Your travel guide to traveling in Nepal
Traveling can be exciting, but yet stressful. With so many things to consider and remember, there is a high chance that some things may be overlooked. From extra batteries for your camera to your passport, everything matter in the end. Why make travel a stressful activity when it is supposed to relax us.
For this reason, we have prepared a checklist from which you can easily remember to check off each and every thing that needs to be considered when traveling to make your travels stress-free. Make sure to go over all the points, especially the last one.
1. Travel Insurance
Travel Insurance is important when traveling to an international destination. This can specially be very useful if there are any emergencies. So making sure that the travel insurance you get covers different scenarios that may occur may be important. Specially if you are traveling with your family or a big group.
We know that there are many travel insurance options and companies for you to choose from. We will be posting a list of popular travel insurance companies in the coming blogs that you will not want to miss out on. So make sure to signup for our newsletters. You can also check out this website from Forbes Advisor for the best travel insurance companies in June 2021
2. Plane Baggage policy
Many Airplane companies have specific regulations of what you can have in the check baggage and what you can have in the carry on baggage. So making sure that you have this researched will make your flights much more smoother. This is specially for the batteries and power cells, it’s always a good idea to check the Watt-hour (Wh) limit on batteries that you carry with you. In many airlines, if the limit exceeds the minimum Wh, you will need to declare it.
3. Extra pages on passport
Extra pages on passports is probably something we may overlook or forget to check, specially if you are a frequent traveler. Your passport will contain your visa for the country of destination (if required), along with your arrival and departure date stamps. So making sure that you have enough pages for these during your travels is of high significance. This can specially be consequential if you have plans of traveling to multiple destinations in one trip.
4. Vaccination advisory
Although vaccination is not a requirement in many countries, it is recommended that you check the Center of Disease Control (CDC) website to check the recommended vaccination for the destination you plan to travel to. If you want to check out the recommended vaccination details along with other health information, you can visit the Center of Disease Control website for this.
Do I need to get vaccinated for COVID for traveling?
Vaccination is not a requirement for many countries, but there are other policies set in place for COVID. Many of the countries have quarantine and PCR testing regulations set in place after your arrival.
If you would like to know more about the travel health related updates and guides for traveling to Nepal, India, Bhutan, or Tibet subscribe to our newsletters so you don’t miss out on the most current information.
5. Visa requirement
Understanding the visa requirement for your destination can be consequential to your travel. Many countries offer on arrival visas, however there are some countries that don’t offer on arrival visas. For these cases you will have to have a visa in advance, before you arrive.
For US passport holders, some of the countries that require visa in advance are Australia, China, Cuba, Vietnam, India. Countries like Nepal and Bhutan have the facility for on arrival visa. However, during the time of COVID 19, the government of Nepal has changed the regulation on arrival requirements. So make sure to check them out. Check out the last post on Nepal covid entry protocol for travelers.
6. Travel adapters
An adapter is important specially when you are traveling from a country with different power socket to a country with a different one. There are many travel power adapters found online easily, and you should be able to find adapters that have multiple pins for US, UK, Australia, and Europe.
In the instant you forget your power adapters, you should be able to get them in the country you are traveling in. However, having your adapter before you start your travel will decrease one more thing you may need to worry about during your travel.
7. Charge electronic before starting your travel
This goes without saying, making sure that your electronics are charged before you start your travel can be very beneficial. Your mobile phone, specially, is probably one of the electronic device you rely on heavily for directions, ticket information, contacts and so much more. So making sure your devices are fully charged will save yourself from having to deal with many problems.
8. Printed copies of accommodation
It’s always safe to have printed copies of your accommodation. Yes, of-course you probably have the accommodations in your phones. But in my past experiences, this is not always reliable. Having a printed copy of the accommodation can be very helpful if your phone batteries run out, or if some internet issues come up, making it hard to download your accommodation details.
9. Printed copies of passport and visa
As like the accommodation, you should always keep a copy of your passport and visa in hand. This will be helpful if you misplace or loose your passport during your travel.
