Landing somewhere new can feel like a lot. Here is what happens at Kathmandu airport, step by step, so nothing comes as a surprise.
The essentials
Most nationalities can get a visa on arrival: US$30 for 15 days, US$50 for 30 days, US$125 for 90 days.
Bring US dollars in cash for the visa fee, to be safe.
Your passport should be valid for more than six months.
Tourist SIM counters are between immigration and customs.
A prepaid taxi to Thamel costs around NPR 900.
Your visa
All our sources agree on the fees, and every visa is multiple entry.
Sources disagree on payment: the Nepal Tourism Board says US dollars or another convertible currency, and cards; the Nepal embassy in Ottawa says US dollars in cash; Wikivoyage says euros, pounds, yuan and Australian dollars are also taken. Bring US dollars in cash to be safe.
You can fill in the arrival form online before you travel at nepaliport.immigration.gov.np. Bring a passport-size photo with a light background too.
You can stay up to 150 days in a visa year. Extensions cost US$45 for the first 15 days, then US$3 a day; overstaying costs US$5 a day (Tourism Board).
Citizens of Bangladesh, Bhutan, the Maldives, Pakistan and Sri Lanka get up to 30 days free on their first visit in a visa year. Chinese citizens and children under 10 (except US citizens) are free too.
The Tourism Board says citizens of Nigeria, Ghana, Zimbabwe, Eswatini, Cameroon, Somalia, Liberia, Ethiopia, Iraq, Palestine, Afghanistan, Iran and Syria, and refugee travel document holders, can't get a visa on arrival, so please arrange one before you travel.
Step by step at the airport
At a kiosk, fill in the arrival form; it takes your photo and scans your passport.
Pay the visa fee, keep the receipt, and take it with your passport to the immigration desk.
Collect your bags, then go through customs. This order is from Wikivoyage (April 2023).
Queues can take around an hour, so please allow for that if someone is meeting you.
SIM card
Ncell sells tourist SIMs at the airport, Ncell centres and shops; bring your original passport.
Ncell TouristPro plans cost NPR 595 for 7 days, NPR 995 for 14 days or NPR 1,995 for 28 days, with unlimited data and calls (slower after a fair-use limit) and 100 SMS. A tourist eSIM is also sold online.
Going trekking? Wikivoyage says NTC has better coverage on trekking routes. An NTC SIM costs around NPR 100 in Kathmandu.
Cash and ATMs
There is an ATM next to immigration and three exchange counters in arrivals.
Airport rates are worse than in Thamel, so you may like to change just enough to reach your hotel. Keep your receipts to change money back later.
Getting into town
Thamel is about 5.5 km away, and taxis run 24 hours.
A prepaid taxi from the counter costs around NPR 900; you pay the driver on arrival. If the driver asks for more, you don't need to pay it.
A taxi negotiated outside costs around NPR 650, often plus about NPR 150 for foreigners.
inDrive works with an international phone number. Pathao and Tootle need a Nepali number.
On a budget, local buses cost around NPR 10 from about 0.5 km outside the airport gate, and Sajha Yatayat buses serve the terminal.
General guidance from the sources listed, not a guarantee. Rules, fees and trail conditions change; confirm with the official source or a registered trekking agency before you go.