Passport and visa:
All nationalities need a full passport valid for at least 6 months after the completion of travel. Nearly all nationalities need a visa for Nepal. You may apply for the visa yourself, through a Nepalese Embassy. The necessary visa forms, passport and details of costs will be sent to the Nepalese Embassy if done via an agency.

Example:
The address of the Royal Nepalese Embassy in London is 12a Kensington Palace Gardens, W8, tel. 0171 229 1594. Opening hours for applications are 10.00 to 12.00.

Generally postal applications, which take 15 to 20 days, and must be accompanied by your passport, one completed application form, one passport photo, and the visa fee as a postal order or similar with a self addressed envelope correctly stamped for recorded or registered delivery. For personal applications you will need the same documentation, and the processing normally takes 24 hours or there-a-bouts.

Please note:
It is also possible to obtain your Nepalese visa at Kathmandu airport on arrival. This currently costs US$30 for a 60 day visa and if you are planning to do this you should have the exact amount in US$ cash. You will also need one passport photograph, it's better to carry extra's.
We would also suggest that you have several spare photographs on hand. It should also be noted that the queues for this could be quite long and time consuming, especially if there are several international flights arriving close together.
Make sure you ask the flight steward for the immigration/visa form and have it filled out before arrival so as to save queing time. Depart the plane as quickly as possible and walk directly to the immigration check point. Note the overhead signs for the correct lane.

Tourist Visas:
The 15 and 30-day visas have been abolished and now all visiting tourists must apply for a 60-day visa, which costs US$ 30. It is still possible to apply for a single, double or multiple re-entries at an additional cost of US$ 25, US$ 40 and US$ 60 respectively. This visa can be obtained from a Royal Nepalese Embassy abroad or upon arrival at the International Airport.
This 60-day visa can be extended for 30 days at a cost of US$50. The rule is still in place that a tourist can only stay in Nepal for up to 150 days in each year, which starts from 1st January.
If a visitor has previously entered Nepal within the last 150 days then they can obtain a 30-day visa at a cost of US$50. Again this visa can be obtained from a Royal Nepalese Embassy abroad or upon arrival at the International Airport.

Permits: Conservation & entry Fees
Entry fee are payable at most tourist spots now i.e. Bhaktapur, Swoyambunanth, Boudha, Durbar Square, Patan etc.

Vaccinations:
There are no statutory vaccinations for Nepal (unless you are coming from a yellow fever area). We recommend, though, that you be protected against hepatitis A, typhoid, tetanus and polio. There was an outbreak of meningitis in Kathmandu some time ago and while the officially stated risk is now very low, you may wish to be protected against this as well. The Terai region is malarial, and some clinics advise you should take prophylactic pills while on your trip and for a month afterwards. During this Race series you will not be near any malarial zones. You should speak to your local Travel Clinic for the most up-to-date advice on malaria in Nepal.

A free service is also offered by e-mail by an International Clinic, in Kathmandu, known as CEWEC. Should you need any advice you can access this service via. advice@ciwecpc.mos.com.np

Another free serve Web site is: www.cdc.gov/travel this site has the Internets most comprehensive collection of disease information relevant to traveler's. Just click on your intended destination on the virtual globe and find out what's in store.

Tap water is not safe anywhere in Nepal and for water purification you should use iodine or "Puri - Tabs". This is best carried in either tablet form, or as an iodine-based filter. It is possible to obtain iodine in liquid form in Kathmandu, but this is less easy to use. Mineral water for drinking is readily available in Nepal and costs about Rs20 or (US 30cents/litre)

Altitude:
Kathmandu valley is at an altitude of 1350-m and as such offers no concerns for altitude sickness. The Borderlands resort is at a lower altitude (1020-m); whilst the Tibet border is approx 1950-m. All destinations will pose no problems for altitude or require acclimatization. Only over 2900-3000m should consideration be needed for this. Rest easy!

