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[lifeinnepal]

I Wish I Would Have Known Before I Came to Nepal…
How to avoid scams and jams in Shangra-La!

It is sometimes difficult to find accurate information about Nepal, and Westerners often feel a little lost the first few hours, days, even weeks, upon their arrival here. As a Westerner who lives here and is married into a Nepali family, I would love to share some things I now know that I wish I would have known on my first visit to Nepal. This is a fabulous country to visit and most people return again and again, but there are a few things that most have a little trouble with on the first visit. Here are some tips on getting transportation, avoiding scams and rip-offs, volunteering, and “fitting in”!

When To Come
Oct – Dec = good weather, sunny warm days, cool evenings -- peak tourist season.
Jan – Feb = sunny, but cool, off season so you can get good deals.
Mar – May = good weather, tourist season, but not as busy as Fall.
Jun – Sep = rainy, and July & Aug. Monsoon. Not the best time to come. (End of Sep. is starting to get nice.)


Thribuvan Airport – Visas, Customs, and Transportation
Welcome to Nepal! If you are arriving by air, your point of entry will be Kathmandu’s Thribuvan International Airport. The visa and customs are easy to get through, but you need to be a little prepared. Visas to Nepal are issued upon arrival; here is what you will need:
1) A pen to fill out the forms (there are none available in the airport).
2) Two passport size photos (bring plenty of spares as you will need these for trekking permit, visa extensions, and any other official document in Nepal.)
3) US dollars or convertible currency (15 days is $25; 90 days is $100).
4) Address and contact of where you will be staying.

After you pass through the immigration area, you will go downstairs to the baggage area. Clearing customs is straight forward, just put your luggage on the scanning belt. Nepal customs is like most other countries where drugs, firearms, plants, fruits, live animals, etc. are not allowed to enter the country. After you leave the customs, you will walk down a corridor that ends with a glass wall with hordes of drivers on the other side waving signs, and looking for their pick-ups. Just keep going out the door to the left, and if you do have someone picking you up, they will most likely see you there. If you need a taxi, keep reading, there are some things you need to know.

Transportation
There are plenty of taxi drivers waiting to take you to your destination, and an equal amount of young men ready to grab your bag and “help” you. A word of warning here: If you allow someone to help you with your bag, an appropriate tip is $1 or 100 NPR. They may try to say “Five dollars, or 10 dollars!” But that is WAY too much. (Keep in mind, tipping is not the “norm” in this country, so never for taxi drivers or waiters.) My advice is carry your own bags, and get used to saying “No thanks!” and keep walking.

Taxis – There are small white taxis that can comfortably seat 3 people and hold your luggage in the trunk or roof. These should cost maximum of 250 - 300 rupees to/from the airport. But they will all tell you that it is 500 rupees (or more). The taxi drivers try to stick together on this, so if you can get one for 300-400 to Thamel (main tourist district), or Kathmandu Center, then you are paying what everyone else does. There are also small taxi vans you can get, and they should cost only slightly more; 500 rupees would be a fair price for the van. The vans sometimes say they are charging “per person” but just say your final price is 500 rupees.

Other places; other modes --From other places in Kathmandu, a taxi should always cost 200-300 rupees maximum. If you pay more, you’re getting ripped off. The micros (small white mini-vans packed with people) are cheap, usually around 15-20 rupees to anywhere in the city, but they are sometimes full of people and very slow. Most westerners prefer taxis, unless they are on a strict budget and staying here a long time. Rickshaws are from 50-100 rupees to most places you would want to go with this mode of transportation. One hundred would be a bit high for a Rickshaw from say, Thamel to Durbar Square, but 70 rupees would be fair.

Tourist Bus – Costs 250-300 rupees each way to Pokhara or Chitwan. Any tour operator in Thamel will book this for you and reserve you a seat for $10. The advantage to this is that during peak times, you are sure to get a seat. My favorite bus is Baba Adventure travels to Pokhara. Sai Baba is good for Chitwan. I think $10 is cheap enough for a 5-7 hour ride, so I have it reserved. In fairness, the tourist business in Thamel do need to make a living so they can keep operating. They make a phone call, provide you with all the information you need and give you support, so it’s up to you if you want to pre-book or not.

What to pack?
You can get almost anything here that you can get in the West; so if you want to pack light, don’t bother bringing tons of bulky things “just in case.” I would recommend a very well broken in pair of trekking shoes if you will be doing that activity (I have seen some heinous blisters on trekkers who “thought” they broke-in their shoes). Any shoes brand new, slightly new, or not sure would probably kill you. So, bring a backpack with clothes you can layer, and remember you can always have them laundered in Thamel (Kathmandu tourist district) or Pokhara (resort town which is the start point for Annapurna Circuit). Don’t bring chocolate – you can get all that here - Toblerone, Cadbury, Nestle. And girls, yes, you can get all sorts of feminine hygiene products in the Thamel supermarkets, so don’t “over do it” on that type of thing. Same goes for shampoo, toothpaste, toilet paper, wet wipes, etc. There are also several English language bookstores around, so no need to bring 4 novels. Just head straight for Thamel on your first day if you think you will need these things. Don’t buy a bunch of expensive trekking stuff; it’s all here… this is the land of Mt. Everest after all!

And about your attire… T-shirts are perfectly acceptable for men and women. You see a lot of people with longish shorts for trekking and river activities. (The guide books all say “no shorts” but that’s just outdated information; modest, long shorts are fine.) But no tight clothes, strappy tank tops, or anything that reveals more than your lower legs and arms. The first time my mother came here, she had heard women have to keep their arms covered at all times. She roasted in her long sleeves for a few days before, she finally asked me, and I told her that arms are perfectly fine! You should wear the things you like, but respect the culture. The first time I came here, I brought all dowdy clothes with me, because I thought I had to look like I was wearing a sack to fit in and respect the modesty, but that’s not true. Bring things you feel good in, but don’t mind getting dirty, etc. The reality is, you may have to wear the same shirt several days in a row, so make it one you like. You are here to have fun and feel good about yourself. No one expects you to look Nepali. Represent your country and culture and be who you are.

Don’t EVER – wear a bikini/revealing bathing suit when rafting, swimming, etc. I saw a western girl run into an open shower (outside near the road) that had only men in it with her bikini on after a rafting trip one time. She was yelling “woohoo!” and splashing water on the other people, like it was a Spring Break beach party. One of the rafting guides was mortified, but did not know what to say to her. All of the villagers watched, and it was embarrassing to see a fellow Westerner make such an offensive mistake. The first clue for this girl should have been that there were no other women in the shower, and second, that even when you do see Nepali women bathing in water taps near the road, they have on a “lungee” (like a long sarong) that covers everything except for arms, shoulders, and feet.

At swimming pools, women wear bathing suits with skirts around the bottoms. And for rafting and kayaking, I recommend you were surfing type shorts, and sport shirts that dry easily. If you want to wear your bathing suit underneath, fine.

Men and women who disrespect the dress code here make a bad reputation for all of us. Nepalis don’t travel much, and many don’t have TV, so you are the only idea they have about what Western people are like.

