Wait until you're actually there and you will feel stupid for having asked this question! As a traveler, there are endless number of surprises Nepal has to offer you. Kathmandu Valley with its thousands of Hindu temples, Buddhist stupas, stunning architecture and rich pageantry can be quite beyond words. If you are careful enough not to get entangled in the superficial facade of a fastly "modernizing" capital city, Kathmandu probably offers you as exotic an urban experience as you can get.

Beyond Kathmandu, its another world altogether. Most travelers to Nepal want to check out the truly spectacular Himalayas along with the higher hills. A few go there to scale the high mountains, but many are simple nature lovers trekking along landscapes filled with deep valleys, lush forests, snow trails, terraced fields, and above all, the most hospitable people.

Travelers to Nepal also love making a safari trip to one of the National Parks in Nepal. The most popular one is the Chitwan National Park in the southern plains which hosts a diverse wildlife reserves including the rare Asian one-horn rhino.

In order to fly directly to Nepal from your home country, Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA) in Kathmandu is the only international airport in Nepal. TIA has direct airlink with Osaka, London, Frankfurt, Hongkong, Singapore, Bangkok, Delhi, Karachi, Bombay and a couple of other South Asian cities. Lufthansa, Royal Nepal Airlines (RNAC), Air India, Singapore Airlines, Thai are the airlines that carry most of the foreign travelers into Kathmandu; and if you buy tickets from any other airlines, you will probably connect with one of these airlines for the final leg of your flight.

Anyone who has done any traveling on air can tell you that one can never say for sure how much they cost. However, an economy class round trip ticket to Nepal from North America, should cost between $1400 to $1700 depending on what airline you fly and when. From western Europe, the fare should be about the same too. From most of East Asia, the cost is about $300 for one-way. If you are flying into Nepal from India or other South Asian cities, one-way fare would be between $100 to $200: Delhi ($150), Varanasi ($80), Bombay ($200), Calcutta ($100), Karachi ($150), Dhaka ($80). These figures are only estimates, and you should check with your travel agents for details.

Unless you are really tight on schedule and do not have much time to explore around yourself, taking an organized tour to Nepal is hardly worth the cost.

The weather is probably the best guide for deciding when to plan your trip to Nepal. October and November are considered the best times of the year. The monsoon will have just ended, and clear skies with optimal temperature will prevail. The main festivals of Dashain and Tihar (Hindu equivalent of Christmas in terms of festivity) fall during these months. However, this is also the busiest tourist season, and the main tourist centers and trekking trails tend to be crowded with travelers like you. The tourist flow ebbs a little, but not significantly, between the winter months of December and mid-February. It catches up once again between mid-February and mid-April. From mid-June to early October, it's the monsoon, during which time it rains almost everyday and most of the Himalayas are hidden behind the clouds. In short, plan to visit Nepal between October and May, keeping in mind that October-November and February-March are the best times (but crowded with other travelers).

You can fly between Delhi and Kathmandu for about $150 with RNAC or Indian Airline , Jet Airline. The actual flight time, not counting the endless delays and cancellations, is only a little more than an hour. However, note that Delhi-Kathmandu-Delhi flight is very busy and without proper reservations (or proper strings to pull) can be booked weeks in advance. Make your reservations and buy your ticket well in advance. Alternatively, you can travel overland to Kathmandu. You can get a bus from Delhi to Kathmandu. You can also take the night train to Gorakhpur in northern India, then a bus to the Nepalese border (Sunauli), walk across the border to Nepal, spend the night there, and from there take a bus to Kathmandu or Pokhara. The trip can be quite long, both in terms of time (it takes about two days and nights) and what you may go through during the trip (with tickets, safety, weather, border harassment etc). Not recommended for those who are less adventurous than most. Definitely not recommended for lone woman travelers. If you plan to enter Nepal in a car, make sure you have a carnet de passage en douanes. These are required to exempt you from customs duty for three months. You may also be required to pay a fee for each day that your car is in Nepal. As in India, in Nepal, vehicles are driven on the left side of the road.

