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Cars 4 Rental Information on Nepal

General

Area: 147,181 sq km (56,827 sq miles).

Population: 23,214,681 (2001).

Population Density: 157.7 per sq km (2001).

Capital: Kathmandu. Population: 1,093,414 (2001).

GEOGRAPHY: Nepal is a landlocked kingdom sharing borders with Tibet to the north and northwest, and India to the west, south and east. The country can be divided into five zones: the Terai, the Siwaliks, the Mahabharat Lekh, the Midlands or Pahar and the Himalayas. The greater part of the country lies on the southern slope of the Himalayas, extending down from the highest peaks through hill country to the upper edge of the Ganges Plain. The hilly central area is crossed by the Lower Himalayas where there are eight of the highest peaks in the world, leading up to Mount Everest. Wildlife in Nepal includes tigers, leopards, gaur, elephants, buffalo, deer and rhinos.

Government: Constitutional monarchy. Head of State: King Maharajadhira Gyanendra since 2001. Head of Government: Prime Minister Surya Bahadur Thapa since 2003.

Language: The official language is Nepali. There are many other languages, including Maithili and Bhojpuri. English is spoken in business circles and by people involved in the travel trade.

Religion: Mainly Hindu and Buddhist with a small Muslim minority.

Time: GMT + 5.45.

Electricity: 220 volts AC, 50Hz. There are frequent power cuts.

Telephone

IDD is available to all major cities. Country code: 977. Outgoing international code: 00. The Telecommunication Office, Tripureshwar, deals with telephone calls and cables. The International Telephone Office is open Mon-Thurs 0900-1400 and Fri 0900-1330. Hotels and private communication centres provide long-distance telephone services (ISD, STD).

Mobile telephone

The Nepalese mobile network uses PDC (Personal Digital Cellular System) technology, which is not compatible with GSM or other mobile services.

Fax

Services are available in most hotels, travel agencies and communications centres. The Nepal Telecommunications Corporation booth at the airport has fax facilities.

Telegram

The Central Telegraph Office offers a 24-hour international telephone and telegram service 7 days a week.

Internet

ISPs include World Link (website: www.wlink.com.np). There are Internet cafes in Kathmandu, Patan and Pokhara. Internet services are also provided by hotels.

Post

Postal services are available in most centres. Make sure that letters are hand-cancelled at the post office (post boxes should not be used for important communications). The general post office in Kathmandu (near the Dharahara Tower) is open Sun-Fri 1000-1700. Poste restante services are available from 1000-1600. Express post services are also available. Main hotels will also handle post.

Press

English-language dailies available in Nepal are The Kathmandu Post and Rising Nepal. The Independent, Nepal Chronicle and The Telegraph are published weekly in English. The International Herald Tribune, Newsweek and Time can all be found in Kathmandu. Himal is a magazine published monthly, devoted to issues throughout the South Asian region. At certain times of day, there are radio and television news broadcasts in English.

Radio: BBC World Service (website: www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice) and Voice of America (website: www.voa.gov) can be received. From time to time the frequencies change and the most up-to-date can be found online.

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Money

Currency: Nepalese Rupee (NRs) = 100 paisa. Notes are in denominations of NRs1000, 500, 250, 100, 50, 25, 20, 10, 5, 2 and 1. Coins are in denominations of NRs5, 2 and 1, and 50, 25, 10 and 5 paisa.

Note: Visitors should bear in mind that foreign visitors other than Indian nationals are required to pay their airline tickets, trekking permits and hotel bills in foreign currency.

Currency exchange: It is illegal to exchange currency with persons other than authorised dealers in foreign exchange (banks, hotels and licensed money changers). Visitors should obtain Foreign Exchange Encashment Receipts when changing currency and keep them, as these will help in many transactions, including getting visa extensions and trekking permits.

Credit & debit cards: American Express is widely accepted, with MasterCard and Visa in tourist shops, hotels, restaurants and agencies. Check with your credit or debit card company for details of merchant acceptability and other services which may be available.

Travellers cheques: Accepted at banks and major hotels. If trekking, it is important to bear in mind that cash is necessary. To avoid additional exchange rate charges, travellers are advised to take travellers cheques in US Dollars or Pounds Sterling.

Currency restrictions: Import of local and Indian currency is prohibited, except for nationals of Nepal and India. Foreign currency is unlimited but must be declared. Export of local and foreign currency is limited to the amounts declared on arrival. Only 10 per cent of the amount exchanged into local currency will be reconverted into foreign currency on departure and all exchange receipts must be retained.

Exchange rate indicators
The following figures are included as a guide to the movements of the Nepalese Rupee against Sterling and the US Dollar:

Date Aug ’03 Nov ’03 Feb '04 May '04
£1.00= 123.28 126.42 131.92 127.51
$1.00= 77.28 74.50 72.47 71.39

Banking hours: Banks in the Kathmandu valley are open Mon-Fri 0900-1430. In other areas, opening hours are usually Sun-Thurs 1000-1430 and Fri 1000-1200. Licensed money changers are open 12 hours a day.

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Health

Special Precautions Certificate Required
Yellow Fever No 1
Cholera Yes 2
Typhoid and Polio 3 N/A
Malaria 4 N/A

1: A yellow fever vaccination certificate is required of travellers arriving within 6 days from infected areas.

2: Following WHO guidelines issued in 1973, a cholera vaccination certificate is not a condition of entry to Nepal. However, cholera is a serious risk in this country and precautions are essential. Up-to-date advice should be sought before deciding whether these precautions should include vaccination, as medical opinion is divided over its effectiveness. For more information, see the Health appendix.

