Nepal Travellers Blogs
Abundant with natural biodiversity, Nepal is a small beautiful country that lets you explore the diverse landscapes, culture, traditions and social diversity. Blessed with the gigantic Himalayas and snow-capped mountains, it has become a Mecca for adventure lovers from all across the world. Nestled between two large countries, landlocked Nepal is a must in your destination list. Renowned for its abundance of natural beauty; biodiversity; ethnic, linguistic, and social diversity; and historical and cultural wealth, the tourist arrivals have grown from just over 6,000 in 1962 to over a million today. FLIGHT ACCESS TO NEPAL : There are over twenty four major international airlines linking Kathmandu with other countries of the world. The Nepal Airlines (NA) is the national flag carrier of Nepal with flight connections to: Delhi, Bangalore, Mumbai in India, Bangkok in Thailand, Dubai in United Arab Emirates, Hong Kong in China and Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia.Nepal has one international airport in Kathmandu , ‘Tribhuvan International Airport ( Kathmandu Airport Nepal ) ’, just east of Kathmandu, the capital city. Kathmandu’s domestic terminal is next to the international terminal and can be quite busy during the spring and fall,the best trekking season in Nepal. It’s best to check in at least one hour in advance, especially in busy seasons. Generally, there are four airports considered as regional hubs. These regional hubs receive passengers from Kathmandu and spread them to other smaller airports in the region where they are sited. These four regional airports are Biratnagar (serving mainly Eastern region), Pokhara and Bhairahawa (Western region) and Nepalgunj (Mid-Western and Far West regions). According to the new agreement on air travel between Nepal and India, Pokhara Airport is to be the second international airport and the construction of this airport is in progressing. Famous for its mountain airports, Nepal offers a number of domestic flights that give you access to all parts of the country. Given that mountain weather in Nepal is often unpredictable, however, it’s best to add one or two buffer days before and after your trek to account for flight delays. ROAD ACCESS FROM INDIA TO NEPAL: The entry points to Nepal from India are Kakarbhitta, Birgunj, Belhiya, Bhairawa, Nepalgunj, Dhangadi and Mahendranagar.The best road access is either by bus or train from India to Nepal border and the most popular crossing point is Sunauli, near Bhairahawa, which provides easy access to Delhi and Varanasi in India. ROAD ACCESS FROM CHINA TO NEPAL: The Kodari Pass at Sindhupalchok and Rasuwagadhi pass at Rasuwa on the Nepal-China border are the two entry point to Nepal from Tibet (China). Tourists entering Nepal by land must also carry their passports. VISA INFORMATION ABOUT NEPAL : How to get Nepalese Visa ? For the online Visa application to Nepal one can visit:www.online.nepalimmigration.gov.np/tourist-visa. On this applicant needs to upload color photo and submit passport details and contact details while filling up the forms. Applicant will then get a receipt which have to be produced, along with original documents, before immigration officials upon arrival at Tribhuvan International Airport, Kathmandu. Also, you can get a visa on arrival at: Tribhuvan International Airport, Kathmandu or border entry points in Kakarvitta, Birgunj, Bhairahawa, Nepalgunj and Kodari. LANGUAGE AND PEOPLE OF NEPAL : The Nepalese people are friendly and fun to interact with. Learn a bit of Nepali, and they will love you for it. “Namaste” is the most important phrase that you should learn while visiting here. It refers to a greeting meaning ‘salutation to you’. ‘Atithi Devo Bhava’, a famous proverb in Nepal that says the guests is equivalent to god. Nepal’s local lifestyle, its culture, tradition, historical heritage and ever welcoming nature of Nepalese show a tremendous prospect of tourism ahead in Nepal. You will enjoy the diverse cultures and their traditions along with warm hospitality during your visit here. Nepal’s population comprises 101 ethnic groups speaking over 92 languages. Although there are existences of diverse dialects, the language of Nepal is the national language, Nepali. Nepali is the official language of Nepal. Not to mention, there are multiple languages spoken by multi-ethnic groups. ACCOMMODATIONS IN NEPAL : Finding the perfect lodging facility has ever been a difficult decision. The budget constraints, the ultimate comfort, various recommendations on social sites affect the choice of hotels. Nepal has numerous hotels and lodges facility providing diverse services. You can choose your preferred accommodation from checking Hotels in Nepal having the various options available. Five and four-star hotels in Nepal : Generally, there are more than 8 five star hotels in Nepal. Most of them are located in the capital city, Kathmandu. Soaltee Crowne Plaza, Hotel Annapurna, Hotel Yak and Yeti and Hyatt Regency, Dwarika’s Hotel are some of the best names for five-star hotel category. Also, there are numerous four-star hotels to choose from. You can find hotels of these categories in Kathmandu, Pokhara, and Chitwan. Mostly situated in outskirts of the city areas, these hotels offer scenic views of mountains and valleys. Three and two-star hotels in Nepal : Moreover, there are three star and two-star hotels to choose from. These classes of hotels provide standard services, good food with basic menus, clean rooms, warm water facility, and Wi-Fi accessibility. Many budget Hotels in Nepal are also available that facilitates your short term stay. Thamel is a popular tourist destination that facilitates you with reasonable prices of hotels and lodges. Home stays in Nepal: These are the kinds of accommodation