What not to do while in Nepal? Do’s & Don’t

Nepal is a beautiful country with warm people all around. You can enjoy various adventure activities in here and there are various things that you can try while you are in Nepal. But with all these to do things, there are few things that we suggest you not to do. Though we live in the single planet called earth, we have some differences that differentiate us from one another. The differences can be cross border differences, cultural differences, climatic differences and many more. With these differences arise some restrictions. Those restrictions can be associated with cultural restrictions or your adaption capacity or ambiguous meanings of same things/ gestures around the world. Therefore, if you are planning to visit Nepal, there are few things we suggest you not to do while in Nepal.

The things not to do while in Nepal are as follows:

• Do not trek alone – solo travelling might get risky

You might love travelling alone but it might not be a good choice if you are trekking in Nepal. The routes are risky and sparsely populated therefore if you face any problem during the travel, you may not have any one to support you. The risks of solo travelling can be you might get lost in the way or you may encounter some wild animals. You may also bump into an accident or suffer from altitude sickness. Therefore, travelling with a friend is highly recommended if you are travelling to Nepal.

• Be conscious about the food you eat

Some foods might look very tempting but it might not be good for you therefore be conscious of whatever you eat. Some street foods and others might be stale, spoilt or unhygienic and some food might not be suitable for you. Generally, the foods are spicy therefore you can have an upset stomach if you are not habitual to it.

• Adopt Eco friendly habits

After receiving so much pleasure of trekking in the lap of Mother Nature, it would be unjust to treat Mother Nature badly. We should put every effort to keep our surroundings clean and adopt Eco friendly habits. Some of the Eco friendly habits include cleaning up after enjoying lunch or dinner if you are opting for camping trek, using biodegradable substance as far as possible, etc. Do not throw waste garbage here and there on your path. Do not harm plants, birds or animals, follow the Eco friendly rules shared by fellow guide!

• Don’t enter inside the temple with shoes on

At Kathmandu, you will find temples in every corner of the city. If you wish to enter any one of the temple, just remember that you will have to take your shoes off before entering into temple (especially Hindu temple). It is a cultural ethic that one should follow. Entering inside the temple with shoes reflects disrespect.

• Be a little conscious while dressing up

Dress up is a matter of your taste and dislike however it is good to be a little conservative while travelling in Nepal especially in the rural areas. Generally, women in Nepal do not wear clothes that shows off your way too much. People may glare at you if you get a little explosive. You along with the people in surrounding may feel quite uncomfortable about the dressing if too much exposure.

• Namaste is the best way of greeting

Regardless of every other thing, the best way to greet anyone in Nepal is by saying Namaste. If you want to greet anyone especially women do not opt for handshake because still some people believe it to be quite disrespectful. In simple words, do not touch women while greeting. Though people have modernized but there are still many people who find it offensive.

• Public display of love between men and women can be awkward

People do not appreciate public display of love especially between men and women. Therefore, avoid being too close even with your partner if in public. Hugging or kissing your partner or friend in pubic can be awkward amongst the local people.

• Be careful while you show your benevolence to the beggars

It is good to be kind but be careful before you show your kindness towards beggars. This is because once you give anything to beggar, a group of beggar may surround you and ask for more. Sometimes they can be too annoying.

• Do not feed animals

We recommend you not to feed animals especially monkeys in Swayambhunath stupa and Pashupatinath temple because these creatures may go wild and you might end up in trouble.

• Use right hand while performing any act

If you are performing any act, make sure that you use right hand because in some cases use of left hand may mean disrespect. For example, giving anything to other with left hand denotes disrespect. Similarly, offering flowers in temples or giving something to people in need with left hand denotes disrespect. Similarly, using left hand for eating is not considered as a good habit.

• Do not walk carefree while walking in crowds

The crowds in Kathmandu might have some pickpocketers wandering around. Therefore, always be careful with your assets while walking in the crowds. Do not leave your luggage here and there carefree. Give special attention to your belongings to avoid the loss from pickpocketers.

Hence you are travelling to Nepal, be careful about the above mentioned things. Make sure that you end up doing only those things that are allowed in this nation.