Cultural Do's and Dont's when traveling to Nepal

Even if you have the best of intentions, when travelling to a new country is it often easy to offend people without even realising it. So here's my list of Nepali do's and don'ts I have learnt over the years of being in Nepal so you can learn a few of the local customs before you arrive here... Some are obvious and common sense, but a few are a little bit stranger!!

·         Always say 'Namaste' - the most common greeting in Nepal. Make sure you put your hands together in the prayer position when you say it.

·         Do not pat people on the top of their heads as this is seen as the most sacred part of the body.

·         Take your shoes off before entering a temple or some bodies home. When you do take your shoes off make sure they are facing the right way up (Nepali superstition!).

·         Don't touch food with your left hand. This is considered your dirty hand. Most Nepali people eat with their hands rather than cutlery.

·         Along the same lines...only pass money, and shake hands with you right hand. You shouldn't touch people with your left hand

·         When sharing a water bottle, you shouldn't let it touch your lips, but rather pour from above (this takes quite a bit of skill and practise but is a much more hygienic way of sharing water.

·         Do not point at a person (or statue) with a finger or foot.

·         Be careful with your feet! You shouldn't sit with your soles pointing at anyone, or step over someone seated on the floor.

·         Foreigners are often not allowed inside many Hindu temples, so make sure you ask permission before you entering.

·         It is common for Nepali's to slurp their tea. It is also common for them the spit and make a hacking noise from the back of their throats. Not something I have ever gotten used to , but it isn't considered rude.

·         Car horns are normal and actually make driving safer in Nepal. If you hear a horn, don't jump or do anything erratic, the driver is simply telling you that he is there and about to over take you.

·         Do not eat from another persons plate, it is considered rude.

·         If you visit a family home for dinner, it is normal for the mother to serve every one (several times!) and she will eat last when everyone else has finished.

·         People do not commonly use their names here, but rather there relationship to each other. For example you wouldn't call out 'Tom' but rather 'Brother' (Dai in Nepali)

·         Cover up. Make sure you dress appropriately, especially in places of worship. Even if it's hot, men should not walk around bare chested.

·         When women are menstruating they eat and sleep alone. They are not allowed to enter the kitchen or temples.

·         Haggling is common practice in many shops (although not for water, or in supermarkets etc). Be polite and enjoy it!

·         Be aware of 'Nepali time'! Things in Nepal move very slowly and it is not uncommon for people to be 30 minutes late. Relax, be flexible and enjoy the pace of life here.

·         No displays of public affection please between same sexes please! Although it is no problem for men to walk around holding hands.

·         Being called fat is not an insult. And you will hear it a lot, even if you are not fat. In Nepal, it is a compliment! (The word for fat is 'Motti' or 'Motto')

·         You will find it hard to get beef in Nepal (only in tourist restaurants in Pokhara and Kathmandu it is served) but the local alternative is Water Buffalo.

·         You will notice many people will answer a question with a 'head bobble', basically wobbling their head from side to side, this means they are in agreement with you.

·         Do not be offended if a gist you are given is left unopened. It is seen as impolite to open a gift in from of the person who gave it.

·         When visiting temples make sure you go around them in a clockwise direction.

·         Once you venture out of the main cities, you will most likely get a lot of stares. They are not being rude, they are just interested, so smile and be polite.

·         Any finally - Nepalese have many superstitions, try to follow them where you can; if you drop rice, do not walk on it, it is considered rude to the Hindu Gods. The number 3 is considered unlucky.  If going on a long journey your family will usually give you a blessing first and only travel on certain days. Many homes and shops will have dangling chillies and lemons to protect from bad spirits. You shouldn't cut your toenails at night.

If you think I've missed anything, feel free to email me on info@grgadventurekayaking.com and I can add them in! For more tips on what to do before you travel to Nepal have a look at our website. 

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Top Tips on Responsible Travel

No matter what you are doing in your destination of choice, kayaking, trekking, volunteering, paragliding or simply chilling out and sightseeing; There are a few things that we can all do to avoid causing offence or harming the environment and to be a responsible traveler. Remember, your actions count. Here are up top tips to make you a more ethical traveler!!

·         Understand and respect local cultures, traditions and holy places. You would be mortified to think that you had offended anyone when you arrive so it's worth knowing some of the local cultures. For example in Nepal, it is rude to shake hands, exchange money or eat using your left hand (as this is your dirty hand), it is also frowned upon to touch children on the top of their heads and you should always take off your shoes before entering a monastery. Read more about Nepali cultures and etiquette. 

·         Buy locally - If you want to buy your own food or get some snacks, get out of the big western supermarket and buy straight from the market. It's the same produce and you will be helping small businesses survive. You will most likely get a better price and you get the fun of wandering around the markets and meeting locals.

·         Ditch the plastic- Many countries do not have recycling facilities and if your drinking 3 litres a day for 2 weeks that's a whopping 84 bottles that will end up in a landfill somewhere. Bring (or buy) a refillable water bottle and use it as much as possible. In Nepal, many shops now have clean drinking water that you can get from a jar for just 10 rupees a litre (half the price of buying a plastic bottle)

·         Ask before taking a photo- It's common curtsey. You wouldn't like someone taking a photo of you going about your day to day business, so ask. They may say yes they may say no. If they do say no, say thank you and walk away. Most people don't mind. But it's always nice to ask first.

·         Carefully think about the souvenirs you buy- Make sure the items you buy have a legal and documented history and that they aren't stolen and are safe to be exported. You should also make sure you are not supporting activities that damage the environment or are a result of illegal activity. Make sure you are not buying a souvenir made from ivory, endangered hard woods, ancient artefacts or endangered animals.

·         Respect the environment- Our main goal is to 'leave no trace'. When your trekking, stick to the paths, don't pick any flowers or damage any trees. If your camping out, consider carefully where you will put your campfire and only use drift wood so as not to encourage de-forestation.

·         Learn a little language and get involved! -  Start with 'hello' and 'thank you'. In Nepali 'Namaste' and 'Dhanybhad'. It makes a world of difference and people really appreciate it. Read our full Nepali Language Guide.

Read more about what we do as a company to be a responsible travel company 

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Interview on Muchbetteradventures...

 

Muchbetteradventures is a travel website that is dedicated in only listing responsible travel companies. GRG have been an approved member of this site for over three years (in fact we took Tom, one of the partners on a rafting trip in Nepal not too long ago!)

 Here's a link to an article they published about GRG's a while ago.