Flying into Nepal

Here’s the short list. A passport and a visa are required. Tourist visas can be purchased upon arrival at Tribhuvan International Airport (about 6.5 kilometers from Kathmandu) and at all other ports of entry. And don’t forget, all foreigners flying out of the country must pay an airport exit tax (600 rupee per passenger is levied on departure to SAARC (South Asian) Countries and 1,000 rupee to other international destinations. Those flying within Nepal are required to pay 100 rupee as the airport tax, regardless of the length of their stay).

Don’t let anyone fool you into thinking Nepal is out of the loop for main airplane routes. London, Paris, Frankfurt, Vienna, Amsterdam, Moscow, Sharjah, Dubai, Dhaka, Karachi, Munich, Abu Dhabi, Bahrain, Doha, Paro, Lhasa, Singapore, New Delhi, Mumbai, Patna, Calcutta and Varanasi are connected with Kathmandu via various airlines: Royal Nepal Airlines, Aeroflot, Biman Bangladesh Airlines, China South-West Airlines, Condor Airlines, Druk Air, Indian Airlines, Pakistan International Airlines, Singapore Airlines, Austrian Airlines, Transavia, Gulf Air, Qatar Airlines, Necon Air and and Thai International. So no matter where you are, you can get to where you want to go.

Regarding the United States, the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has not assessed Nepal’s Civil Aviation Authority for compliance with international aviation safety standards. So when you fly, you do so at your own risk. This has less to do with terrorism and more to do with collisions with birds and accidents related to the same).

There is a two-tier fare system in operation on all routes; one for foreigners and a lower one for Nepalese and Indian nationals. Local flights in Nepal can change at a moment’s notice, so it’s essential to book and to reconfirm your flight a few days ahead, especially if you’re heading to a remote destination.

Speaking of money: Nepalese currency can be purchased at the foreign exchange counter at the airport. Foreign currency exchange counters of different banks are also located in the city.

Visa Fees: you want to play, you have to pay: single entry tourist visa: US$30 for 60 days and the re-entry Fee: single:US$25; duble:US$40; multiple:US$60. And because you know you’re going to come back, visitors who arrived with a tourist visa intending to come again within 150 days pay US$ 50 for 30 days. Vistors intending to stay more than 60 days need to pay a tourist visa extension fee of US$ 50 (in Nepalese currency) for 30 days from the Department of Immigration.