All destinations
All destinations
Nepal
The Himalayan heartland - Everest, Annapurna and living culture.
- Capital
- Kathmandu
- Currency
- Nepali rupee (NPR)
- Languages
- Nepali, and English widely in the trade
- Time zone
- UTC+5:45, the only country on a 45-minute offset
- Dialling code
- +977
- Power
- 230V, type C, D and M sockets
- Main airport
- Tribhuvan International, Kathmandu (KTM)
About Nepal
Seventy-three of our itineraries start here, and most travellers come for the trails: Everest Base Camp, the Annapurna Circuit, the quieter Manaslu and Langtang valleys, and the walled Tibetan kingdom of Upper Mustang. Away from the mountains there is jungle in Chitwan and Bardia, whitewater on the Kali Gandaki and a festival calendar in the Kathmandu Valley that runs most of the year. Spring and autumn are the settled trekking seasons.
Our trips in Nepal
Classic Everest Base Camp Trek
16 days, from $1,867
Everest Base Camp Luxury Trek, with Helicopter Return
12 days, from $3,187
Gokyo Lakes and Gokyo Ri Trek
15 days, from $1,787
Everest Three High Passes Trek
22 days, from $2,387
Annapurna Circuit Trek
14 days, from $1,497
Annapurna Base Camp Trek
14 days, from $1,287
Annapurna Luxury Trek, Lodge to Lodge
10 days, from $1,967
Upper Mustang
20 days, from $2,387
Bardia National Park Safari
4 days, from $467
Kali Gandaki River Rafting
3 days, from $247
Holi & Festival Cultural Tour
6 days, from $497
Nepal and Bhutan Tour
12 days, from $3,287
India and Nepal Tour
12 days, from $1,297
Manaslu Circuit Trek
15 days, from $1,687
Island Peak Climbing
21 days, from $2,697
Langtang Valley Trek
12 days, from $1,087
Kanchenjunga Base Camp Trek
28 days, from $2,397
Chitwan National Park Safari
4 days, from $367
Cho-Oyu Expedition
46 days, from $8,627
Annapurna Panorama Trek
7 days, from $687
Everest Panorama Premium Trek
11 days, from $2,485
Ghorepani Ghandruk Circuit Trek
10 days, from $897
Gokyo Lakes and Everest Base Camp Trek via Cho La Pass
18 days, from $2,290
Khopra Ridge Trek
12 days, from $1,090
Lobuche East Peak Climbing with Everest Base Camp
19 days, from $2,890
Mardi Himal Trek
10 days, from $965
Mera Peak Expedition, 6,461 m
18 days, from $2,485
Panchase Hill Trek
8 days, from $725
The Royal Trek
8 days, from $845
Chisapani and Nagarkot, the Kathmandu Valley Rim
5 days, from $349
Langtang Gosainkunda Circuit Trek
17 days, from $1,487
Langtang Valley and Gosainkunda Trek
14 days, from $1,390
Dhaulagiri Circuit Trek
18 days, from $2,687
Kathmandu Valley Cultural Tour
5 days, from $447
Kathmandu Valley Day Hikes
6 days, from $497
Nepal Soft Adventure
12 days, from $1,087
Spirit of Nepal
10 days, from $1,187
Upper Mustang Motorbike Tour
11 days, from $2,190
Agrotourism in nepal farm stay
1 days, from $17
Annapurna trek, Everest Trek & Chitwan Jungle Safari - 21 Days
21 days, from $2,967
Annapurna Short Trek
3 days, from $387
Best Of Nepal Tour - 07 Days
7 days, from $657
Bhote Koshi River Rafting
2 days, from $147
Kathmandu Valley Day Biking Trip - Bhaktapur to Changunarayan
1 days, from $87
Biking Trip - Thimi to Kodari
1 days, from $87
Buddhist Pilgrimage Tours In Nepal
7 days, from $897
Champadevi day hike
1 days, from $57
