Travel Agencies & Tour Operators in Nepal

Nepal Travel Guide: Everest, Annapurna, Kathmandu Valley & Lumbini #

Nepal (Nepāl) is a landlocked Himalayan country in South Asia. It holds eight of the world’s ten highest peaks, including Mount Everest on the Tibet border, and Lumbini, birthplace of Gautama Buddha. A monarchy for two centuries, it has been a republic since 2008. Professional operators who work here plan around licensed-agency trekking (solo trekking has been restricted in many regions since 2023; E-TIMS QR checks are enforced as of early 2026), monsoon versus autumn views, altitude, and a Kathmandu–Pokhara–Chitwan–Lumbini circuit — not an unsupervised tea-house wander.

Why Choose Nepal for Your Next Trip #

Elevation, not the seven administrative provinces, is how Wikivoyage divides the country for travellers: Himalayas, Kathmandu Valley, Middle Hills, Western Tarai and Eastern Tarai. The Mahabharat Range is a hydrologic barrier; travel is easier inside a river basin than between them. Kathmandu and Pokhara occupy large hill valleys and let visitors see a lot without strenuous trekking. Pokhara has fewer urban sights but outstanding Annapurna views.

Superlatives worth building an itinerary around:

• Mount Everest: World’s highest peak
• Eight of the world’s ten highest peaks
• Lumbini: Birthplace of the Buddha (UNESCO)
• Kathmandu Valley: UNESCO, including Patan Durbar Square (listed 1979), Bhaktapur and Kathmandu
• Sagarmatha National Park and Chitwan National Park: UNESCO
• Annapurna: In 2007, 59.4% of Nepal’s 101,320 trekkers went here (Everest 26.5%, Langtang 8.1%)

Tea-house trekking on the main trails needs no tents if lodges are open; showers, pizza and beer are sold along the way. Restricted areas (Manaslu, Kanchenjunga, Dolpo, Mustang, Humla) require a minimum of two foreign trekkers plus a registered guide.

Geography & Natural Wonders #

From south to north: Outer Tarai plains (extension of northern India), Sivalik/Churia Hills (~600 m), Inner Tarai valleys (Dang, Deukhuri, Chitwan), Mahabharat Range (to 3,000 m), Middle Hills to about 2,000 m, lekhs (snow that melts in summer below ~5,500 m, treeline ~4,000 m), then the high Himalaya along a fault, peaks over 6,700 m and over 8,000 m. Trans-Himalaya north of the highest peaks in the centre and west is lower (~6,000 m peaks, valleys below 5,000 m), Tibetan-speaking, still without roads.

Landscapes:

• Himalayas: Everest, Annapurna, Langtang, Great Himalaya Trail
• Kathmandu Valley: Urbanised long before Europeans arrived; hills to the north limit Himalayan views
• Middle Hills (Pahar): 700–4,000 m; Pokhara Valley; terraces, streams, Gurung/Magar/Tamang/Rai/Limbu country
• Western Tarai: Chitwan and Bardia national parks; Lumbini
• Eastern Tarai: Biratnagar, Nepal’s second-largest city

Natural landmarks:

• Everest / Khumbu, Annapurna Sanctuary, Thorung La (5,400 m on the Annapurna Circuit)
• Chitwan: Tigers, rhinos, crocodiles, deer, birds
• Bardia and Shuklaphanta parks, less visited than Chitwan
• Daman and Nagarkot: Himalayan panoramas (Nagarkot about one hour from Kathmandu)
• Shey Phoksundo Lake in Dolpa

Popular Destinations & Attractions #

Kathmandu:

• Capital and cultural centre: Hanumandhoka Durbar Square, Boudhanath, Swayambhunath (Monkey Temple)
• Thamel for bikes, motorbike hire and tourist services
• Tribhuvan International Airport (KTM), the only international airport
• Nepal Immigration Office for visa extensions

Patan and Bhaktapur:

• Patan Durbar Square, UNESCO from 1979
• Bhaktapur: well-preserved historic city, pottery, no motorised vehicles

Pokhara:

• Lakeside town; scenery, adventure sports, dining, hotels, live music
• Base for Annapurna treks; immigration office for visa extensions
• Full-moon raves and festival takes