Here are some things you might want to bring from home depending on your planned activities:
• Trekking shoes, climbing shoes, sport shoes, river shoes – broken in.
• Clothes you can layer. T-shirts, fleece, windbreaker, shorts, lightweight pants, sport pants, gloves & hat (if it is Oct-Mar). But not a lot of clothes.
• A nice shirt/pants for nightlife – but not too flashy because you’ll stick out. Girls, no sun dresses, high heels or revealing clothes. Dress fun, but decent.
• Good camera – this country is a feast for the eyes, and a photographer’s dream!
• Pocket size Flashlight (you can buy it here if need be, but there are always powercuts, so have it handy! Seems like the lights go off whenever you are in an unfamiliar toilet.)
• A sarong (for girls) and/or a light weight towel.
• Ladies, if you like wearing a little make-up when you go out, bring it. It is hard to find here. Most of the make-up here is really weird, cheap stuff. Just bring a couple things that make you feel happy for the party nights!

If you want to buy some new clothes in Kathmandu, don’t shop in Thamel unless you like the “hippy/new age” look. You can get Western style clothes in Durbar Marg, Asan, and Kathmandu Mall on New Road. You can get designer label clothes for literally a few dollars, custom made jeans for the equivalent of $7, and trekking clothes for MUCH cheaper than in Western countries, so don’t load your suitcase with these things.

Hotels
It is easy to get a hotel in Thamel for 500 ($7 USD) rupees per night that most travelers would think is fine. My first trip, I paid a whopping $90 for a crap hotel room, and then thought I got a bargain for the remainder of my stay at $17 per night at another place. You can even get place as cheap as 200-250 rupees in Thamel. Try Holy Lodge or Downtown Guest House. Your main concern will be hot water, so ask if they have hot water (tato pani chha?) and check it out before you accept the room. Also, remember, the lights will go out at some point in the evening, usually for 2-3 hours. Your hotel should provide candles for you. If you want to buy some yourself (they come in really handy) a pack of ten is about 100 rupees in any shop.

If you are booking in Pokhara, same applies. You should be able to get a nice (not 5 star, or even 3, but clean and decent) room for 500-700 rupees per night, and there is really no need to book ahead in Pokhara, as they actually send guys out on the street to try to get you to come see there guest house and book. My advice: say 400 or 300 rupees, and if they give it to you for 500 per night be happy! Mind you, at this price, you should get a nice, neat room with hot shower, tv, etc. There are cheaper rooms, but you may squirm a little.

Going to Lumbini, birthplace of the Buddha? Good luck. Take what you can get. Hotels run about $12 per night (cheap ones) or more, and they are generally pretty awful. I am reluctant to recommend anything, it’s a crap shoot, “crap” being the key word here. If you are going there, just give yourself time to find a place to stay. This is a long drive from everything and not that interesting after one day, so unless you are devout Buddhist, or have some spiritual connection with the place, I don’t recommend it. I think this has to be said, because it could be a nice place to visit if they raised their standards, but unless someone tells it straight, people will just keep flocking to the place and return disappointed after a long and arduous drive.


Here are some SCAMS you’ll want to avoid:

Volunteering – before you pay thousands of dollars to “volunteer,” be absolutely sure you are getting what you pay for. Most volunteer organizations are doing little to actually help Nepal. There are a couple good ones, so do your homework, but here are the biggest complaints I have heard from volunteers (including myself on my first trip).
o“The place was unorganized and didn’t have anything for me to do when I got here.”
o“I didn’t know I would be sharing a room (& maybe a bed) with 5 people.”
oA licensed nurse told me, that even though she had specifically volunteered to do medical care, the volunteer organization failed to tell her she was NOT allowed to work in Nepali hospitals and so she ended up “observing” nurses who were less experienced and qualified than herself. She quit her assignment 5 weeks early.
oTwo volunteers signed up to make a documentary about rescued Kamlaris (girls who work as slaves), just to be told that the organization had given exclusive rights to a previous volunteer.
o“Orphanages” often recruit children from villages who actually do have parents and a large extended family. In return the children get a better education than they would have otherwise, but still, they are not REALLY orphans. The most volunteers do is play with these kids after school. I have heard it is quite boring after the first week. Most of these kids are a tourist attraction -- that is the cold hard truth!
o“I pay 5000 per week to my host family.” OK, well a regular Nepali pays 5000 – 10000 rupees per MONTH for their apartment; a really luxury apartment might cost max. 40000. So, if you are paying 20000 per month for the bed you occupy and 2 plates of Daal Bhat per day, um, you are paying the rent and food for the entire family….definitely!
o“I went to teach at a school, but they don’t really need me. The teacher is there in the classroom drinking tea all day.”
o“I trekked for 5 days to a village. The volunteer organization had no planned activities for me, but said since the village was really remote, I could definitely teach English at the school. After 5 days of trekking, I arrived at the village to find that the school was closed for the next two weeks for the Dashain holiday. There was absolutely NOTHING for me to do there, and no one spoke English. I know now that you can possibly die of boredom, after one week, I saved my own life by hiring a guide and leaving.”

These stories go on and on. Volunteering is a BUSINESS in Nepal, so be careful with whom you sign up. Many volunteers end up leaving their assignments early due to disappointment. So what to do?

If you want to volunteer while you’re here; plan to spend a 3-7 days in Thamel (Kathmandu) and look around at all the restaurant bulletin boards where there are notices for “volunteers.” This is a lot cheaper than the hundreds and thousands that some places charge, and you get a chance to see with your own eyes the organization before you commit. If you are going to spend a few thousand dollars in Nepal, why not go trekking, rafting, rock climbing, etc. Tourist activities provide livelihood for Nepali families, so you are still helping Nepal and having a good time.

There are some organizations doing very good things, but just be careful with volunteering. Not everything is as you might expect. For first-timers to Nepal, they do admit that they appreciated the camaraderie of other volunteers and the support they got from the volunteer organization when they first arrived. Maybe a good middle ground (if you don’t want to come and find your way on you own) would be to volunteer for a short stint and spend the rest of the time just enjoying Nepal.

Milk Mothers
There are mothers in the tourist areas of Kathmandu who carry babies (maybe theirs, maybe not) and ask you to buy milk for their baby. They will grab your arm and implore you to buy it so they can “feed their baby.” They will walk with you into the store, show you the milk they want, usually the most expensive kind because “it is healthy for their baby,” and then thank you profusely when you buy them the milk. Then they go to a local village store in the cheaper areas of Kathmandu, and sell back the milk. They can sell at a price cheaper than wholesale because, let’s face it, they are making 100% profit!! So, they have arrangements with the shopkeepers. Get it? DON”T BUY MILK FOR THEM! Now you know the scam, if you do it, then shame on YOU!

Glue Boys
There are gangs of boys that live on the streets of Thamel (Kathmandu’s tourist district) that are known to the locals as Glue Boys. They spend most of their day sniffing super-glue out of plastic bags. The look dazed and dirty, so you will recognize them when they approach you. They will beg for money, but don’t give it -- They just by more glue. And don’t by them “biscuits.” They sell them. If you want to buy them some food, get something “to go” that they have to eat, or open the package of food so they can’t sell it.

The Tourist Police are trying to rid the area of beggars. Giving to beggars just encourages begging, and it is something Nepal does not want to teach its children. JUST SAY NO – and don’t feel guilty; there is no need for it. If you see someone who you really feel is in need, 5-20 rupees is normal, what my pious mother-in-law might give. Not 1000! Not 500! Not 100!

