Useful Mobile Apps in Nepal for Travelers
Nepal, especially Kathmandu, can be a chaotic and peaceful place at the same time. There are a couple of apps that come in handy to navigate life in Nepal, whether you live here or just traveling through.
I have been visiting and periodically living in Nepal since 2015, and I have found that there are a few apps that make life here so much easier, whether you want to book a taxi, order food, get around on public transport, top up your phone or order online.
If you are traveling to Nepal, some of the most important mobile apps to have are Pathao and InDrive for taxi, maps.me and mapy.cz for offline maps while trekking, Pathao for ordering food, Baato Maps for public bus route planner, and apps for mobile network providers.
Useful Mobile Apps in Nepal
Taxi Apps in Nepal
Although there is no uber in Nepal, there are other reliable taxi apps that work great. These include taxi apps such as Pathao, inDrive, Taximandu and Tootle.
Pathao and InDrive tend to be the most popular taxi apps in Nepal but the others work just as well.
- Kathmandu: Pathao, InDrive, Taximandu and Tootle
- Pokhara: InDrive, Pathao
- Other cities in Nepal: Pathao has been expanded to operate in major cities in Nepal beyond Kathmandu and Pokhara, including Bharatpur (Chitwan), Janakpur and many more. In case you are visiting a place where taxi apps are not available, then generally, there are taxis or tuktuks that you can hail.
There are two types of taxis you can book through the taxi apps in Nepal: car or motorbike.
The motorbike taxi is the cheapest, around Rs. 100-150/trip within Kathmandu. While the car taxi is also still considered pretty cheap compared to taxi prices in Europe (around Rs. 400-500/trip).
After you book your trip, the driver usually calls you to confirm the pick up location. Not all the drivers can speak English, so just keep repeating “I am at the pick up location” as they will understand that and come pick you up.
After that, you can track the car as it nears to your pick up point. It is best if you have the exact cash as the driver may not have change to give you back.
Mobile Networks in Nepal
Two of the network providers in Nepal are NCell or Nepal Telecom. I found their coverage is more or less the same, but if you go trekking, then the coverage of Nepal Telecom is better in the mountains.
Either network you choose, it is best to download their mobile app as well. If you have their app, you will be able to track your data usage or top up your data.
You can buy recharge cards in small shops or top up your number through the app. After you top up your phone, check for the best data top up deals within the app.
Ncell
Nepal Telecom
Public Bus Route Planner
Getting around Kathmandu by public bus can seem a bit chaotic at first. I usually recommend taking the public bus only if you are staying in Kathmandu for a long period of time.
If you are just in Kathmandu for a couple of days, using taxi apps like Pathao will save you time and having to bargain for taxi prices.
If you are ready to brave the Kathmandu traffic and public bus, then the Baato Maps app gives a good idea on the bus routes.
In general, there are few actual stops that are clearly marked as a bus stop in Kathmandu and often you will just have to hail the bus on the side of the road.
Baato Maps
Food Delivery Apps in Nepal
There are two Nepali apps that work well for food delivery: Foodmandu and Pathao (through Pathao you can order both food and taxis).
It is best to have the exact amount of cash for the food and a little bit extra if you want to tip the delivery person.
Pathao
Foodmandu
Nepali Calendar Apps
Do you want to follow the upcoming Nepali holidays? Check out the Hamro Patro app that has a calendar with all the upcoming Nepali holidays marked in red.
Although, it is partially in Nepali, you will be able to spot the public holidays marked in red letters.
Hamro Patro
Offline Maps
If you are going trekking in Nepal, make sure to download one of these offline map apps. These apps are the best for checking trekking routes offline.
You will have to download the specific maps beforehand, and afterwards, you will be able to load the map without needing a network or wifi connection.
I usually use maps.me while trekking in Nepal and it has been working great.
Maps.me
Mapy.cz
Air Quality
The air pollution can reach incredibly high levels in Kathmandu and become very unhealthy. In this app, you can keep track of the air quality in Kathmandu and other cities in Nepal.
If you spend a lot of time walking outside, it is generally best to wear a face mask so as to protect you from inhaling the dusty, polluted air. If you don’t have a reusable face mask, the price of a surgical mask is around Rs. 5-10.
IQAir AirVisual
Digital Payment Apps in Nepal
Payments through digital wallets have become very popular in Nepal in the last few years.