Tarai and pilgrimage:

• Lumbini: Buddha Shakyamuni’s birth
• Janakpur: 500-year-old Janaki Temple
• Chitwan: Elephant rides, jungle canoeing, nature walks, bird watching, tiger and rhino viewing
• Nepalgunj: Hub for mid- and far-west; Bardia and Banke parks nearby

Mountain towns:

• Namche Bazaar: Sherpa settlement, trekking hub
• Lukla and Jiri: Everest trailheads (fly vs bus)
• Haleshi (Maratika) and Parping: Padmasambhava caves
• Tangting: Gurung village with Annapurna views

Regions of Nepal #

Himalayas #

Roof of the world: Everest, Annapurna, Langtang National Park, Great Himalaya Trail. Sightseeing, trekking and adventure sports. Khumbu is Sherpa country; trade with Tibet faded after China annexed Tibet in the 1950s, and catering to trekkers became the engine.

Kathmandu Valley #

Heart of the country; Kathmandu, Patan, Bhaktapur; Newar farmers, traders and craftsmen; Hindu–Buddhist synthesis; temples, pagodas, stupas, palaces, bazaars.

Middle Hills #

Hill Region between Terai and Himalaya, split by the Mahabharat Lekh. Pokhara Valley is the usual activity base. Bahun and Chhetri Nepali-speakers in the rice zone; Magar, Gurung, Tamang, Rai and Limbu higher up — the hill tribes from which the British recruited Gurkhas. Men also porter or herd seasonally.

Western Tarai #

Chitwan and Bardia parks; Lumbini. Inner Tarai valleys were malarial until DDT in the 1960s opened them to hill settlers who displaced Tharus.

Eastern Tarai #

Populated plains; Biratnagar; Jogbani and Kakarbhitta crossings toward India.

Activities & Experiences #

Trekking #

• Since 2023, solo trekking is restricted in many regions. As of early 2026, E-TIMS digital QR is strictly enforced at checkpoints such as Monjo and Besisahar; trekkers must be registered through a licensed agency
• Annapurna Circuit: 2–3 weeks, Marsyangdi to Thorung La (5,400 m) to Muktinath and possibly Jomsom; “Apple Pie Trek”; Gurung and Thakali hospitality. Mini-circuit: Nayapul–Ghandruk–Ghorepani–Poon Hill. Sanctuary trek into a 360° skyline
• Everest: Fly Lukla or bus Jiri to Namche; Base Camp and Kalar Patar most popular; Tengboche Mani Rimdu in November; Gokyo lakes; Cho La and Renjo La; Numbur Cheese Circuit; Island Peak (mountaineering gear) and Mera Peak (no mountaineering gear named for Mera)
• Langtang / Helambu: Taxi from Thamel to Shivapuri; Gosainkhund; 4x4 from Kathmandu about Rs 90,000 if skipping the >8-hour bus to Syabrubesi
• Restricted: Manaslu (Larkya La 5,100 m), Kanchenjunga, Dolpo (Phoksundo now reachable overland), Mustang, Humla — two foreigners plus registered guide
• Pro-poor / cultural trails: Tamang, Chepang, Pathibhara, Limbu, Pikey, Guerrilla Trek, Indigenous Peoples Trail, Majhi fishing on the Sun Koshi
• Foreigners on tourist visas must not hire porters or guides directly — only through registered companies. IPPG-style porter kit, medical care and never sending a sick porter down alone
• 2007: 1,078 travel agencies, 872 trekking agencies, 94 rafting agencies; undercutting hurts guides and porters

Rafting, bikes, canyons, jungle #

• Raft 1–10 days from Kathmandu and Pokhara: Bhote Koshi, Kali Gandaki, Karnali, Seti, Sun Koshi, Trishuli, Tamur, Marshyangdi. Kayak clinics on the Trishuli
• Mountain biking mid-October to late March; monsoon roads are slippery. 2009 rentals US$3–30/day
• Canyoning since the Nepal Canyoning Association (2007); 30+ equipped canyons; Chamje Khola among the world’s longest/hardest (2011)
• Chitwan, Bardia, Shuklaphanta safaris
• Motorcycle touring outside Kathmandu; international licence; helmets required; petrol Rs 160–165/litre plus hire Rs 800–3,000; mopeds cheaper; do not leave a passport as deposit
• Full-moon trance at The Last Resort near the Tibetan border (2–3 days)

