General information on Nepal

For many people the word Nepal immediately conjures up images of trekking tours, mountaineering and immeasurable distances. Nepal’s Himalayan Mountains are indeed quite simply breathtaking, but there is also a lot more to Nepal than the Himalayas. Awaiting the visitor to Nepal is a culture that dates back over 2,500 years and a history with a wealth of historical buildings and archaeological sites like Patan and Bhaktapur with their exquisitely beautiful old towns, and Lumbini, the birthplace of Buddha, to name but a few. Anyone with a keen interest in nature will also get their money’s worth from a circular tour of Nepal, and you can get to know the raw, beautiful world of the mountains without having to conquer Mount Everest. The capital city of this kingdom is Kathmandu, another unmissable destination in any Nepal itinerary. Durbar Square in the centre of the city is the site of a profusion of Buddhist and Hindu temples as well as the famous statue of the monkey god. You should then be certain to pay a visit to the monkey temple outside the city. The chances are that one of the incorrigible baboons will come right up and pinch a tasty morsel out of your picnic hamper.

The time difference to CET (Central European Time) is + 3h 45m in summer and + 4h 45m in winter.

Geography

Nepal lies on the frontier between Central and South Asia. It is enclosed by India on its southern, western and eastern sides. To the north it shares a border with Tibet, the "autonomous” Xizang region of the People’s Republic of China. Nepal is characterised by its extremes of climate, geography and society. Nepal measures between 145 and 241 kilometres from east to west, and some 850 kilometres from north to south. Its highest peak is Mount Everest at 8,850 metres, and its lowest point is some 70 metres above sea level. As well as Mount Everest, the Nepalese Himalayas include nine other peaks over 8,000 metres in height, with 22 more above the 7,000 metre mark and 250 mountains of 6,500 metres or more.

Climate

Nepal may be a small country, but due the extreme differences in altitude within its borders it can present visitors with an enormous range of landscapes and weathers; indeed virtually every climatic region of the world can be encountered in Nepal. Nepal’s temperatures range from tropical to arctic. The southern region of the country is tropical with an extremely warm, humid climate. A subtropical climate reigns in the central region of the country. The northern region, at altitudes of over 3,500 metres, has an alpine climate with extremely low temperatures in winter. Areas lying below 3,500 metres generally enjoy relatively mild winters with mainly sunny days.

Clothing

Whatever time of year you plan to visit Nepal, you should always pack warm clothing. Warm clothing is always a must for tours in the foothills, and if you plan to reach higher altitudes you will need proper mountaineering equipment. There is a remarkably sharp drop in temperature between day and night, and between sun and shade. When packing you need to consider modesty in the clothing you select; men should not go around with a bare torso, and women are expected to keep their calves covered. At this latitude and at high altitude the sun is especially fierce. You are strongly advised to pack a sunhat, suncream, protective lipbalm and, most important of all, a good pair of sunglasses.

Food

Traditional Nepalese food reflects the basic living conditions, being very plain and limited. A standard meal will consist of rice (bhat) served with a tasty lentil-based concoction (dal) and/or vegetable curries (tarkari). There is usually a side dish of finely-chopped onion (pijay), a little pickle (acar) consisting of sour/spicy pickled fruit such as mango or lemon, or sometimes pickled vegetable. The meal is rounded off with home-made yoghurt (dahi). The combination described above – dal-bhat-tarkari – may well qualify, despite its modest nature, for the title of Nepal’s national dish. The name "dal bhat” was actually only coined by foreign visitors. The Nepalis used to call their meals simply "food” or "rice”, because strictly speaking there is only one dish – namely rice and lentils (red, yellow or black). In Nepal, meals are eaten with the fingers, using subtle circular movements of the right hand. Having said all this, nowadays in Nepal there is more on offer than Nepalese fare alone, and Tibetan, Indian or Chinese food can be enjoyed for greater variety. More recently it has also become possible to find a good range of western food. This may not always taste quite the same as it does back home, but you can't fail to be impressed by the way Nepalese people bend over backwards to please visitors to their country.

Currency

The currency in Nepal is the Nepalese rupee. 1 Nepalese rupee = 100 paisa. Currency code: NR or NPR.

Money should never be exchanged anywhere other than authorised foreign exchange bureaus (in banks, hotels and other licensed offices). Tourists should retain all receipts for currency exchange as these will need to be presented if you require a visa extension or trekking permit. Tourists must use foreign currency to pay for hotel accommodation, airline tickets and in some cases trekking permits. You are advised to carry an adequate supply of cash since credit cards and travellers’ cheques will not be accepted everywhere. There are plenty of foreign exchange bureaus in Pokhara, Kathmandu and Chitwan.