I saw a guy totally get ripped off when he gave some kid 1500 rupees ($20) for a shoeshine once because that’s what the kid had told him! Yikes! A lot of people can’t do the math quickly in their heads at first (to convert rupees to dollars or other currency), so they just pay ridiculous prices. My own father almost paid 5000 ($66) rupees to a Tibetan women selling junk jewelry in Pokhara because he just assumed she was telling him the fair price; luckily my Nepali husband ran to save him before the deal was done! The women scolded my husband in Nepali saying “You are Nepali, why are you helping these tourists?” Of course he explained it was his family, and she was only a little less begrudging. But this is common in Nepal; there is an unspoken rule that you never tell the tourists the “real” price and get as much as you possibly dare to ask. So, be prepared to drive a hard bargain, and think about the exchange rate, and remember the economy. It costs the average Nepali family in Kathmandu less than $8 per day to live. It costs an individual about $3 a day to live decently. The rural (hills) families live on less than $200 per year. I would never suggest you begrudge anyone a decent, even good, living, Nepalis work hard and deserve to be paid well, but don’t get taken! We will discuss these economies a bit later.

Annoying Moaist Rallies
For several years now the Moaist (political party) have been stirring things up in attempt to sway the government to meet their agenda. Okay, well, that’s their thing, but it sometimes causes a big hassle for tourists. If you get up one morning, and you notice all the shops are closed and there is no traffic on the streets, you can be pretty sure that there is a “Bhanda” or strike. If you booked the tourist bus for this day, it might be cancelled. If you were planning on taking local transportation – forget it! Just stay put for the day. No taxis, cars, buses, motorbikes and anything with an engine are allowed to drive on these days. And tourist have been know to have to walk from the airport to their hotel. The Moaists do not target tourists, but you’re best to avoid any areas where you see large gatherings of male youths. Sometimes they burn up motorbikes, rickshaws and cars that don’t respect the Bhanda. Having said this, they always announce when they plan to do these things, and again, do not want to target tourist in anyway. But it will disturb your plans sometimes, and Chitwan is notorious for having long strikes, so just ask around and check the local paper (Kathmandu Post and Himalayan Times in English) for any planned rallies. In all likelihood you will not have too much inconvenience from the Moaist protests, and there is no reason to be afraid of what they are doing as long as you respect their right to demonstrate, like all the Nepali people do.

How do you fit in?
Clothes -- As mentioned, respect their dress code rules, but dress to your level of comfort. You will get lots of compliments from Nepali people if you wear a Shalwar-Kurta (traditional pants-shirt outfit for girls), but it’s not necessary. Even just wearing a shirt in the same style, covering your hips, will garner respect. Men can pretty much wear what Westerners always wear, it’s the same-same.

They like when we respect their traditions and customs. Being the bossy, know-it-all Westerner will not win you any points. And even if you don’t agree with the sometimes obvious inequality between men and women, you have to remember that this feels normal for them and has been their way for centuries. So, men, NEVER touch Nepali women (i.e. the “hello” hug) especially if it is someone’s wife. And women, do not raise your voice and clearly “take charge” of Nepali men. It will be very uncomfortable for them. Yes, surely, if you hire a guide or porter, they are working for you; just treat them with respect, and remember their culture, and they will reciprocate the respect.

Food -- When eating, ask if someone will show you how to eat with your hand. -- right hand that is (a further explanation will come later). It is quite easy to do, and the best way to eat your Daal Bhaat (traditional Nepali meal served twice a day, rice & lentils sometimes with vegetable or meat curry). The first month or so I was here, I had to ask for a spoon everywhere I went, but all the Nepali people just grabbed their food and started eating. Finally, one friendly guide said, do you want me to show you how to eat with your hand? I kind of did, but didn’t because I thought it would be gross to have food all over my hand, and stick my fingers in my mouth. Anyway, I tried it and it was easy and fun! Now it is my method of choice for Daal Bhaat. If you can’t get someone to show you, just try this: with your right hand, make your four fingers into a scoop, but still kind of flat, scoop some food, hold it up to your wide open mouth, and then push the food with your thumb into you mouth. It’s quite liberating – try it!

Toilet – This is the obvious next topic. Some Westerners will understandably never be able to break the toilet paper habit and totally go native, but here’s what to expect and what to do.

In Nepal, when there is an actual toilet, it is usually a “squat” toilet, which if you think about it, is great because you avoid the issue of the dirty seat that no one wants to sit on anyway. So learn to love the squat toilet, it is your friend in Nepal. Beside the toilet, there is a bucket of water with a little pitcher hanging off the side. You are meant to fill the pitcher with water, pour it over your backside and wash yourself with your LEFT hand (never the right hand, that is the eating hand). Then you are supposed to wash your hands too. Remember to hold your hands over the toilet, and NOT the bucket. Most places will have a sink or tap with soap, somewhere nearby, so use that too to wash your hands – you can’t be too careful. If you want to use toilet paper, you need to bring it yourself and be prepared to dispose of it yourself if you are in a rural village. You can carry a plastic bag for trash, and then dispose of it at an appropriate location; ask if there is a place to burn trash. Remember, a lot of the rural villages have no plumbing or septic system, so where are you going to through all this paper? And NEVER throw feminine hygiene products in the toilets, just make yourself a durable trash bag, and get rid of the contents later. Trash is a big problem in Nepal, so if you can get used to the local way of using the toilet, then try, but if not, then just take care of your own trash. My recommendation is carry some anti-bacterial soap, and use if for this purpose. Keep your hands and nails really clean and you will not have a problem and you will actually be cleaner than the other way. Sorry, if this grosses anyone out, it is a reality that I felt I had to address.

If you are on the bus or micro, you hold up your pinky finger and let the driver see to tell him you need to stop to urinate. On these stops, usually several people get off the bus and go. The men go right next to the road and don’t try to hide anything. The women try to go behind some bushes or what they can. This is normal. The sign for “long toilet” (defecation) is your thumb, but I have never seen anyone hold this up on the bus! But think twice about giving someone the “thumbs up” sign if they ask you if you are okay, or if you liked something. Sometimes your guides will say, “Do you need to do long toilet or short toilet?” Short toilet means urination. They are not embarrassed to talk about or ask about this. It’s just normal. So, you have been forewarned about the basic needs…


About being poor…Before you get here you will read that Nepal is one of the poorest countries in the world. And that is true in Western terms. But poor is a relative term. Many tourists to Nepal are surprised to discover that the rural villages function well without a cash economy. It’s only when people begin to “want” (maybe what Westerners have) that they feel like they don’t have enough. Some Nepali filmmakers recently made a documentary about a village in Namche that was considered “backward” even for Nepal. But the people had survived for hundreds of years doing the same things, getting food in creative ways, clothing themselves, etc. When an NGO stepped in to “help” these “poor” people, they began supplying food that was not local, and passing out medicines. It only took a short time for these people to run out of food. If they did not survive the way they had been, they need not prepare for winter, grow their crops, etc. What happens when the foreign money runs out? Not only that, but one of the things in the traditional staple diet was a root that had medicinal properties to keep away disease and illnesses. The medicine supplied by the NGO was not meant to be long term, and was no longer available. These people did not know they were poor, or different, or “backward” until someone told them, and only then did they feel things needed to be different. But the NGO involved failed to see the disaster their good intentioned intervention would cause, and this community still struggles to go back to the old ways and survive.