The general advice given for traveling between Delhi and Kathmandu pretty much applies to all travel between Nepal and India. Overland travel by bus and train is cheap, but can be very long and stressful: not worth except for the more adventurous travelers. If you want to travel overland anyway, do so in a group. Traveling alone is not a wise idea especially if you are a woman. Kathmandu has a regular bi-weekly flights to and from Bombay and Calcutta. Book your flights in advance because these routes are popular and can be booked way in advance.

All foreign nationals other than Indians need a visa to enter Nepal.

Single entry tourist visa can be obtained from the entry points of Nepal or from the Royal Nepalese diplomatic missions abroad by paying US$ 30 for 60 days. Double or multiple re-entry visas can be obtained by paying additional US$ 40 and US$ 60 respectively.

If you wish to stay for more than 60 days in Nepal, you can extend your tourist visa for 30 days for a fee of US$ 50 or its equivalent in the Nepalese currency. Visa extensions are granted only at the immigration offices in Kathmandu and Pokhara --conveniently located at the main tourist quarters of Thamel and Lakeside respectively. Visa extension is a simple procedure but be prepared to spend a couple of hours in line during the main tourist season. You will need two passport photos; nearby studios can provide them instantly for about $2.

US$ 50 or its equivalent for 30 additional days.

As of July 1999, trekking permits are not essential for general trekking in popular areas such as the Everest, Annapurna and Langtang. If you want to go to any other place more than a day's hike away from major roads, you may want to ask for the latest details with your hotel, or the nearest immigration office.

It varies. You can always choose to make your trip expensive by staying at fancy luxury hotels and dining in their restaurants. But then you may as well be in New York. But if you are looking for a unique Nepali experience, you can do it for a lot less money.

Traveler's checks is the best and safest option. US dollars are the most widely accepted form of money, but banks also accept other major international currencies.

All major banks in Nepal exchange convertible hard currencies into Nepalese rupees. There is an exchange counter in the Kathmandu airport for you to start off. The US dollar is the most widely accepted currency. Don't exchange more money than is necessary for usage in the next couple of days because exchanging Nepalese rupees back to hard currency is not easy: it can be done only at the airport before you leave, and only a certain fraction of what you originally exchanged into Nepalese rupees can be re-converted. Exchanging your US dollar bills in the black market may fetch a slightly higher rate than what banks would offer you, but the premium has diminished significantly over the past couple of years after the Nepalese government liberalized its foreign currency regulations.

It is important to retain your exchange receipts in order to apply for visa extension and re-conversion of left-over Nepalese rupees when you leave Nepal.

The Nepalese rupee tends to devalue steadily every couple months against other hard currencies

Many tourist related businesses have started accepting payments in credit cards. It is, however, a fairly recent phenomenon, and cards other than Visa and Mastercard may not be accepted in most places. Remember that usage of credit cards in Nepal can cost you an extra three to five percent in transaction costs.

No. So you are better off bringing all your funds in traveler's checks.

You can draw funds against your American Express, Mastercard or Visa cards in Kathmandu. The service premiums for doing this, however, is pretty steep. You can also have money wired directly to Kathmandu through any major bank within two to three working days.

Though Nepal is not any more unsafe than any other developing country, update your preventive inoculations. Injections against meningitis, tetanus, typhoid and, perhaps, cholera are recommended. Vaccination against rabies (which is quite rampant in Nepal) can be good but it is too bothersome and expensive to be worth the trouble. Just keep yourself safe from stray dogs and monkeys.

Malaria is under control in Nepal. The risk of catching it is small and only in the southern plains. Mosquito netting and/or repellent are advised when there, especially during the summer and monsoon seasons. Also, as a preventive measure, take chloroquine pills starting two weeks before and six weeks after your visit to the plains.

AIDS is a growing problem. Official figures of only a couple of dozen cases of HIV in Nepal is a better indicator of the government's inability to collect data (or deny them) than the actual cases of the disease. Don't be misled into believing that unsafe sex is okay. Though prostitution in Nepal is insignificant compared to other Asian countries, watch out.

