Nepalese rupees are the local currency, denoted by the symbol “₨” or “Rs” (ISO code: NPR).

Although Indian currency is also accepted in Nepal (at an official exchange rate of 1.60 Nepalese rupees to 1 Indian rupee), the 500 and 1,000 Indian rupee currency notes are not accepted. Carrying 500 and 1000 Indian rupee notes is illegal in Nepal.

There are banks in Kathmandu, Pokhara, Chitwan,Nepalgunj, Janakpur, Lumbini and in several other major cities that will allow you to retrieve cash from ATM or credit cards. You may be charged a service fee, depending on your bank. There are many ATMs in those cities that are open around the clock.

Keep all currency exchange and ATM receipts as they are required at the airport bank to convert back to your original currency. If you don’t have them, they will refuse to convert your currency but they will suggest going to the Duty Free shop upstairs, even though it isn’t a licensed money changer. Traveller’s cheques may be useful outside of the major cities.

• Domestic flights There are a number of domestic airlines in Nepal such as Yeti Air, Tara Air and Nepal Airlines that offer frequent flights to many destinations around the country. Destinations to and from Kathmandu include places like Biratnagar, Nepalganj, Lukla, Pokhara, Simikot, Jomsom, Janakpur and Bharatpur. To arrange flights from outside Nepal, there are a number of on-line booking agents who can make bookings, take payment (credit/debit cards/Paypal) and then send e-tickets. If you are buying tickets while in Nepal or if you are flying at short notice, it is necessary to be flexible on flight times and dates as the planes often get fully booked in advance. Cancellations and delays due to severe weather conditions do occur. If you have time, just board the next plane.
  
• Micro bus has become very popular lately. They are 10-12 seater with very fast service. It has almost replaced local bus service given its fast service. However, apart from previous few routes, Micro Bus has come up with many other alternate routes and now has good coverage. The fare is more expensive than local buses. Tourists should be aware that microbuses are often driven with great speed and very little care and have unfortunately been the cause of a large percentage of the road accidents in Nepal. Use microbuses with caution.
  
• Local bus – Although the system can be confusing they are cheap. They can be crowded at times both with people and domestic animals such as goats, ducks etc. Some buses will not depart until full to a certain quota.
  
• Tourist bus – Book a few days ahead at a Kathmandu or Pokhara travel agent (or your hotel will book for you). A few steps above local buses (no goats, everyone gets a seat) but not much safer. “Adhikari Travels” is the most reliable company and has trips between Kathmndu, Chitwan, Lumbini and Pokhara.
  
• Rickshaw – Good for short trips if you don’t have much luggage and don’t mind being bounced around a bit. Bargain before you get in, and don’t be afraid to walk away and try another.
  
• Tempo – These come in two types. One is a three wheeled electric or propane powered micro-bus for 10-13 passengers. They run in different routes around the city and cost Rs5-12. The other type is a newer Toyota van running the same routes at a higher price and a bit faster and safer. Be prepared for a crowd
  
• Taxis – There are two types of taxi: “private”, which pretty much run from the airport to upmarket hotels and “10 Rupee”, which don’t leave until they are full. When haggling for a fare remember that taxi drivers have been hit hard by the petrol crisis sometimes queuing up overnight to get 5 litres of petrol at twice the market price. So be sympathetic but don’t get ripped off. Offer to pay ‘meter plus tip’, 10% is more than enough.
  
• Tram – The old-fashioned street cable-car that ran from Kathmandu (near the stadium) to Bhaktapur is closed due to ‘non-existing maintenance’ and the fact that none of the drivers paid for the power.
  
• Custom or classic motorcycle – Run by a European couple, Hearts and Tears in Pokhara offer lessons, guided tours and rental of 350 cc and 500 cc Royal Enfield bikes. In Kathmandu, Himalayan Enfields (behind the Israeli Embassy on Lazimpat) sells & rents good bikes, and also undertakes repairs. The official Enfield dealer in Nepal is in Balaju Industrial Estate off the ring road.
  
• Local motorcycle – Another choice is to rent a small motorcycle. And it can be rented in the Thamel area. With the petrol crisis, motorcycle rental has become a costly choice, depending on availability 1 litre of petrol costs Rs120-250 on top of the rental fee (Rs300-800).
  
• Bicycle – You can also rent a bicycle to travel arround Kathmandu at a very reasonable price (NPR500-5000) according to the condition or quality of bicycle and the rental period.
  
• On foot – although motor roads are penetrating further into the hinterlands, many destinations can only be reached by foot (or helicopter).
  

EAT:

The Nepali national meal is daal-bhaat-tarkaari. It is spiced lentils poured over boiled rice, and served with tarkari: vegetables cooked with spices. This is served in most Nepalese homes and teahouses, two meals a day at about 10:00 and 19:00 or 20:00 If rice is scarce the grain part may be cornmeal mush called aata, barley, or sukkha roti (whole wheat ‘tortillas’). The meal may be accompanied by dahi (yogurt) and a small helping of ultra-spicy fresh chutney or achaar (pickle). Traditionally this meal is eaten with the right hand. Curried meat, goat or chicken, is an occasional luxury, and freshwater fish is often available nearlakes and rivers. Because Hindus hold cattle to be sacred, beef is forbidden but still can be obtained for a high price in some expensive restaurants although the price is high mainly because it is imported from India. Buffalo and yak are eaten by some but considered too cow-like by others. Pork is eaten by some tribes, but not by upper-caste Hindus. Similar to India there are some communities and tribes who are vegetarians.

