Most of us love to travel and enjoy to the fullest. At the same time saving money or trying to limit expenditure is something that people seeks. There might be some people who want to spend a lot in their holidays but most travelers always choose a way for cheap travel. Do you know how to Travel cheap in Nepal ? Before going directly to this topic, lets discuss why should we be looking for travelling cheap.
The budget trip not only saves your money, in fact it gives you an opportunity to get close to real life experience of people of that country. At he same time, cheap travel will help you to manage budget for your next trip. So, travelling cheap specially in country like Nepal where people are so friendly is definitely something you people try in your lifetime.
The choice of the destination depends and varies from person to person. To know more about which activities to do in Nepal, read Why should you plan your Holidays to Nepal? This blog is specifically for those who are planning to visit Nepal for a fun and Adventure loaded holidays. Now, those who have not yet planned their visit to Nepal because of lack of information, read What are the reasons to visit Nepal?. For those who have adequate information of Nepal but are reluctant to visit Nepal because of the safety issues, read Is Nepal Safe for Female Travelers?
Let’s now discuss the main topic of today’s blog which is getting the optimum enjoyment with a little investment. So, basically what I am going to do is segregate various sections and provide you with some tips which will illuminate you .And you will know where and how you can really save some money and still get the desired fun along with the satisfaction of having spent less money than what you could have actually spent. So let’s get started on TRAVEL CHEAP IN NEPAL!!!
Now, In order to be able to get the right thing at the right price, you will first have to have just one thing about the economy of Nepal. I know you might be wondering what does the economy of Nepal has to do with you saving money!, but believe me when I say that after knowing this factor on Nepal’s economy, you will be getting a clear picture of how and where you can save your precious money. Of course you will have to go through the entire blog for getting that clear picture.
The very must know thing about Nepal’s Economy is that Nepal is a very economic country compared to the rest of the world. Every commodity you can think of be it food, Drinks, travel etc. is very cheap and affordable for instance, a 1 Liter bottle of water generally costs Rs 25 in Nepal which is equivalent to $0.23 . See, that’s how affordable Nepal is. All you need to do is just remember this simple Mantra along with some must know things and everything in Nepal will be cheap and affordable than the price you expect it to be. So, try to look for Cheap travel in Nepal.
Tempting!!! I know it is. So, I will not just end the blog right here and make it kind of like a General Knowledge Lesson by mentioning some points which you must remember while in Nepal which will help you in saving a lot of money. As a matter of fact, I plan on making it even more interesting and exciting and above all a helpful blog by providing you some details by raising some questions like Why, Where, and How you will be able to save more money than other travelers do.
WHY one can/should save money in Nepal?
If it isn’t the most obvious that Money is one of the most important commodity and asset in every man’s life. Money can’t buy you everything agreed! But money can sure buy a hell lot of fun and Adventure for sure. So the more Money you’ve got, the Merrier it is…
Now comes the most important Question:
WHERE and HOW can you save money in Nepal?
I won’t make it look and sound like an essay written on Money and Nepal. So I will give you this answer in splits while giving you information of some topographic area of Nepal which the tourists tend to neglect and at the same time, answer the questions.
Now I am going to deliver my knowledge on Nepal in Points. The headings of the points will be the Commodities on which you will save your money and the details will contain the answer of WHERE and HOW you can save money in Nepal. So be sure not to miss any part of it.
Accommodation:
It is a basic requirement for any traveler traveling outside his/her place to visit or explore another place. It’s just a place to rest and relax. This commodity is of variant type. Accommodations for tourists can vary from extremely high standard, exotic and costly star hotels to a normal, comfortable and cheap hotel. Although the type of accommodation wanted by an individual tourist depends on the taste and budget of the traveler, here we will be talking about some really cheap and comfortable places you can get in Nepal.
Now hotels are not the only means of accommodation in Nepal. There are some other options also where you can camp in at a minimal price and save money. Before I go ahead and tell you about these accommodation options and places where you can find them at a cheap price, I want you to understand that accommodation is just a place to relax and rest at nights, so that you can get up fresh the next morning and explore the place again.
Now, apart from hotels, you can find other sources like hostels and apartments/Flats on rent at a cheap price. The Hostels here in Nepal, generally have bunk beds and are great places to camp especially, if you are traveling in a group. You can get good Hostels at a range Rs 450- Rs 900 which is between $4-$8.10 per person for one night. A great way to save money isn’t it?Is not it a cool idea for travelling cheap in Nepal. You can easily find Hostels in Nepal online.
Despite of being comfortable and affordable, these hostels are also safe however, if you are traveling with a lot of valuables handy and are conscious, you can always rent flats or apartments in Nepal again with the price range of $350-$5oo per month .
