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Travel and Tourism in Nepal
Travel alerts, currency, climate, transit, health, and safety information for visitors to Nepal.
Practical Information
Travel alert status, currency, climate, and transit details.
- Travel Alert Status
- Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution
- Time Difference
- UTC+5.75 (10.75 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
- Currency
- Nepalese rupee (NPR)
- Climate
- Kathmandu’s climate is pleasant. During the fall to winter season (October-March), temperatures range from 30°F to 75°F. This season is characterized by morning fog, sunny days, and cold nights. It may rain occasionally, but Kathmandu has had no snow since 1939. A temperature range from 40°F to 90°F, with intermittent rain, warm days, and usually comfortable nights, marks the spring season (March-May). Near the end of the spring season and before the rainy season begins, dust gathers heavily throughout the Kathmandu Valley, causing a haze that obscures the mountains. The monsoon season begins in June and continues until late September. Temperatures in the rainy season range from 55°F to 90°F, and rainfall is from 30 to 60 inches. Rain showers occur almost daily.
- Language(s) Spoken
- As many as twenty major languages are spoken with many different dialects. The Nepali language is related to Hindi, which is the official language.
- Ethnic Groups
- Brahman, Chetri, Newar, Gurung, Magar, Tamang, Rai, Limbu, Sherpa, Tharu, and others (1995)
- National Holiday
- Constitution Day, 20 September (2015); note - marks the promulgation of Nepal’s constitution in 2015 and replaces the previous 28 May Republic Day as the official national day in Nepal; the Gregorian day fluctuates based on Nepal’s Hindu calendar
- Geographic Coordinates
- 28 00 N, 84 00 E
- Location
- Southern Asia, between China and India
- Airports
- 46
Destinations
Regions and cities, top sights, national parks, UNESCO sites, and festivals for visitors.
Everest Region
The Everest region, known in Nepali as the Khumbu, is the most famous trekking destination in the world. The route to Everest Base Camp draws approximately forty to fifty thousand trekkers each year in normal years, all of them following a path that begins either at the airstrip of Lukla, reached by a breathtaking flight from Kathmandu over a landscape of green ridges and deep river valleys, or on the longer walking route from Salleri or Phaplu to the south. The Everest Base Camp trek has become something of a pilgrimage for adventure travelers, and the trail in October and November can feel surprisingly crowded at the most popular teahouses, but the mountains that tower above it are vast enough to absorb any number of visitors without losing their power.
From Lukla, perched at 2,840 meters on a ridge above the valley of the Dudh Kosi river, the route descends to cross the river and then climbs steadily through a landscape of increasing drama and grandeur. The village of Namche Bazaar, at 3,440 meters, is the principal town of the Khumbu and the commercial and administrative hub of the region.
Health and Safety
Medical facilities, vaccinations, disease risk, and sanitation conditions.
Medical care in Nepal is extremely limited and is generally not up to Western standards. Typical travel medical complaints can be addressed by the clinics in Kathmandu and some surgeries can be performed in the capital. However, serious illnesses often require evacuation to the nearest adequate medical facility (New Delhi, Singapore, or Bangkok). Illnesses and injuries suffered while hiking in remote areas often require evacuation by helicopter to Kathmandu.