Taking a flight from India to Kathmandu in Nepal is extremely easy and one of the most amazing experiences you will have outside India. We at tlow have put together a sequence of events which will help you have a time efficient journey from landing at the airport till you reach the streets of Thamel. 

Don’t try putting your network on 

International roaming is real and Indian cell photo network easily catches network after landing in Kathmandu. To avoid getting bumped by absurd international roaming charges, keep your phone flight mode on. 

No Photo Video Zone 

There are sign boards and at the same time keep in mind, that Katmandu airport is a No Photography and Videography zone. So don’t try acting cheeky to get content. They will end up taking away your camera or putting a hefty fine. And this isn’t the most ideal way you would want to start your journey around Nepal.  

Take the first transist bus 

From the air craft to the terminal you will need to hop into a transfer bus which is short five to 10 minute ride. A couple of buses minimum will come to take the crowd from each craft to the terminal. Try your best to get on the first one out. Reason being immigration queue for Indians can be really long since at a given time upto four to six flights can land.  

Passport or Voter ID and boarding Pass 

Remember that there are two different queue lines once you are at immigration. With passport is where all the crowd is. The other one is for those who wish to enter Nepal using their Voter ID or Aadhar card.  The latter being a more complex way of getting into the country. If you travel with your passport, then all you need to do is have your passport stamped which will take around 60-90 seconds.  With your Aadhar card and Voter ID you will need to fill up a visa form.

Free Wifi at Immigration 

At the line for immigration, you will get free Wifi which will help you connect to your loved ones back at home. The Wifi needs no password or login and will give you just enough data to do the bare minimal chatting to inform family and friends back at home.

Collect baggage from the belt 

After you are done with immigration, the next thing that is needed is to walk straight to your baggage collection belt. Most probably your bag will already be rotating on the belt by the time you are done. 

Don’t take a sim from the airport 

The usual thing a foreign tourist would do is take a sim card after reaching the airport. But here in Nepal it’s advisable not to take a sim card from the airport since it’s a more time consuming process as everyone is trying to get a sim and the sim card plans sold are costlier than what you get outside in the main market.  

Important: INR 500-2000 not acceptable at airport 

Nowhere at the airport in Nepal will they accept INR 500 and INR 2000 notes. Since its officially banned in Nepal. Reason being a lot of fake notes of the above denominations have made it to Nepal from India through the hands of tourists.  

Taxi cost NPR 1000 (4 seater) to Thamel town 

The minute you exit out of the airport, you will find taxi cab guys offering you a ride to different parts of Kathmandu. The most common spot from the airport is Thamel and it costs around ₹1000 NPR from inside the airport. Walk out of the airport and you will find plenty of cabs offering you the same deal for much cheaper. You can easily strike a deal for anywhere between ₹600-900 NPR based on your negotiation skill set.  

Don’t convert currency at the airport

The lowest exchange rate for your money is at the airport. So after you land at Kathmandu, don’t go there to convert money. Your ₹500 INR notes will be easily accepted by the taxi guys, so you won’t have a problem paying.