As I open my eyes with the first stroke of light rays penetrating through white cotton, everything seems to be calm a normal. During a month visit to Nepal, days have rather been stormy and fickle just like the waver of the tsunami. The majestic land of Mt. Everest is humble in spite of its grandeur. I won’t say everything there is splendid as I can’t forget landing is extremely polluted capital with dense traffic, but yet everything was warm and welcoming. No wonder, I had the best experience with the great Himalayas smiling at me each morning, but still, there are multiple things I wish I had known before visiting Nepal.
- Visa: A week before landing in the land of Everest, I spend a couple of days applying for a visa in the Nepalese Embassy. But it was only during my stay that I knew obtaining a visa to Nepal was super easy and painless. Once you land in Tribhuvan international airport, just enter your information in a couple of kiosks, get the printed slip and you can collect your visa from the counter. The cost is $25USD/15 days, $40/30 days, and $100/90 days.
- Cash exchange: Though you will need Nepalese currency as soon as you land in the airport, you don’t need to bother on exchanging all of them immediately. Many tourist destinations offer you the proficiency of cash exchange with minimum charges. But make sure you exchange all the cash to dollars before you take off from Nepal.
- Climate: avoid monsoon:
No wonder, trekking, and adventurous games are the main gravitation for tourist to Nepal. But all these seem perverse and nearly impossible during the rainy season. So, it’s best if you avoid monsoon in Nepal. The monsoon starts in late July and lasts three to four months.
- Sick of dal Bhat
The staple meal of Nepalese is a heaping pile(and I mean heaping) of steamed white rice and lentil curry called dhal bat, which is not so spicy but flavorful. They consume it twice every day, and if you try doing so then you will surely get sick of it in a week or so. But then its safest for your stomach unless you want to rush restrooms from the street foods that actually looks tempting.
- Taxis are a lifesaver:
Getting a public vehicle in Nepal is hectic and completely frustrating. Something that saves you are taxiing, which is a quick and cheap option. They’re literally everywhere and you can haggle with the price. But before you go, its safe to ask your hotel front desk for recommendations.
- You can haggle: Before jumping in and throwing your cash at vendors, haggling is completely normal – and expected – in Nepal. If you don’t have an idea of price, walk around a few kiosks before generalizing a price. But be generous and courteous bargaining to get the best deals. Every country has something unique yet important aspects in themselves. Getting familiar to them before you actually head on explore that land makes things easier. These might be just a few among hundreds of things is good to know before visiting Nepal, for are the most important ones for sure.