Trip readiness checklist for Nepal
Nepal greets you with palms together and expects you to circle its shrines the right way round. Here's the trip-readiness checklist for Nepal: what to pack, when to go, entry rules for your passport, and the official sources to confirm before you fly.
Build my checklistWhat to pack
Nepal is Himalayan peaks, ancient temples, and serious trekking. Pack layers for big altitude swings, broken-in boots, and sun protection — even teahouse treks get cold and bright.
Layers for altitude
Temperatures swing hugely between Kathmandu, the trails, and high passes. Layering is everything.
Broken-in hiking boots
If you're trekking, never bring new boots — blisters at altitude are miserable.
Strong sun protection
High-altitude sun is fierce; hat, sunglasses, high-SPF, lip balm.
Water purification and meds
Treat or buy bottled water; ask a doctor about altitude sickness before high treks.
When to go
Autumn (Oct–Nov) is prime trekking — clear, stable, and busiest; spring (Mar–Apr) brings rhododendrons and good views. The monsoon (Jun–Sep) is wet and cloudy; winter is cold and clear but high passes may close.
Money & getting around
Nepal uses the rupee (NPR). Cash is king — carry plenty, especially for treks where there are no ATMs. Cards work at hotels in Kathmandu and Pokhara. Tipping is customary, including for trekking guides and porters (build it into your budget).
Local quirks worth knowing
Nepal greets you with palms together and expects you to circle its shrines the right way round. Clockwise, always clockwise.
Clockwise around everything sacred
Stupas, prayer wheels, mani walls — pass them keeping them on your RIGHT, and spin prayer wheels clockwise too.
Namaste does the work
Palms together with a slight bow greets everyone from porters to grandmothers. Physical contact (especially with the opposite sex) stays minimal.
Feet are the lowest thing, literally
Don't point soles at people or shrines, don't step over someone's legs or food, and shoes off in homes and temples.
Teahouse etiquette on the trails
Order dinner where you sleep (that's the deal for the cheap bed), pay in small notes, and dal bhat power really does last 24 hours.
A week in Nepal, the list starts here
Quantities scale with your dates, the weather groups arrive once we have your travel days, and your own plans add their gear on Trip Pass.
- Passport & travel documents1
- Phone charger & adapter1
- Wallet, cards & some local cash1
- Toiletries bag1
- Any daily medicationsenough for the trip
- Underwear7
- Socks7
- T-shirts / tops5
What am I forgetting?
A real answer from Trip Happens for a sample week in Nepal, departing in five weeks with a checked bag and nothing packed yet. Yours is built from your own trip.
A week in Nepal, five weeks out. Three gaps stand out.
- 1.
Nepal entry paperwork
You're travelling on a US passport into Kathmandu in October, and nothing in this trip confirms what you need on arrival. Check the entry card's official source for Nepal's requirements, and check your passport's expiry date while you're there.
- 2.
Rupees in cash
Nepal runs on cash, and outside Kathmandu and Pokhara hotels there may be no ATM at all. Plan a cash budget before you go, and build in tips for guides and porters.
- 3.
Broken-in boots and layers
Autumn is prime trekking season and altitude swings mean cold mornings and brutal sun in the same day. Thirty-five days is exactly enough time to break boots in, so start walking in them now.
Entry, advisories & health
These change. Confirm at the official source before you book.
Entry and visa requirements depend on your nationality. Confirm the current rules for Nepal with the official source below before you book.
U.S. State Department travel advisory for Nepal — check the current level and any alerts before you go.
CDC traveler health page for Nepal — recommended vaccines, health notices, and a packing checklist.
Get the full Nepal checklist
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