🇳🇵 Nepal
Visa on arrival at Kathmandu - bring USD cash and a photo.
Yes - Australians need a visa for Nepal.
Pack a Type C/D/M adapter for the 230V supply, one Australian dollar buys about 106 NPR, and Visa on arrival is compulsory on arrival.
Entry rules last checked 29 August 2026.
Nepal issues Australians a visa on arrival at Kathmandu airport, priced by length of stay: USD $30 for 15 days, $50 for 30 and $125 for 90. It is paid in cash, which is the detail that catches people out - the machines at the airport are unreliable and there is no card fallback if the queue is long.
Your Nepal trip setup
21 things Australians need to sort. Tick them off as you go.
Entry requirements
Visa on arrival required (paid)Up to 15 View detailsFlights
Compare 3 searchs Search flightsConnectivity
Compare 7 plansFrom $12.50 Compare eSIMsTravel insurance
Compare 7 policysFrom $28 Compare insuranceMoney & payments
Compare 5 cards0.43%-0.65% conversion fee Compare cardsAirport transfer
KTM → KathmanduFrom $14 Compare optionsDriving
IDP requiredDrives on the left Compare car hireTravel essentials
Adapter type C/D/MTap water: not safe to drink View guideThings to do
Compare 7 experiencesFrom $48 Explore activitiesNepal at a glance for Australians
Best time to visit
October-November and March-April
Autumn has the clearest mountain views and the most stable trekking weather. The monsoon from June to September closes many trails and grounds mountain flights for days.
15h 00m from Sydney
Busiest month for Australian travellers: November, quietest August. Nepal travel statistics
Health & safety
Smartraveller: Exercise a high degree of caution
Australia has no reciprocal health care agreement with Nepal. Care outside Kathmandu is very limited and a helicopter evacuation from a trek routinely costs USD $5,000-$15,000. Insurance that explicitly covers trekking at your maximum altitude is essential.
Emergency: 100 police / 102 ambulance
Money
Hotels and tourist restaurants in Kathmandu and Pokhara take cards. Almost nothing else does.
ATMs in Kathmandu and Pokhara work with Australian cards but cap withdrawals at around NPR 35,000 and charge NPR 500 per transaction.
Tipping: Expected. Around 10% in tourist restaurants, and for a trek, guides and porters are tipped substantially at the end - budget roughly 10-15% of the trek cost.
Language & culture
Nepali
English: Good in Kathmandu, Pokhara and the trekking industry; limited in rural villages
Capital: Kathmandu
Australian dollar to Nepalese rupee
Rs106 NPR per AUD
Last recorded rate
These are mid-market rates - the rate banks trade at, published by the European Central Bank. It is not what you will be offered. Expect a card or exchange service to take 0.5% to 5% off it, which is exactly what our travel money comparison is for. Past movement doesn't predict future rates, and none of this is financial advice.
View the numbers as a table
Where Australians go in Nepal
Kathmandu
Pokhara
Chitwan
Lumbini
Nagarkot
Nepal FAQs for Australian travellers
Do Australians need a visa for Nepal?
Yes. Australians get a tourist visa on arrival at Kathmandu airport and at land borders, priced by duration: USD $30 for 15 days, USD $50 for 30 days, or USD $125 for 90 days. There is no free entry option.
Can I pay the Nepal visa fee by card?
In theory yes, in practice bring cash. The card machines and kiosks at Kathmandu airport are unreliable and there is no fallback if they fail while you are at the counter. Bring the exact fee in clean US dollars and a passport photo.
Can I speed up the Nepal visa queue?
Yes. Complete the online arrival form at nepaliport.immigration.gov.np up to 15 days before you travel and you skip most of the queue. You still pay the fee in cash at the counter on arrival.
Does my travel insurance cover trekking in Nepal?
Check carefully, because most standard policies do not cover trekking above a stated altitude, and helicopter evacuation from the Everest or Annapurna regions routinely costs USD $5,000-$15,000. You need a policy that names your maximum altitude explicitly.
Do I need permits to trek in Nepal?
Yes, and they are separate from your visa. You need a TIMS card plus a national park or conservation area permit for the region you are trekking. Both are arranged in Kathmandu or Pokhara before you set out.
What power adapter do I need for Nepal?
A universal adapter covering Type C, D and M. The voltage is 230V, the same as Australia. A power bank matters more than the adapter - power cuts outside the main cities are routine.
Planning Nepal?
We will send you the Nepal guide as it grows - what to book before you go, which eSIM and travel card are worth it there, and what things actually cost in Australian dollars.