Also, doctors in Kathmandu are reporting that health problems due to severe air pollution are rising astronomically in Kathmandu. Old vehicles spewing out black smoke is unfortunately a normal scene on the roads of Kathmandu. Along the main roads traveled mainly by vehicles, the air gets quite nasty especially during rush hour. Make a conscious effort to minimize your walking on these streets used mainly by vehicles during rush hour.

Many, if not most, travelers to Nepal are likely to get stomach problems at some point during their visit. It is generally caused simply because of a change in diet and climate, but also by drinking contaminated water and eating contaminated food. But if you do get it, the most effective remedy is to fast for a day and consume plenty of water or some fluid. You can find effective medicines against amoebal diarrhea in any drug store in Kathmandu. Carry some with you when you are going to be away on trekking trails. A rehydration package called "Jeevan Jal" is found everywhere in Nepal; it is quite effective.

Almost all good doctors and all well equipped hospitals and clinics are in Kathmandu. Visiting a doctor in a clinic is probably better than going directly to a public hospital. Hospitals in Kathmandu can be very crowded with the whole country coming there for medical treatment. Private "nursing homes" and clinics are plentiful in Kathmandu. Elsewhere in the country, there is not much of a choice: you can at best get a service that may pull you through until you reach Kathmandu. See FAQ on Trekking on how to get emergency help while on the trails.

Oh yes, some sort of travel insurance is highly recommended. Most travel insurance covers emergency flights, medical expenses, and theft or loss of possessions. If you plan to go rafting or trekking, make sure your insurance covers these "dangerous activities." Remember to keep your receipts to make claims. In order to make claims on lost or stolen items, you will need a police report issued in Nepal by the Interpol Section of the Nepal Police.

It depends on the time of the year and altitude of the place you are in. The width of Nepal is only about 200km on average, yet within this short distance the altitude of the land rises from lowly 60m all the way up to above 8000m. There are several distinct seasons (Nepalese calendar mentions six seasons). Check The Weather Chart for details on temperature and rainfall in various parts of the country during the year. In general, October and November is the autumn with dry and mild climate with temperature fluctuating between 20C to 30C (68F to 86F) in most of the country. December and January is dry and gets chilly in the morning and night, but temperature rises to about 15C to 20C (59F to 68F). Late February, March and early April is spring time and the temperature is once again like in autumn. May and June are the pre-monsoon months with occasional evening thunderstorms and hot/humid temperatures. July through early September is the monsoon, and it rains almost everyday. Nasty downpours, humid air and hot temperature are to be expected.

That depends on when you want to travel and what you want to do there. In general, between October and March, light clothing will suffice in Kathmandu, Pokhara and most other towns. For mornings and evenings, a heavy woolen sweater (you can find beautiful ones for bargain prices in Kathmandu) or a jacket will be essential. Unless you are in some official business, no formal wear is needed. A couple of pairs of jeans or some other casual pants, shirts and T-shirts, a sweat-shirt should be fine. Bring spares, laundry in Nepal is at the mercy of weather, washing machines and dryers are not to be found. See Odd FAQ for more on laundry facilities. Expect a lot of walking even if you don't plan to trek, so comfortable footwear is a must: sneakers are the best. If you plan to go trekking, a pair of well-broken-into hiking boots will be great. Bring plenty of woolen socks too. Specialized trekking gear is easily and cheaply rentable in Kathmandu and Pokhara: And yes, if you can get one, bring along a surgical mask. It can be real helpful in keeping away smoke and dust in the streets of Kathmandu during the day.

Nepal is a land of festivals. Almost everyday is day of festival in at least some parts of the country. Though most of them are of religious nature, they are almost always of joyous. You should not miss out on them. Kathmandu, with its rich Newar heritage is the most colorful place in the country. But other parts of the country also have their own fanfare. Check out the "Festival Calendar" for details on the major festivals that will occur during your visit.

"Cultural Shows" in Kathmandu and Pokhara also provide you with some entertainment, though they are far from being the real thing. Check out the posters in various restaurants and other public places in the tourist quarters of Kathmandu and Pokhara to find out what is going on.