10. Small First-Aid Kit
A small Travel Safety kit will be useful to you. This doesn’t have to be a big bulky kit. Here are some things we recommend you include in your kit.
- Bandaids
- Small alcohol based hand sanitizer
- Antiseptic wound cleanser
- Blister pads
- Gauze
- Sleep aid (is required)
- Ibuprofen
- Earplugs
- Face masks
11. Get credit card with no international transaction fee
Many banks offer credit cards with little to no international transaction fees. There are also so many travel offers that banks have with their credit cards, like first class priority class lounge access and point collection. So make sure to take advantage of these hidden perks that banks offer during travels.
12. Notify your bank
Banks help us to keep our cash secure. If you have ever got in the situation where your card access was denied because the bank stopped the transaction, you will not want this happening when you are traveling internationally. It is possible that banks may reject the transaction if they see a transaction made from a different location where you don’t usually visit. So taking some time to notify the banks about your travel plants will help you with this issue.
This is not required, however recommended.
13. Aways have a small amount of cash available
It is always a good idea to have a small amount of cash available. There are many places with ATM facility. However, there are few places with no ATM facilities. So making sure that you carry a small amount of cash with you during your travel can be very helpful.
It is also a great idea to ask the locals if the next location has ATM facility or not. This way you can prepare for the next location you are traveling to, and can make sure you have sufficient cash in hand for your travels.
14. Mail pick up or hold at postoffice
If you can’t have a friend of family member check your mail during the time of your travel, contacting your local post office so that they hold your packages will be helpful. This way you will not have to worry about any packages that may be dropped off; so you can pick them up at the post office after your return.
15. Set bills to auto pay
There are many option online so that you can have your bill payment automatically. Make sure you set up an automatic payment, if you don’t already have one setup so that you don’t have to think about the bills when you travel.
If automatic payment is not possible, you should be able to make a payment before the payment date by notifying the biller.
16. Check for customs restriction at your destination countries
There are many customs restrictions setup for different countries. Many things like live animal and plant products are strictly restricted in many countries. But there are some restrictions that may be less known. In some countries, a traveler is only to have one electronic device of its kind. For example, one mobile phone, one tablet, one laptop and so on. Nepal is one country that has this customs regulation.
For photography lovers, we know you love to carry more than one camera. So we will soon be posting a blog for photography lovers on how you can travel with two cameras along with more photography tips. So make sure you stay subscribed so you don’t miss out on this.
17. Provide a copy of your itinerary and plans to your friends of family
It is always good to notify friends and family about your travel plans so that in case of an emergency, they are aware about your situation. In the rarest of cases if there is an emergency, you family members can help you out as they will be notified about your travel plans and the location of your travel before hand.
18. Weather condition
This should be obvious, checking the weather is one of the first things that comes to mind after you plan your travels. Checking the weather of the location helps you pack in the best way possible.
Maybe it rains a lot in the destination you plan to travel, or maybe it is very cold. Checking the weather helps you in making sure you don’t overpack.
We will soon be showing some of the best ways to use your suitcase space efficiently on our YouTube and Facebook pages, so make sure you don’t miss that and follow us.
19. Check your water pipe system and laundry
It can be devastating to hear about water damage during your travel. Not checking your laundry pipes only to get a notification that there is significant water damage can be devastating. So if you don’t have someone looking after your home during your travels, sake sure to turn off the main water pipe to your home before you travel.
20. Check your prescriptions
Check your prescriptions before you start your travel. Make sure you have sufficient amount of your prescriptions during your travel. You can probably find your prescriptions in the country you plan to visit. However, it is also better to have some extra prescriptions.
21. Remember to breath
If you are worried about preparing for the perfect trip; don’t worry! You are on the right track. A trip is supposed to be relaxing, so make sure to relax and enjoy the experience. We will be posting more tips on travel and travel guides. So make sure to stay subscribed to our newsletters.