Outside the main morning and evening meals, a variety of snacks may be available. Tea, made with milk and sugar is certainly a pick-me-up. Corn may be heated and partially popped, although it really isn’t popcorn. This is called “kha-jaa”, meaning “eat and run” Rice may be heated and crushed into “chiura” resembling uncooked oatmeal that can be eaten with yogurt, hot milk and sugar, or other flavourings. Fritters called ‘pakora’ and turnovers called “samosa” can sometimes be found, as can sweets made from sugar, milk, fried batter, sugar cane juice, etc. Be sure such delicacies are either freshly cooked or have been protected from flies. Otherwise flies land in the human waste that is everywhere in the streets, then on your food, and so you become a walking medical textbook of gastrological conditions.

Because of the multi-ethnic nature of Nepali society, differing degrees of adherence to Hindu dietary norms, and the extreme range of climates and micro-climates throughout the country, different ethnic communities often have their own specialties.

Newars, an ethnic group originally living in the Kathmandu Valley, are connoisseurs of great foods who lament that feasting is their downfall, whereas sexual indulgence is said to be the downfall of Pahari Chhetri. In the fertile Kathmandu and Pokhara valleys this cuisine often includes a greater variety of foodstuffs, particularly vegetables, than what are available in most of the hills. As such, Newari cuisine is quite distinct and diverse relatively compared to the other indigenous regional cuisines of Nepal, so watch out for Newari restaurants. Some of them even come with cultural shows: a good way to enjoy good food while having a crash-course in Nepalese culture.

The cuisine of the Terai lowlands is almost the same as in adjacent parts of India. Locally-grown tropical fruits are sold alongside subtropical and temperate temperate crops from the hills. In addition to bananas (‘kera’) and papayas (‘mewa’) familiar to travellers, jackfruit (‘katar’) is a local delicacy.

Some dishes, particularly in the Himalayan region, are Tibetan in origin and not at all spicy. Some dishes to look for include momos, a meat or vegetable filled dumpling, which is similar to Chinese pot-stickers. Momos has become very popular in past few decades. Momos can be found almost everywhere in Kathmandu and other towns in Nepal, whether it be a big hotel or a small restaurant. Other dishes like Tibetan Bread and Honey a puffy fried bread with heavy raw honey that’s great for breakfast. Up in the Himalayan mountains, potatoes are the staple of the Sherpa people. Try the local dish of potato pancakes (rikikul). They are delicious eaten straight off the griddle and covered with dzo (female yak) butter or cheese.

Pizza, Mexican, Thai and Chinese food and Middle-Eastern food can all be found in the tourist districts of Kathmandu, Pokhara and Chitwan. If you are on a budget, eating local dishes will save money.

Many small restaurants are not prepared to cook several different dishes; try to stick with one or two dishes or you will find yourself waiting as the cook tries to make one after another on a one-burner stove in those small restaurants.

As far as possible, eat only Nepali village products. If you take only village product foods, it will help them economically.

DRINK:

Alcohol:

• Raksi is a clear liquid, similar to tequila in alcohol content. It is usually brewed “in house”, resulting in a variation in its taste and strength. This is by far the least expensive drink in the country. It is often served on special occasions in small, ceramic cups (Salinchha in Newar language) that hold less than a shot. It works well as a mixer in fruit juice or seltzer. It may appear on menus as “Nepali wine”.
  
• Jaand (Nepali) or chyaang (Tibetan) is a cloudy, moderately alcoholic drink sometimes called “Nepali beer”. Mostly it is made from rice, specially in Newari culture. While weaker than raksi, it will still have quite an effect. This is often offered to guests in Nepali homes, and is diluted with water. For your safety, ask guests if the water has been sanitized before drinking this beverage.
• Beer production in Nepal is a growing industry. Some local beers are now also exported, and the quality of beer has reached to international standards International brands are popular in the urban areas. Everest and Gorkha are two popular local brands.
• Cocktails can pretty much only be found in Kathmandu and Pokhara’s tourist areas. There you can get watered-down “two for one drinks” at a variety of pubs, restaurants and sports bars.

Tea:

Although not as internationally famous as Indian brands, Nepal does in fact have a large organic tea industry. Most plantations are in the east of the country and the type of tea grown is very similar to that produced in neighbouring Darjeeling. Well known varieties are Dhankuta, Illam, Jhapa, Terathhum and Panchthar (all named after their growing regions). Over 70% of Nepal’s tea is exported and the tea you see for sale in Thamel, while they serve as token mementos, are merely the scrapings from the bottom of the barrel.

• Milk tea is boiled milk with added tea, with or without sugar.
  
• Chai is tea with added milk and also sometimes containing ginger and spices such as cardamom.
  
• Suja is salty tea made with milk and butter – only available in areas inhabited by Tibetans, Sherpas and a few other Himalayan people.
  
• Herbal teas are mostly made from wild flowers from the Solu Khumbu region. In Kathmandu, these teas are generally only served in high class establishments or those run by Sherpas from the Solu Khumbu.

Budget accommodation in Nepal ranges from around Rs250 to around Rs750 for a double. The prices you are told at first are not fixed so you should haggle. Especially if you want to stay for a longer period, you can get a large discount. Cheaper rooms usually do not have sheets, blankets, towels, or anything else besides a bed and a door. Most budget hotels and guesthouses have a wide range of rooms, so be sure to see what you are getting, even if you have stayed there before. Usual price for three-star equivalent hotel (AC, bathroom, Internet access and satellite TV in the room) is around Rs1,500 for a double, a bit more in Kathmandu. Accommodations might easily be the cheapest part of your budget in Nepal.

However, if you prefer luxurious accommodation, the best hotels equal approximately to four star hotels in western countries (unlimited access to swimming pool or whirlpool, no power outages, room service, very good restaurant and buffet breakfasts). Expect the price being much higher (circa US$50 for a double or US$100 for an apartment, even more in Kathmandu). In these hotels, all prices are usually fixed. In Kathmandu, some luxurious hotels require going through security check when entering.

TBC.