How does Nepal REALLY need help? With sustainable businesses that provide jobs, infrastructure solutions like better roads, landslide prevention, hydro-electricity, education about healthcare and hygiene in some rural areas. Nepalis need jobs, not hand-outs. Hundreds of thousands go to the Middle-East on Manpower contracts to work at low paying jobs, for many years, where they are often exploited and treated badly. If people really want to help this country, support the tourist industry or be part of a venture that creates jobs for Nepali people. Yes, there certainly are people that need help here, but handouts are not a real solution. Think sustainability, and please don’t encourage children to beg to Westerners by giving them “rupees” or candy or things like this.

Need more information?
Things are always changing here... that is normal for the East! So I will try to keep you posted on the happenings in Nepal. But please feel free to post questions on this forum, and I’ll do my best to make your first time to Nepal the best trip you’ve ever had!

http://www.nepal-visitor.com

[starlagurl]

Excellent, very detailed an informative. Welcome to the ranks of TravelPod Local Experts!

[fridafries]

Hi and thank you

I cannot tell you how relieved I was after finding your post. I plan to print it out and take it with me during my travels. I am visiting Nepal from Jan-Jun. I have many questions I would love to ask you, but I am weary of posting my info online. Do you mind sending me an email? fridafries@gmail.com... I hope I hear from you!

I Wish I Would Have Known Before I Came to Nepal…
How to avoid scams and jams in Shangra-La!

It is sometimes difficult to find accurate information about Nepal, and Westerners often feel a little lost the first few hours, days, even weeks, upon their arrival here. As a Westerner who lives here and is married into a Nepali family, I would love to share some things I now know that I wish I would have known on my first visit to Nepal. This is a fabulous country to visit and most people return again and again, but there are a few things that most have a little trouble with on the first visit. Here are some tips on getting transportation, avoiding scams and rip-offs, volunteering, and “fitting in”!

When To Come
Oct – Dec = good weather, sunny warm days, cool evenings -- peak tourist season.
Jan – Feb = sunny, but cool, off season so you can get good deals.
Mar – May = good weather, tourist season, but not as busy as Fall.
Jun – Sep = rainy, and July & Aug. Monsoon. Not the best time to come. (End of Sep. is starting to get nice.)


Thribuvan Airport – Visas, Customs, and Transportation
Welcome to Nepal! If you are arriving by air, your point of entry will be Kathmandu’s Thribuvan International Airport. The visa and customs are easy to get through, but you need to be a little prepared. Visas to Nepal are issued upon arrival; here is what you will need:
1) A pen to fill out the forms (there are none available in the airport).
2) Two passport size photos (bring plenty of spares as you will need these for trekking permit, visa extensions, and any other official document in Nepal.)
3) US dollars or convertible currency (15 days is $25; 90 days is $100).
4) Address and contact of where you will be staying.

After you pass through the immigration area, you will go downstairs to the baggage area. Clearing customs is straight forward, just put your luggage on the scanning belt. Nepal customs is like most other countries where drugs, firearms, plants, fruits, live animals, etc. are not allowed to enter the country. After you leave the customs, you will walk down a corridor that ends with a glass wall with hordes of drivers on the other side waving signs, and looking for their pick-ups. Just keep going out the door to the left, and if you do have someone picking you up, they will most likely see you there. If you need a taxi, keep reading, there are some things you need to know.

Transportation
There are plenty of taxi drivers waiting to take you to your destination, and an equal amount of young men ready to grab your bag and “help” you. A word of warning here: If you allow someone to help you with your bag, an appropriate tip is $1 or 100 NPR. They may try to say “Five dollars, or 10 dollars!” But that is WAY too much. (Keep in mind, tipping is not the “norm” in this country, so never for taxi drivers or waiters.) My advice is carry your own bags, and get used to saying “No thanks!” and keep walking.

Taxis – There are small white taxis that can comfortably seat 3 people and hold your luggage in the trunk or roof. These should cost maximum of 250 - 300 rupees to/from the airport. But they will all tell you that it is 500 rupees (or more). The taxi drivers try to stick together on this, so if you can get one for 300-400 to Thamel (main tourist district), or Kathmandu Center, then you are paying what everyone else does. There are also small taxi vans you can get, and they should cost only slightly more; 500 rupees would be a fair price for the van. The vans sometimes say they are charging “per person” but just say your final price is 500 rupees.

Other places; other modes --From other places in Kathmandu, a taxi should always cost 200-300 rupees maximum. If you pay more, you’re getting ripped off. The micros (small white mini-vans packed with people) are cheap, usually around 15-20 rupees to anywhere in the city, but they are sometimes full of people and very slow. Most westerners prefer taxis, unless they are on a strict budget and staying here a long time. Rickshaws are from 50-100 rupees to most places you would want to go with this mode of transportation. One hundred would be a bit high for a Rickshaw from say, Thamel to Durbar Square, but 70 rupees would be fair.

Tourist Bus – Costs 250-300 rupees each way to Pokhara or Chitwan. Any tour operator in Thamel will book this for you and reserve you a seat for $10. The advantage to this is that during peak times, you are sure to get a seat. My favorite bus is Baba Adventure travels to Pokhara. Sai Baba is good for Chitwan. I think $10 is cheap enough for a 5-7 hour ride, so I have it reserved. In fairness, the tourist business in Thamel do need to make a living so they can keep operating. They make a phone call, provide you with all the information you need and give you support, so it’s up to you if you want to pre-book or not.

What to pack?
You can get almost anything here that you can get in the West; so if you want to pack light, don’t bother bringing tons of bulky things “just in case.” I would recommend a very well broken in pair of trekking shoes if you will be doing that activity (I have seen some heinous blisters on trekkers who “thought” they broke-in their shoes). Any shoes brand new, slightly new, or not sure would probably kill you. So, bring a backpack with clothes you can layer, and remember you can always have them laundered in Thamel (Kathmandu tourist district) or Pokhara (resort town which is the start point for Annapurna Circuit). Don’t bring chocolate – you can get all that here - Toblerone, Cadbury, Nestle. And girls, yes, you can get all sorts of feminine hygiene products in the Thamel supermarkets, so don’t “over do it” on that type of thing. Same goes for shampoo, toothpaste, toilet paper, wet wipes, etc. There are also several English language bookstores around, so no need to bring 4 novels. Just head straight for Thamel on your first day if you think you will need these things. Don’t buy a bunch of expensive trekking stuff; it’s all here… this is the land of Mt. Everest after all!

And about your attire… T-shirts are perfectly acceptable for men and women. You see a lot of people with longish shorts for trekking and river activities. (The guide books all say “no shorts” but that’s just outdated information; modest, long shorts are fine.) But no tight clothes, strappy tank tops, or anything that reveals more than your lower legs and arms. The first time my mother came here, she had heard women have to keep their arms covered at all times. She roasted in her long sleeves for a few days before, she finally asked me, and I told her that arms are perfectly fine! You should wear the things you like, but respect the culture. The first time I came here, I brought all dowdy clothes with me, because I thought I had to look like I was wearing a sack to fit in and respect the modesty, but that’s not true. Bring things you feel good in, but don’t mind getting dirty, etc. The reality is, you may have to wear the same shirt several days in a row, so make it one you like. You are here to have fun and feel good about yourself. No one expects you to look Nepali. Represent your country and culture and be who you are.