Cultural Heritage & History #

Khas culture in the far-west Karnali basin spread east; Prithvi Narayan Shah of Gorkha unified the Chaubisi kingdoms and took the Kathmandu Valley in 1769, making it the capital. Gorkhali became Nepali. Heirs pushed into the Koshi basin under Everest and Kangchenjunga (the Sikkim border after India annexed Sikkim in 1975). Republic since 2008. Maoist insurgency ended with a 2006 peace agreement; the source says routes are safer than before, though “revolutionary tax” asks still occur in some areas.

Peoples: Khas-Aryas, Janajatis, Newars, Madheshis. Hindu caste rules (who eats rice with whom) were law until the 1950s; no caste reservation. Christians and Muslims are minorities. Newars speak Nepal Bhasa; Tarai uses Maithili, Bhojpuri, Awadhi. Mother tongues include Tharu (Chitwan), Newari (valley), Sherpa (Everest). Nepali is official, Devanagari script, related to Hindi. English is somewhat widespread among the educated; porters often speak little English.

UNESCO World Heritage Sites #

Four sites named:

• Kathmandu Valley (Kathmandu, Bhaktapur, Patan)
• Sagarmatha National Park
• Chitwan National Park
• Lumbini

Travel Tips for Nepal #

Language #

Nepali is official. Learn a few words for tea houses and porters. Namaste / Namaskar (once per person per day). Dhanyabaad for thank you. Many mother tongues are endangered.

Climate & Best Times to Visit #

Four seasons in traveller use; six in the traditional calendar (Basanta, Grishma, Barkha, Sharad, Hemanta, Shishir).

• Monsoon (June–September): Generally lighter high in the mountains than in Kathmandu, but peaks often clouded. In the valley and Pokhara, typically an hour or two of rain every two or three days. Umbrella; lower lodging prices, fewer tourists. Domestic flying risk is highest before and during monsoon when mountains are clouded. Kyirong road can close for hours or days on rockslides (Jun–Aug)
• Autumn (October–December): Little dust; named as the best season for hills and mountains. Biking mid-October to late March
• Winter (January–March): Kathmandu nights often 0°C; extreme cold high up. Khumbu trekking possible but snowfall may block travel above 4,000–4,500 m. Jomsom trek stays below 3,000 m, expected minima about −10°C, better chance of avoiding heavy snow
• Summer (April–June): Rhododendrons; Tarai may reach or exceed 40°C, Kathmandu about 30°C; named as the best time for mountain expeditions

Safety Considerations #

• Strikes (bandas): Businesses close; tourists are usually accommodated. Ask the hotel or read English papers
• Maoist “tax”: Rarer since 2006, especially on Everest Base Camp, still imposed in some areas. Groups may approach trekkers. Defer to the guide; negotiate or refuse
• Earthquakes: Common. 2015 killed nearly 9,000 and destroyed over 600,000 homes. Check operator contingency plans (NSET advice)
• Crime: Cities safer than most; pickpockets rare; relatively safe for women and solo travellers versus much of South Asia. Do not flash cash. Take a trekking guide in Himalayan regions
• Roads: Narrow, steep, winding, often poor; worse after rain and landslides. Avoid overloaded local buses. After dark raises accident risk. Microbuses are fast and implicated in a large share of accidents. Domestic flights safer than roads
• Altitude: Permanent snow 5,500–5,800 m; base camps and passes often higher than Mont Blanc. Sleep not more than 300 m higher per day; climb high, sleep low. Gamow bags on some routes. Pokhara–Jomsom stays lower
• Hypothermia: When the Tarai is 30°C, a high pass may be −10°C. At 3,000 m expect 5–10°C days in the example given
• GI illness: Endemic without sanitation. Boil/filter/treat water; ACAP safe-water stations on the Annapurna Circuit. Sealed bottled water. Wash salads and fruit. Iodine on trail
• Rabies: Dogs unvaccinated; do not pet dogs, cats, pigs or monkeys (Swayambhunath). Pre-vaccinate; still seek care if bitten
• Snakes: Greatest risk in warm weather below 1,500 m; cobras, vipers, kraits (night, often painless then paralysis)
• Helicopter evacuation: May be refused without a payment guarantee; buy insurance that covers it
• Volunteering on a tourist visa is strictly prohibited

