ATM in Nepal - Cash and money in Himalaya

ATM in Nepal

The major concern of travelers is often the way to get money from their bank account back home while in Nepal. An easy way is to get it from ATM machine with their VISA or Mastercard card. In a very tourist oriented country as Nepal, it's quite easy to find an ATM machine in major cities but still impossible along the trek routes that you might want to do during your stay in Nepal. For example, we suggest you bring a credit card that allows you to get some cash from ATM machine as well as the card of your own bank. Most of the ATM machine in Thamel or in Pokhara city use either CIRRUS system and/or PLUS system and are suitable for most of the foreign cards holders. Keep in mind to bring some travellers check or cash for security reason. In May 2010 the unwise maoist strike for 6 days shut down all bank ATM and system making impossible to get some cash for tourist. The only way to get money was to seek for hidden money changer in the city.

In Kathmandu, you can easily find many ATM machine. Nevertheless many of them shows the symbol of the different card they accept but it's not always accurate and you might have to try in many ATM machine before it works. The most reliable ATM machine seems the Chartered Standard Bank that has a few ATM machine in majors cities of Nepal. In Pokhara, you just have to walk on lake Side and find plenty of them near the Monsoon Cafe and Busy Bee bar.

It's also possible to pay with your credit card in major hotel and restaurant where the price reach the western standard.

In conclusion you shouldn't get any problem finding an ATM while travelling in Nepal. Be aware of getting some money before going on a trek because you won't find any way to get ATM machine on your way. You can calculate a 10/15 Euros per day of trek and you won't run out of money. But be safe and bring an amount of cash or travellers check for unplanned situations. In general, getting some cash must work quite well and you should have problem funding your trip to Nepal but the unstable political situation make that if you hear a strike must happen, organise yourself and get some safety money. We never know how long the Maoist party will call a strike and you might be stocked for a long time in a pretty primitive place if you don't have the money to get out.