Useful travel information for Nepal

Nothing here is complicated, but a little preparation saves a lot of hassle on the trail. These are the questions we answer most weeks.

Money

The currency is the Nepali rupee. ATMs are easy to find in Kathmandu and Pokhara but scarce or absent in the hills, so draw the cash you need for the trek before you leave the city. Cards are accepted in larger hotels and shops; homestays and teahouses are cash only.

Phones and internet

A local SIM is cheap and useful. Bring your passport and a photograph to register one at the airport or in town. Coverage on the main trekking routes is better than most people expect, but it is not everywhere — tell family at home that a day or two of silence is normal.

Power

Nepal uses 230 volts with round-pin sockets. A universal adaptor covers it. Higher villages often charge a small fee to charge devices from solar power, so a power bank is worth packing.

Water

Do not drink tap or stream water untreated. Please do not buy plastic bottles either — there is nowhere for them to go in the mountains. A filter bottle or purification tablets, plus refills of boiled water from your homestay, work perfectly.

Altitude

Altitude sickness can affect anyone, however fit, above about 2,500 metres. The cure is to climb slowly and to go down if symptoms get worse. Our itineraries build in acclimatisation days, and every guide is trained to recognise the signs. Tell your guide how you feel, honestly, every day.

Insurance

Travel insurance that covers trekking at your maximum altitude and helicopter evacuation is essential, not optional. Check the altitude limit in your policy before you buy it.

Time

Nepal is five hours and forty-five minutes ahead of GMT. The extra quarter-hour is real, and it catches out everyone’s calendar invitations at least once.