Night life in Nepal is non-existent. Except for a few exceptions in the tourist quarters, most bars and restaurants start closing by ten in the evening. Getting Around in Nepal

Unless you are trekking or hiking, in which case you would of course be walking, the most common mode of traveling from place to place within Nepal is by bus. Traveling by bus gives you an opportunity to see the country more. After all, isn't that why you are going to Nepal? You may also rent a car, but it is quite expensive at about $80 a day, and generally come with a driver. You are strictly advised against driving on your own even if you have a proper international driving license: traffic rules are seldom observed, and roads can be very chaotic and dangerous even for the most experienced of drivers. Domestic flights run between some towns but may be difficult to get if the towns you want to fly to are the popular tourist spots such as Lukla, Jomsom, Pokhara, Chitwan etc. Railroads are practically non-existent for your traveling purposes. Read further on for more details.

Being a mountainous country, straight roads and highways are few in Nepal. Except perhaps in parts of the southern plains, the Tarai, the roads in Nepal are few, narrow and serpentine, and very poorly maintained. Long distance public buses are chaotically organized with timetables and departure times approximate at best. They are extremely slow and make countless stops along the way. Average traveling speed of a public bus turns out to be about 20-30 km per hour. For example, a bus takes about ten hours to cover the distance between Kathmandu to Pokhara which is just 200 km. The bus fare for any route is normally fixed. If you want to use the public bus, it would save a lot of headache to ask for help of someone who knows the system (perhaps someone at your hotel). Perhaps a better option for you would be to take a "tourist bus". These buses run along the routes most frequented by tourists such as between Kathmandu, Chitwan, Pokhara and Sunauli (the Indian border). They cost generally twice the public buses but are somewhat faster, less crowded and more comfortable. You can get tickets everywhere in Thamel area in Kathmandu. In Pokhara and Chitwan, just ask at your hotel. It is a good idea to buy your ticket a day in advance and reserve a seat.

A popular option with many travelers are the "night buses". These are public or tourist buses that leave the point of origin at dusk and reach the final destination at dawn. For relatively short routes (Kathmandu-Chitwan and Kathmandu-Pokhara, for example), this means long stops along the way. Though you will not get much sleep, a night bus can save daytime for other better pursuits.

That can be just as exciting. Frequent delays and cancellation due to weather and other reasons can sometimes make a bus the classic tortoise --slow, but steady enough to win the race. With the introduction private airlines, domestic flights between popular tourist routes such as Kathmandu-Chitwan and Kathmandu-Pokhara have become more reliable and available.

But Royal Nepal Airlines (RNAC), the state carrier, still maintains flight monopoly along popular trekking trails such as Kathmandu-Lukla and Pokhara-Jomsom. During the main trekking season (October-May) tickets in these flights will be impossible to get because big trekking agencies book them months in advance. The best you can do is to check on the day of the flight if there are any unused place in the airplane at the RNAC ticket office in Kathmandu. A safer alternative is to get your ticket from a big trekking agency and offer $10 to $20 dollars over the face value.

Airlines charge tourists inflated dollar prices on all routes. A round trip ticket between Kathmandu and Pokhara costs about $100.

The easiest option, especially if this is your first time in Nepal, would be to take a taxi. A ride from Tribhuvan International Airport to Thamel, the main tourist area, is about 8km and will cost you approximately $1.50. The airport transfer bus service will take you to downtown Kathmandu for $0.50. There is also a local bus service. However it is not recommended to travelers just arriving in the country particularly because it tends to be very crowded, slow and inconvenient for someone uninitiated with the system.

The choice for intra-city transportation of many visitors to Kathmandu is the taxi, if they want to travel point to point. There is also a fairly comprehensive local bus routes system. Many also choose to hire a bike or a three-wheeler tricycle called rickshaw. Yet if you just want to see around town, walking is still the best way, especially in the old part of Kathmandu. Read further for details on these options.

