unit known as the Tourist Police trained specially to assist visitors regarding security and other travel related problems. Telephone 247041 and an English-speaking officer will take your call from 11 am - 5 pm.

ELECTRICITY
220 Volts AC at 50 hertz throughout the country.
Nepal - the mystic land of rhododendron, is one of the richest Kingdoms in the world in terms of natural landscapes, high Himalayan mountains, artistic monuments, exotic wildlife and great diversity in cultural heritage. Threaded by China in the north and India in the south, it is the only Hindu Kingdom in the world.

Its amazing to experience the four seasons within a distance of 160 km, as the elevations varies from 60 m to 8848 m. Descriptions on Nepalese heritage will make several volumes of large books…so visit this unique destination to experience it all….