Foreign Currency & Credit cards

Payment in hotels, travel agencies, and airlines are made in Foreign Exchange. Credit cards like American Express, Master and Visa are accepted at major hotels, shops, and restaurants. Remember to keep your foreign exchange encashment receipt while making foreign exchange payments or transferring foreign currency into Nepali rupees. The receipts may be needed to change leftover Nepali currency into hard currency before leaving the country.

However, only 10 percent of the total amount may be converted by the bank. ATM is widely in use in Kathmandu. Major banks, hotels and exchange counters at Tribhuvan International Airport provide services for exchanging foreign currency. Exchage Rates are published in English dailies such as The Rising Nepal, The Kathmandu Post and The Himalayan Times and around the city on boards outside of money exchanges. Nepali currency notes are found in denominations of Rupees 1000, 500, 100, 50, 20, 10, 5, 2 and 1. Coins are found in denominations of Rupees 5, 2 and 1. One rupee equals 100 paisa.