Mobile apps in Nepal such as eSewa, Fonepay and Khalti are accepted widely in shops, restaurants and hotels. These apps can also be used to top up your phone, buy tourist bus tickets or cinema tickets.
These Nepali apps are best if you are staying in Nepal long-term (or at least a couple of months).
I usually use eSewa to buy tourist bus tickets for my trips. It is pretty easy once you set it up – check out my guide on how to set up eSewa and book bus tickets online.
eSewa
Fonepay
Khalti
Online Shopping in Nepal
There is not really Amazon delivery in Nepal. Some businesses can get items delivered through Amazon to Nepal but to be honest the process seems a bit too much hassle.
Nepal’s local solution to online shopping is through Daraz. It does not have as wide-range of choices as Amazon but it is reliable.
Daraz
When ordering through Daraz, the delivery is quick and the items are usually delivered within 1-2 days.
The good thing about Daraz is that you can choose the option to pay cash on delivery. I recommend to choose the option to pay cash on delivery so that you only pay once your item is delivered.
Tips when ordering from Daraz:
Sometimes, Daraz does not deliver the exact item that you purchased. For example, they send the item you ordered but in a different colour.
For this reason, it is best if you open the package while the delivery guy is still there. If you did not receive the exact same item, you can return it with the delivery guy straight away.
Track Earthquakes
Nepal is prone to various natural hazards, including flooding, landslides and earthquakes. In general, there is no early warning system for earthquakes in Nepal.
So, these apps do not work as an early warning, they simply send a notification after any earthquake has happened around the world.
You can set the notifications to only show earthquakes above magnitude 5. If any earthquakes happen in Nepal, you will be able to see it in one of these apps afterwards to check the epicentre and magnitude.
My Earthquake Alerts
Earthquake
- Earthquake on the Apple Store
- Earthquake app on Google Play: currently unavailable
Digital Newspaper Apps
When you are abroad, it can be nice to stay up-to-date with news, especially to follow news in the country your are staying in.
Two of the biggest English language newspapers in Nepal are the Himalayan Times and the Kathmandu Post. The Kathmandu Post has apps that you can use, but for the Himalayan Times, it’s best to just check their website.
The Kathmandu Post
Himalayan Times
- Himalayan Times website. Not available on Google Play or the Apple Store.
FAQs: Mobile Apps in Nepal
In which cities is Pathao available in Nepal?
Pathao is available in all major cities in Nepal, including Kathmandu and Pokhara. Initially, Pathao was only available in Kathmandu, but it has since expanded its operations across Nepal.
How much is the fare per km for Pathao?
For motorbike taxi, the base fare is Rs. 30 per km, plus, Rs. 18.50 fare per km. For car taxis, the base fare is Rs. 125, plus, Rs. 50 fare per km.
Does InDrive work in Nepal?
Yes, InDrive works in Nepal. It’s service is limited only to major cities in Nepal, such as Kathmandu, Pokhara and Bharatpur (Chitwan). The fares on InDrive is slightly cheaper than on Pathao, but I have found the service is better on Pathao and the small saving on InDrive is not worth it for me.
What are the most popular Nepali apps?
The most popular Nepali apps are Pathao for ordering taxis and food, eSewa and Fonepay for digital payments, and NCell/Nepal Telecom for Nepali mobile network providers.
Are there any shopping apps in Nepal?
Amazon is not available in Nepal for online shopping but it has Daraz, which is a Nepali equivalent to Amazon. There are not as many items on Daraz as on Amazon but the service is reliable and usually delivers within 2 days.
Are there any Nepali calendar apps?
Yes, Hamro Patro is one of the most popular Nepali calendar apps. On Hamro Patro, you can follow the dates and holidays according both to the Nepali calendar (Bikram Sambat) and the Gregorian calendar.
Conclusion
In conclusion, there are a couple of useful Nepali apps that are good to have while traveling in Nepal.
The most useful mobile apps in Nepal include taxi apps (Pathao, InDrive), mobile network apps (NCell or Nepal Telecom) and offline map apps (Maps.me).
When booking a taxi, I prefer to use Pathao over InDrive, but InDrive has slightly lower prices. The InDrive drivers keep asking for extra money at the end of the ride (even though the price is fixed), and so I don’t like its service that much.
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