3: Typhoid is common.

4: Malaria risk, mainly in the benign vivax form, exists throughout the year in rural areas of the Terai districts of Bara, Dhanukha, Kapilvastu, Mahotari, Parsa, Rautahat, Rupendehi, Sarlahi and especially along the Indian border. The malignant falciparum form resistant to chloroquine has been reported.

Food & drink: All water should be regarded as being potentially contaminated. Water used for drinking, brushing teeth or making ice should have first been boiled or otherwise sterilised. Milk is unpasteurised and should be boiled. Powdered or tinned milk is available and is advised, but make sure that it is reconstituted with pure water. Avoid dairy products which are likely to have been made from unboiled milk. Only eat well-cooked meat and fish, preferably served hot. Pork, salad and mayonnaise may carry increased risk. Vegetables should be cooked and fruit peeled.

Other risks: High altitude sickness is a hazard for trekkers, so it is important to be in good health before travelling. Advice can be obtained from the Himalayan Rescue Association near the Kathmandu Guest House, Thamel. It is advisable, particularly when in rural areas, to carry a medical kit containing items such as rehydration mixture for the treatment of severe diarrhoea and ‘dry spray’ for cuts and bruises. Contact the Nepal Tourism Board for advice (see Contact Addresses section). Giardiasis, dysenteries and diarrhoeas are all common. Japanese encephalitis occurs in southern lowland, rural areas. Hepatitis A, B and E occur. Meningitis has been reported in some areas. There has been a sharp rise in visceral leishmaniasis, and trachoma is fairly common.
Rabies is present. For those at high risk, vaccination before arrival should be considered. If you are bitten, seek medical advice without delay. For more information, see the Health appendix.

Health care: The most convenient hospital for visitor care is Patan Hospital in Lagankhel. Other hospitals include the Western Regional Hospital and the Manipal Hospital in Pokhara and the Mission Hospital in Tansen. Most hospitals have English-speaking staff and larger hotels have doctors. Pharmacies in Kathmandu, mainly along New Road, offer a wide range of Western drugs at low prices. In Kathmandu, you can get certain vaccinations free of charge at the Infectious Diseases Clinic. Full medical insurance is essential.

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Climate

Nepal’s weather is generally predictable and pleasant. There are four climatic seasons: March–May (spring), June–August (summer), September–November (autumn) and December–February (winter). The monsoon is approximately from the end of June to the middle of September. About 80 per cent of the rain falls during that period, so the remainder of the year is dry. Spring and autumn are the most pleasant seasons; winter temperatures drop to freezing with a high level of snowfall in the mountains. Summer and late spring temperatures range from 28C (83F) in the hill regions to more than 40C (104F) in the Terai. In winter, average maximum and minimum temperatures in the Terai range from a brisk 7C (45F) to a mild 23C (74F). The central valleys experience a minimum temperature often falling bellow freezing point and a chilly 12C (54F) maximum. Much colder temperatures prevail at higher elevations. The Kathmandu Valley, at an altitude of 1310m (4297ft), has a mild climate, ranging from 19-27C (67-81F) in summer, and 2-20C (36-68F) in winter.

Required clothing: Lightweight and tropical clothes with umbrella are advised for June to August. Between October and March, lightweight clothes are worn in Kathmandu, with a coat for evenings and warm clothing for the mountains.

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Passport

Passport Required Visa Required Return Ticket Required
British Yes Yes No
Australian Yes Yes No
Canadian Yes Yes No
USA Yes Yes No
OtherEU Yes Yes No
Japanese Yes Yes No

PASSPORTS: Valid passport required by all except nationals of India holding proof of identity and arriving from India. (Acceptable proofs include Voter’s Identity Card issued by the Election Commission of India or Photo Identity Card issued by the state or central government of India or Temporary Photo ID issued by the Indian Diplomatic Mission in Nepal.)
Note: Children under 10 years old are not required to produce photo identification.

VISAS: Required by all except the following:
(a) nationals of India;
(b) transit passengers continuing their journey by the same or first connecting aircraft on the same day provided holding valid onward or return documentation and not leaving the airport.

Types of visa and cost: Tourist: single-entry £20 (valid for 60 days from date of arrival); multiple-entry £55 (valid for 60 days from date of issue). Business: applications can be made on arrival which need to be approved by the Ministry of Industry.

Note: (a) All nationals may obtain tourist visas on arrival at the airport. Two passport-size photos are required. (b) Business can be conducted on a Tourist visa for up to 30 days.

Validity: Visas are valid for up to 6 months from date of issue. They may be extended in Nepal at the Department of Immigration, Kathmandu (tel: 494 273 or 494 337), or the Immigration Office, Pokhara. Maximum stay in Nepal is 150 days in any calendar year. For full conditions on visa extension (including charges and conditions), contact the Consulate (or Consular section at Embassy); see Contact Addresses section.

Application to: Consulate (or Consular section at Embassy). Visas can also be obtained on arrival from the Immigration authorities at all entry points (with fees payable in US Dollars) provided travellers are in possession of valid travel documents, two passport photos and the relevant fee. Applications for Business visas must be made to the Department of Immigration (see above under Validity for address).

Application requirements: (a) One completed application form. (b) Passport valid for at least 6 months. (c) One passport-size photo. (d) Fee (in cash, postal order or bank draft). (e) For business visas, letter from company explaining purpose of visit, accompanying application made direct to Department of Immigration in Nepal (as above). (f) A stamped addressed envelope if applying by post.

Working days required: Minimum 24 hours if applying in person; 1 week if applying by post.

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