Want to brush up on Languages before arrival?
Webbed Tongue: Need to brush up on some languages before stepping abroad? Head to this useful little language library on the web. The website offers more than 60 languages. It also gives phonetic translations and sound files so you can perfect your pronunciations… Nameste! www.travlang.com/languages

Clothes:
As well as the usual clothing that you like to wear you should consider the temperatures prevailing at the time.
Day temperatures are likely to be warm and nights cool to cold to very cold as the month continues.

Baggage:
A soft holdall is the best thing to use so that it can easily be packed into the support vehicle for transfers between destinations and races. For daily use to carry your essentials such as sunglasses, sun cream, snacks, camera etc you will need a bum bag, small daypack. These can be bought in Kathmandu very easily and at a good price.
Bikes are best transported in soft bike bags and these are also available at and manufactured by HMB.

ON ARRIVAL

Customs:
You are allowed to import duty free into Nepal a reasonable quantity of alcohol, tobacco and perfume.

Drugs:
Clients are advised that carrying and use of narcotic drugs by tourists in Nepal is illegal. The tour leader is authorized to expel anyone from the trip contravening this rule and the contravener will have no right to a refund. Most Pharmacy drugs can be bought easily & cheaply in Kathmandu.

Airport departure tax:
There is an airport tax of either 1100 (about USD$5) on leaving Kathmandu airport, depending on which airline is used & your destination.

Language:
Nepali, which is not a difficult language to pick up, is spoken throughout the country. There are many local dialects, and most Nepalese speak at least two languages, often three or four. English is widely understood in Kathmandu, but not much in the hills. However your guide is Nepali and also speaks good English plus several other languages so it will not be a problem.

Currency:
The Nepalese unit of currency is the rupee (NRS), divided into 100 Naya paise. At the time of writing £1 = 120 NRS and USD$1 = 78 NRS & AUD$1 = Nrs 42.00 approx. It is illegal to import or export rupees, but foreign currency is not limited, provided it is declared on arrival. It will be pointless leaving Nepal with excess currency as it will not be convertible outside Nepal. USD$'s cash or TC's is the best and easiest way to travel.

Take your personal spending money in traveler's cheques; any well-known currency is accepted in Nepal and India (e.g. Sterling, US dollars, etc.). Traveler's cheques can be changed easily at the hotels in Kathmandu, but may be harder outside the main population centres. As a general rule US dollar TC's and cash are the most widely used. Credit cards are also accepted in many of the better shops and restaurants in Kathmandu. Very little additional money will be required during any of the races and if taking any additional tours with HMB then usd$100-200 will be ample. However, given that most meals and all accommodation are provided for the majority of time there is little other than alcohol and souvenirs to spend on.

Electricity:
220 &110 volts AC (electricity is rare except in Kathmandu, Pokhara and in the main towns. Power cuts & surges are common everywhere).

Business hours:
Saturday is the weekly holiday and all government offices (closed Saturdays & Sundays) and some shops will be shut. Sunday is a normal working day. Souvenir shops are generally open every day. Normal shopping hours are 0900/1000 to 1700/1800 depending on the time of year.

Time:
Nepalese time is GMT + 5 hours 45 minutes.

GENERAL

Mountain Bikes:
Upon disembarking in Kathmandu and clearing customs it is likely your luggage and bike box will be X-rayed. This is a standard procedure. You maybe asked "what is the bike for and whose it is?"……. The answer would seem obvious, "for riding (in the HMB race series) and that it's for your own use". It is unlikely any further attention will be given to your luggage. It can always be stated that you are participating in a Nepal Tourism Board sponsored event, and that you are Lance Armstrong!!

Food:
The food in Kathmandu is generally good and varied; Nepali, Indian, Chinese, Tibetan, Japanese and European foods are all available. A meal in a reasonable restaurant will cost about USD$5-6, while in the more sophisticated eating spots you can pay up to USD$10-14 or so plus drinks. The native food in Nepal is very simple: dal bhat tarkari - rice, lentils and curried vegetables is often all that is available except in a few large towns. The Tibetans have brought their own dishes into Nepal - momo, or kothay, is not dissimilar to ravioli, meat wrapped in pastry and then steamed or fried, and thupka is a distinctive noodle soup containing different kinds of meat or just vegetables.
Clients may wish to bring some energy bars, as snacks with them for consumption during rides.

