The Himalayan Kingdom, Nepal, is a land of charismatic landscape and cultural diversity and attracts a large number of tourists from around the world, year after year. If you are planning your next holiday destination, this country surely deserves a thought.

However, it is quite natural for the tourists to fell wary and uncertain about visiting a new country where they haven’t been before, particularly if it is a country where people mostly speak a different language than what you do.

That’s the reason we have compiled this best Nepal travel guide, which covers the top tips you need to consider before visiting Nepal.

The travel tips discussed in this post will help you travel to the Himalayan Kingdom safely and more confidently.

Never, ever, trek alone

While visiting Nepal, one of the most essential tips is that you should always ensure that you are accompanied by other climbers or a trekking guide if you choose to trek. Trekking with other climbers ensures your safety as there have been several cases of trekkers disappearing during solo trekking crusades.

If you are visiting the country alone or people who don’t choose to trek, you may search the web for online platforms and websites where you can search for fellow climbers planning a trekking campaign in Nepal.

Always keep a universal adapter at hand

One of the most disheartening and troublesome things that can happen to any traveler in Nepal is getting stranded without their mobile or other electronic gadgets because they didn’t have the right type of charger or adapter.

As a result, one of the most effective travel tips is to keep a universal adapter always at hand while traveling to Nepal, particularly while trekking, even better if you carry a power bank for backup charging.

Also, remember that Nepal mostly uses 220V plugs, for which the compatible adapters can be easily found at any supermarket or electronics store in Nepal. As an alternative, you can find an adapter at a Duty-Free at the airport, which will save your time searching for an electronics store nearby.

Plan your nightlife early

While there are numerous exciting and adventurous activities Nepal has on offer, one of the not so exciting things of the country is that the nightlife in Nepal mostly ends at about 10 PM and, therefore, in case you were thinking of a grand party or adventure, you will end up disappointed.

Therefore, if you are planning to go out for the night, ensure you leave on time and hit the bar at about 7 PM so that you get to spend a great evening before heading back to your hotel.

Watch out for money-scamming taxi drivers

While using a taxi to travel across Nepal, always ask the taxi driver to use the meter and charge you accordingly. Also, ensure that you make this request before boarding the ride. Most taxi drivers in Nepal may try to trick you by charging 2 or even 3 times the actual rate.

Therefore, you need to be proactive to avoid any last-minute surprises. Having said that, in case you rent a taxi after 10 PM, it is normal for the taxi drivers to charges you twice the meter cost, as they charge the same from local commuters too.

Carry passport-sized photos if applying for visa on arrival

In case you are travelling to Nepal, you have the option to choose for a visa on arrival. Therefore, if you choose to use the visa on arrival option, ensure you carry a passport-sized photograph along with you. If not, you will need to get a photograph at the airport, and it can be extremely time-consuming.

Be wary of those shady dance bars

Another important thing for you while traveling to Nepal is to be wary of those shady clubs and dance bars, particularly those in Pokhara and Kathmandu. Make sure you don’t step in along. To ensure your safety, either travel in a group or with a local, since there bars and clubs may overprice you on their drinks and food.

Moreover, these dance bars have been reported for several cases of violence and intimidation, as well as harassment.

Ensure you take all the necessary vaccinations prior to your visit

As a precautionary step, it is suggested that you take the necessary vaccinations before visiting Nepal. To understand what vaccinations or shots you need to take, it is recommended that you visit a registered medical physician ahead of your tour.

Some of the most common vaccinations you must consider include Diphtheria, Tetanus, Polio, Typhoid, and Hepatitis A.

Don’t forget to carry cash with you all the time

Another important travel tip for tourists planning a vacation in Nepal is to carry cash all the time. Most of the shops in villages and rural towns across Nepal do not accept credit cards and, therefore, you need to keep some cash always at hand.

Also, most of these places do not have an ATM service nearby and, therefore, stepping out without cash - and that too in the local currency - is like asking for trouble.

Make sure you exchange all the local currency prior to taking a flight back home

Most tourists are unaware of the fact that the local Nepal currency is not accepted or exchanged in any other nation around the world. Tourists can only exchange their USDs or INRs in Nepal and, therefore, it will make sense if you exchange the currency back ahead of getting back home.

If you fail to exchange the local currency before returning home, you will not just lose that money but it is even against the law and you might even run across some legal complications.

Therefore, you must look to be on the safer side by exchanging the currency before leaving Nepal.

The bottom line

While travelling to Nepal can be full of confusion, suspicion, and mistakes, particularly for those who do not understand the local language, following the Nepal travel tips discussed in this article will help you stay on the safer side and avoid getting into a state of bother, thence accentuating your travel experience to the Himalayan Kingdom, the land of treks.