Chulu West Expeditions
21 days, from $1,997
Dashain Festival trek in Nepal
11 days, from $767
Kathmandu Valley Day Biking Trip - Kathmandu To Nagarkot
1 days, from $97
Dhaulagiri Expedition
50 days, from $7,997
Upper Dolpo Trek - “The Caravan Trek” Nepal
22 days, from $3,187
Everest Base Camp Trek With Island Peak Climbing Nepal
20 days, from $3,387
Family Adventure Holidays In Nepal
12 days, from $867
Ganesh Himal Charity Trekking
14 days, from $1,897
Ganesh Himal Mountain Biking
7 days, from $887
Golf Package
6 days, from $987
Day trip to Everest base camp helicopter tour
1 days, from $1,247
Hike Around Kathmandu a Day Trip - Nagarjun Day Hike
1 days, from $57
Himchuli Peak Climbing (6441m)
18 days, from $2,297
Home stay in Nepal - Kathmandu
1 days, from $17
Jomsom Muktinath Trek
12 days, from $1,187
Jomsom Trail Biking
11 days, from $867
Hike Around Kathmandu - Kakani Nuwakot Day Hiking
1 days, from $57
Kathmandu city tour from $47
1 days, from $47
Kathmandu, Pokhara and Lumbini Tour
8 days, from $757
Kathmandu Valley Day Biking Trip
1 days, from $87
Kathmandu Valley Day Biking Trip - Sankhu - Nagarkot
1 days, from $87
Kathmandu Valley Day Biking Trip
1 days, from $97
Langtang Helambu Trek
16 days, from $1,387
Luxury Tour in Nepal
10 days, from $3,647
Makalu, Amphu And Khumbu Everest Trek
32 days, from $4,537
Manaslu And Tsum Valley Trek
24 days, from $2,287
Marshyangdi River Rafting
5 days, from $197
Mountain Yoga Retreat Nepal And Tiger Safari
12 days, from $1,487
Muktinath Yatra Package
7 days, from $987
Multi Activity Adventure Holiday In Nepal
10 days, from $1,287
Nagarkot To Changunarayan day Hiking
1 days, from $47
Nagarkot To Dhulikhel day hiking from $47
1 days, from $47
Namoboudha Day Hiking
1 days, from $57
Nar Phu valley trek combined with Annapurna Circuit
15 days, from $1,587
Nepal Cooking class - Kathmandu, culinary tour of Nepal
1 days, from $27
Nepal Honeymoon Tour
8 days, from $2,487
Nepal Luxury Tour: A Journey of Captivating Wonders
10 days, from $1,187
Nepal Multi Adventure Tours
12 days, from $1,367
Nepal Volunteering and Yoga Tour
9 days, from $1,087
Nepal Well Being Tour
12 days, from $1,397
Nepal Yoga Trek - 10 Days
10 days, from $1,187
Phulchowki Day Hiking
1 days, from $57
A day tour to the best natural area in Kathmandu - Shivapuri
1 days, from $57
spiritual tour of Kathmandu valley nepal
1 days, from $97
Tamang Heritage Trail and Langtang Valley Trek
15 days, from $1,287
Taste of Nepal Tour
8 days, from $867
Nepal Tours - 08 Days
8 days, from $747
Travel For A Cause
14 days, from $987
Trip to Nepal For Students Of School & College
14 days, from $987
Trisuli River Rafting
2 days, from $57
Upper Mustang Biking Tour
18 days, from $2,989
Volunteering in Nepal School Rebuilding Project
14 days, from $997
Nepal Yoga trek
10 days, from $1,087
The visa, and what it costs
A tourist visa on arrival at Kathmandu airport and at every open land border, for every nationality except a short excluded list. You fill in a form at a kiosk, pay in cash at a bank counter and walk through. Nobody needs an invitation letter, a hotel booking or a sponsor, and we are not asked for any of those things on your behalf.
