Nepal General Information

Quick Facts:

Region: Himalaya

Population: 29,519,000

Religion: Nepal is the only official Hindu kingdom in the world. Eighty per cent of the population are Hindus, the remainder are mainly Buddhist, especially the Sherpa peoples. The two religions live harmoniously together. Travellers to Nepal should dress modestly, particularly when visiting religious areas.

Language: English is fairly widely spoken throughout Nepal, especially in the major centres. The official language of Nepal is Nepali. It is similar to Hindi which is spoken widely in India. In the Everest region, the Sherpa language is also spoken, a derivative of Tibetan.

Area (sq. km): 140,800 square meters

Time: Nepal is 5 hours 45 minutes ahead of GMT.

Airports: Tribhuvan International Airport is the international point of arrival. Domestic flights to the Everest region fly from Kathmandu to Lukla and domestic flights for the Annapurna region fly from Kathmandu to Pokhara.

Telephone: The international dialling code for Nepal is +977
Telephone calls, especially international ones, can be expensive when made from a hotel. We suggest you check the price first. If you have a mobile phone it should be a relatively simple procedure to arrange ‘global roaming’ with your service provider; however, charges are generally very high so be sure to check this option thoroughly before using it. Phone calls made from public telephone offices are generally your cheapest option.

Electricity: Voltage in Nepal is 220 volts (50 cycles). You will need an international adaptor. Most sockets are two pins - round. Electricity supplies are subject to occasional disruption. Once on trek, only a few lodges have electric power points.

Food: Kathmandu has many excellent and exciting restaurants offering Indian, Nepalese, Tibetan, Chinese and Western menus. Your leader will have the latest information on the best restaurants. All of these restaurants serve hygienically prepared food and are reasonably priced - US$5-US$15 will get you an excellent meal.