You bet. There are plenty of cabs in Kathmandu. All cabs have black license plates with white numbers. Most cabs also have a sign on them that says "taxi". Though quite expensive by local standards, many visitors to Nepal may find a taxi ride in Kathmandu fairly manageable. Though tipping is not necessary while riding taxis, a tip of about 10 percent of the total fare will be greatly appreciated.

For a slightly lower cost, you can also hire metered three-wheeler scooter cabs called tempos. They are black and yellow in color. These are not as comfortable as proper taxis and are notorious as one of the main sources of sound and air-pollution in Kathmandu.

Local buses in general are too crowded, slow and unreliable to be worthwhile. However, compared to taxis, they are very cheap. You normally pay your fare to the bus conductor when you get off at the end of the ride. Though buses are fairly frequent in the main routes, most bus routes do not have set schedules and stop their service by six or seven in the evening. If you are using a local bus for the first time, you may find it very helpful to ask someone (perhaps at your hotel) who knows the system for help.

Complementing the local buses in many of the routes are the blue three-wheeler scooters, tempos. They cost about one third more than the bus, carry six to eight passengers, and are as inconvenient as buses. Like the black and yellow tempos, these blue ones are also notorious for their contribution to Kathmandu's air and sound pollution.

Riding a bike is one of the best ways to tour around Kathmandu. In the old part of Kathmandu and Thamel area, you can get one speed Indian bicycles for hire for about $0.50 per day (bikes with more speeds may cost about $1-2 per day). There is no deposit required and the name of your hotel will suffice. Make sure the bike has a bell, it will be really helpful in weaving your way through town. If while the bike is in your possession, you want to take a walk or visit various spots of interest, it is safe to leave your bike unattended around well trafficked parts of Kathmandu as long as it is locked. If you have to ride your bike along the main streets of Kathmandu where there are lots of cars and other traffic, be very careful because breaking of traffic laws in Nepal is not uncommon at all.

Riding a rickshaws to tour around the old part of Kathmandu is very popular among tourists. Before you get on a rickshaw, make sure the driver understands where you want to go because its movement within the city is restricted. Also agree upon the fare before you get on, expect a lot a bargaining. No matter how much the driver says, don't pay more than what you would pay a taxi for the same ride (about $0.20 per km).

Most of your tours in Pokhara can be made on foot or on a hired bicycle. A good bike costs about $1-2 per day and are available easily along the Lakeside drive. You can also get cabs but many of them may not have meters. So you will have to decide on the price before you get in. Under no circumstance should you pay more than what you would in Kathmandu ($0.20 per km).

For getting around within other towns elsewhere in the country, walking probably will almost always suffice. In most southern towns, the pedal-powered three wheeler tricycles called rickshaws are popular and are very cheap --Rs 2-5 (less than $.10) per km.

In Kathmandu and Pokhara, plenty of restaurants are abound catering to virtually every foreign taste: Italian, Chinese, Mexican, Indian etc. In Kathmandu, you should try Newari cuisine: the Newars (original inhabitants of Kathmandu Valley) have a very rich history of culinary art. However, beyond these two primary tourist hubs, you may not have much in terms of dietary choice. Trekkers will probably end up eating "daal, bhaat, tarkaari" (lentil soup, curried vegetables with rice) for essentially every major meal.

For drinking, Nepal produces over a half a dozen of lager and light beers. Dark beer is not available. An amazing variety of other hard liquor such as rum, whiskey, gin, vodka etc. is also produced in Nepal. Some are okay but others are downright nasty. Imported liquors are available at exorbitant prices. You will also come across a few types of Nepalese home brewed alcohol along your trekking routes. Bottled water is available everywhere, and should be the only water you should drink. Coke, Pepsi and other major international brand name sodas are also available.

Well, then you will be at home in Nepal. Meat consumption in general is minimal among Nepalese either because it is an economic luxury or a religious disapprobation. Vegetarianism in Nepal means non-consumption of both meat and egg. Milk and other animal product is allowed. The concept of a vegan does not exist, and if you are one, you are advised to inform your host/restaurateur of your dietary restrictions. It should not be difficult though.