| Visa | Cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 15 days, multiple entry | USD 30 | - |
| 30 days, multiple entry | USD 50 | - |
| 90 days, multiple entry | USD 125 | - |
| Extension | USD 45 for 15 days, then USD 3 a day | At the Department of Immigration in Kathmandu or Pokhara. 150 days is the maximum in one visa year. |
- 15 days, multiple entry
- Cost
- USD 30
- Notes
- -
- 30 days, multiple entry
- Cost
- USD 50
- Notes
- -
- 90 days, multiple entry
- Cost
- USD 125
- Notes
- -
- Extension
- Cost
- USD 45 for 15 days, then USD 3 a day
- Notes
- At the Department of Immigration in Kathmandu or Pokhara. 150 days is the maximum in one visa year.
| If you hold | What applies |
|---|---|
| Indian nationals | No visa and no fee, under the 1950 treaty. A passport or an original voter ID card at land borders; an Aadhaar card, a PAN card or a driving licence is not accepted at an immigration desk. |
| Other SAARC nationals | A free 30-day visa on arrival, once per visa year. That is Bangladesh, Bhutan, Maldives, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. Afghan nationals are excluded and need a visa in advance. |
| Chinese nationals | Gratis tourist visa, no fee, up to 150 days in a visa year. |
| Everybody else | Visa on arrival at the fees above, or the same visa in advance from a Nepali embassy for the same money. |
| Not eligible on arrival | Nationals of Afghanistan, Cameroon, Ethiopia, Ghana, Iraq, Liberia, Nigeria, Somalia, Eswatini, Syria and Zimbabwe, and anyone travelling on a refugee travel document. These passports need a visa from a Nepali mission before flying. |
- Indian nationals
- What applies
- No visa and no fee, under the 1950 treaty. A passport or an original voter ID card at land borders; an Aadhaar card, a PAN card or a driving licence is not accepted at an immigration desk.
- Other SAARC nationals
- What applies
- A free 30-day visa on arrival, once per visa year. That is Bangladesh, Bhutan, Maldives, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. Afghan nationals are excluded and need a visa in advance.
- Chinese nationals
- What applies
- Gratis tourist visa, no fee, up to 150 days in a visa year.
- Everybody else
- What applies
- Visa on arrival at the fees above, or the same visa in advance from a Nepali embassy for the same money.
- Not eligible on arrival
- What applies
- Nationals of Afghanistan, Cameroon, Ethiopia, Ghana, Iraq, Liberia, Nigeria, Somalia, Eswatini, Syria and Zimbabwe, and anyone travelling on a refugee travel document. These passports need a visa from a Nepali mission before flying.
How to actually get it
Before you fly
A passport with at least six months left on it and one blank page. You can fill the arrival form online at the Department of Immigration site within fifteen days of travel and arrive with a printed receipt, which skips the kiosk queue and nothing else. Take two passport photographs anyway; they are for trekking permits rather than the visa.
At the airport
Kiosk, then bank counter, then immigration. The visa fee is cash and the counter takes US dollars, euros, sterling and several other hard currencies but gives change badly, so bring the exact amount in clean notes. Cards work at the counter more often than not and are not something to rely on after a long flight.
How long to buy
Buy the length of the trip, not the length of the trek. An extension costs USD 45 for the first fifteen days, which is more than the gap between the 15-day and 30-day visa, so a 16-day trek on a 15-day visa is a false economy and a morning of your holiday spent in a queue in Kalimati.
What catches people out
- The visa is dated from the day you land, not from the day you start walking.
- Overstaying is USD 5 a day plus the visa fee for the days overstayed, and it is settled at the airport on the way out.
- A tourist visa does not permit any paid work, including volunteering placements that cover your costs.
- Land borders with India and China issue the same visa on arrival, but the Nepal-China crossings close at short notice and are not a plan to rely on.
Flying there
Non-stop routes only. Anything with a connection depends on the day and is better answered by a search than by a table.
