Notice regarding suspension of Trekking Permit

High Level Co-ordination Committee for Prevention and Control of COVID-19 has decided on 11th March 2020 to take necessary precautionary measures and preparations to prevent and control infection of COVID-19. As the precautionary measures the Department of Immigration has decided to suspend the issuance of Trekking Permit to the designated restricted areas of Nepal till 30th April 2020 to the foreigners who have arrived Nepal on 15th March 2020 and onward. This is notify that the Trekking Agencies in Nepal involved in operating Trekking to follow the decision accordingly.

Source  : http://www.nepalimmigration.gov.np/

Nepal government puts all tourist visas on hold and cancels all spring climbing expeditions

The visa suspension will begin March 14 and last until the end of April, depriving Nepal of millions in Everest climbing fees.

The Nepal government, late Thursday night, decided to temporarily stop issuing on-arrival tourist visas to all countries and has put an end to all spring mountaineering expeditions, including Everest ascents.


The decision comes a day after the World Health Organization declared the Covid-19 outbreak a pandemic and urged countries to take precautionary measures.

“The visa suspension, which excludes diplomatic and official visas, will come into effect on March 14 and last until April 30,” a government official told the Post on condition of anonymity.

A high-level coordination committee led by Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Ishwar Pokhrel took the decision to this effect on Thursday.

The meeting also decided to restrict traveller movement to and from India via land routes and adhere to strict quarantine measures at the border. No decision has been made to close down schools and colleges.

“In case of emergency, any foreigners wishing to come to Nepal will need to submit a medical certificate declaring that they are free of the coronavirus while applying at Nepal’s consulate in their respective countries,” the official said. “The government has also decided not to issue visas for tourists entering Nepal via land routes.”

According to the official, all spring expeditions, including Everest, have been cancelled.

The decision effectively puts an end to the lucrative spring climbing season, which is when most Everest attempts take place.

Mountaineers generally apply for Everest permits from the end of March. The spring season begins in early April as hordes of climbers start trekking for the Everest region. From hotels to restaurants, guides to potters, and airlines to helicopters, all eagerly await the spring climbing season as it generates much-needed income and jobs for the mountainous region.

The government alone earns around $4 million by issuing Everest climbing permits every year. The two-week summit window normally begins in the second week of May. Millions of dollars in income are expected to be wiped out from the market if the Spring ascents are called off.

In the wake of the global coronavirus outbreak, China has already cancelled all Everest expeditions from the Tibetan side.

The China Tibet Mountaineering Association, the body that issues climbing permits, notified expeditions on Wednesday that all Everest ascents from the northern side had been cancelled due to the ongoing coronavirus outbreak.

Earlier on Thursday, expedition operators told the Post that they were looking at an unusual situation.

“Cancellation of this year’s spring Everest expedition will mean a big blow to expedition operators,” said Mingma Sherpa, managing director of Seven Summit Treks.

Seven Summit Treks, the largest expedition operator in Nepal, said that 60 climbers have already registered with them to climb Everest. But on Thursday, six climbers cancelled their plans.

Meera Acharya, director at the Tourism Department which issues climbing permits, said that they had issued permits for five climbers for different mountains as of Thursday, but no one has applied for Everest as of now.

Countries across the world are stepping up measures and revising travel advisories to control the virus spread.

The United States has suspended all travel from Europe to the country for 30 days and India is temporarily suspending almost all travel visas starting Friday as part of its efforts to contain the Covid-19 pandemic. India’s ban will be applicable until April 15.

Following China’s announcement, aspiring mountaineers from around the world were eagerly awaiting the Nepal government’s response.

In the last few years, it has mostly been Indians who’ve sought Everest climbing permits, followed by Chinese, Americans and the British. With China still battling Covid-19 and India reporting more and more cases by the day, things were not looking good for Nepal’s mountaineering season, said Rishi Bhandari, managing director of Satori Adventures.

Bhandari said that his company had cancelled seven expeditions on the Chinese side following Wednesday’s notification while seven others have registered with them to climb Everest from the Nepal side.

Last year, the department had issued permits for 1,024 climbers, including 382 foreigners. Among them, 644 climbers reached the top.

Source: The Kathmandu Post




Two nights and three days in Meghauli, Chitwan!

We would like to thank everyone for assisting us in creating this video.
Special thanks to Mr. Arjan Pradhan, Ms. Pooja Rijal, Ms. Sapana Timilsina, Nepal.Nature (@nepal.nature) and to all the staffs of Sarang Wildlife Sanctuary for their great hospitality !