Accommodation:
This information is detailed in our race notes on the web site (news & events). However those hotels being offered range from the 5-star Radisson to two other good quality hotels considered as very good quality tourist class hotels, on a twin-share basis, which are with an attached bathroom. We would encourage you to book hotels with us based on those hotels which are supporting / sponsoring the race series.

The Race Series also includes camping, for 2 nights, which allows for a special opportunity to go to "out of the way" locations with spectacular vistas. On these occasions all communal camping equipment i.e. Sleeping Tents, sleeping mats, dining tents, toilet tents, shower tents etc will be supplied - you should bring a sleeping bag (or sleeping sheet if you wish) otherwise HMB will be providing fully serviced camp facilities with an experienced sherpa crew to look after you and all meals.

Transport:
Support vehicles will be buses (approx 40 seats) that are basic in design and will carry your entire luggage & bike (roof rack) and will be with the race for the majority of the race series. You should personally see to the loading of your bike and that is secured to your satisfaction. Soft Bike-bags with padding are good for this reason. HMB takes NO responsibility for your bike and is totally up to you to supervise.

Extra expenses:
Beer is the main alcohol available and costs between USD$1.20 to $2.00. Soft drinks are readily available in most places and should be relatively inexpensive. Bottled mineral water is also available and costs approx Rs20 / bottle

Tipping:
There is a tradition of tipping in Nepal. Also, excess clothing and other small items etc are much appreciated also by guides and staff.

Things to buy:
Tibetan carpets, Buddhist tankas (religious paintings), brass statues and figures, embroidered clothing, devil masks, coral and turquoise jewellery, prayer wheels, woodblock prints, Tibetan calendars. We can guide you to the most reputable & best quality shops for these products by asking the HMB manager.

Photography:
You are in theory limited to twelve rolls of film when entering Nepal, but this rule is not enforced or checked. Film of most types is available in Kathmandu at quite reasonable prices, but check the expiry date before buying. The printing of your film is also available from many photo labs with good results. If unsure, possibly it's best left till you get home to ensure your precious memories are developed properly. Video cameras should be declared at customs and are recorded in your passport, however this is again rarely questioned.
Please note that in certain Parks, there is a US$100 fee for using a video camera. It is best to be discreet with your entry to parks and permit areas. During the race series will not be an issue and the more the better as far as we are concerned.

Contact address/mail:
Mail to Nepal is not very fast, and we do not recommend that you have letters sent to you. In an emergency, contact our Nepal office, from which we maintain fax & e-mail communication.
Urgent correspondence can be sent via the HMB contact addresses and these will be passed onto clients at the first available moment.

Emergency local contact numbers:
Our Nepal office is at Himalayan Mountain Bikes,
Thamel -Tour Office Tel. (977-1) 437-437 or Directors Office PH: 4442345 Mobile 9810-33865
E-mail: info@bikeasia.info

Registered Race Entrants:
You will be met at the airport by our guide or if for any reason you get separated you can proceed to the office of Himalayan Mountain Bikes (HMB). This is at the entrance to "North Field Café" - Thamel, this is next door to Pilgrims Book Shop which is a landmark business in Kathmandu, Our Office is known as Adventure Centre Asia and is a modern office building that is hard to miss. See above phone numbers.

If you miss your flight, don't show and cannot find our HMB Rep. and leave the airport we cannot provide additional transfers for free or make refunds, if later advised. Any additional transfer will be charged at $10/person

The information in this Pre-departure sheet is given in good faith and is correct at the time of writing, however conditions and practical information do change and where this occurs before departure to an extent where it will affect your trip, we will update you accordingly. By the very nature of where you are traveling some to a large degree of flexibility is needed (this is not Germany or Switzerland…, nor does it run with the same precision) Thus, relax and enjoy the ride and be aware that changes do sometimes occur whilst traveling. Nepal is a 3rd world developing country and even with the best of intentions schedules do not always go to plan.

Himalayan Mountain Bike (P) Ltd - Tours & Expeditions
Since 1988
Pioneers in Mountain Biking in the Himalaya's

Peter Stewart
Director