The birthplace of the lord Gautam Buddha is not only famous for hiking. Nepal is equally famous for its beautiful trekking spots as well. Because of its breathtaking beauty yearly thousands of foreign tourists arrive in Nepal in search of peace and entertainment. Nepal is full of beautiful mountains when it comes to trekking, hiking, and mountaineering.
In Nepal, you can also travel as a solo traveler. The citizens of the country are friendly and caring. Even if you lost your way to your camp, you can get the direction with the help of local people. That is for those who want to travel solo. If you want to hire a guide during your trek then you can always call for one. Trekking with a guide will be an easy task to learn about the local culture and tradition. On top of that, you will get to meet many fellow trekkers on the way to your destination. Trekking with a guide will make your journey safer and easier.
There will be a high chance of getting altitude sickness while trekking. Therefore it will be always better to trek in a group. Recently, I have heard much bad news about solo trekkers with altitude sickness. Therefore do not travel solo. If possible hire a guide or you can get into another trekking group. As far as I know, they will not reject your request.
Keeping all these things in mind you should also focus on the payment methods that are used in Nepal. Nepal is a country where we do not have access to many payment methods like Paypal or any other foreign payment methods. Therefore, this article is made for those who are thinking about traveling to Nepal. I hope it will help you in your journey.
The Best Payment Methods For Trekkings In Nepal
Before we move ahead there are some things that you should know beforehand. The official currency of Nepal is the Nepalese Rupee which is also known as NRP or Rs in short. It has been the official currency of Nepal since 1932 and is still in use all over the nation. There are different rupee notes available in the country which starts from 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 500, and 1000. Sometimes the government of Nepal also issues new notes on special occasions.
Nepal is not as developed as the western countries. It is still in the developing phase. As I already said Nepal does not have international payment methods like Paypal. So, how can you pay the bill inside the country? Nowadays in a city area, some services accept both cash and credit card options for bill payment. Many restaurants, cafes, hotels, etc accept both cash and credit card options. However, if you are planning to trek the rural side of Nepal then you have to carry cash with you. The rural part of Nepal is not developed by infrastructure but it is blessed by the heavenly scenario. It's okay if you are traveling solo. If you are with a guide then do not forget to pay for the guide. The guide may ask for a little or high amount according to the work but, you can always bargain. A bargain is a key for many trekkers.
Credit or Debit card
A credit or debit card is the safest way to book a plane ticket for your journey. However, it can be expensive according to the credit or debit card companies. Doing transactions from a credit or debit card can be too expensive for you. You have to pay some amount of money for using your card internationally. Some banks may charge 2 to 3% as a transaction fee. These charges apply when you purchase something abroad using your card.
In Nepal, not all services allow credit or debit card payments. It will be very hard for you to find services that offer credit or debit card transactions. If you are rich enough to spend a lot of money then this option can be the best choice because of its safety. However, if you are a budget trekker then let's head to the next option.
Bank Transfer
Bank transfer is one of the cheapest ways of payment methods in Nepal. It all depends on what medium you used to make a payment. Some banks will charge normally around $30 plus foreign exchange rates when converting it to the Nepalese rupee. It can be a huge amount for budget trekkers. Therefore do some research beforehand. You may get some money exchange companies who charge little amount than the banks.
And, another thing, bank transfers can be risky while booking your holiday. You might be scammed if you don't pay attention to many things. You will not get your money back if you get scammed. Therefore it is not as safe as credit and debit card payments. Before doing a transaction always read the review of your travel agency. Before sending the money check all the details twice to avoid sending your money to the wrong bank account.
Cash
After arriving in Nepal or beforehand you can exchange your currency for the Nepalese rupee. Cash in hand will help you in many places. Whether you are in a city area or in a rural area, it will be useful everywhere and anytime.
In short, all the payment methods are equally important for trekkers. Credit and debit card holders can use it if they are more into safety things. They can invest some extra money if they are more into the safety of their money. Bank transfer is for those who are more into budget trekking. It will help you to save some money while doing the transaction but a bank transfer does not have much safety like a credit and debit payment. Therefore, as I said each and every payment method is important. It all depends on what you can afford.
That's all for today. Hope to see you in the next article. Have a good day.
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