Himalayan Kingdoms of Nepal and Bhutan with Pokhara and Bandipur Mini Tour - Private Tour

The order of events and sightseeing may vary according to local conditions or for operational purposes. For this reason, we have indicated approximate times only. Your local guide will inform you of any schedule changes as they are informed of them. The driving times listed are point to point and do not include the duration of excursions or stops en route. Some road construction and/or weather conditions may lengthen the driving times. Our intention is to adhere to the day-to-day itinerary as printed; however order of events and sightseeing may vary according to local conditions.

If booking more than 12 weeks before departure a deposit of £295.00pp will need to be paid at the time of booking with the full amount payable at 12 weeks prior to departure. The deposit applies to adults and children. If you are within 12 weeks of travel then the full balance of the holiday will be payable.

Nepal visa requirements

British passport holders can now obtain their Nepal visa prior to departure for Approx £25 per person on this website https://nepaliport.immigration.gov.np/online A Nepalese visa can also be purchased on arrival into Kathmandu; but you will need to complete and download a form from the Nepal Embassy website and present this completed form on arrival at immigration together with your payment (currently USD $30). You must print the form with the barcode and take it with you for arrival. The barcode is only valid up to 15 days after issue so please complete this form within 2 weeks of travel. You will also need to complete an ‘arrival card’ at the airport. We recommend you check the following website before travelling for all the most up to date advice, requirements and any changes uk.nepalembassy.gov.np. We strongly advise you to check with your destinations’ Tourist Board or Embassy for the most up-to-date guidelines regarding required passport validity.

Bhutan visa requirements

Your passport must have an expiry date of at least six months after the date you arrive into Bhutan. British Citizens require a visa for Bhutan but Mercury Holidays will obtain it for you. The Mercury Holidays representative will give this to you before you depart Nepal. To process the Bhutan visa, we require a colour copy of your passport page containing your passport number and picture in either a JPEG or PDF format to be emailed to mypassport@mercuryholidays.com a minimum of 45 days prior to departure. You also need to send us a colour copy of one passport size photo with a white background as well as a colour copy of your insurance confirmation including the company name and policy number. You need to make sure you request a multiple entry visa for Nepal. Failure to send us this information on time could result in you not being able to travel on your holiday and Mercury Holidays will not be liable for your lost holiday. Bhutan requires all visitors to pay a Government Sustainable Development Fee (SDF). This fee is already included in the total cost of your tour.

Please note we will require your API/Passport information at least 2 months in advance to help with obtaining your Bhutan Visa, this can be uploaded via our website on "Manage My Booking".

We strongly recommend that you and all members of your party are suitably insured as soon as you book your holiday. It is a condition of booking that you must have suitable travel insurance. It is important that you purchase travel insurance that suitably covers your participation in whatever activities you may undertake at the time that you make your booking. To assist you with this, we have arranged travel insurance in partnership with Holiday Extras, including up to a 20% discount, which is given to all Mercury Holidays customers. To arrange your insurance with Holiday Extras, please visit https://www.mercuryholidays.co.uk/info/insurance for more details. Please ensure you provide us with the name of your insurer, policy number and their 24 hour emergency contact number as soon as possible. Mercury Holidays will not be liable for any costs incurred by you due to your failure to take out suitable travel insurance from the date of booking.

It is your responsibility to check any health and vaccination requirements applicable to your booked arrangements. We can only provide general information about this. Health and hygiene facilities and disease risks vary from country to country. You should take health advice about your own needs as early as possible and in good time before your departure. Sources of information include; www.fco.gov.uk, http://travelhealthpro.org.uk/, www.hpa.org.uk, your General Practitioner or a specialist clinic.

Altitude Sickness

Altitude sickness is a fairly common condition that can occur when you ascend to a high altitude (generally higher than 2,500 metres above sea level) quickly. The decrease in atmospheric pressure can make breathing more difficult as the body is not able to take in as much oxygen. Most cases are mild with symptoms that can include: headache, nausea, dizziness and exhaustion. Several of the places on your trekking holiday are located at high altitude. Therefore, you may find you experience some symptoms at this altitude. It is advised that at these high altitudes, you keep hydrated and avoid alcohol. If you do experience symptoms of altitude sickness during your tour, ensure you tell your guide immediately who will be able to advise the best thing for you to do. It is advisable to consult your doctor before your holiday for any advice on the effects of altitude sickness and if you have any health problems that this could affect. It is advisable to carry the name, address and telephone details of your GP, in the event of becoming unwell your insurance company may require this information.