In general, yes. But a few common sense precautions can take you a long way in avoiding health problems. No matter how tempting --and it can get very tempting after a long trek-- avoid drinking any other water than bottled water. If you have to drink non-bottled water, purify it with iodine or chlorine tablets (available readily in most drug stores in Kathmandu). Asking for bottled water in restaurants is a good idea.

Don't eat roadside food that has been exposed in the open air. Raw and unpeeled fruit and vegetables are best avoided. Other than that, boiled and fried and properly packaged food items should be fine. Read the FAQ on Health and Insurance for details on what to do in case of health problems

Okay for mail outbound mail from Nepal. Three to four weeks is standard delivery time for international letters mailed from Kathmandu and Pokhara. From elsewhere in the country, it is not worthwhile, just wait until you reach one of these two places. However, if you want to mail a letter to Nepal, the chances of timely delivery (if any delivery) is slim to none, especially if the address on the mail is a street address instead of a PO box.

Kathmandu has the only Poste Restante of the country and is reasonably efficient. Mail should be addressed to: Name, Poste Restante, General Post Office, Kathmandu, Nepal. US citizens may receive mail c/o the Consular Section of the US Embassy in Kathmandu. If you have American Express card or traveler's checks, you can also receive mail through the American Express agent in Kathmandu. Send mail to: Name, American Express, c/o Yeti Travels Pvt Ltd, Durbar Marg, Kathmandu, Nepal.

You're right. If you can avoid parcels and packages, by all means do so. But if you buy stuff in Nepal and would like to have it mailed home, the Foreign Post Section of the main post office in Kathmandu is where you have to go. It costs you about $2 per kilogram for surface mail. Plan to spend a good couple of hours at the post office going through an inefficient bureaucracy. You can bypass this inconvenience through shipping agents in Thamel area for an extra couple of bucks. International courier services such as UPS, DHL, Skypak have their agents in Kathmandu, but the price they charge can be very expensive.

Making international call is easy from major towns but quite expensive. "Communication shops" catering to phone and fax needs of travelers are ubiquitous in the main tourist areas of Kathmandu and Pokhara. They let you receive and send fax and phone messages for a fee. Nepal Telecommunication Corporation (NTC), the government phone monopoly charges very high prices for international phone calls ($2-3 per minute depending on the country you want to call) and expect to pay 10-20 percent more at the "communication shops". It may be less convenient, but you can avoid paying this extra amount by making your phone calls through the Central Telegraph Office in Kathmandu. Most hotels and lodges also have phone facilities.

No.

No, unless you want to call Canada or the United Kingdom. But many "communication shops" in Kathmandu and Pokhara give you a "call-back" option: you call your home, give them the phone number of the "communication shop", and ask your folks to call you back. The cost to you would be the cost of one minute of international call plus about $0.30 for every minute of phone usage.

It is there but still not very widely available. Only two companies in Kathmandu provide full internet service including the web, usenet, telnet and ftp. Virtually no businesses and hotels have full access. It is very expensive to make it worthwhile. However, if all you need is to be able to receive and send a simple email, then there are cheaper options. Read further.

Yes, but the facility is limited to Kathmandu. Several "communication shops" in Thamel area let you send email for a fee: it used to be about $1.20 per kilobyte (about three quarters of a page) of message. But with growing competition among email service providers, the price will surely come down. Shop around. You can also arrange for receiving email through them for a nominal fee. There will be no privacy, but that may be a price worth paying in order to avoid mail delays and steep telephone costs.

In Kathmandu and Pokhara, major international newspapers and newsmagazines (International Herald Tribune, USA Today, Newsweek, Economist, Time etc) are available in the newsstands. Cable television is a booming business in Nepal. If you have access to cable TV in Kathmandu, you can probably get BBC World and CNN International twenty-four hours day. You may find it amusing, but popular American TV shows like X Files, NYPD Blue, Oprah, Baywatch, 90210, they are all there!