Taking a break is always a great idea and when visit Nepal 2020 is coming soon it adds another reason to travel. Well that’s why we thought of escaping the city’s hustle and planned a trip to Chitwan, hoping to cherish the adventurous side of the place and experiencing a great holiday.

Whether it be flying, driving, riding, or catching on a local/tourist bus always have a different stories but it is fun in its own way. We decided Meghauli this time and drove approximately 185kms, few stops in between for some food and nature calls, of course! After about 5 hours’ drive we finally reached our destination – Sarang Wildlife Sanctuary; first time to Sarang but grateful that was a good choice.

It’s was scorching HOT in Chitwan or maybe it was the drive, not sure! But it felt like to jump in a pool and grab a drink – that did come eventually not then, though! Anyway, we were warmly greeted at the lodge, Sarang offered us a cool drink – that was surely relaxing! Our luggage were taken to our rooms; ‘thoughtful’ that the temperature of the rooms were made perfect – just as our bodies wanted to cool off!

Brief to the rooms, it was beautifully designed, cozy rooms with a wonderful balcony which has a view of Chitwan National Park. After a quick refreshment, we roamed around the lodge, and confirmed ourselves to swim in the evening enjoying a drink at the Swim-up bars; for the time being, however we stayed at the restaurant’s bar playing a bit of a snooker.

The evening was good, nice Tharu dance and great food. And there was Ghonghi – Has anyone tried it? At least was our first time, it was good to our taste buds but everyone has a different choice! Well then after a bit of dance with the Tharu dancers, the night came to an end with a dinner. Oh wait! The night begun with the pool actually; it was a nice relaxing plunge with a chilled drink – that’s what we call a holiday 😉

Next day was planned for an adventurous day – Safaris, canoe, day with an elephant and many more. For the best view we were advised for an early morning safaris but it rained so bad, we had to re-schedule the timings. But nevertheless, we did manage to carry all the activities!

After a quick breakfast we went to visit the elephants – where they were kept. They were happy looking elephants but as a massive being it had to be in their boundaries. Later that day we spent a time with those beautiful creatures in the water – playing with them, talking with them and even posing a photographs with them.

Chitwan and Safaris being a synonyms kind of, we had the option to go for a JEEP SAFARI – the real time to shoot animals with a camera ;). Rhinos, deer, birds, and many on sight, sadly, we couldn’t see a tiger.  However, the Good news is the tiger numbers are increasing – it’s always a matter of luck (or may be some good season) to witness the TIGER, unfortunately, our camera couldn’t get it this time.

Safari did make us tired and hungry, so it we came back to the lodge to grab our lunch. Reviewed our photo and played a bit of a snooker as we were called for a Canoe. The ride was with the crocs – I mean we could actually see them, sounded scary but it was interestingly fun. With around 40 minutes of canoeing, we stopped by and sat beside the Rapti and Narayani where a little surprise was awaiting for us. Sarang managed to set up a mini bar, and offer light snacks, out of nowhere, undoubtedly, we enjoyed the mesmerizing view of the Sunset.

We then came back to the lodge, got refreshed and were invited for a BBQ at the pool; Oh! What an end to a fantastic day.  Food, drinks, pool, music and good times.  Thanks Sarang, for making our trip memorable!

The final day was getting back to the city with all the memories captured.

So are you ready to go an adventure or a relaxing gateway? Chitwan indeed is a great place. For an adventurous mood, you can choose to safari in the nature, shoot animals and birds with a camera, play with elephants, and canoe with some crocs or chill by the sunset with your favorite drink.  And if you just want a calm night, you can always enjoy a local food, Tharu dance and plunge in a pool with a beer or anything you drink 😉 For us Sarang Wildlife Sanctuary offered it all; we had a great time there.

Thanks again Sarang, for every little gestures, it did make our trip wonderful!

FOR ANYONE INTERESTED, HERE’S A BRIEF INFO OF THE SARANG WITH FEW PHOTOGRAPHS

  • Location: Meghauli, Southern Nepal
  • Distance from the K-city: 175KM (approx.)
  • Rooms: 24 deluxe rooms
  • Activities: Jeep Safaris, Canoeing, Day with an Elephant, Tharu cultural Dance and many more
  • Tariff: Starting at Rs.5500 per couple per night [please get in touch with Sarang for exact rates]
  • Contact Numbers: 9808 63 1155
  • Website: www.sarangwildlife.com
  • Email: [email protected]

Nepal launches its first ever satellite this morning

Nepal has launched its first ever satellite on Thursday morning.The satellite called ‘NepaliSat-1’ was launched at 2:31 am Nepali time

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Air Dynasty chopper carrying Tourism Minister, Yeti Airlines owner crashes in Taplejung


An Air Dynasty helicopter carrying including Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Rabindra Adhikari, owner of Yeti Airlines and Air Helicopter Company Air Dynasty Ang Tshering Sherpa crashed at Pathivara in Taplejung on Wednesday afternoon.

