Nepal Himalaya first-time guide

Dal Bhat: the national meal. Lentil soup + rice + vegetable curry + pickles + flatbread, with free refills ("Dal Bhat power 24 hour"), 250-400 NPR at restaurants. Locals eat it twice a day.

Momo: Tibetan-style dumplings, chicken/buffalo/veg, dipped in tomato peanut sauce. 8-10 per plate 120-200 NPR, street stalls are best. Fried momo (C-momo) is crispier.

Sel Roti: festival ring bread, rice batter deep-fried into rings, sweet and crispy, 20-50 NPR each from street vendors. Most common during Tihar.

Chatamari: Newari "rice pizza", thin rice-flour crepe topped with minced meat, egg, veg, 150-250 NPR at Newari restaurants. Best in Bhaktapur.

Thukpa: Tibetan noodle soup, wide noodles in rich broth with meat and veg, 120-200 NPR. Available throughout mountain trekking routes.

Newari Set: a platter of chatamari, choila (grilled meat), blood sausage, dal and small sides, 450-700 NPR at Kathmandu Newari restaurants.

Milk Tea: Ceylon tea with milk and sugar, 15-30 NPR at street stalls, everywhere.

Altitude sickness: Kathmandu at 1,400 m is fine, but trekking above 3,000 m risks Acute Mountain Sickness (AMS). On EBC routes at 4,000 m+ headache and nausea are warning signs — descend immediately, don't push through. Rest a day at Namche (3,440 m) to acclimatise. Take Diamox (acetazolamide) for prevention — buy at Kathmandu pharmacies 200 NPR/10 tablets.

Drinking water: Kathmandu and Pokhara tap water is not potable — cholera and typhoid risk. Buy bottled water (20-50 NPR/bottle) or use purification tablets / Lifestraw filter. Mountain tea houses sell boiled water (50-100 NPR/litre).

Load shedding: Nepal lacks power, Kathmandu and Pokhara rotate blackouts (2-8 hr/day). Hotels have UPS but it doesn't last long. Bring a 20,000+ mAh power bank and a headlamp. Mountains rely on solar — power may cut after 7 pm.

Haggling: Thamel opening prices are 2-5× real value — thangka and pashmina, open at 50% off. Taxis are the same — use meters or the inDrive app. Don't fall for "student discount" or "last piece" sales tactics.

Visa extension: Overstay penalty is $3/day + $2 extension fee, at Immigration (Kathmandu Kalikasthan or Pokhara). Don't leave it overdue — immigration checks on exit.

Trekking permits: ACT needs ACAP entry + TIMS card, EBC needs Sagarmatha National Park entry + TIMS card. Since 2023 a guide is mandatory — solo trekking is not allowed (fine if caught). Get TIMS at TAAN or through an agency.