facilities generally available in trekking regions of Nepal. These are the houses of the host families. Homestay lets you explore and learn the culture of the locals, the food, the language and their daily lives creating some unforgettable experiences. BEST TIME TO VISIT NEPAL You can plan your visit to Nepal during any time of the year. However, you will need to plan if you are visiting for activities like trekking, hiking, and other adventure activities. If you’re hiking, the trails are closed during monsoon season, which runs from June through August. Best Trekking season in Nepal is September through May. Autumn and spring are beautiful; lush and green in the fall and flowering and cool in the spring. Between October and December is the best time to visit Nepal as the skies are generally clear and the views spectacular. Late spring is a beautiful time to travel as the rhododendrons burst into bloom. Nepal celebrates almost all around the year, so there is often a festival taking place during your visit. CURRENCY EXCHANGE IN KATHMANDU : Nepali Rupee (NPR) is the official currency in Nepal. Money changers are the best places to buy local currencies in Kathmandu. Best place for all time currency exchange in Nepal happens to be the Thamel Marg. You can find the government – certified money changers here in Thamel, Chaksibari Marga Street and near the Durbar Square. Most major currencies are accepted in these areas. LOCAL SHOPPING IN KATHMANDU : Nepal is a popular destination where you can find local handicraft products. Thamel is a shopping Mecca for the tourists with tiny souvenir shops and is the best place to buy trekking gears. It is also trendy among locals for non-designer clothing that are comfy and hippie inspired. Major attracting products are the handmade pashmina shawls, Khukuri (a Nepalese knife), Thangka, silver wears. King’s way is a few minutes away from Thamel. It is one the fancy markets area of Kathmandu. It is a perfect shopping destination for brand conscious people with individual shops of brands including Zara, H&M, Adidas, Reebok and so on. Other popular shopping areas in Kathmandu are located in New Road and Durbarmarg areas. OVERLAND IN NEPAL Overland tour to Nepal happens to be one of the best ways to explore the culture, religion, social diversity of the country. Rich in natural and cultural diversity, you get to indulge in the natural beauty and diverse landscapes of Nepal. Naturally beautiful destinations that offer some spectacular scenery are included in this tour. Internal flight connectivity in Nepal : With more than 40 airports all over Nepal, Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA) happens to be the sole international airport of Nepal. As major portions of road network are still primitive and in an insufficient state, air transport is comparatively safer, reliable, although a bit expensive mode of transportation. The domestic airports in Nepal get busiest amid the pre-winter season. Winters are somewhat less dynamic and the spring season is more dynamic than winter. The busiest airport is Tribhuvan International airport in Kathmandu as both the universal and residential flights occur from that point. Road travel in Nepal: Nepal has diverse geographical landscapes, mainly including Himalaya, hilly and Terai. However, these diverse geographical structures have created some difficult in road travel. There is an east-west highway, “Mahendra Highway” which crosses plains and hilly regions. There are other highways constructed in the city areas. Nevertheless, the remote areas are to be accessed by either hiking or trekking through the trails. TOP EXPERIENCES IN NEPAL Nepal is a paradise for all the adventure lovers. A country of mountains and diverse geographical landscapes has made it one of the best destinations for adventure activities including trekking, hiking, paragliding, rafting, and jungle safari. Some of the best experiences in Nepal include:
LOCAL FOOD AND THE FESTIVITIES IN NEPAL : You will never miss out on delicious food and beautiful festivities when in Nepal. The land of diverse cultures, Nepal is famous for its culture, traditions. With diversification in culture, you can find various festivities suiting the respective cultures. And when there is a festival there is food. Every festivals in Nepal has its distinct lines of food. Every festival holds its own importance and belief. Dashain and Tihar are the major festivals of Nepal. Both the festivals fall under the month of September – October. Dashain is the longest festival lasting for up to 15 days. Buddha Jayanti is celebrated to mark the birth date of Gautama Buddha. It falls on the full moon night of either May or June. The ancient Holi festival is known as ‘festival of colors’ falls in late February or in early March. Moreover, there are festivals almost all around the year. A Nepali kitchen is rich in the dishes it makes for various occasions. The multi-ethnic and multi-cultural Nepal has varieties of dishes to offer. The Newar community itself has more than 200 dishes for you to devour. The mountain area of Nepal has cooking styles that are highly affected by the Tibet while the Terai has its own wide assortment of the nourishment because of rich farming generation. Some popular dishes include Dal Bhat Tarkari, Gundruk, Momo, Bara, Chhoila, Chatamari, Yomari, Sel roti and many more. Visit Nepal, no matter which time of the year, promises a rewarding festive experience along with delicious dishes to devour upon. In terms of the mix of culture, access to adventure tourism, mountains, traditional locations, and the national character, Nepal is pretty unrivaled – there’s nowhere quite like it. Visit Nepal and create numerous unforgettable memories. Nepal Travellers Blog
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