Currency & Money #

Nepalese rupee (Rs / NPR):

• Notes: 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 500, 1,000; coins 1 and 2
• Indicative rates as of August 2026: US$1 = Rs 150, €1 = Rs 175, £1 = Rs 205; Indian rupee fixed at 1.60 NPR per INR
• Indian notes above Rs 100 are officially illegal to carry but still unofficially accepted, including at KTM for visa on arrival
• ATMs in Kathmandu, Pokhara, Chitwan, Nepalgunj, Janakpur, Lumbini and other major cities; all charge at least Rs 500 (Nov 2024 table: NIC Asia/Prabhu/Standard Chartered Rs 500 up to Rs 25,000; Nabil Rs 700 up to Rs 40,000). Keep ATM and exchange receipts to convert back at the airport
• Visa on arrival: US$30 / 15 days, US$50 / 30 days, US$125 / 90 days; max 150 days per visa year; multiple entry. Cash preferred (USD, sometimes EUR/GBP/AUD/CNY); some posts (Birgunj) USD only; Kodari USD or Chinese renminbi. Cards treated as cash advances plus US$1. Extend US$2 per extra day in Kathmandu or Pokhara

Transportation #

Air: KTM only international gateway; most long-haul flights connect in the Middle East or elsewhere in Asia. Domestic: Yeti Air, Tara Air, Nepal Airlines to Biratnagar, Nepalgunj, Lukla, Pokhara, Simikot, Jomsom, Janakpur, Bharatpur. Weather cancellations common; buy in-country with flexibility.

Land from India: Bahraich–Nepalgunj (Lucknow), Banbassa–Mahendranagar (Delhi), Panitanki–Kakarbhitta (Siliguri/Darjeeling), Raxaul–Birgunj (Patna/Kolkata), Sunauli–Bhairahawa (Varanasi). Motorcycle/car: daily toll Rs 120 plus one-time transport permit Rs 50. Train Raxaul–Sirsiya is not open to non-Indian foreigners.

China/Tibet: Independent travel not allowed; permit and organised tour. Kyirong 25 km from the border; Nepal-side road terrible, 6–7 hours to Kathmandu plus 8–10 checkpoints. Zhangmu–Kodari reopened September 2023.

Get around: Tourist buses (book ahead; Adhikari Travels named Kathmandu–Chitwan–Lumbini–Pokhara). Local buses cheap and crowded (goats). Tempos Rs 5–12. Taxis: offer meter plus ~10% tip. Car with driver only; self-drive rental almost unheard of. International licence required. Left-hand traffic. Bicycle hire Rs 500–5,000.

Planning Your Nepal Trip #

Look for operators who can handle:

• Licensed-agency E-TIMS registration and checkpoint QR (Monjo, Besisahar)
• Restricted-area permits (two clients + registered guide)
• Legal porter/guide hire through a company, with IPPG-style kit and medical backup — not a tourist employing staff
• Lukla weather buffers and Jiri walk-in alternatives
• Altitude profiles (≤300 m sleep gain) and helicopter insurance
• Visa-on-arrival cash in USD and 150-day cap
• India land exits vs Tibet tour packages
• Monastery/temple rules (clockwise at Buddhist sites; some Hindu inner sanctums closed to non-Hindus)
• Bandh days and earthquake contingencies
• Fair trekking tariffs rather than the 2007 undercutting market

Popular Nepal Tours & Itineraries #

Classic culture #

• Kathmandu, Patan, Bhaktapur
• Nagarkot or Daman sunrise
• Pokhara lakeside without a long trek

Annapurna #

• Poon Hill mini-circuit
• Full circuit including Thorung La and Muktinath
• Sanctuary
• Jomsom winter alternative below 3,000 m

Everest #

• Lukla–Namche–Base Camp–Kala Patar
• Classic Jiri approach
• Gokyo and high passes
• Island Peak or Mera with climbing permits

