In most printed travel guides there is information about departure taxes (which used to be about NPR 1700) you need to pay on departure from international Tribhuvan (KTM) airport in Kathmandu, but from year 2010 there is no such departure fee any more for international departures. All taxes are included in your ticket. But you still need to pay domestic departure tax in case you are flying to local destinations. As of April, 2013 this domestic depature fee is 200 Rupees.
Visa Charges on Arrival 90 days visa US$ 100 15 days visa extension US$ 30 |
Domestic Airport Charge:
200 NPR to Pokhara, Jomsom, Kathmandu
1000 NPR to Bangladesh, Bhutan, India
Domestic Plane ticket fare (2013) for:
- Kathmandu to Pokhara US$ 95
- Pokhara to Kathmandu US$ 95
- Kathmandu to Lukla US$ 140
- Pokhara to Jomson US$ 90
- Everest Mountain flight ticket US$ 180
A tourist visa can be extended up to 120 days from the Department of Immigration in Kathmandu and Pokhara Immigration Office on request. Thereafter an additional 30 days can be extended from Department of Immigration, ensuring that tourist visa cannot be extended more than 150 days, in a calendar year on a tourist visa.
General expenses and charges 2013:
- Airport transfer
- Kathmandu airport arrival: 30 days visa 40 USD (make sure you have the exact money)
- Kathmandu airport departure tax: since 2012 no more tax, already included in ticket.
- Domestic departure (internal flight) airport tax is 200 NPR
- Taxi Kathmandu, airport to City 600 NPR
- Taxi Pokhara, airport to Lake-Side 500 NPR
- Kathmandu-Besisahar by bus 400 NPR
- Kathmandu-Kande by Taxi 1200 NPR.
- Professional trekking porter: 10-15 USD per day
- Professional trekking guide: 20-25 USD per day
- Acap permit, Annapurna Conservation Area Project (ACAP) 2200 NPR.
- Tims permit, Trekkers' Information Management System, fee - 20.-USD
- Domestic airfare (Pokhara-Kathmandu or Kathmandu-Pokhara) 95.-USD
- Domestic airfare (Pokhara-Jomosom or Jomosom-Pokhara) 90.-USD
Further individual expenses to be calculated
- Hotel or Guesthouse Accommodation in Kathmandu or in Pokhara
- Travel / medical insurance and emergency evacuation cost
- Personal expenses such as laundry, telephone calls, meals, bottled drinks, mineral water, beverages, tips, gifts, souvenirs, etc.
General Charges for Sight-Seeing
- Kathmandu Durbar Square: Rs 750 (includes Hanuman Dhokar museum)
- Bhaktapur Durbar Square: Rs 1,100 (excludes museum admission)
- Patan Durbar Square: Rs 500 (excludes museum admission)
- Pashupatinah: Rs 500
- Swayambunah: Rs 250
- Boudhnath: Rs 150 (same as when I last visited a few years back)
- Nargajun and Shivapuri parks at: Rs 250
The ever increasing and bothersome fees are becoming a hassle (and unproductive as far as the eye can see, as well as most likely siphoned off by some fat cats/corrupt politicians (to be especially cynical---are there any other kind?). The Nepali people are wonderful and an inspiration but burdened by some of the worst goverance in the world.
Valuable Tips for your entry into Nepal:
1) Download the Tourist Visa Application Forms online from the internet and fill them out in your home country to bring with you.
2) Bring 4 passport photos with you, you already need two for your visa application
3) Bring 2 photo-copies of you passport
4) Bring your tourist visa fee: $40 US for one month, make sure you have the exact money, otherwise you loose your change. Personal cheques and credit cards are not accepted for visa fees, only cash.
5) On arrival you need to fill out two application forms, unless you have already downloaded the visa application form from the internet and have it ready pre-filled in, which you should do. You need two passport photos, along with the visa form.
6) Have a small Paper with the following infos ready, which you must write into the application form: passport number, passport validity and issued at, home address, flight number, proposed length of stay in Nepal, reason for visiting etc etc. Disembarkation form (Sometimes these are handed out by the airline that you fly in with, so if this is the case you can be ahead of the game !!
7) If you have your application forms already with you (pre-filled in), than you can go straight to the immigration desk. First you go to the desk on the left hand side of the hall and pay your visa fee and hand over your passport photo. You will be given a yellow receipt.
Then take this receipt along with your passport and disembarkation form to one of the immigration desks to the right of the visa payment desk, hand over your passport and yellow receipt and you will be issued with your visa. It’s as simple as that !!
If you plan any trekking in Nepal, you need Trekking Permit: ACAP and TIMS Card.
Acap permit, Annapurna Conservation Area Project (ACAP) 2200 NPR
Tims card, Trekkers' Information Management System, fee - 20.-USD
You can get them both in Kathmandu or in Pokhara, at the offices of Nepal Tourism Board.
The Annapurna Conservation Area covers treks into the Annapurna Sanctuary and those on the Annapurna Circuit. When trekking in the Annapurna Conservation Area you will be required to have the Annapurna Conservation Area Entry Permit. You will be required to show it at check points along the way.
If you are taking an internal flight, the Domestic airport tax is 200.-NPR. You have to pay this at a different counter in the Terminal, BEFORE checking in, Save yourself some time by buying it Before you join the Queue – You would be surprised at how many people don’t, then get to the front of the queue only to be turned away !!!!
