Inclusions and exclusions:

Your personal travel package includes:

• All accommodation on triple room/double room occupancy
• All activities fees, entrance fees to sights as mentioned in the package
• Group / private tours as mentioned in the itinerary
• Transfers, tours and guide as mentioned in the itinerary
• All flight tickets as per itinerary
• Taxes as applicable

Your package excludes:

• Tipping and items of personal nature
• Anything not specified in the package inclusions

Weather on this trip:

Weather – Kathmandu:

September marks the end of Monsoon in Nepal. However, it still can rain a bit. September is a great time of year to visit should an active, hiking holiday be what you are looking for.

Average high temperature would be around 23°C & low temperature can go down to 19°C

Weather – Pokhara:

September is a good time for the holidays in Pokhara. This will be nice season to walk around the area and explore main attractions. Once in a while it can rain, seldom thunderstorm. September is one of the best months of the year in terms of weather in Pokhara.

Average high temperature would be around 27°C and low temperature can go down to 20°C.

Clothing and what to carry:

Since the weather is consistent across most of the destinations (ranging from 25°C to a drop to 20°C), please plan your clothing accordingly. A light sweatshirt, plenty of sunscreen, strong sun block, sun glasses, hats, a good pair of walking shoes would be good to carry.

You can plan to layer up and carry a rainwear, sweatshirt, gloves, hat, long trousers, thermals, wool socks and a really good pair of shoes & Umbrellas. Do not forget really good sunglasses and total sun block as the more the higher you go the more the air is thinner.

Taxis and getting around:

The best guide to get around is Google Maps. This will give you both the cab options and as well as the public transfers. For the public transfer options in Google Maps, please use the “Arrive By option” to plan your departure time.

Tipping

In Nepal, tipping is expected by most people involved in the country's tourism industry. While tipping is not mandatory and it is still not entirely customary and may even cause embarrassment in some instances, tips should be given in a discreet manner. Generosity, can be shown by putting your gift into an envelope or discreetly take the recipient aside. You may find that they simply stuff the envelope or gratuity into a pocket without counting or acknowledging it in front of you.

Always tip in Nepali rupees, the local currency, rather than currency from your own country.

In Nepal, large hotels already include service charges in the final bill. Therefore, it is not necessary to tip. If a service charge is not included in the total, 10% of the bill is perfectly acceptable for a tip. If a tipping box is available, it is best to use this so tips can be divided between all members of the hotel staff.

A tip of 20 rupees is sufficient for anyone who helps carry your luggage, such as a porter or bellboy. If you are traveling with a group, 10 rupees per bag is standard for tipping.

In Nepal restaurants that are more expensive already include a service charge, while many times tips are non-existent in cheaper establishments. If you choose to leave a tip due to good service, 5%–10% is acceptable.

Taxi drivers in Nepal do not expect a tip, but a small tip, such as extra change, will be greatly appreciated. For short taxi rides in town, it is unnecessary to tip.

Quick Tips

• Please carry your personal water bottles when on tours.
• You can buy gifts and souvenirs at local shops, since they are a lot cheaper.
• Please carry bags / backpacks that can also be locked.
• Please refer to the clothing section in the itinerary on what to pack
• You can carry some ready to eat snacks or Indian food items like pickles or powders or ready to eat mixes – since it is a long trip one normally tends to miss home food :). There are many Indian restaurants in all the cities, so you can also try them when feel home-sick. Vegetarian local food is available in plenty and will also be a lot cheaper
• Once again the best place to buy breads, cheese, jams, quick eats is the local super market
• Please carry a few passport size photographs with you – this may come in handy when you are buying a local SIM Card or applying for any special permits etc
• Always carry an identification card on you. Some of the tours may want to verify your name
• Please be careful with your belongings when you travel especially when traveling on public transportation
• Please ensure that the FOREX Card is loaded. You can also carry some local currency in cash for quick tips or easy purchases you may need to make when you land. You can also carry Indian currency in denominations of ₹100, which is widely accepted in Nepal as a mode of exchange for purchases.