| From | Airlines | In the air | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Doha | Qatar Airways, Nepal Airlines, Himalaya Airlines | 4h 45m | The most useful single connection from Europe and North America |
| Dubai | Flydubai, Nepal Airlines, Himalaya Airlines | 4h 15m | - |
| Istanbul | Turkish Airlines | 8h 10m | The longest non-stop route into Kathmandu |
| Delhi | Nepal Airlines, IndiGo, Air India | 1h 45m | The obvious hop for an India and Nepal trip |
| Bangkok | Thai Airways, Himalaya Airlines, Nepal Airlines | 3h 30m | - |
| Kuala Lumpur | Malaysia Airlines, Himalaya Airlines, Batik Air | 4h 45m | - |
| Singapore | Nepal Airlines | 5h | - |
| Hong Kong | Nepal Airlines, Himalaya Airlines | 5h | - |
| Lhasa | Himalaya Airlines, Sichuan Airlines | 1h 35m | The Tibet link. Weekday service, and it needs a Chinese group visa arranged in Kathmandu |
| Paro | Drukair, Bhutan Airlines | 1h | Daily, and the only way in or out of Bhutan from Nepal |
- Doha
- Airlines
- Qatar Airways, Nepal Airlines, Himalaya Airlines
- In the air
- 4h 45m
- Notes
- The most useful single connection from Europe and North America
- Dubai
- Airlines
- Flydubai, Nepal Airlines, Himalaya Airlines
- In the air
- 4h 15m
- Notes
- -
- Istanbul
- Airlines
- Turkish Airlines
- In the air
- 8h 10m
- Notes
- The longest non-stop route into Kathmandu
- Delhi
- Airlines
- Nepal Airlines, IndiGo, Air India
- In the air
- 1h 45m
- Notes
- The obvious hop for an India and Nepal trip
- Bangkok
- Airlines
- Thai Airways, Himalaya Airlines, Nepal Airlines
- In the air
- 3h 30m
- Notes
- -
- Kuala Lumpur
- Airlines
- Malaysia Airlines, Himalaya Airlines, Batik Air
- In the air
- 4h 45m
- Notes
- -
- Singapore
- Airlines
- Nepal Airlines
- In the air
- 5h
- Notes
- -
- Hong Kong
- Airlines
- Nepal Airlines, Himalaya Airlines
- In the air
- 5h
- Notes
- -
- Lhasa
- Airlines
- Himalaya Airlines, Sichuan Airlines
- In the air
- 1h 35m
- Notes
- The Tibet link. Weekday service, and it needs a Chinese group visa arranged in Kathmandu
- Paro
- Airlines
- Drukair, Bhutan Airlines
- In the air
- 1h
- Notes
- Daily, and the only way in or out of Bhutan from Nepal
| Getting around inside | Airlines | In the air | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kathmandu to Lukla | Tara Air, Summit Air, Sita Air | 35m | Moves to Manthali at Ramechhap in peak season, which adds a four-hour night drive |
| Kathmandu to Pokhara | Buddha Air, Yeti Airlines, Shree Airlines | 25m | The alternative to a six to seven hour drive |
| Pokhara to Jomsom | Tara Air, Summit Air | 20m | Morning only. The valley wind shuts it down by mid-morning |
| Kathmandu to Bhadrapur | Buddha Air, Yeti Airlines | 45m | For Kanchenjunga and for Darjeeling over the Indian border |
| Kathmandu to Nepalgunj | Buddha Air, Yeti Airlines | 1h | The gateway to Bardia, and onward to Dolpo and Simikot |
- Kathmandu to Lukla
- Airlines
- Tara Air, Summit Air, Sita Air
- In the air
- 35m
- Notes
- Moves to Manthali at Ramechhap in peak season, which adds a four-hour night drive
- Kathmandu to Pokhara
- Airlines
- Buddha Air, Yeti Airlines, Shree Airlines
- In the air
- 25m
- Notes
- The alternative to a six to seven hour drive
- Pokhara to Jomsom
- Airlines
- Tara Air, Summit Air
- In the air
- 20m
- Notes
- Morning only. The valley wind shuts it down by mid-morning
- Kathmandu to Bhadrapur
- Airlines
- Buddha Air, Yeti Airlines
- In the air
- 45m
- Notes
- For Kanchenjunga and for Darjeeling over the Indian border
- Kathmandu to Nepalgunj
- Airlines
- Buddha Air, Yeti Airlines
- In the air
- 1h
- Notes
- The gateway to Bardia, and onward to Dolpo and Simikot
Joining it onto the country next door
Half the trips in this catalogue cross a border. These are the links they are built on, and the lead times they impose.
