Nepal has decided to allow Trekking and Mountaineering activities for foreign visitors from October 17, 2020. The Department of Immigration has decided to resume all its regular visa services from September 13, 2020. Visa will be regulated as per their prior notice dated 17th August 2020, without any late fees and penalties till September 27, 2020.

Prince Khalifa, a member of the Bahraini Royal Family and commander of the Bahraini Royal Guards, is first tourists to visit Nepal after lockdown. He is leading the team to climb Mt. Lobuche (6119m) and Mt. Manaslu (8163m). The team is in quarantine in a hotel in Kathmandu for a week prior to the commencement of their expedition, following Nepal’s current quarantine provisions for foreign arrivals.

After a six-month-long Covid-19 lockdown, as a part of gradual opening and as per the Government of Nepal's decision to allow the operation of domestic flights, intercity buses, hotels, restaurants, and other tourism businesses to reopen from September 17, 2020; domestic tourism movements have restarted now.

The tourism businesses have to follow the aligned health and safety protocols in operation, and the government has set up an effective monitoring mechanism to enhance travelers' confidence and ensure safe travel experiences.

After the reopening of the tourism, the service providers in the destinations including Kathmandu, Pokhara, Chitawan, Lumbini, Annapurna, Everest, Langtang, Ilam, Bardiya, and others are getting encouraging inquiries and bookings from domestic travelers.

The mountains, trekking routes, and national parks in Nepal, being naturally isolated in destination, clear the way for tourism activities to resume again with the necessary health and safety protocols in place.

The recent visit to Nepal by the Prince of Bahrain, HRH Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa, with his expedition team, at this juncture would be an inspiration to the mountaineers and nature lovers around the world who are seeking to rejuvenate themselves in Naturally Nepal!!

News and Photo Courtesy: PATA