Tarai #

• Chitwan or Bardia
• Lumbini
• Janakpur

Multi-country #

• India via the five tourist land crossings
• Tibet only as a permitted group via Kyirong or Kodari
• Sikkim/Kangchenjunga as a border watershed, not a casual walk

Nepali Cuisine & Dining #

National meal: daal-bhaat-tarkaari (lentils over rice with spiced vegetables), about 10:00 and 19:00–20:00, often with dahi and fierce achaar. Eaten with the right hand. Beef is not traditional (cattle sacred) but appears at high price in some expensive restaurants. Buffalo and yak are eaten by some; pork by some tribes, not by upper-caste Hindus. Momos are nationwide. Sherpa rikikul (potato pancakes) with dzo butter. Newari restaurants in the fertile valleys; Terai food matches adjacent India (jackfruit katar, banana kera, papaya mewa). Tourist districts add pizza, Thai, Chinese, Mexican. Village products keep money local.

Drink: Raksi (~45% ABV, “Nepali wine”); jaand / chyaang (“Nepali beer”, ask if dilution water is treated); Everest and Gorkha beers. Tea: milk tea, masala chai, salty suja with butter in Tibetan/Sherpa areas; Ilam and eastern estates (Dhankuta, Jhapa, Terhathum, Panchthar); 70% of tea is exported, Thamel packets are leftovers. Cocktails mainly Kathmandu and Pokhara.

Practical Information for Travellers #

Entry Requirements #

• India: Indefinite stay, no visa
• Free 30-day VOA: Bangladesh, Bhutan, Maldives, Pakistan, Sri Lanka (any purpose); mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau (tourism only)
• Visa in advance: Nigeria, Ghana, Zimbabwe, Cameroon, Eswatini, Somalia, Liberia, Ethiopia, Iraq, Palestine, Afghanistan
• Others: VOA at KTM and listed frontier posts, US$30/50/125 as above, multiple entry, 150-day year cap
• Online pre-application exists but needs ward/municipality details that are hard to know; many complete the form on arrival
• Volunteering on a tourist visa is illegal

Electricity #

Universal wall sockets that take types A, B, C, E, F, G, I and D are common; European plugs sit loosely. Adapters about Rs 100 in Thamel or Kumari Arcade. On tea-house treks (including Everest Base Camp) charging often Rs 100–200 per hour; solar is scarce in remote parts.

Health #

Vaccinations and malaria/rabies discussion with a clinician. Filter water; ACAP stations on Annapurna. Altitude and hypothermia as above. Serious illness off-road: helicopter plus insurance.

Communication #

Wi-Fi common in Kathmandu (Thamel, Boudha) and Pokhara hotels and restaurants. Jomsom and Muktinath had lodge Wi-Fi by 2013; Chame café Rs 15/minute; satellite villages over Rs 100/minute. Ncell and NTC SIMs about Rs 200 with passport photo and visa copy; NTC has better remote trekking coverage. VOI calls Rs 1–2/minute from international phone offices.

Etiquette & Respect #

• Feet dirty: do not point soles at people or icons; do not step over people; shoes off in homes
• Left hand unclean; give, take and eat with the right
• Buddhist sites clockwise; Hindu temples have no such rule, but many bar non-Hindus from inner areas
• Non-Hindus may be asked not to touch water vessels or others’ food; wait for an invitation indoors
• Haggle with a smile; allow a reasonable profit
• Namaste once per day per person

Shopping #

Haggling on rooms and goods. Budget doubles Rs 250–750 without extras; three-star-equivalent about Rs 1,500; luxury about US$50–100 (more in Kathmandu), sometimes with entrance security.

Onward Travel #

India land borders; Tibet as a group toward Mount Kailash (hydrological hub of Karnali, Sutlej, Indus, Brahmaputra). Internal rail is a few kilometres at Janakpur.

Sleep #

Budget rooms may be a bed and a door only — inspect even on a return stay. Long stays discount heavily. Luxury prices are usually fixed.

Nepal is an agency-registered trekking country with four UNESCO sites and a visa-on-arrival desk that prefers US dollars. Operators who file E-TIMS, refuse illegal porter hire, and build Lukla weather and 300 m sleep-gain into the quote will keep clients on the mountain; a cheap undercut tariff will not.