Don’t EVER – wear a bikini/revealing bathing suit when rafting, swimming, etc. I saw a western girl run into an open shower (outside near the road) that had only men in it with her bikini on after a rafting trip one time. She was yelling “woohoo!” and splashing water on the other people, like it was a Spring Break beach party. One of the rafting guides was mortified, but did not know what to say to her. All of the villagers watched, and it was embarrassing to see a fellow Westerner make such an offensive mistake. The first clue for this girl should have been that there were no other women in the shower, and second, that even when you do see Nepali women bathing in water taps near the road, they have on a “lungee” (like a long sarong) that covers everything except for arms, shoulders, and feet.

At swimming pools, women wear bathing suits with skirts around the bottoms. And for rafting and kayaking, I recommend you were surfing type shorts, and sport shirts that dry easily. If you want to wear your bathing suit underneath, fine.

Men and women who disrespect the dress code here make a bad reputation for all of us. Nepalis don’t travel much, and many don’t have TV, so you are the only idea they have about what Western people are like.

Here are some things you might want to bring from home depending on your planned activities:
• Trekking shoes, climbing shoes, sport shoes, river shoes – broken in.
• Clothes you can layer. T-shirts, fleece, windbreaker, shorts, lightweight pants, sport pants, gloves & hat (if it is Oct-Mar). But not a lot of clothes.
• A nice shirt/pants for nightlife – but not too flashy because you’ll stick out. Girls, no sun dresses, high heels or revealing clothes. Dress fun, but decent.
• Good camera – this country is a feast for the eyes, and a photographer’s dream!
• Pocket size Flashlight (you can buy it here if need be, but there are always powercuts, so have it handy! Seems like the lights go off whenever you are in an unfamiliar toilet.)
• A sarong (for girls) and/or a light weight towel.
• Ladies, if you like wearing a little make-up when you go out, bring it. It is hard to find here. Most of the make-up here is really weird, cheap stuff. Just bring a couple things that make you feel happy for the party nights!

If you want to buy some new clothes in Kathmandu, don’t shop in Thamel unless you like the “hippy/new age” look. You can get Western style clothes in Durbar Marg, Asan, and Kathmandu Mall on New Road. You can get designer label clothes for literally a few dollars, custom made jeans for the equivalent of $7, and trekking clothes for MUCH cheaper than in Western countries, so don’t load your suitcase with these things.

Hotels
It is easy to get a hotel in Thamel for 500 ($7 USD) rupees per night that most travelers would think is fine. My first trip, I paid a whopping $90 for a crap hotel room, and then thought I got a bargain for the remainder of my stay at $17 per night at another place. You can even get place as cheap as 200-250 rupees in Thamel. Try Holy Lodge or Downtown Guest House. Your main concern will be hot water, so ask if they have hot water (tato pani chha?) and check it out before you accept the room. Also, remember, the lights will go out at some point in the evening, usually for 2-3 hours. Your hotel should provide candles for you. If you want to buy some yourself (they come in really handy) a pack of ten is about 100 rupees in any shop.

If you are booking in Pokhara, same applies. You should be able to get a nice (not 5 star, or even 3, but clean and decent) room for 500-700 rupees per night, and there is really no need to book ahead in Pokhara, as they actually send guys out on the street to try to get you to come see there guest house and book. My advice: say 400 or 300 rupees, and if they give it to you for 500 per night be happy! Mind you, at this price, you should get a nice, neat room with hot shower, tv, etc. There are cheaper rooms, but you may squirm a little.

Going to Lumbini, birthplace of the Buddha? Good luck. Take what you can get. Hotels run about $12 per night (cheap ones) or more, and they are generally pretty awful. I am reluctant to recommend anything, it’s a crap shoot, “crap” being the key word here. If you are going there, just give yourself time to find a place to stay. This is a long drive from everything and not that interesting after one day, so unless you are devout Buddhist, or have some spiritual connection with the place, I don’t recommend it. I think this has to be said, because it could be a nice place to visit if they raised their standards, but unless someone tells it straight, people will just keep flocking to the place and return disappointed after a long and arduous drive.


Here are some SCAMS you’ll want to avoid:

Volunteering – before you pay thousands of dollars to “volunteer,” be absolutely sure you are getting what you pay for. Most volunteer organizations are doing little to actually help Nepal. There are a couple good ones, so do your homework, but here are the biggest complaints I have heard from volunteers (including myself on my first trip).
o“The place was unorganized and didn’t have anything for me to do when I got here.”
o“I didn’t know I would be sharing a room (& maybe a bed) with 5 people.”
oA licensed nurse told me, that even though she had specifically volunteered to do medical care, the volunteer organization failed to tell her she was NOT allowed to work in Nepali hospitals and so she ended up “observing” nurses who were less experienced and qualified than herself. She quit her assignment 5 weeks early.
oTwo volunteers signed up to make a documentary about rescued Kamlaris (girls who work as slaves), just to be told that the organization had given exclusive rights to a previous volunteer.
o“Orphanages” often recruit children from villages who actually do have parents and a large extended family. In return the children get a better education than they would have otherwise, but still, they are not REALLY orphans. The most volunteers do is play with these kids after school. I have heard it is quite boring after the first week. Most of these kids are a tourist attraction -- that is the cold hard truth!
o“I pay 5000 per week to my host family.” OK, well a regular Nepali pays 5000 – 10000 rupees per MONTH for their apartment; a really luxury apartment might cost max. 40000. So, if you are paying 20000 per month for the bed you occupy and 2 plates of Daal Bhat per day, um, you are paying the rent and food for the entire family….definitely!
o“I went to teach at a school, but they don’t really need me. The teacher is there in the classroom drinking tea all day.”
o“I trekked for 5 days to a village. The volunteer organization had no planned activities for me, but said since the village was really remote, I could definitely teach English at the school. After 5 days of trekking, I arrived at the village to find that the school was closed for the next two weeks for the Dashain holiday. There was absolutely NOTHING for me to do there, and no one spoke English. I know now that you can possibly die of boredom, after one week, I saved my own life by hiring a guide and leaving.”

These stories go on and on. Volunteering is a BUSINESS in Nepal, so be careful with whom you sign up. Many volunteers end up leaving their assignments early due to disappointment. So what to do?

If you want to volunteer while you’re here; plan to spend a 3-7 days in Thamel (Kathmandu) and look around at all the restaurant bulletin boards where there are notices for “volunteers.” This is a lot cheaper than the hundreds and thousands that some places charge, and you get a chance to see with your own eyes the organization before you commit. If you are going to spend a few thousand dollars in Nepal, why not go trekking, rafting, rock climbing, etc. Tourist activities provide livelihood for Nepali families, so you are still helping Nepal and having a good time.

There are some organizations doing very good things, but just be careful with volunteering. Not everything is as you might expect. For first-timers to Nepal, they do admit that they appreciated the camaraderie of other volunteers and the support they got from the volunteer organization when they first arrived. Maybe a good middle ground (if you don’t want to come and find your way on you own) would be to volunteer for a short stint and spend the rest of the time just enjoying Nepal.

