Essential Apps for Nepal Travel
At a glance
Taxi, maps, translation, trekking — 12 must-haves for Nepal.
TL;DR – Install These Right Away
| Category | Apps |
|---|---|
| Taxi | Pathao, inDrive |
| Maps | Google Maps, Maps.me |
| Trekking | AllTrails |
| Translation | Google Translate |
| Payments | Wise, Revolut |
| Booking | Booking.com, Klook |
1. Taxi & Transport
Pathao
📱 Download: App Store | Google Play
A ride app that started in Bangladesh and expanded into Nepal, now widely used in Kathmandu and Pokhara. It offers two options: Pathao Bike (motorbike) and Pathao Car (sedan). Kathmandu is notorious for severe traffic, and a Pathao Bike lets you cut through narrow alleys and jammed roads quickly. Fares are often 30-50% cheaper than a regular metered taxi, and the app shows the fare upfront, so there's no need to haggle. In Pokhara, it's also useful for getting around Phewa Lake and the old town. Payment is cash-based by default, and some drivers can communicate in English.
⚠️ Kathmandu traffic caution: Kathmandu is one of the more heavily air-polluted cities. Wearing a mask when riding a motorbike is recommended. Also, many sections of Nepal's roads are poorly paved, so allow plenty of time for getting around.
inDrive
📱 Download: App Store | Google Play
A fare-negotiation app growing quickly in Nepal as well, useful as a Pathao alternative in Kathmandu and Pokhara. In this reverse-auction model, riders propose a fare first and drivers choose to accept — you can negotiate a lower price than a regular taxi for airport pickups or longer trips. Kathmandu's Tribhuvan International Airport is about 7-12km from the Thamel tourist district, and negotiating with inDrive gets you there far cheaper than an unmetered airport taxi. inDrive can also come in handy in smaller towns where Pathao isn't available.
2. Maps & Trekking
Google Maps
📱 Download: App Store | Google Play
Essential for getting around Kathmandu and Pokhara and exploring tourist sites. Check locations and routes for Kathmandu Durbar Square, Pashupatinath Temple, Boudhanath Stupa, and Swayambhunath (the Monkey Temple). Pokhara's Phewa Lake, Davis Falls, and the Gurkha Museum are also accurately located. However, Google Maps data is incomplete for high-altitude trekking routes (Everest Base Camp, Annapurna Circuit), so you must pair it with Maps.me offline maps. Pre-saving an offline map from Kathmandu airport (Tribhuvan International Airport) to Thamel lets you use it immediately upon arrival.
AllTrails
📱 Download: App Store | Google Play
An app with one of the world's best trail databases, strongly recommended for Nepal trekking. Check Nepal's major trekking routes — the Everest Base Camp (EBC) trail, Annapurna Base Camp (ABC) trail, Annapurna Circuit, and Langtang Valley trek — with detailed maps and elevation profiles. Downloading offline maps (requires a paid Plus subscription, about $3/month) lets you track your position and route without internet in high-altitude sections. You can also check other trekkers' reviews, photos, difficulty ratings, and estimated duration, which is very useful for planning your trek. A feature that tracks elevation change and distance in real time during a trek is also handy for managing your pace.
💡 Trekking prep essentials: A TIMS (Trekkers' Information Management System) card and entry permits for each national park (ACAP, Sagarmatha, etc.) are required for Nepal trekking. These can be issued at official trekking offices in Kathmandu or Pokhara, and online issuance has become available recently as well.
3. Translation
Google Translate
📱 Download: App Store | Google Play
Nepal's official language is Nepali (नेपाली). English works well in tourist areas of Kathmandu and Pokhara, but knowing even a little Nepali deepens your connection with locals in smaller towns and trekking villages. Downloading Google Translate's Nepali offline pack ahead of time lets you translate without internet. Nepali's Devanagari script (similar to Hindi) can be decoded with camera translation. Use it during trekking to translate a tea house menu, greet villagers, or ask for directions. Using a simple Nepali greeting ("namaste" = hello, "dhanyabaad" = thank you) usually earns a warm reception from locals.
4. Payments
Wise
📱 Download: App Store | Google Play
A fintech app good for exchanging and paying in Nepali rupees (NPR). Himalayan Bank and Everest Bank ATMs in Kathmandu work well with foreign cards. ATM withdrawal limits are relatively low (about 10,000-15,000 rupees per transaction) and fees sometimes apply, so use card payment where possible. Tea houses and lodges along trekking routes are cash-only, so it's important to withdraw enough cash before you leave — at Lukla (a common trailhead) or in Pokhara. On the Everest route, there's an ATM in Namche Bazaar, but fees are high and it can run out of cash, so prepare thoroughly beforehand.
Revolut
📱 Download: App Store | Google Play
A multi-currency wallet that includes Nepali rupees — holding a USD balance lets you exchange at a favorable rate at a currency exchange counter in Kathmandu's Thamel district. USD cash exchange is also widely available in Nepal, so it's a good idea to bring about $200-300 in USD cash for emergencies.
💡 Cash is essential: All tea houses, lodges, and admission fees along trekking routes are cash-only. Prepare enough cash before leaving Lukla (for the Everest BC route) or Pokhara (for the ABC route) — roughly 50,000-80,000 rupees for a 10-14 day trip.
5. Accommodation & Tour Booking
Booking.com
📱 Download: App Store | Google Play
Compare and book guesthouses and hotels in Kathmandu and Pokhara. Kathmandu's Thamel district is packed with traveler accommodation with a wide range of options depending on budget. In Pokhara, lakeside accommodation (with a view of Phewa Lake) is the most popular. Tea houses and lodges along trekking routes are hard to book through an app — it's common to find one on the spot as you arrive. Kathmandu and Pokhara accommodations also fill up early during peak season (March-May, October-November), so book ahead.
Klook
📱 Download: App Store | Google Play
Book Nepal's must-do activities with a Korean interface. Available bookings include a Kathmandu city half-day tour (Durbar Square, Boudhanath, Pashupatinath), Pokhara paragliding (1-2 person tandem flight), a Chitwan National Park safari tour, and an Everest Mountain Flight. Pokhara paragliding, set against a Himalayan backdrop, is a world-famous activity — booking ahead is strongly recommended. The Everest Mountain Flight (viewing Everest from a small plane) is also very popular with Korean travelers.
App Installation Checklist
- Pathao (taxi/motorbike hailing in Kathmandu and Pokhara)
- inDrive (negotiate airport transfer fares)
- Google Maps (offline saves, including Kathmandu and Pokhara)
- AllTrails (offline trekking maps, Plus subscription recommended)
- Google Translate (Nepali offline pack)
- Wise or Revolut (rupee exchange, ATM withdrawal)
- Klook (paragliding and tour booking)
- Booking.com (Kathmandu/Pokhara accommodation)
Why You Need an eSIM for Nepal
Hailing Pathao, navigating with Google Maps, translation, checking tour tickets, and even emergency contact during a trek — data is essential throughout Nepal travel. You can buy a local SIM (Ncell, Nepal Telecom) at Kathmandu airport, but the process is cumbersome and time-consuming. Installing an eSIM before you leave means you have data the moment you land. That said, data signal is nearly nonexistent in the high-altitude sections of Everest and Annapurna (above 3,000m), so be sure to download AllTrails offline maps ahead of time. Above Namche Bazaar (3,440m), Ncell signal is intermittent at best.
👉 Compare the lowest Nepal eSIM prices on esimoa
App information is current as of 2025 and service policies may change.