Also, it has to be remembered that any where you travel throughout the globe, the price of commodities at a tourist spot will always be higher than that from the normal places.
There are many places in Kathmandu, Thamel, Jhamsikel, Patan, Lazimpat, and Nayabazzar where you can get comfortable Hostels and flats/apartments on rent at a cheap price with good service and views. All you have to do is a little bit of homework and research on the internet and book the most fitting accommodation for you.
Please Note: The price might differ depending on the place, service and the type of building.
Food and Drinks
Perhaps the most important commodity after accommodation is FOOD. Food is a necessity for every living being irrespective of the place they are at. It does not matter whether you are at your own place or chilling out at some far off country, you will need to feed. Now, it is obvious that the food and the feeding style differ from country to country. So, it becomes a tad difficult to adjust while they are in a different country. Nepal is no exception to this. The food and the feeding style of this country definitely differs from other country although it’s somewhat similar with India, still Nepal has stepped up and adapted with the food of the West.
How much does a meal cost in Nepal?
Although there are many restaurants and hotels offering western food, it is the local Nepali food which is worth trying in Nepal which is our topic for discussion. The local of Nepal is delicious and is liked by the foreign tourists. The main staple food of Nepal is Dhal Bhat tarkari (Rice, Lentil soup and Curry) which costs about $ 2 to $ 6 depending if the meal is Vegetarian or non vegetarian. The foreigners eat this food combo with great interest and this food is also recommended if you are up for trekking as this is a protein rich diet.
Other than the food available in the local hotels and restaurants, the street delicacies of Nepal are also very tasty, cheap and are worth the try. Let me name some of the street Delicacies of Nepal with their price in Rs.
- Samosa-per piece 15-30
- Momo- Per plate- 80-140(veg, chicken, buff)
- Pakoda- per plate-60-80
- Chaat- per plate 60-90
- Sausage- per piece-25-50( chicken, buff)
- French fry- 1 stick-40-60
- Chicken wings- 1 piece 50-100
- Meat varieties(choila, kachila)-100-150-per plate
- Donut-per -piece 20-30
- Toast-per-piece- 15-45
- Sandwich/non-beef burger: $1.50 – $2.50
- “Bowl meal”: $0.80 – $1.50
- Set breakfast: $1.50 – $3
You can find many street food places in Nepal.It is one of the easiest available things but every one might not include all of these menus. Eating street foods will not only help for cheap travel in Nepal, in fact you will feel as if you have been to this country since long time ago.
As far as Drinks are concerned, it is advisable to just stick with water, tea and coffee. As this is a healthy and safe practice. Also if you drink carelessly and excessively, you will be the point attraction of the scammers and thugs of Nepal and there are chances of becoming their victim. If you are really into alcohol, know this that Nepal is a place where Beer and wine are heavily taxed. As they are a major source of revenue for the Nepal Government.
Still, I will post the price of the drinks here.
- Tea- per cup- Rs 15-30
- Coffee: $0.80 to $2
- 180 ml small bottle of whiskey/rum – $1 – $3
- Large beer (500 ml) in a store: $1.60 – $3
- Large beer or glass of wine in a bar/restaurant – $2.75 – $7 (latter in a hotel)3.
Travel and transportation:
Any traveler who loves traveling will know the importance of saving money on transportation. As this is one such area which can literally drain your money out of your wallet. So, it is important to know certain details of the place you are travelling which can really save you a lot of money and help you for cheap travel in Nepal.
The following are some ways where you can save a lot of money on transportation:
Walking:
It is preferable for tourists to walk and visit several places as this is free service and will give you a lot of knowledge about the surroundings, the people and more over you can enjoy the sight and scenery of Nepal. Walking also gives you the advantage of stopping at any place you want be it for a photo session at a beautiful place or visiting a local shop to inquire about a certain item that might interest you.
Local Buses and Rickshaw rides:
There are various means of transportation which can really cost you some money. For instance if you have to travel and you hire a taxi/cab, it will definitely cost you from $ 2 to $ 10, depending on the route and the distance. Thus, in order to save money, it is advisable to go for the service of the local buses or rickshaws which costs way lesser than hiring taxi services.
The rickshaw rides are available throughout Nepal and generally will cost you from 40 cents to $2 depending on the distance.
As far as local buses are concerned, if you want to travel to Kathmandu, Lalitpur and Bhaktapur, you can get the local buses from Ratnapark, at a price ranging from 14 cents to 36 cents.While converting this into Nepali price it will be between Rs 25 to Rs 40.
