Nepal

Do South Africans need a visa for Nepal?

Yes — and it’s one of the simplest. South African passport holders get a visa on arrival at Kathmandu’s Tribhuvan airport and the main land borders, or you can apply online beforehand to speed up the queue. The tourist visa comes in three tiers: US$30 for 15 days, US$50 for 30 days, or US$125 for 90 days, paid in cash (US dollars) at the counter.

Bring a passport valid six-plus months, a passport photo, and roughly the right cash (exact-ish dollars save hassle). The 90-day visa is multiple-entry; for the shorter ones, ask if you need multiple entry. That’s the whole visa story — no embassy, no fuss.

What it costs (in rand)

Nepal is genuinely cheap — budget roughly R250–420 a day for comfortable budget travel, and trekkers on teahouse routes often spend even less. Food, guesthouses and local transport cost very little. The planned costs are trekking permits (TIMS card and the relevant conservation/national-park permit) and, if you take one, a guide and porter — which are affordable and, on some routes, now compulsory. Kathmandu and Pokhara have everything from backpacker dorms to comfortable midrange hotels at low prices.

When to go

The two trekking high seasons are autumn (October–November) — the most popular, with clear mountain views and stable weather — and spring (March–May), when the rhododendrons bloom. Winter (December–February) is cold at altitude but fine lower down and very quiet. Avoid the June–September monsoon for trekking: trails are wet, leech-ridden and the big peaks are usually hidden in cloud.

Getting around

Kathmandu to Pokhara is the main internal route — by tourist bus (cheap, slow, scenic) or a short domestic flight. Mountain flights to Lukla (for Everest) are weather-dependent and best booked with buffer days. In the cities, taxis (agree the fare) and the Pathao app handle getting around. For any trek, sort travel insurance that explicitly covers high-altitude trekking and helicopter evacuation — most standard policies don’t, and you do not want to discover that at 4,000 m. Check the wording of your travel insurance carefully.

What to actually do

For most people Nepal means trekking — the Annapurna and Everest regions are the classics, with shorter options like Poon Hill or the Langtang valley if you’re tight on time or acclimatisation. But it’s not only mountains: the Kathmandu Valley is dense with UNESCO temples and durbar squares, Pokhara is a lakeside base for paragliding and easy day hikes, and Chitwan in the lowlands offers rhino and tiger safaris. Pace the altitude and you’ll enjoy it far more.

Honest take

Nepal delivers world-class mountains at backpacker prices, and the visa on arrival makes arrival painless — just bring US-dollar cash and the right trekking insurance. Compare flights early since most routes connect through the Gulf or India (search routes here), and land with a data eSIM for the cities (signal thins out on the trails).