| On to | How | How long | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tibet | Fly Kathmandu to Lhasa, or drive to the Kerung/Rasuwagadhi border | 1h 35m flying, or two days overland | Needs a Chinese group visa issued in Kathmandu, which is why a Tibet leg has to be booked well ahead |
| Bhutan | Fly Kathmandu to Paro on Drukair or Bhutan Airlines | 1h | Daily, and on a clear morning the left-hand window is the best mountain view in commercial aviation |
| India | Fly Kathmandu to Delhi, Varanasi or Kolkata, or cross by land at Sunauli, Birgunj or Kakarbhitta | 1h 20m to 1h 45m flying | - |
- Tibet
- How
- Fly Kathmandu to Lhasa, or drive to the Kerung/Rasuwagadhi border
- How long
- 1h 35m flying, or two days overland
- Notes
- Needs a Chinese group visa issued in Kathmandu, which is why a Tibet leg has to be booked well ahead
- Bhutan
- How
- Fly Kathmandu to Paro on Drukair or Bhutan Airlines
- How long
- 1h
- Notes
- Daily, and on a clear morning the left-hand window is the best mountain view in commercial aviation
- India
- How
- Fly Kathmandu to Delhi, Varanasi or Kolkata, or cross by land at Sunauli, Birgunj or Kakarbhitta
- How long
- 1h 20m to 1h 45m flying
- Notes
- -
Permits and entry fees
Separate from the visa, and payable whether or not you are trekking. Checked in February 2026; these change by notice and without a notice period.
| Permit | Fee | Who needs it | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sagarmatha National Park entry | NPR 3,390, about USD 25 | Everest region | SAARC nationals NPR 1,500. Under-tens free. |
| Khumbu Pasang Lhamu Rural Municipality | NPR 2,000, about USD 15 | Everest region | Issued at Lukla. This replaced TIMS in the Khumbu in 2018; do not buy a TIMS card for an Everest trek. |
| Annapurna Conservation Area (ACAP) | NPR 3,000, about USD 22 | Annapurna region, including Upper Mustang | - |
| Langtang National Park entry | NPR 3,000, about USD 22 | Langtang region | SAARC nationals NPR 1,500. |
| Manaslu Conservation Area (MCAP) | NPR 3,000, about USD 22 | Manaslu region | - |
| Manaslu restricted area permit | USD 100 for 7 days in Sep to Nov, USD 75 in Dec to Aug, then USD 15 or USD 10 a day | Manaslu, above Jagat | - |
| Upper Mustang restricted area permit | USD 50 per person per day | Upper Mustang, above Kagbeni | Decided by cabinet on 18 November 2025, replacing a flat USD 500 for ten days plus USD 50 a day beyond it. Most operator pages still quote the old figure. |
| TIMS card | NPR 2,000, about USD 15 | Most trekking regions, but not the Khumbu | Issued only through a registered agency since April 2023. SAARC nationals NPR 1,000. |
- Sagarmatha National Park entry
- Fee
- NPR 3,390, about USD 25
- Who needs it
- Everest region
- Notes
- SAARC nationals NPR 1,500. Under-tens free.
- Khumbu Pasang Lhamu Rural Municipality
- Fee
- NPR 2,000, about USD 15
- Who needs it
- Everest region
- Notes
- Issued at Lukla. This replaced TIMS in the Khumbu in 2018; do not buy a TIMS card for an Everest trek.
- Annapurna Conservation Area (ACAP)
- Fee
- NPR 3,000, about USD 22
- Who needs it
- Annapurna region, including Upper Mustang
- Notes
- -
- Langtang National Park entry
- Fee
- NPR 3,000, about USD 22
- Who needs it
- Langtang region
- Notes
- SAARC nationals NPR 1,500.