Outside Kathmandu, you can get news in English from Radio Nepal and Nepal Television twice daily. If you have a short-wave radio, you can also catch BBC World Service.

Culture and customs in Nepal run deep. Some of them you will find interesting, some strange and others beyond logic. But as long as you show respect and sensitivity to local traditions, willingness to learn and adapt to Nepalese ways and values, you will be fine. For a people so deeply rooted in traditions and culture, Nepalese are remarkably open-minded and easy-going. If at any time, you have doubts, ask or simply do what other Nepalese do.

Refer to travel books on Nepal for details on day to day street-level guide on cultural issues. The list here is just a simple, brief introduction and in no way exhaustive:

1. Use your right hand to eat and deal with food. Nepalese use their left-hand to wash themselves after defecating.
2. Once your lips have touched a food item or its container, it is considered polluted (Jutho, in Nepali) for others. Don't eat off someone else's plate or offer anyone food you have taken a bite out of.
3. Major Hindu temples are usually off-limits to foreigners. Don't enter them or take pictures unless given permission to.
4. Men should not walk/trek around bare-chested. Shorts are acceptable, but long pants are better. Women are recommended to wear long skirts. Exposure of women's legs is considered offensive, so avoid wearing shorts and short skirts. See FAQ on Trekking for more detail on appropriate clothing during treks.
5. Public display of affection is downright frowned upon. Kissing, cuddling, hugging in public is absolutely discouraged.
6. Time in Nepal moves very slowly. Everything is approximate. Nothing happens on time. Be patient. Anger and impatience will rarely make things better, if not worse. Also, double and triple confirm important arrangements, Nepalese have a way of taking everything very cool.
7. Finally, be aware that the tradition of "bakshish" --a word that literally means "gift" but is euphemistically used to refer to a bribe given in order to receive special consideration-- thrives very well in Nepal. Especially when dealing with poorly compensated public officials, a couple of rupees in bakshish, offered in a quiet and discreet manner can lubricate things up surprisingly.

Nepal is one of the safest places in the world. Violent crimes are very rare, and the only real concern to a traveler is petty theft. However, if you take basic common sense precaution, there is nothing to fear. Don't bring valuable things with you unless necessary for your trip. Keep your money and other valuables in a money belt or pouch strapped around your waist. Lock your bags and luggage.

Not really. You will be fine in most well trafficked area. But if you will be trekking particularly in remote areas and during times of the year when there are fewer travelers (June-September), it is generally advisable to team up --especially if you are a woman-- with others even though cases of trouble are few. Teaming up not only deters potential trouble-makers, of which there are not many, but also will be of help in case of any other emergency. You can easily find welcoming fellow tourists along popular trekking routes or in Kathmandu and Pokhara.

Report it immediately to the police. They are normally at least comforting if not helpful. If you need a police report for insurance purposes, you have to go to the Interpol Section of Nepal Police located at Naxal. Dress smartly and be very polite, you will come out much ahead than otherwise.

Yes, two. First, smuggling --particularly of drugs and gold-- into Nepal can run you into serious legal trouble. Second, proselytizing is against the law and is punishable by years in prison. Preaching of Christian religion by organized missionary groups has become quite widespread recently, but it is safest to keep your religion to yourself. There have been cases of unsuspecting tourists being jailed for distributing religious materials to locals.

Yes, especially in the form of staring and catcalling on the streets. But the problem does not even come close to what you will face in India and other parts of Asia. Just mind your own business, the harassers rarely do anything more. Accosting them only creates more trouble you would rather avoid. Many trekking guides and tourism business related locals, however, have had enough liaison with foreign women to make "moves" on you. If you are not interested, a firm but gentle disapproval will solve the problem.

As in any poor country with enough "rich" foreigners, Nepal has its share of street beggars and middle-men touts trying to sell you everything from information to drugs. There is no need to be intimidated by them. If you are not interested, mind your own business or tell them to leave you alone.

An excellent way to see the breath-taking mountains of Nepal is to take the "mountain flight". For $100 a ticket, Royal Nepal Airlines runs this flight several times a day for you to see the whole range of Himalayas in Nepal.