Milk Mothers
There are mothers in the tourist areas of Kathmandu who carry babies (maybe theirs, maybe not) and ask you to buy milk for their baby. They will grab your arm and implore you to buy it so they can “feed their baby.” They will walk with you into the store, show you the milk they want, usually the most expensive kind because “it is healthy for their baby,” and then thank you profusely when you buy them the milk. Then they go to a local village store in the cheaper areas of Kathmandu, and sell back the milk. They can sell at a price cheaper than wholesale because, let’s face it, they are making 100% profit!! So, they have arrangements with the shopkeepers. Get it? DON”T BUY MILK FOR THEM! Now you know the scam, if you do it, then shame on YOU!

Glue Boys
There are gangs of boys that live on the streets of Thamel (Kathmandu’s tourist district) that are known to the locals as Glue Boys. They spend most of their day sniffing super-glue out of plastic bags. The look dazed and dirty, so you will recognize them when they approach you. They will beg for money, but don’t give it -- They just by more glue. And don’t by them “biscuits.” They sell them. If you want to buy them some food, get something “to go” that they have to eat, or open the package of food so they can’t sell it.

The Tourist Police are trying to rid the area of beggars. Giving to beggars just encourages begging, and it is something Nepal does not want to teach its children. JUST SAY NO – and don’t feel guilty; there is no need for it. If you see someone who you really feel is in need, 5-20 rupees is normal, what my pious mother-in-law might give. Not 1000! Not 500! Not 100!

I saw a guy totally get ripped off when he gave some kid 1500 rupees ($20) for a shoeshine once because that’s what the kid had told him! Yikes! A lot of people can’t do the math quickly in their heads at first (to convert rupees to dollars or other currency), so they just pay ridiculous prices. My own father almost paid 5000 ($66) rupees to a Tibetan women selling junk jewelry in Pokhara because he just assumed she was telling him the fair price; luckily my Nepali husband ran to save him before the deal was done! The women scolded my husband in Nepali saying “You are Nepali, why are you helping these tourists?” Of course he explained it was his family, and she was only a little less begrudging. But this is common in Nepal; there is an unspoken rule that you never tell the tourists the “real” price and get as much as you possibly dare to ask. So, be prepared to drive a hard bargain, and think about the exchange rate, and remember the economy. It costs the average Nepali family in Kathmandu less than $8 per day to live. It costs an individual about $3 a day to live decently. The rural (hills) families live on less than $200 per year. I would never suggest you begrudge anyone a decent, even good, living, Nepalis work hard and deserve to be paid well, but don’t get taken! We will discuss these economies a bit later.

Annoying Moaist Rallies
For several years now the Moaist (political party) have been stirring things up in attempt to sway the government to meet their agenda. Okay, well, that’s their thing, but it sometimes causes a big hassle for tourists. If you get up one morning, and you notice all the shops are closed and there is no traffic on the streets, you can be pretty sure that there is a “Bhanda” or strike. If you booked the tourist bus for this day, it might be cancelled. If you were planning on taking local transportation – forget it! Just stay put for the day. No taxis, cars, buses, motorbikes and anything with an engine are allowed to drive on these days. And tourist have been know to have to walk from the airport to their hotel. The Moaists do not target tourists, but you’re best to avoid any areas where you see large gatherings of male youths. Sometimes they burn up motorbikes, rickshaws and cars that don’t respect the Bhanda. Having said this, they always announce when they plan to do these things, and again, do not want to target tourist in anyway. But it will disturb your plans sometimes, and Chitwan is notorious for having long strikes, so just ask around and check the local paper (Kathmandu Post and Himalayan Times in English) for any planned rallies. In all likelihood you will not have too much inconvenience from the Moaist protests, and there is no reason to be afraid of what they are doing as long as you respect their right to demonstrate, like all the Nepali people do.

How do you fit in?
Clothes -- As mentioned, respect their dress code rules, but dress to your level of comfort. You will get lots of compliments from Nepali people if you wear a Shalwar-Kurta (traditional pants-shirt outfit for girls), but it’s not necessary. Even just wearing a shirt in the same style, covering your hips, will garner respect. Men can pretty much wear what Westerners always wear, it’s the same-same.

They like when we respect their traditions and customs. Being the bossy, know-it-all Westerner will not win you any points. And even if you don’t agree with the sometimes obvious inequality between men and women, you have to remember that this feels normal for them and has been their way for centuries. So, men, NEVER touch Nepali women (i.e. the “hello” hug) especially if it is someone’s wife. And women, do not raise your voice and clearly “take charge” of Nepali men. It will be very uncomfortable for them. Yes, surely, if you hire a guide or porter, they are working for you; just treat them with respect, and remember their culture, and they will reciprocate the respect.

Food -- When eating, ask if someone will show you how to eat with your hand. -- right hand that is (a further explanation will come later). It is quite easy to do, and the best way to eat your Daal Bhaat (traditional Nepali meal served twice a day, rice & lentils sometimes with vegetable or meat curry). The first month or so I was here, I had to ask for a spoon everywhere I went, but all the Nepali people just grabbed their food and started eating. Finally, one friendly guide said, do you want me to show you how to eat with your hand? I kind of did, but didn’t because I thought it would be gross to have food all over my hand, and stick my fingers in my mouth. Anyway, I tried it and it was easy and fun! Now it is my method of choice for Daal Bhaat. If you can’t get someone to show you, just try this: with your right hand, make your four fingers into a scoop, but still kind of flat, scoop some food, hold it up to your wide open mouth, and then push the food with your thumb into you mouth. It’s quite liberating – try it!

Toilet – This is the obvious next topic. Some Westerners will understandably never be able to break the toilet paper habit and totally go native, but here’s what to expect and what to do.

In Nepal, when there is an actual toilet, it is usually a “squat” toilet, which if you think about it, is great because you avoid the issue of the dirty seat that no one wants to sit on anyway. So learn to love the squat toilet, it is your friend in Nepal. Beside the toilet, there is a bucket of water with a little pitcher hanging off the side. You are meant to fill the pitcher with water, pour it over your backside and wash yourself with your LEFT hand (never the right hand, that is the eating hand). Then you are supposed to wash your hands too. Remember to hold your hands over the toilet, and NOT the bucket. Most places will have a sink or tap with soap, somewhere nearby, so use that too to wash your hands – you can’t be too careful. If you want to use toilet paper, you need to bring it yourself and be prepared to dispose of it yourself if you are in a rural village. You can carry a plastic bag for trash, and then dispose of it at an appropriate location; ask if there is a place to burn trash. Remember, a lot of the rural villages have no plumbing or septic system, so where are you going to through all this paper? And NEVER throw feminine hygiene products in the toilets, just make yourself a durable trash bag, and get rid of the contents later. Trash is a big problem in Nepal, so if you can get used to the local way of using the toilet, then try, but if not, then just take care of your own trash. My recommendation is carry some anti-bacterial soap, and use if for this purpose. Keep your hands and nails really clean and you will not have a problem and you will actually be cleaner than the other way. Sorry, if this grosses anyone out, it is a reality that I felt I had to address.