Phone communication

To make a call from Germany to Nepal use the prefix 00977; for calls from Nepal to Germany the prefix is 0049. The only long-distance calls possible from Nepal without operator assistance are to Kathmandu. Phone calls to foreign countries can only be made via the international operator, and it is often difficult to get through.
Emergency numbers: police 41 12 10, tourist police 424 70 41, accidents 22 80 94, fire brigade 101.

Medical care

The standard of medical care in Nepal is extremely low. The risk of suffering from diarrhoea episodes is very high in all areas of the country, and at heights above 3,000 metres you will also run the risk of altitude sickness. If you are unfortunate enough to fall seriously ill, the best course of action is generally to fly home immediately. Your travel guide will be carrying a well-stocked first-aid kit for dealing with emergencies. If you need particular medication on a daily basis, please be sure to bring it with you in sufficient quantity.

Hygiene conditions in Nepal do not meet European standards. It is therefore prudent to take certain precautionary measures: wash your hands frequently, never drink tap water or unboiled water, always peel fruit before eating it, and steer clear of meat and fish dishes.

It is also advisable to check that you have been inoculated recently against diphtheria, tetanus and polio. We would also recommend vaccinations for hepatitis A and B, typhoid and perhaps also rabies. Travellers should obtain information and medical advice on how to protect themselves against infection, what vaccinations are required and other prophylactic measures well in advance of their departure date. We would refer you in particular to the general information available from health authorities, doctors experienced in travel medicine, doctors of tropical medicine, travel medicine information services or the Federal Centre for Health Education [Bundeszentrale für gesundheitliche Aufklärung].

Electricity

You should bring an adapter because flat plugs usually do not fit the sockets. You should be aware that there can be fairly extreme voltage fluctuations and power cuts, not to mention the fact that there is no electricity in rural areas. Mains voltage is generally 220 volts, with a frequency of 50 Hz.

Customs

You can bring the following items into Nepal duty-free: 100 cigarettes or equivalent quantity of other tobacco products, 1.14 litres of alcoholic beverages and perfume for personal use.

You should be aware that you will have to declare the entire contents of your luggage on entering and leaving the country, that the number of cameras, video recorders and other electronic devices you are allowed to bring in is limited, and that these will in many cases be recorded on your visa. You are not allowed to take any artefacts of archaeological or historical importance (more than 100 years old) out of the country.

Behavioural conventions

In general the Nepalese are an extremely tolerant people, but this should not be interpreted as carte blanche. Only Hindus are permitted to enter the most sacred of Hindu temples. Non-Hindus are nonetheless allowed right next to the temple, in the temple’s inner courtyard and in any associated buildings that there may be nearby. You must always walk round a monastery in a clockwise direction. You must remove your shoes before entering a person’s house or the inner areas of a monastery. Entering a house with your shoes on would be equivalent to spitting on the floor in someone’s home in the west. When you are seated (traditionally on the floor in Nepal) you must make sure that your feet are positioned in such a way that the soles are not pointing at anyone, because that would be construed as an insult. Any form of intimacy in public is a taboo. Amongst Nepalis, even two people holding hands would cause a tremendous stir, so kissing is obviously well off the scale. The left hand is used for cleaning after visiting the toilet, and is therefore considered to be unclean. You must therefore never touch food or another person with your left hand.

Most but not all Nepalis are quite happy to have their photograph taken. In many instances, if you take a photo of a Nepali they will immediately ask you for money. It is therefore advisable to keep a stock of small coins at the ready for this purpose. Five or at most ten rupees should be enough for a photo even if you are asked for more. The cow is sacred to Hindus, and is often even venerated as the "mother” of man. Cows are consequently allowed a huge amount of space to roam. If you are unfortunate enough to be involved in a road accident involving a cow, you may well have to pay all of 200 dollars in compensation.

Safety

Travelling to Nepal still involves considerable uncertainty. Travellers should keep themselves informed about the latest situation there, and be aware of potential dangers. On 21st November 2006 a historic peace treaty was signed between the 7-party alliance and the Maoists. Despite this, Nepal has seen the continuation of demonstrations that had been taking place more intensively in the days and weeks immediately before the peace settlement. Some of these demonstrations are accompanied by violence. Strikes and protests can be called at short notice or even with no notice whatsoever, and not all of them remain peaceful. You may also need to be prepared to deal with blockades/curfews which can be declared or organised at short notice. Curfews are frequently announced only at short notice in radio broadcasts.

So far, with the exception of some cases of extortion, tourists and foreigners have not been targeted by the Maoists.

Stages through Nepal

Lhasa-Kathmandu
Kathmandu-Lhasa

This information has been compiled to the best of our knowledge, however this may be subject to change. We are not liable for the accuracy of the stated information.