- Manaslu Conservation Area (MCAP)
- Fee
- NPR 3,000, about USD 22
- Who needs it
- Manaslu region
- Notes
- -
- Manaslu restricted area permit
- Fee
- USD 100 for 7 days in Sep to Nov, USD 75 in Dec to Aug, then USD 15 or USD 10 a day
- Who needs it
- Manaslu, above Jagat
- Notes
- -
- Upper Mustang restricted area permit
- Fee
- USD 50 per person per day
- Who needs it
- Upper Mustang, above Kagbeni
- Notes
- Decided by cabinet on 18 November 2025, replacing a flat USD 500 for ten days plus USD 50 a day beyond it. Most operator pages still quote the old figure.
- TIMS card
- Fee
- NPR 2,000, about USD 15
- Who needs it
- Most trekking regions, but not the Khumbu
- Notes
- Issued only through a registered agency since April 2023. SAARC nationals NPR 1,000.
When to come
| When | What it is like | |
|---|---|---|
| March to May | Best | The spring trekking season. Warm, stable, rhododendron in flower low down, and hazier as May goes on. |
| June to August | Closed | Monsoon. We do not run the high treks. It is the right season for Upper Mustang and Dolpo, which sit in the rain shadow. |
| September to November | Best | The main season. October is the clearest and the busiest month of the year, and it books out months ahead. |
| December to February | Hard | Cold, clear and very quiet. The lower treks are excellent; the high passes are snowed up and some lodges shut. |
- March to May
- What it is like
- The spring trekking season. Warm, stable, rhododendron in flower low down, and hazier as May goes on.
Best - June to August
- What it is like
- Monsoon. We do not run the high treks. It is the right season for Upper Mustang and Dolpo, which sit in the rain shadow.
Closed - September to November
- What it is like
- The main season. October is the clearest and the busiest month of the year, and it books out months ahead.
Best - December to February
- What it is like
- Cold, clear and very quiet. The lower treks are excellent; the high passes are snowed up and some lodges shut.
Hard
Money on the ground
- Rate
- The rupee is pegged to the Indian rupee at 1.60 NPR to 1 INR. Against the dollar it floats with it.
- Cards
- Fine in Kathmandu and Pokhara hotels and restaurants. Useless on any trail.
- ATMs
- Everywhere in the cities. On the treks, the last one is at Namche in the Khumbu and Jomsom in Mustang.
- Cash to carry
- USD 300 to 500 in small notes for a two-week trek, for tea, showers, charging and tips.
- Indian rupees
- Accepted in the border towns. Notes of INR 500 and above are not legal tender in Nepal and will be refused.
Arriving
One international airport, and a new one that is not a plan yet
Almost everybody arrives at Tribhuvan International in Kathmandu (KTM). Gautam Buddha at Bhairahawa (BWA) and Pokhara International (PKR) are both built and both handle a thin and unreliable trickle of international traffic; neither is a sensible way to start a trek. Assume Kathmandu unless we tell you otherwise.
There is no direct flight from Europe or the Americas
Nothing flies non-stop to Kathmandu from further west than the Gulf. In practice you connect through Doha, Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Istanbul, Delhi, Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur, Singapore or Hong Kong. From London it is one stop and about fourteen hours in the air; from the US east coast it is one or two stops and the better part of a day.
Book the return with a day in hand
Every itinerary that depends on a mountain flight, which is most of the Everest ones, needs a spare day at the Kathmandu end. Cheap tickets that leave the morning after you are due back are the single most expensive saving in Himalayan travel.
Health and safety
- No vaccination is required to enter Nepal unless you are arriving from a yellow fever country.
- A licensed guide is compulsory for foreign trekkers in the national parks and conservation areas, in force since April 2023. This is a legal requirement, not an upsell.
- Travel insurance covering trekking to the altitude on your itinerary and helicopter evacuation is a condition of booking with us. A rescue flight is USD 3,000 to 5,000 and will not lift without a guarantee.
- The Himalayan Rescue Association runs volunteer-staffed aid posts at Pheriche in the Khumbu and Manang on the Annapurna Circuit through both trekking seasons.
- Drink boiled or purified water rather than bottled. A trekker on a two-week trek gets through around forty plastic bottles that were carried into a national park on somebody's back.
Still not sure the paperwork works?
Tell us your passport and your dates and we will tell you plainly whether the trip is possible, before you have paid anything.
Ask us
