Kathmandu and the lakeside town of Pokhara are the gateways to some of the world's great treks, from Everest Base Camp to the Annapurna Circuit, while Chitwan National Park offers jungle safaris in the lowlands. The signal is good in the cities and in many villages along the main trekking routes, but it becomes unreliable high in the mountains. As Nepal is outside the EU's Roam Like at Home area, European plans generally apply a daily roaming charge there.
Key facts for Nepal
- EU roaming: not covered by Roam Like at Home
- Local networks: Ncell (depending on the plan)
- Emergency numbers: police 100; ambulance 102; tourist police 1144
- Embassies: in Kathmandu
Arriving in Kathmandu
Visas are available on arrival at Kathmandu airport, and filling in the application form online before you fly shortens the queue. Traffic in the capital is slow and dusty, so allow plenty of time for transfers, and use ride apps such as Pathao or inDrive instead of haggling with taxi drivers.
Trekking rules and signal on the trails
Since 2023, trekkers in most national parks and conservation areas, including the Annapurna region, must walk with a licensed guide; the Everest region applies its own rules, so check the latest before you book. Villages on the main routes usually have mobile signal and many teahouses sell Wi-Fi, but coverage disappears in high valleys and on the passes. Download offline maps and tell your guide or teahouse where you are heading each day.
Altitude
Above about 3,000 metres, climb slowly, sleep no more than 500 metres higher each night and build in rest days. If a headache, nausea or breathlessness gets worse, go down. Check that your insurance covers helicopter evacuation at the altitudes you will reach.
Flights to Lukla
Flights to Lukla, the starting point for most Everest treks, depend on the weather and are often delayed, and in the busy seasons many of them leave from Ramechhap, several hours' drive from Kathmandu. Keep spare days in your plans.
Monsoon and floods
The monsoon, roughly from June to September, brings landslides that block roads and trails. In August 2026, floods badly damaged roads and communications in Rasuwa district, on the way to the Langtang valley, so check local conditions before going there.
Paying
Away from Kathmandu and Pokhara, cash is what counts: teahouses on the trails take Nepalese rupees only, and cash machines are rare once you leave the trailheads.
Getting connected
A travel eSIM is installed at home and starts working as you land at Kathmandu's Tribhuvan airport, so you can arrange your transfer straight away, while your own SIM stays on for texts and bank codes. An Asia plan also covers India if you are combining the two countries.
Nepali prepaid SIMs from Ncell or Nepal Telecom are sold at the airport and in Thamel; you need your passport and a photo.
Consular protection: who to call in Nepal
- In an emergency, call 100 for the police or 102 for an ambulance. The tourist police, who speak good English, answer on 1144.
- Embassies are in Kathmandu. The Telcomia app shows yours, with address and phone.
- If you are an EU citizen and your country has no embassy or consulate in Nepal, the embassy of any other EU country must help you on the same terms as its own nationals (Article 23 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the EU).
Questions travellers ask about Nepal
Does my EU plan work in Nepal?
Roam Like at Home does not cover Nepal, so you pay your operator's roaming rate.
Is there signal on the treks?
In most villages on the main routes, yes; on high passes and in remote valleys, often not.
Which networks does a Telcomia eSIM use in Nepal?
Ncell, with 4G where available.
Do I need a guide to trek?
In most national parks and conservation areas, yes; check the current rules for the Everest region.
The short version
Get the eSIM ready before you fly, book a licensed guide for your trek, climb slowly above 3,000 metres, carry rupees in cash for the trails, and save 100 and 1144.
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