Don't bother. Kathmandu and Pokhara have dozens of book stores to satisfy all sorts of readers. New and used English and other European language books are available in these stores. Most will buy or trade your used books.

Condoms are cheaply available in every drug store. Pills are not.

Yes, but poor sanitation, long arduous treks, different food tastes are some of the things parents need to watch out for. Disposable diapers and baby foods are not available.

Except in tourist lodges in Kathmandu and Pokhara, the general norm is that toilets are smelly squat toilets if at all available. In most cases, the open field is all yours! Nepalese use their left hand and water to clean themselves afterwards, you may want to bring toilet paper (easily available in Nepal). Bury your produce and burn the used toilet paper for environmental and health reasons.

In most cases it is not worth the trouble. Only 10 percent of Nepal has electricity. Moreover, it is very unreliable both due to frequent black-outs and occasional surge voltage. Where and when available, the electricity is 220 volts AC. However, a battery-run short-wave radio may be helpful during treks to listen to weather forecasts and news.

An internal frame backpack is ideal. Suitcases can be very inconvenient while traveling and trekking within Nepal. Also bring along a small day-time backpack to carry around things needed while touring around during the day. A money-belt or pouch to strap around your waist for your money, passport and other valuables is recommended. Specialized gear for trekking need are available for rent in Kathmandu.

Treks may be hard for you, depending on the nature and severity of your disability. Steps, stairs and steep slopes are everywhere. A quiet holiday in Kathmandu or one of the wildlife parks in the Tarai can be great though. However, note that except in the most expensive of hotels, handicap facilities are non-existent.

Nepal, like many countries around the world, denies its naturalness. In a country where love of sexual nature is a very personal business and even heterosexual display of affection in public is absolutely frowned upon, you will be fine as long as you keep your homosexuality a private affair.

Cannabis grow wild in the hills of Nepal, though its farming is illegal. You will get your share of offers for hash, opium, heroin and other drugs. If you are not interested, just offer back a deaf ear, or politely but firmly say no: peddlers will not hassle you. If you are interested, be aware that it is illegal and can land you into a lot of trouble. Jails in Nepal can be quite an experience. That said, however, discreet possession of dope is almost riskless; just don't flash it around.

In the major towns with phone, dial 100 for the police and 102 for the fire department. Emergency in Nepal is one thing where prevention is certainly better than cure. Also, registering with your embassy or consulate in Kathmandu can help. See Diplomatic Listings to see if your country has a diplomatic mission in Nepal. For trekking related emergencies see FAQ on Trekking.

Washing machines and dryers are rare, so laundry can take a day or more depending on the weather. There are shops in the main tourist quarters which take care of this for you.

Yes, a lot. Because a foreign visitor to Nepal consumes far more resources in a day than an average Nepali would in a week, even minor environmental deliberateness on your part can add up to a lot.

When in Kathmandu, use water sparingly. Make your showers brief, for example. Water shortages in Kathmandu is very acute (especially during the dry seasons between October and May, which unfortunately also coincides with the main tourist season). Households can go without any water supply for days! On better days, direct water supply is available in neighborhood water-supply taps for about two hours in the morning and two in the evening. People carrying their day's water supply in various containers from these taps is a normal scene of early morning and early evening Kathmandu. Remember that every time you flush your toilet, you use about a family's water supply for a day. While your hotel will have a storage tank from which running water will be supplied to you through out the day, the water in the storage tank comes from the same supply network that serves the rest of the city.

While trekking, try to patronize teahouses and lodges which use kerosene, electricity or solar energy instead of wood where possible. Rely more on warm clothes than wood-stoves to keep yourself warm. Supplying for energy requirement for travelers make up a significant part of deforestation that goes on in the hills of Nepal: it has been estimated that a trekker consumes, directly or indirectly, up to ten times more firewood in a day than a Nepali. Bring back with you all unburnable litter such as plastic packaging and cans from treks. Also, if there is no latrines out in the trails, keep away from water sources. Burn used toilet paper.