Police informed that the helicopter went out of the contact while it was returning from Pathivara temple of Taplejung.

According to the sources at Nepal Police Headquarters, the police team including Chief District Officer Anuj Bhandari left for the incident site after the villagers informed them about the massive fire at Dorebhir of Taplejung.

Minister Adhikari who was accompanied by Sherpa reached Aathrai of Taplejung on Wednesday morning to inspect Tehrathum Airport. Police informed that they then reached Pathivara temple to worship.

There were at least seven people on board including Adhikari, Sherpa, pilot Prabhakar, deputy secretary of Prime Minister Office Yubaraj Dahal, Deputy Director-General of Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal, Birendra Kumar Shrestha, and a security guard of Minister Adhikari, Arjun Ghimire.

Source: Setopati




Everest – The Summit Climb

Mt. Everest. Step by step, raw and unfiltered. Experience the final push to the top of the world.




An excerpt from the summit blog:

“The climb from the deceased climber at 8500m to the south summit is the most difficult section for me. I feel dead inside, lifeless from having witnessed such a tragedy. I allow myself to live emotionally in the moment for about 30 minutes before cutting it all off and reminding myself that I can end up like him if I don’t smarten up. So I continue climbing, struggling to pull my weight up the steep, jagged rocks beneath the south summit.

I can feel my body slowly shutting down. The weight of my tripod, two cameras, all of my batteries, including my oxygen, has taken its toll on me. I have been revving at 120% for the past 10 hours and I’m almost out of gas. I am the first to arrive to the south summit and recognize that we have the mountain to ourselves. I mentally devour the sheer beauty of the wind howling and racing across the summit. The tallest peak on Earth is but a few metres away. I am completely alone making my way toward the Hillary Step. I haul myself up with a 2400m drop beneath me, camera around my neck, oxygen tank flowing at four litres a minute and I wait for the team to arrive. So often dozens freeze and turn back and here I am just hanging out on top of the step waiting to capture this unique shot.”

Source: eliasaikaly

Best in Asia; The Asian Destinations you should see now

Do you guys know that Nepal has been listed as one of the Asia’s best destination for 2018 !

According to Public Relations & Communications Manager for Asia Pacific, Laura Hamilton, the list is an agenda-setting collection of the continent’s ten best destinations to visit in the year ahead.

“For decades, Lumbini was somewhere travellers flashed through en route from India to Nepal, unaware they had passed within yards of the birthplace of the historical Buddha. Today, Lumbini is on the ascendancy…a new international airport is under construction offering a safer route into Nepal, and ever more awe-inspiring temples are springing up,” the world’s renowned travel guide described. Despite these developments, the town’s cardinal draw will remain its tranquility, it added.




Source: LonelyPlanet

HERITAGE SITE ENTRY FEES

Entry fees must be paid to enter Heritage Sites, museums etc. at the entry point. Please refer to the table below for details about payment. Please note that the information below is as per the information provided by the concerned department. Any difference or discrepancy could be reported at [email protected] . Updates will be made after verification from official sources.




 