All our tours feature a “Tour Pace” to help find the right holiday for you. To travel on any of our tours requires unaided mobility and the ability to stroll around the sights, climb stairs and get on and off coaches and boats. The tour pace of Himalayan Kingdoms of Nepal and Bhutan is rated Challenging due to the tour being packed with activities and experiences. A good level of fitness is required as you may be on your feet for approximately four hours in a day, though this will be interspersed with regular breaks and will vary from day to day. You will be walking around the sights, and you will be getting on and off coaches, trains and boats and climbing steps which may be irregular. You will stay in variety of hotels throughout the tour. Our guides will always endeavour to provide the highest level of service and assistance; however, they cannot be expected to cater for customers who are unfit to complete the itinerary.

The currency in Nepal is the Nepalese Rupee or NPR, divided into 100 paisa. US dollars are also often accepted should you wish to keep an alternative currency on you.

The currency in Bhutan is Bhutanese Ngultrum and is officially pegged to the Indian Rupee. Also, the Indian Rupee is acceptable all over Bhutan. There are ATMs in Bhutan but currently, they only operate with their respective Bhutanese banks. Since these ATMs currently do not function with outside banks, ATM facilities can't be used by visitors. Traveller's checks/cash are the best option so please ensure you have enough currency with you when you travel.

As normal practice you may be asked for your credit card details on check-in at the hotel in order to cover any extras incurred during your stay. If you do not have a credit card, you may be asked for a cash deposit. MasterCard and Visa are widely accepted in hotels.

You will need to take some extra money with you to cover any personal purchases, such as souvenirs, laundry and extra drinks and snacks. Approximately £100 - £200 will be sufficient for the duration of the tour. It is a good idea to try and maintain a supply of small notes and change in the local currency for tipping or small purchases.

Tipping

It is at your customary to tip your guide and driver. This is at your discretion but we recommend you allow approximately £3 in local currency per person per day. This will be collected at the end of your tour for your convenience. Tips are accepted in the local currency, US dollars and British pounds.

This is a fully escorted tour, meaning that you will be met on arrival by your national guide who will remain with you for the duration of your trip ensuring that you have first-hand knowledge at all times. You will have one guide for Nepal and one guide for Bhutan.

Private Tour: If you have booked a private tour then you will be accompanied by a Driver Guide or a Driver and Local Guides. These will be available to you during all scheduled sightseeing. Private Tours can depart on any day of the week depending on flight and train schedules and the opening days of the attractions. They will follow the itinerary as described in the brochure unless you have been advised otherwise and you will still have all of the same meals, sightseeing and local excursions included.

Safari vehicles

Your safari will be taken in a canter, this is a large open roofed truck that seats up to 8 people. Safari drivers take you to areas of the park where wildlife are more likely to be seen but as with all wildlife experiences nothing can be guaranteed. Please note that many paths inside the park are bumpy and dusty.

Your accommodation is selected for convenience, location, comfort or character. Hotel accommodation is generally rated as local three to four-star standard, but please note there is no international classification system for hotels, and differences in facilities and quality do exist between the UK and Nepal. All group tours hotels have private bathroom facilities and air-conditioning, where needed. Rest assured that all accommodation used by Mercury Holidays is regularly inspected by our staff and partners to ensure that standards meet your needs. Please note some hotels in Bhutan do not have air-conditioning. A triple room is available but please note that this will be a twin room with a fold away bed for the 3rd passenger.

Breakfast is generally a combination of western and Indian style and served in the hotel each morning. A variety of restaurants are visited giving you the chance to experience a range of local dishes and flavours.

Please contact Customer Experience for questions about other dietary requirements or allergy information. Vegetarian and non-spicy meal options are available, all meal requests need to be sent over to our suppliers before travel.

It is not recommended to drink the tap water, even in developed countries water may contain unfamiliar elements that can cause upset stomachs. In less developed countries water is not filtered in the same way. A bottle of water is supplied per day

Please note that plastic bottles are banned in the national parks so keep a reusable water bottle for your tour.

On your arrival in Nepal you will be met by a representative from our local agent, NEC Travels and Tours Ltd, holding a sign displaying: “Mercury Holidays”. The Mercury Holidays/Nepal representative will show you to your transfer vehicle. Your guide will be on hand 24 hours a day should you have any queries.

If you need to contact NEC Travels & Tour during your stay the details are: Madan Adhikari Office: 00977 1 4700 771 Mobile: 00977 985 1093896/9841281454

Contact email address for NEC Travels & Tours Pvt Ltd info@nectravels.com/madanadhikari@gmail.com

• Sunglasses, sunscreen and hat in summer or cap
• Warm clothing and thermals in winter
• Lightweight clothing
• Comfortable walking shoes
• Camera and charger
• An electric plug converter - three different plug sockets are used, so it is best to bring a multi adapter
• Personal first aid kit containing travel pills, rehydration powder, plasters, stomach settlers, antiseptic creams, aspirin etc
• Loo paper for public WCs