Getting a SIM in every place you go is a must nowadays! But how to get one? So while visiting Nepal I had the same thought that how to get a tourist SIM in Nepal !!
Locally when I go anywhere in my home country it has become a habit to use maps for directions. I drove my car to Kathmandu in June 2016 and had no clue about the roads and places to visit. To save myself from the hassle of going to cyber cafes or using untrusted Wi-Fi here and there, I decided to buy a local SIM in Kathmandu. Being the host of the only International airport in Nepal, Kathmandu becomes the starting point of many international tourists, which makes Kathmandu a very crowded and busy city.
Ncell Sim – One of the cellular network provider in Nepal
Kathmandu’s neighboring town Thamel also catches traveller’s eyes. It’s a dream shopping place for shopaholic tourists. All the important things can be bought here if you have forgotten something while packing. Trekking gears, clothes, souvenirs etc.
I bought my Sim from Thamel. ‘Nepal Telecom’ and ‘NCell’ are two big names in Nepal for providing a SIM card however Ncell is widely advertised. I decided to buy Ncell from a shop which only sells Ncell SIM cards. There are other shops selling SIMs but you can be cheated there and charged more.
Documents required buying a Sim in Nepal
- Copy of Passport
- Passport sized photograph
- Sim Registration form
- Copy of Visa (not required for Indians)
I bought a tourist SIM with a validity of 7 days. This tourist SIM provides mobile data and talktime both. However, I wanted more data so I got my talk time converted to data. You can ask the shopkeeper for help. The best part of this card is that roaming charges are not applied to it and can be used anywhere in Nepal. It also has good coverage in Mountain regions of Nepal. You will be required to give your fingerprints on the registration form. They will give you a stamp pad, so be ready to get your fingers ‘painted’. ;)
In June 2016, A sim with one-week validity and 250 MB internet data cost 150 NPR and the one with 500 MB data cost 300 NPR.
Check your phone’s compatibility with Sim
Before buying, make sure to check your phone’s compatibility in the shop itself. Ask the vendor if the SIM can work on your phone. Once the registration is done, they activate the SIM and it starts working within 15 minutes. It doesn’t cost much for Local calls and messages. You can save some local numbers for anytime support if required. Kathmandu’s Country code is +977.
