First Time in Kathmandu: 15 Tips for Your Arrival and Stay

We meet first-time visitors at the airport every week. These are the tips we share on the drive home to Sacred Trails — the things that make the first few days in Kathmandu easier.

15 tips for your first days

1. Fill in the online visa form before you fly if you can — it shortens the queue at the airport. Our visa guide has the details.
2. Carry the visa fee in US dollars cash — card payment at the airport doesn't always work — plus small change for the first day.
3. Book an airport pickup in advance, especially for late arrivals. We'll meet you with a name sign outside arrivals.
4. If you take a taxi, agree the fare before getting in.
5. Buy a local SIM at the Ncell or Nepal Telecom counter in arrivals or in town — bring your passport.
6. Allow for traffic: short distances can take a long time, so plan one area per half day.
7. Carry cash. Cards work in bigger shops, but small restaurants, taxis and temples usually want rupees.
8. Drink bottled, filtered or boiled water, and refill a bottle where you can.
9. Pack layers. Mornings and evenings can be cool even when afternoons are warm.
10. Expect occasional power cuts in some areas — a small torch and a power bank are useful.
11. Walk clockwise around stupas and temples.
12. Remove your shoes where you see others doing so, and ask before photographing people.
13. Dress modestly at religious sites — shoulders and knees covered.
14. Use your right hand to give and receive things.
15. Say "Namaste" — a smile and palms together goes a long way.

Start your trip with us

At Sacred Trails we pick you up from the airport, cook breakfast every morning and help you plan sightseeing, SIM cards and onward travel. Our quiet home in Budhanilkantha is a gentle place to recover from a long flight before you explore.