If you are on the bus or micro, you hold up your pinky finger and let the driver see to tell him you need to stop to urinate. On these stops, usually several people get off the bus and go. The men go right next to the road and don’t try to hide anything. The women try to go behind some bushes or what they can. This is normal. The sign for “long toilet” (defecation) is your thumb, but I have never seen anyone hold this up on the bus! But think twice about giving someone the “thumbs up” sign if they ask you if you are okay, or if you liked something. Sometimes your guides will say, “Do you need to do long toilet or short toilet?” Short toilet means urination. They are not embarrassed to talk about or ask about this. It’s just normal. So, you have been forewarned about the basic needs…


About being poor…Before you get here you will read that Nepal is one of the poorest countries in the world. And that is true in Western terms. But poor is a relative term. Many tourists to Nepal are surprised to discover that the rural villages function well without a cash economy. It’s only when people begin to “want” (maybe what Westerners have) that they feel like they don’t have enough. Some Nepali filmmakers recently made a documentary about a village in Namche that was considered “backward” even for Nepal. But the people had survived for hundreds of years doing the same things, getting food in creative ways, clothing themselves, etc. When an NGO stepped in to “help” these “poor” people, they began supplying food that was not local, and passing out medicines. It only took a short time for these people to run out of food. If they did not survive the way they had been, they need not prepare for winter, grow their crops, etc. What happens when the foreign money runs out? Not only that, but one of the things in the traditional staple diet was a root that had medicinal properties to keep away disease and illnesses. The medicine supplied by the NGO was not meant to be long term, and was no longer available. These people did not know they were poor, or different, or “backward” until someone told them, and only then did they feel things needed to be different. But the NGO involved failed to see the disaster their good intentioned intervention would cause, and this community still struggles to go back to the old ways and survive.

How does Nepal REALLY need help? With sustainable businesses that provide jobs, infrastructure solutions like better roads, landslide prevention, hydro-electricity, education about healthcare and hygiene in some rural areas. Nepalis need jobs, not hand-outs. Hundreds of thousands go to the Middle-East on Manpower contracts to work at low paying jobs, for many years, where they are often exploited and treated badly. If people really want to help this country, support the tourist industry or be part of a venture that creates jobs for Nepali people. Yes, there certainly are people that need help here, but handouts are not a real solution. Think sustainability, and please don’t encourage children to beg to Westerners by giving them “rupees” or candy or things like this.

Need more information?
Things are always changing here... that is normal for the East! So I will try to keep you posted on the happenings in Nepal. But please feel free to post questions on this forum, and I’ll do my best to make your first time to Nepal the best trip you’ve ever had!

[redhimalaya]

yes this is really a detail and very informative post.

any way fridderries u can also buy lonely planet guidebook from any bookshops.
this is what i found many travellers does and it is found to b very supportive.

welcome to Nepal.
happy travels

[lifeinnepal]

Thanks everyone for the positive feedback.

Have not been able to post because of bandhas (strikes) and trekking, but I am now back in action and look for more info. to come!

[olefrog]

Excellent information - just the sort of help I needed!

[doogies]

Thanks for the helpful info Sandra!!

My wife and I are planning a trip to Nepal for the month of April, 2010. Plus a week or so either side.

I want to organise the trekking myself, without a tour company.

From what I have read on this site and others, it is not essential to use a tour company. Especially if you have a bit of travel experience and more than average amount of common sense.

Apart from your very useful info in this blog, do you have any additional advise??

Eagerly awaiting your reply.
Regards
Doogie

[lifeinnepal]

Yep, you can do your own trek with a little research and planning. The more popular treks like Everest and Annapurna should be no problem, but for more remote areas I would defintiely advise taking a guide.

Also, I only recommend self treks for people who are very physically fit, who know some first aid, and have a sense of adventure!

Get a Lonely Planet Guide or similar book for Nepal and start your research. Since I have gotten a few inquiries about "do-it-yourself" treks for Nepal, I will post all the details of how to do it on this forum with the next couple of days.

[redhimalaya]

yes i think u r right sandra.....
travelling to rural palce really needs some guide.
as people of some place cant understand english...and some westerner cannot understand the real culture.

[tbk]

Hi

I would like to know how can i travel to lumbini.
Is there a bus? Where to catch it? how much does it cost and how long does it take to get there?

The starting place is kathmandu or chitwan

thanks

[lifeinnepal]

Hi TBK!

Yes, you can take a bus from "new bus park" to Lumbini. It is an express bus, but it will take you still about 10-12 hours. I recommend flying from Kathmandu to Bhairawa, which will take about 30 mins. then catching the bus from there to Lumbini (about 2 hours). That airfare is about $105. If you want private transport, it is about $100 per day to Lumbini, and will take 8-10 hours. Flying is your best bet.

Hope this helps!

Sandra BK

Hi

I would like to know how can i travel to lumbini.
Is there a bus? Where to catch it? how much does it cost and how long does it take to get there?

The starting place is kathmandu or chitwan

thanks

[tbk]

Thanks Sandra

Hi TBK!

Yes, you can take a bus from "new bus park" to Lumbini. It is an express bus, but it will take you still about 10-12 hours. I recommend flying from Kathmandu to Bhairawa, which will take about 30 mins. then catching the bus from there to Lumbini (about 2 hours). That airfare is about $105. If you want private transport, it is about $100 per day to Lumbini, and will take 8-10 hours. Flying is your best bet.

Hope this helps!

Sandra BK

Hi

I would like to know how can i travel to lumbini.
Is there a bus? Where to catch it? how much does it cost and how long does it take to get there?

The starting place is kathmandu or chitwan

thanks

[sarah_summer]

Hello,

Great advice and info

Myself and my friend are arriving in Kat in October and are planning to do the Everest Base Camp trek. We didn't want to go with a company. I was wondering how easy it was to hire a sherpa and porter in Kat itself? Do you need one guide per person?

Also we were open to others joining us on a trek - is there a good place to meet fellow trekkers?

Thanks

[lifeinnepal]

Hello,

Great advice and info

Myself and my friend are arriving in Kat in October and are planning to do the Everest Base Camp trek. We didn't want to go with a company. I was wondering how easy it was to hire a sherpa and porter in Kat itself? Do you need one guide per person?

Also we were open to others joining us on a trek - is there a good place to meet fellow trekkers?

Thanks

Yes, you can do it yourself by getting a trekking map in Thamel. You can hire a guide in Kathmandu, or arrange a porter at Lukla. Porters do not usually speak much English. If you want to go with other trekkers, put up a notice around some of the bulletin boards in Thamel at places like Pumperknickel cafe.

You will need to arrange flight tickets r/t to Lukla and have your trekking map and be ready to negotiate your own accomodation if you go without a guide. You will be there at the height of tourist season, so book the flight as soon as you can, get your trekking permit, and expect to pay high season price at tea houses. Check the blog link to this site for tips on what to expect: http://www.mounteveresttreks.com . Click on the "read our blog" link. There is a post about preparing for EBC trek and what types of shoes to wear.

Hope this helps!! Happy trekking! S.K.BK

[aakbar3022]

Hi Sandra,
I'm glad that before my first visit to Nepal I found your informative article. This is an excellent piece of writing that'll help me during my visit.
I'm planing to visit Nepal in Oct/Nov and essentially would love to see the mountains. May I request you to recommend if I should arrange with a travel company for my 1-2 weeks trip or just do it myself. How much difference in cost there would be if arranged through a travel company. Moreover which trek would you recommend that is not very hard to do?