ENTRY FEES
Place Foreign Nationals SAARC Nationals Chinese Nepalese Contact
Number		 Remarks
Kathmandu Durbar Square including Tribhuvan Museum NPR.. 1000 NPR.. 150 NPR. 1000 Free 01-4268969
01-4269452		 Below 10 years free
National Museum, Chauni, Kathmandu NPR. 150 (NPR. 100 for camera, NPR. 200 for video camera) NPR. 50 (NPR. 75 for camera, NPR. 150 for video camera) NPR. 150 (NPR. 100 for camera, NPR. 200 for video camera) Students:NPR.10; Others: NRs. 25 (NPR. 50 for camera and  NPR.100 for video camera) 01-4271504
01-4271478		 Closed on Tuesdays and Public Holidays. Open for half day on Mondays from (10:30 am to 2 pm)
Patan Durbar Square including Patan Museum NPR. 1,000 NPR. 250 NPR. 1,000 Students with letter from school : NPR. 10; Student Card Discoount: NPR.20; Others: NPR.30 Entry fees for Nepalese are aaapicable only for Patan Museum
Patan Golden Temple NPR. 50 NPR. 20 NPR.. 50 Free 01-5534595
01-5540227		 Closed on Buddha Jayanti
Bhaktapur Durbar Square US$ 15 or NPR. 1,500 NPR. 500 NPR. 500 Free 01-6612249 Below 10 years free. For groups from 11-20, one tour leader can enter free.
National Art Museum, Bhaktapur NPR. 150 (NPR. 100 for camera, NPR. 200 for video camera) NPR.. 50 (NPR. 50 for camera,NPR. 150 for video camera) NRs. 150 (NPR.. 100 for camera, NPR.. 200 for video camera) Students: NPR.10; Others: NPR.25 (NPR. 50 for camera, NPR. 100 for video camera) 01-6610004 Closed on Tuesdays. The fee includes wood carving and brass and bronze museum in Dattrareya Square.
Swayambhunath Stupa NPR. 200 NPR.. 50 NPR. 200 Free 01-4281889
01-4277236		 Below 10 years free.
Bauddhanath Stupa NPR. 400 NPR. 100 NPR. 400 Free 01-4489257 Below 10 years free.
Pashupatinath Temple NPR.  1,000 per day per entry NPR. 1,000. Free for Indian Nationals NPR.. 1,000 Free 01-4462767
01-4470340		 Tourists can view the temple from the back premises.
Changunarayan Temple NPR. 300 NPR. 100 NPR. 300 Free 01-5090958
Ethnographic Museum, Bhrikutimandap, NTB NPR. 200 NPR. 100 NPR. 100 Students: NPR. 15; Others:NPR. 30 01-4256909
Extension no. 172
Chitwan National Park NPR. 1,500 per day per entry +13% VAT NPR. 750 per day per entry+13% VAT NPR. 1,500 per day per entry+13% VAT NPR. 100+13% VAT 056-621069 Elephant ride fare – Foreigner: NPR.. 2,500; SAARC: NPR.. 1,500; Nepali NPR. 500
Chitwan Elephant Breeding Camp NPR.50 NPR.. 25 NPR. 50 NPR. 10 056-580154
Tharu Cultural Museum,Chitwan  NPR. 25 NPR. 15 NPR. 25 NPR.  10 056-580121 Below 10 years free.
Lumbini NPR. 200 NPR. 100 NPR. 200 Free 071-580189
071-580200		 NRs. 16 for Indians.
Lumbini Museum NPR. 50 NPR. 50 NPR. 50 NPR. 10 01-580318 Closed on Tuesdays
Kapilvastu Museum NPR. 10 NPR. 5 NPR. 10 NPR. 2 Closed on Tuesdays
International Mountain Museum, Pokhara NPR. 400 NPR. 200 NPR. 400 NPR. 80 061-460343
Garden of Dreams, Katmandu NPR. 200 NPR. 200 NPR. 200 NPR.. 100 01-4425340
01-4425341		 Below 5 years free. NPR. 50 fro 5-11 years. 25% discount for a group of 10 pax.
Godawari Park NPR. 200 (NPR. 150 for children below 10 years) NPR. 57 (NPR. 23 for children below 10 years) NPR. 100 (NPR. 50 for children below 10 years) NPR. 34 (NPR. 12 for children below 10 years) 01-5174246 Student 50% discount.
Central Zoo NPR. 250 (NPR.150 for children 4-12 years ) NPR. 250 (NPR. 150 for children 4-12 years ) NPR. 250 (NPR. 150 for children 4-12 years ) NPR. 50 (NPR. 25 for children 4-12 years) Nepali Students: NPR. 30;

Source: NTB

Trekking in Nepal

Trekkers in Nepal are allowed to trek as FIT (Free Individual Trekker) or in a group of various sizes. However, there are certain trekking regions known as ‘Restricted Areas’ that are highly regulated by the Government of Nepal and hence FITs are strictly forbidden. Trekking in these areas is allowed only upon acquiring permit from the Department of Immigration.
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Tootle; Easy Motorbike Ride in Katmandu!

Tootle is one of the easiest and possibly the cheapest and fastest means of commuting in Kathmandu. All you have to do is request a ride via their app and someone nearby will pick you up in their motorcycle. The charges are minimum compared to a Taxi or other services. However, tootle is feasible only for a solo traveler within the city.
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