COMFORT TREK IN THE ANNAPURNA

General Information & Travel Tip Passport and Nepal visa information Nepal travel tips All foreign tourists travelling to Nepal will need a valid passport and Nepal tourist visa. Your passport should have at least 6 months validity left on it, beyond your expected departure date. You can obtain a Nepal tourist visa from the local embassy or consulate or on arrival at Kathmandu’s Tribhuvan airport (or other major arrival points in Nepal). You’ll need a valid passport, 2 passport size photos, and a completed visa application form. A Nepal visa is usually valid for 3-6 months. Nepal travel tips – Costs A Nepal tourist visa is valid for 15 days, 30 days or 90 days from date of issue. The validity of visa dates are counted from the date of arrival in Nepal. You can find visa application forms in the arrivals hall at Kathmandu airport (or other major entry points), or you can obtain a Nepal tourist visa from the Nepalese Embassy or Consulate beforehand. You can buy a multiple entry visa valid for 15 days costing US$ 25.00, or US$ 40.00 for 30 days and lastly US$ 75.00 for 90 days on arrival at the airport. You will need 2 passport photos for your Nepal tourist visa. It’s also possible to extend your visa and processing your visa extension usually takes no more than a couple of hours. A tourist visa can be extended at the Department of Immigration and Pokhara Immigration Office for a total of 120 days. An additional 30 day visa may be granted on reasonable grounds from the department. Over the course of a visa year (from 1 January to 31 December each year) a tourist cannot stay in Nepal more than cumulative 150 days. This information can change at any point in time so always double check with the Embassy before you go or ask us for. For up to date information on visas, check the Embassy of Nepal visa information page. Before you leave, it’s handy to make a couple of photocopies of your passport and leave these behind with friends or family. Also take a couple of copies in your luggage. Should you be so unlucky as to lose your passport it’ll make all the paperwork a lot easier. Cash Machines The mainstream banks in Kathmandu and Pokhara all have a cash machine where you fill your wallet 24 hours a day using your normal bankcard or Master card / Visa. Smaller banks such as the Himalaya Bank also have cash machines, though we would recommend only using these machines during bank opening hours so as not to run the risk of losing your card if the system crashes. Credit Cards Major credit cards are generally accepted in Kathmandu and Pokhara. Standard Chartered Bank and several smaller banks such as Nabil Bank and the Himalaya Bank will give an advance in rupees on your Master card or Visa. It’s wise to carry some United State dollars and rupees in small denomination notes in the smaller towns where you can’t use your credit card. Travelers Cheque You can purchase Travellers Cheques at 1% or 2% commission. Both American and European Travellers Cheques are widely accepted at most major banks in the smaller towns. The good thing about Travellers Cheques is that in the event of loss you will receive new cheques within 24 hours. Nepal Travel Health Nepal Travel Plan has taken the greatest care to ensure that the contents of these pages are accurate. We advise customers to seek contact with their local GP regarding their health in Nepal for the latest information at least 6 weeks prior to departure. Nepal is a (sub) tropical country and you therefore run greater risk of becoming ill than at home. There are more varieties of bacteria in a tropical climate, and your body isn’t as used to them as you don’t live in that area of the world. Although the risk of getting ill must not be exaggerated, and certainly should not spoil your enjoyment of the holiday, it is advisable to be prepared for your trip and to be aware of the health risks of that country. If you are currently taking prescription medicines, be sure to pack the instruction leaflet with you, and carry some spare medicine. This will make life a lot easier if you happen to lose the medicine, especially when trying to explain the medication to a Nepali pharmacist. Although the marketing name may vary from country to country, the chemist will certainly understand the written chemical contents. If you wear glasses or contact lenses, be sure to take a copy of your prescription, as well as extra glasses or spare lenses. Contact your local GP or tropical medical centre before you leave. Last minute trips to Nepal shouldn’t be a problem to an already healthy person, but be sure to double check with your for up-to-date advice before you leave. Always carry your vaccinations booklet with you. Here are a couple of websites providing excellent, up-to-the-minute information about travel health: World Health Organization: http://www.who.int/countries/npl/en/ Fit for Travel: http://www.fitfortravel.nhs.uk/destinations/nepal.htm Here is a summary of information aimed at healthy, non-pregnant travellers planning to stay in India less for up to one month: Malaria Malaria exists in Nepal and India, although the risk varies greatly across different regions. Whether you will need anti-malaria tablets depends upon your travel plans. The type of anti-malaria medication that you take depends on the strain that is prevalent in your destination. The best bet is to try and reduce the risk of catching malaria by preventative measures. Keep your arms, legs and feet covered in the evenings, using anti-mosquito spray/cream on exposed areas of skin (the best ones contain DEET), and sleep under a mosquito net whenever possible. This is especially true in accommodation with no air-conditioning. It is possible to buy a mosquito net that is pre-impregnated with an insecticide. If during or after your trip you find yourself with flu-like symptoms lasting longer than two days (even up to 2 months after your return to your country), seek the advice of a doctor immediately, and advise you have been in a malaria area. Vaccinations Vaccinations against DTP (diphtheria, tetanus and polio; valid for about 10 years) and hepatitis A are advised. Most people had a DTP vaccination as a child and you can probably safely travel with a booster in this case. The normal injection with hepatitis A anti-body has a limited period of effectiveness so it makes good sense to have this vaccination just before travelling. If you travel frequently to a country where hepatitis A is