Local Currency: The monetary unit is the Nepalese Rupee (Rs), divided into 100 paisa (p) which comes in coins. Bank-notes are available in denominations of one, two, five, 10, 20, 25, 50, 100, 500 & 1000 rupees. We suggest keeping small supply of small denomination rupee notes which comes very handy. For example, changing 1000 rupees note can be very difficult especially when away from the cities; at times in Kathmandu too where small businesses, rickshaw or taxi drivers do small scale buy/sale or simply don’t have sufficient spare money.

Money-changing: Exchange rates will always vary which are listed in the daily newspaper. For indication (as of Sep’09) approx US$1= NRs 75 & AU$1= NRs 62. The Kathmandu's Tribhuvan International Airport has exchange counters plus there are various banks/moneychangers around town providing official money-changing facilities. But changing travelers cheques can be complicated elsewhere in the country. A passport is required while changing money officially. A foreign exchange encashment receipt is also issued to you verifying your identity and the amount of the hard currency you have just changed; do not loose this receipt which is required to change rupees back into hard currency at banks. However, most moneychangers don’t require receipts and change rupees back into hard currency without receipts. The downstairs exchange counter at Kathmandu's Tribhuvan International Airport will also re-exchange the amount upon showing 'unused' exchange certificates.

Currency: All major international currencies are readily accepted that includes US dollar, Euro or pounds sterling in the urban areas. But Nepalese rupees run nearly all buy & sell in villages. Indian rupees is widely accepted in Nepal and easy to exchange; the exchange rate is (Indian Rupees) INRs 1 = (Nepalese Rupee) NRs 1.60. But be alert with INRs 500 or INRs 1000 notes which due to forgeries are not accepted anywhere in Nepal.

Credit Cards & ATM: All major credit cards are accepted at first-rated hotels, restaurants or fancy shops, souvenir stores, departmental stores in the Kathmandu or Pokhara only. Visa, MasterCard & Amex are most widely in use. Cash advances against Visa & MasterCard in Nepali rupees only (no commission) can be acquired from the branches of Standard Chartered Bank and some other banks such as Nabil Bank or Himalaya Bank, and will also sell you foreign currency travellers cheques against the cards with a 2% commission. ATMs are available in Kathmandu and Pokhara.

Moneychangers: Alongside banks there are licensed moneychangers in Kathmandu as well as in other cities like Pokhara, Birganj, Kakarbhitta, Sunauli/Bhairawa. Their rates are frequently lesser than banks but there are no commissions. These moneychangers remain open much longer hours (typically from 9am to 7pm daily) and also much faster; it takes merely not more than a few minutes to exchange money. An exchange receipt is provided by most licensed moneychangers, if they don't you may be able to negotiate better rates than those posted on their boards.

Nepal Govt. Regd. No. 64/066/067, SWC Affiliation No.28092, PAN No. 303812656.