General Travel Information
For Excursions:
Levels of physical difficulty are assigned according to the excursions chosen. It may vary depending on the nature of each one, but it is therefore an average. For example, the hikes on offer average 5 to 6 hours a day, but may last only 2 or 9 hours depending on the specific programme. The same applies to altitudes, which are sometimes approximate and changes in altitude are indicative only. Please consult the downloadable technical sheets for more details. Bear in mind that good physical condition is sometimes required if indicated.
Accommodation:
In Kathmandu, you will be accommodated in a main hotel, The International Guest House, but depending on the options or the occupancy rate according to availability at the season, we reserve the right to modify the choice of the latter having taken care to warn you. These selected hotels are also close partners that we have chosen as corresponding to our selection criteria.
Among the useful things for your trip, we have selected for you 5 completely free mobile applications that could come in handy before, during and even after your stay! -See HERE for more details
Food:
The traditional national dish is ‘dal bhat‘, literally ‘lentil rice’. White rice (bhat) is served with lentil soup (dal). It is often accompanied by spicy vegetables and sometimes a little meat. Nepalese generally eat this dish twice a day. We recommend taking a course of probiotics to prevent gastric infections, which can be a major source of discomfort. In this country with its wide variations in temperature and altitude, we recommend that you drink plenty of fluids. Dehydration sets in quickly when you exert yourself. Fortunately, in Nepal, people often drink tea or other fresh juices, as there is plenty of fruit to choose from!
You will benefit from our personalised support on site, and you will have the opportunity to experience your adventure as close as possible to the locals, if you feel like it. —See HERE–— our immersion trip for more details.
French-speaking guides will also be available for the trip of your choice, whether it’s a cultural trip or a trek. As such, we are committed to working together fairly on all our services. We pay particular attention to working conditions and remuneration. See HERE for more information.
For a Trek:
It is often necessary to obtain a special permit. Please return the forms required to obtain this permit as soon as possible to the following address: formalites@francenepalvoyages.com
Documents, General Information:
On your arrival in Nepal we will provide you with a pocket French-Nepalese lexicon as well as a map of the surrounding area, see the booked trip region. You can also consult other ‘Nepal Here‘ information.
Important: “In Nepal, all mountain rescue services have to be paid for, and helicopters only take off if they are sure of being paid for…”. It is also essential to read the clauses of the assistance insurance contract carefully, particularly those that accompany the use of a credit card, to check whether search and evacuation costs in the mountains are covered. See HERE last section for more details.
Medical examination:
Being in good health is essential if you are to enjoy your trip to the full! If it’s been a while since your last medical check-up, this is an opportunity to have a health check-up by explaining to your doctor the main features of your trip (climate, altitude, difficulty, etc.); a visit to your dentist is also an excellent initiative. This advice applies to you all the more if you’re going to be travelling at altitude. We recommend that you consult our section on MAM (click HERE) or the Ifremmont website for information on altitude-related problems: www.ifremmont.com
Visas:
It is now possible to apply for a preliminary visa online (only for arrival in Kathmandu – Tribhuvan airport). We strongly recommend that you apply for an e-visa before departure. Travellers must complete an online form on the http://online.nepalimmigration.gov.np/tourist-visa- website, which generates a bar-coded file that must be printed out. As this document is only valid for a fortnight, the online application should only be made a maximum of 14 days before departure. It must be presented on arrival, together with the passport and a copy of it, at the visa office. The conditions for entering, staying and travelling in Nepal are subject to change and are updated regularly on the travel advice website. See HERE for more details
Passport:
Valid for 6 months after the date of return, for French, Belgian and Swiss nationals. For other nationalities, we will be happy to help you with the necessary formalities.
Attention Covid!
As part of the specific measures linked to the Covid pandemic, we recommend that you check your vaccination status with regard to the requirements of your destination country –more details HERE– and the expectations of the French authorities on your return.
Vaccinations:
No vaccinations are compulsory – see Institue Pasteur recommendations HERE – with the exception of yellow fever for travellers coming from infected areas. In this case, the vaccination must be carried out at least 10 days before departure for a primary vaccination. Revaccination takes effect immediately. As with all travel (and perhaps even more so here than elsewhere), you should check that, in the absence of any known immunity, you have been vaccinated (or booster vaccinated) against : – diphtheria, tetanus, poliomyelitis; – hepatitis A and B; – whooping cough (the reappearance of which in adults, even in France, justifies vaccination for any trip).