present, or plan to stay longer in tropical countries, you should opt for a vaccination with a longer effective period. Keep in mind that long-term vaccinations are more expensive and still require a booster after six months. Vaccination against enteric fever is advised if you plan to stay in Nepal longer than three months. Vaccination against yellow fever is only advised if you have been in an infected area prior to travelling to Nepal. Dengue fever and Japanese B-encephalitis Both of these diseases are carried by mosquitoes, so you can take the same preventative measures as for malaria. These mosquitoes bite during the daytime and under artificial light. For more information about these diseases, and the status of any epidemics, you’re advised to seek the advice of the NHS or suitable medical institution. There is no vaccine against dengue fever, however there is for Japanese B encephalitis, which is advised if you are going to be in Asia for longer than six months. You can assemble your own tropical first aid kit or buy a ready-made kit. We advise you to obtain a book on how to stay healthy in the tropics, which will contain information about contents of a first aid kit. Health on location Besides the general advice given here ensure that you have the correct vaccinations for travelling to Nepal and remain as healthy as possible before you leave. Of course it’s important that you avoid becoming ill while you’re on your travels but remain alert of any symptoms of illness: when in doubt, consult a doctor. Jet lag Jet lag occurs when your biological clock is confused (primarily your sleeping and waking rhythms) by flying through time zones. The body has to adjust to the new biorhythm for the first few days after your flight during which time you can feel tired and irritable. We advise that during the flight you drink very limited amounts of coffee or alcohol and upon arrival don’t demand too much of your body for the first couple of days. It’s also handy to get into the new sleeping rhythm as quickly as possible. We recommend an hours sleep after arrival, and then remain awake until you take an early night. Diarrhoea A change of rhythm, climate and food (especially spicy) can throw your stomach out of sorts. If you start feeling dodgy, just take it easy and drink plenty of water in small quantities. It may be necessary to take some Oral Rehydration Salts (ORS) dissolved in water to prevent dehydration and this is especially important for the elderly and children. Drugs such as loperamide and diphenoxylate, may be taken if you really have to travel when you have diarrhoea (not suitable for children under two years old). These drugs have the effect of sedating the intestine, which stops stomach cramps and suppresses the feeling of diarrhoea. Only use these drugs when you’re on the move and cannot get to the toilet regularly. If the diarrhoea persists for more than 48 hours, AND is accompanied by headache, vomiting, or blood in the stool OR you’re taking any other medication at the time, you should contact a doctor. The doctor can send a sample for lab analysis to determine exactly what’s going on. Your diarrhoea can stop quite quickly, but can leave a lasting feeling of lethargy due to the fact that your intestines needs time to recover. Preventing diarrhoea Only consume water and soft drinks from properly closed and sealed tins or bottles, or drink boiled water (tea or coffee). Ice is safe if it’s in the form of machine-produced ice cubes. Fruit juice is safe, provided no water has been added. Food, particularly meat and fish, must be well cooked. In general, we advise against the western-style salads offered in salad bars (in expensive hotels). Generally it is safe to eat from street stalls, even though you would expect the opposite. Eat where it’s busy, as the time between food preparation and consumption is the shortest and this is good for hygiene. Take note of how the plates, glasses and cutlery are washed. There is often no running water and only a bucket with soap in it, baking in the sun. If that’s the case, be sensible and find somewhere else to eat. Many restaurants have open plan kitchens, so anywhere that looks clean is probably a safe bet. With regards to street stalls, it’s probably wise not to eat meat at the end of the day – the meat can sometimes have been lying around all day unrefrigerated. A tried and trusted housewives remedy to prevent dehydration during diarrhoea is to drink cola and stock (not at the same time obviously). Cola can be bought everywhere and you can bring stock cubes and a single-cup beverage with you. A few more general tips for Nepal travel health Skin care Take all cuts, scratches etc in the tropics seriously: keep a close eye on them, clean them with disinfectant and keep them covered with a plaster during the day. Don’t scratch mosquito bites. Always use a high factor sunscreen cream on exposed skin, even in the rainy season. The sun is super strong particularly at high altitudes, even if it’s cloudy. You can avoid attracting biting insects by not wearing brightly coloured or black clothing, strong perfume or deodorant or aftershave. If you’re prone to skin irritations, wear cotton or linen clothing. You can help avoid prickly heat by using talcum powder on your body after your morning shower. Wash or disinfect your hands after using the toilet and don’t bite your nails. During the dry season, in the wooded areas, there’s a slight chance that a tick may land on you. Check your body for these bugs in the morning and evening; especially behind the knees and in the crotch. Should you find one, don’t try to just pull it out but use tick pincers (obtainable from chemists) or seek medical attention. If, after being in the woods, you find a bloody circular skin wound slowly increasing in size, seek professional medical attention. Sunstroke Sunstroke can be prevented by wearing a hat and sunglasses. Always keep a bottle of water with you, especially if you’re off the beaten track and unlikely to come across drinking water. If you suspect sunstroke (feeling light-headed, headaches), you can prevent it from getting worse by drinking water and finding somewhere in the shade to sit and stay there, if possible. Health upon return If upon your return (and this can also be months later), you experience influenza, stomach problems, or experience some other unusual symptoms, contact your GP and let them know where and when you were last in Nepal and what you did there.