Overland Nepal Travel
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Contents
- 1 Visiting Nepal
- 2 Entering Nepal with a Car or Motorbike
- 3 Driving in Nepal
- 4 Gas price in Nepal and Diesel price in Nepal
- 5 Safety and Security Considerations
- 6 Camping in Nepal
- 7 Navigation
- 8 Special Overland Travel interests
- 9 Vehicle Maintenance
- 10 Buy or sell a car or motorbike in Nepal
- 11 References
- 12 Helpful External links
Visiting Nepal
Give a brief overview of what it's like to visit. How easy is the border, how safe is the country, are there great things to see and do, etc.
Entering Nepal with a Car or Motorbike
Correct as of: (October 2017)
Required Paperwork
Customs tax payment at the rate of 115 Nepalese rupees per day. Max 25 days issued at the Sonauli border from India. Visa on arrival is available at many land crossings from India. Registration papers from the vehicles country of origin.
Process at border
Sonauli:
Very much an open border. You need to find the visa office and customs office on your own. There is little/no security, no baggage scans, no vehicle inspection and it's fairly disorganised. Firstly get your stamp to exit India. This is a small office about 3km before the Sonauli border - it honestly doesn't look remotely legitimate but they will stamp your exit from India and were easy to deal with. Secondly drive into Nepal and almost immediately on the right hand side you will see the immigration office where you can get your VOA. Then walk across the road and go to the customs office to pay the road/customs tax on your vehicle. After all of this you're on your way no more questions asked. Takes about 2 hrs in total.
Cost of entry
115 Nepalese rupees per day
Permitted length of stay
You are required to pay a customs tax upon entry at the border at the rate of 115 NRP per day. At the Sonauli entry point from India they will issue a maximum of 25 days though this took some convincing after being initially informed it was a maximum of 10days. On a tourist visa you can stay in Nepal a max of 150days of the year. Visas for 15days/30/90 are issued at the Sonauli border.
You may extend customs tax at the customs desk within the arrivals section of KTM airport only. You need to enter through security and there is a small desk near baggage claim - ask the guards/airport staff to go to international customs and mention or show your customs papers. Some people you ask will have no idea and may tell you to go to department of customs in the city or at the domestic airport however this is wrong - at international arrivals terminal only!
With carnet du passage you may extend your road/customs tax up to 6months.
Without CDP your vehicle may stay only 30days in the country, no exceptions.
With an international number plate you draw a significant amount of attention from the police - especially if you are entering conservation areas that require permits to enter. If stopped at one these checkpoints they will always ask to see your customs tax and there are(reportedly) very serious/expensive consequences for failure to present current tax documents.
Storing a vehicle and temporarily leaving the country
Describe if/how a vehicle can be stored, and for how long.
Also mention if the owner / temporary importer can leave the country while the vehicle is in storage.
Exiting with a vehicle
You should have your customs tax stamped however if you do no plan to return in the same vehicle again you can just go and get your passport stamped out and skip going to customs.
Driving in Nepal
Recommended books for Overlanding in Nepal
Travel insurance for Nepal
World Nomads offer the most flexible Travel Insurance at the best prices for multi-country / multi-year trips. You can buy, extend and claim online, even after you've left home.
Vehicle insurance requirements
Yes or No if insurance is mandatory, and what kind is acceptable.
Cost of vehicle insurance
State the price of insurance and a time period.
Where to purchase vehicle insurance
Describe where insurance can be purchased.
Driving license
State the kind of driving licenses required. i.e. International Driving Permit.
Driving side of road
Left.
Unknown if LHD vehicles can be driven in Nepal.
Mandatory items in vehicle
State any mandatory items that must be carried in the vehicle. (i.e. safety triangle, first aid kit, fire extinguisher, etc.)
Roads
General Road quality
Give a brief description of the general road quality. Mention if one way streets are common.
Road signs
Briefly describe the overall quality & existence of road signs for directions and hazards.
Toll roads
List the frequency and approximate price of toll roads.
Bribery in Nepal
Briefly describe how common bribery is and whether it should be expected, and the best way to deal with it.
Checkpoints
describe the frequency of checkpoints (police or military and what to expect.
Traveling with pets
List the entry requirements and anything else required to travel with a pet.
Gas price in Nepal and Diesel price in Nepal
Last updated: October 2012
Currency and unit to display:
| Gasoline Grade | Price |
|---|---|
| Unleaded | €1.16 EUR per Liter[1] |
| Diesel | €0.90 EUR per Liter[1] |
Gas and Diesel Availability / Frequency
Briefly describe if gas shortages are known to occur.
Also state the approximate average distance between gas stations. This is a very rough estimate.
Gas and Diesel Quality
Discuss if gasoline / diesel considered "clean" or "dirty", and generally high or low quality.
State the sulfur content of diesel, if known.
Safety and Security Considerations
Driving at night
Discuss driving at night and if it should it be avoided. Mention why.
Vehicle parking
Discuss if vehicles can be parked on the street, if they are considered "safe" at night. If vehicles can not be parked on the street, list the other options that exist.
Special driving considerations
A List of special things to be careful of (i.e. Unsigned speed bumps, abnormal road rules, people or animals on the road, etc.).
List any roads that are not recommended to drive for safety or other security reasons.
Security advisories and information
- Country Specific Information - U.S. Department of State
- Travel Reports and Warnings - Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada
- Travel advice by country - Foreign and Commonwealth office (U.K.)
- Travel Advice for Nepal - Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade
Camping in Nepal
Describe if organized "pay" camping is common. List the facilities commonly found at these campsites.
List the approximate average price range of camping in organized campgrounds.
Also discuss the possibility of "wild" or "roadside" camping. How common is it? Is it considered safe, or a bad idea.
Camping guide books
List and link to books specifically for camping.
Drinking water
Describe if the regular tap water is safe to drink. If not, describe where safe water can be purchased and the approximate average price range.
Paper maps
Reise Know-How are amoung the best paper maps. Purchase paper maps before arriving in Nepal
GPS Maps of Nepal
Review different GPS companies, quality and coverage (Tomtom, Garmin, OSM, Tracks4Africa). (with links to each).
GPS co-ordinates for camping, propane, gas, repairs, etc. in Nepal
- iOverlander is a website and iPhone application designed by Overlanders, for Overlanders. It contains GPS co-ordinates and reviews for camping, hotels, propane, water, mechanics, borders and much more.
Link to sites that have a list of GPS co-ordinates (or directions) for camping locations (including "wild" campsites), propane filling, gas stations, repair shops, places of interest, etc.
Special Overland Travel interests
List any special items / places that are popular with Overlanders
Vehicle Maintenance
Dealers
4x4s / Trucks
- Toyota Global Dealer Locator
- Land Rover International Dealer Locator
- Mercedes Benz International (select country on bottom right)
- Jeep International site locator
Motorbikes
Local Garages
Add known good mechanics here.
Buy or sell a car or motorbike in Nepal
Buy
Describe how a foreigner can buy a vehicle.
List any difficulties or limitations on where the vehicle can be driven.
Sell
Describe how a foreigner can sell a foreign-plated vehicle, or list not possible.'
References
Links to the source of any information - blogs or discussion forums, etc.
Helpful External links
Add any helpful external links here.
- Nepal: Visa and Passport requirements | World Travel Guide
- Health Information for Travelers to Nepal - Center for Disease Control and Prevention
- Nepal travel guides at wikivoyage
- Nepal - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