For buses outside Kathmandu, you can get from Naya Buspark, Balaju. The price will differ on the type vehicle you choose from (Micro, Hiace, Minibus and Buses) and the minimum price is $ 4.50.
Bus from Kathmandu to Pokhara – $8 (open windows) – $25 (air-con and lunch buffet)
Bus Kathmandu to Nagarkot: 60 cents (local buses, not advised) – $4 (direct)
Rent a Bike:
Another great way of traveling cheap in Nepal and transportation in Nepal is renting bi-cycles. There are many places where you can rent bi-cycles at a minimal price of $ 2.25 for a whole day and travel around the city without having to spend any amount on the visit to the next place for what you know. If you have already paid for your bi-cycle and can take it to anywhere in the city for the entire day.
Lately, there has been service launched with aim to travel quicker and at low cost within Kathmandu, Latitpur and Bhaktapur. You can easily ask for bike rides, searching online and travel cheaply. You can easily download apps from google and ask them to pick and drop. You will required to pay the exact amount as per they ask depending on the distance. You can easily share rides on bikes and scooters in Nepal using apps like Pathao, Tootle .
Yet again the price is variable and depends on your bargaining skills as shopkeepers have this tendency to quote heavy price when they see tourists.
Trekking/Tour
Now let’s discuss the actual topic of discussion and perhaps the main reason why you are in Nepal: TREKKING
There are a lot of travel and guide agencies in Nepal who provide Trekking and Sight Seeing Services. And against these services, they have a fixed price which you have to bear. So not much areas of saving money!!! Well there is still a way to save some money even on this one.
If you are a SOLO TRAVELER , you can always ask your agency/company for Partners. Confused! Let me explain. By asking for partners, you will be asking the Company to allocate you with other short groups. This means you ask they to join in fixed departure group.Now the question arises how will you save money when you will be paying in full for your tour or trek?
The real trick for cheap trekking in Nepal is, when you join in with a group(2), they will allocate one guide and porter. If you travel single also there will be one porter and one guide. This means if you join the group the cost for guide and porter will be same instead the cost will be shared with you. Did you get it ?
If you are single, they will send a guide and a porter. Let’s suppose 10 day trekking, where a guide will be paid $250 and a porter will be paid $200 i.e. total $450. If you join with a friend what will happen. Still there will be one guide and one porter but the cost you have to pay will be half of $450 which means $225 will be paid by you and another half by friend.
So, if you are coming in a group always ask them form discount. And if you travelling solo, always ask them to join you in a group. Isn’t it a trick to travel cheap in Nepal ?
Shopping:
What is the point of Traveling if you are not Shopping? Most people who like to travel also like to shop for exotic and exquisite things as a part of their traveling collection. Nepal being an ancient country, has many rare and ancient things to offer tourists.
However, there is a catch. And this is how you can save your money even while shopping and make your travel cheap in Nepal.
Do not shop anything from the touristic places like Thamel, Freak street, Patan, Bhaktapur, Bouddha and Pokhara. This is because the items here will be labeled with heavy price as I have already mentioned above that shopkeepers have this tendency to quote heavy price when they see tourists.
There are many places outside of these tourist areas like Kathmandu and Pokhara.
The major markets in Kathmandu are Ason, Newroad, Jawalakhel, and Lazimpat. And the major markets in Pokhara are Newroad, Chipledhunga.
Search for these local shops and go alone. Bargain the cost. Avoid taking local Nepalese people with you as they might set their commission with the Shopkeeper without telling you. So it’s best to bargain and purchase alone.
What should I buy in Nepal?
Things to buy in Nepal,
- Pashmina
- Stone and Bead Jewelry
- Handicrafts
- Tea and spices
- Puppet dolls
- Thangkas
- Khukuri
- Statues and Weird masks
- Singing Bowls
- Nepali carpet
- Tibetan prayer flags
- Lokta Paper Products
Conclusion:
Nepal is a fun place to visit and fulfill your adventures. Like rest of the places, Nepal also has expensive as well as cheap and affordable commodities. Now an important question arises How much does it cost per day in Nepal? Well if you search the internet, you will find many blogs of other bloggers who have already given an estimated cost of a day in Nepal. The average expenditure being $ 40 per day. But then it completely depends on you whether you want to spend a total of $ 40 or $ 400 a day?
Remember that you are the person who will be spending your money. So it completely depends on you whether you want to get the Ultimate fun with the least expenses or the maximum expenses.
If you get into any confusion regarding Cheap Travel in Nepal, Eco Holidays Nepal is always there to serve you with the best travel ideas! So, do comment on this article. We will be very happy if you do so.
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