Thanks in advance.

Regards,
Adeel

[aakbar3022]

I would also ask for your opinion on Tibet overland tour http://www.nepal-visitor.com/tibet.html. How popular is this one and is it worth at $1000.00. Also if it can be done individually or through the travel company only? thnx.

[lifeinnepal]

Hi Sandra,
I'm glad that before my first visit to Nepal I found your informative article. This is an excellent piece of writing that'll help me during my visit.
I'm planing to visit Nepal in Oct/Nov and essentially would love to see the mountains. May I request you to recommend if I should arrange with a travel company for my 1-2 weeks trip or just do it myself. How much difference in cost there would be if arranged through a travel company. Moreover which trek would you recommend that is not very hard to do?

Thanks in advance.

Regards,
Adeel

I would arrange something like trekking with a travel company in advance, because they need time to arrange your trekking permit. Lukla flights can get pretty booked up in high season when you are going, but if you originate a trek from Pokhara, then you can get on the tourist bus. The tourist bus gets full during Dasain, so that would need to be arranged at least a week or so in advance too.

Having said all that, you will get the best deals if you wait to book your arrangements when you are in Nepal. A lot of people will make contact with a trekking or tour company in advance, and get a general idea of what they want to do, and then just go to the office once they are in country. But if you are short on time, you may want to book in advance. Please feel free to email me, and I will give you the names of some reputable companies if you'd like. As per most forums, we can "advertise" for companies on this site. Hope this helps.

sandrakrasa@gmail.com

[lifeinnepal]

I would also ask for your opinion on Tibet overland tour http://www.nepal-visitor.com/tibet.html. How popular is this one and is it worth at $1000.00. Also if it can be done individually or through the travel company only? thnx.

Truth is the Tibet Tour gets mixed reviews (as far as a tour itself goes) but I have always heard people say they are glad they did it. The views are awesome; but the accomodation is very minimal, it is a long drive and you have to go through the bag search/security check at the border of China which is very rigid. I think any price you can find between $950 - $1000 is the going rate; your Chinese visa should be included in this price and the tour operator should arrange all this for you.

PLEASE BE AWARE -- yes, it is a Tibet tour, but if you have ANY "Free Tibet" or Tibet promoting type stuff in your bags or on your person, the Chinese officials WILL turn you away at the border. You can not get a refund for your tour at that point, so please listen to the guide when he asks you to empty anything that may not be acceptable for border crossing and you will get it back in Kathmandu. One of our clients, a 19-year-old Swiss woman, was turned back and told by Chinese border patrol that her passport has been blacklisted because she had a tiny Free Tibet patch on her jacket that she had really only used to cover a hole. So everyone has been warned -- they are quite strict.

Unless you have strong ethical feelings about the political situation, I would go on the tour. You will see a lot of Nepal and Tibet, and it's about the people and the beautiful scenery. Lhasa is becoming very modern Chinese, so don't expect what you see in all those movies about the Dalai Lama.


Hope this helps! Tasidele!

[aakbar3022]

I would also ask for your opinion on Tibet overland tour http://www.nepal-visitor.com/tibet.html. How popular is this one and is it worth at $1000.00. Also if it can be done individually or through the travel company only? thnx.

Truth is the Tibet Tour gets mixed reviews (as far as a tour itself goes) but I have always heard people say they are glad they did it. The views are awesome; but the accomodation is very minimal, it is a long drive and you have to go through the bag search/security check at the border of China which is very rigid. I think any price you can find between $950 - $1000 is the going rate; your Chinese visa should be included in this price and the tour operator should arrange all this for you.

PLEASE BE AWARE -- yes, it is a Tibet tour, but if you have ANY "Free Tibet" or Tibet promoting type stuff in your bags or on your person, the Chinese officials WILL turn you away at the border. You can not get a refund for your tour at that point, so please listen to the guide when he asks you to empty anything that may not be acceptable for border crossing and you will get it back in Kathmandu. One of our clients, a 19-year-old Swiss woman, was turned back and told by Chinese border patrol that her passport has been blacklisted because she had a tiny Free Tibet patch on her jacket that she had really only used to cover a hole. So everyone has been warned -- they are quite strict.

Unless you have strong ethical feelings about the political situation, I would go on the tour. You will see a lot of Nepal and Tibet, and it's about the people and the beautiful scenery. Lhasa is becoming very modern Chinese, so don't expect what you see in all those movies about the Dalai Lama.


Hope this helps! Tasidele!

Your response is really helpful and encouraging. I would have maximum of 2 weeks to explore what ever I can. So the Tibet tour really caught my attention in terms of traveling long distance to see both the countries and come back to Kathmundu to fly out. I believe reaching Lhasa through China would be quite a long journey (my guess n yet to do research). Could you recommend any credible company for such a tour and if you could suggest if Everest base camp (from Chinese) side be included in such tour. Thanks a lot for your input.

[lifeinnepal]

I would also ask for your opinion on Tibet overland tour http://www.nepal-visitor.com/tibet.html. How popular is this one and is it worth at $1000.00. Also if it can be done individually or through the travel company only? thnx.

Truth is the Tibet Tour gets mixed reviews (as far as a tour itself goes) but I have always heard people say they are glad they did it. The views are awesome; but the accomodation is very minimal, it is a long drive and you have to go through the bag search/security check at the border of China which is very rigid. I think any price you can find between $950 - $1000 is the going rate; your Chinese visa should be included in this price and the tour operator should arrange all this for you.

PLEASE BE AWARE -- yes, it is a Tibet tour, but if you have ANY "Free Tibet" or Tibet promoting type stuff in your bags or on your person, the Chinese officials WILL turn you away at the border. You can not get a refund for your tour at that point, so please listen to the guide when he asks you to empty anything that may not be acceptable for border crossing and you will get it back in Kathmandu. One of our clients, a 19-year-old Swiss woman, was turned back and told by Chinese border patrol that her passport has been blacklisted because she had a tiny Free Tibet patch on her jacket that she had really only used to cover a hole. So everyone has been warned -- they are quite strict.

Unless you have strong ethical feelings about the political situation, I would go on the tour. You will see a lot of Nepal and Tibet, and it's about the people and the beautiful scenery. Lhasa is becoming very modern Chinese, so don't expect what you see in all those movies about the Dalai Lama.


Hope this helps! Tasidele!

Your response is really helpful and encouraging. I would have maximum of 2 weeks to explore what ever I can. So the Tibet tour really caught my attention in terms of traveling long distance to see both the countries and come back to Kathmundu to fly out. I believe reaching Lhasa through China would be quite a long journey (my guess n yet to do research). Could you recommend any credible company for such a tour and if you could suggest if Everest base camp (from Chinese) side be included in such tour. Thanks a lot for your input.

I recommend Vaishaili Travel in Thamel, Kathmandu for most international travel from Nepal. They can book Tibet excursions via land or air. As for EBC treks from Chinese side, I am not sure (sorry), but my own companies TREKT Himalaya and Hardcore Nepal have treks to EBC from Nepal side of Everest. So, of course I recommend us for that! There are over 1000 trekking agencies in Kathmandu, so there is something to suit everyone. Quality guides can sometimes be an issue, there are excellent guides at many agencies, but check around.