I visited Nepal in early June. While as an Indian, I didn’t require a visa to enter the country, there were a few other aspects which I found out only once I was there. Some of it was great, like how popular Hindi is as a language over there. But some of them were tough discoveries like the lack of good vegetarian-only food outlets in a lot of places. Know all about these small but important aspects that shape our travel experience in Nepal in this blog post.

Do Indians Need a Visa for Nepal?

No, Indians don’t require a visa for Nepal. In fact, they don’t even need a return ticket – I booked one, but that was never checked. We do need a passport. In case we don’t have a passport, the Voter’s ID would also do. However, if you have a passport, you must show it. If you show the Voter’s ID, it is assumed you DON’T have a passport – and any existing passport will be cancelled.

What is Nepal Famous For?

Nepal is famous for three main reasons,

1) High himalayan range

for trekking and other adventures

2) Powerful Hindu temples

like Pashupatinath, Dakshin kali, Muktinath, Budha Neelkanth and many more. Certain communities in India will visit one or more of these mandatorily once in their life. Thus, there is a constant flow of Hindu tourists from India heading to Nepal

Here’s a 10-day itinerary for Nepal.

3) Thriving Buddhism

Once Tibet was taken over by China, a lot of the Tibetan Buddhists went into Nepal also. And there is a thriving Buddhist culture in Nepal with some powerful sites like Gautam Buddha’s birthplace of Lumbini, Boudhanath Stupa in Kathmandu, Namo Buddha hill and more.

Is Indian Rupee Valid in Nepal?

Indian rupees 100 INR note or below that is legally valid in Nepal (coins or above 100 INR currency are NOT valid in Nepal). Don’t carry large INR notes! Ensure you convert to 100 INR notes while here in India and then travel.

Moreover, a lot of places don’t want INR. As they have to specially go and get it converted – while most of their business is happening in Nepali currency. So, you will most likely need to get some Nepali money eventually even though you have Indian rupees

Secondly, when you pay with Indian rupees a lot of places will charge you a conversion fee which can be a random high amount … so, it is in long term not worth it. If you are only there for 2, 3 days, then it may be fine. But for longer, best that you get some Nepali rupees.

How to Get Nepali Rupees in Nepal?

There are 2 options,

The Foreign exchange booths – these charge a flat fee. I don’t remember what exactly it was.

The ATMs – I think this is a better option, as the conversion fee will be a flat amount. For Indian currency to Nepali, it is not that much. Some banks may have some discount schemes also going on as the relation of India and Nepal is quite close.

Just note, that depending on your credit card, you have to find the Global ATMs. Some of the local bank ATMs don’t accept Visa/Mastercard even though the stickers are there on the ATM booth. So, be sure to find one of the more ‘Global’ ATMs. These are quite common, just you need to identify them.

Do Indian SIM Cards Work in Nepal?

No. Not as a local circle. You would have to use International Roaming, which is exhorbitantly costly. Buying a SIM in Nepal is much better.

What Language is Spoken in Nepal? Do they Speak Hindi in Nepal?

Nepali and Newari are the two common languages spoken in Nepal. Yes, a LOT of people speak Hindi, but not all. Plus, their Hindi can be sometimes little tough to understand. But, in some time you will get used to that Hindi.. So, it is enjoyable to be able to speak Hindi in this outside country 😊

Does Nepal Have Hindu Temples?

Yes, Nepal is a thriving Hindu culture. It used to be a “Hindu country”, I am not sure why that changed. I should have dug a bit into that when I was there. Oh, well. Next time.

Nepal is known for being more Tantric culture, where animal sacrifice is still prevalant and common. it is an interesting experience.

Who is the Living Goddess of Nepal?

The Living Goddess is referred to younger girls who are chosen as vessels for the Godess to possess them. They are honored as Living Godess for the time which they remain eligible to hold the deity… Read more about my experience visiting the Living Godesses of Nepal here.

Hope that helps. For any more questions, ask me in comments. Thanks.