10 Tips for Traveling with Your Dog in Nepal

Nepal is an exciting place to visit, though it can be a challenging place to bring a dog. Few travel with their dog to Nepal because of the high risk of rabies, unknown import regulations, and cultural differences in attitude towards pets.

If you are willing to do the work and take the proper precautions, it can be an enlightening experience. We spent two months in Nepal with our dog Merci and learned the ins and outs. Here is a list of our 10 best tips for traveling with your dog in Nepal!

1. Utilize a dog harness with a handle. 

I would recommend a harness with a sturdy handle for your dog when out and about. Being able to pick up your dog quickly is useful – if your pooch is small enough for this! Merci is a 30lb (13.6kg) dog, so she is relatively easy to pick up with a harness. If you have a larger dog, a harness is useful for extra control in stressful situations.

We brought a Ruffwear Flagline because it had a sturdy handle. Anytime we took Merci out, she wore her harness. It came in handy more times than I could have imagined – picking her up to keep her away from stray dogs or livestock, keep her out of the mud, and even just for regular mad dashes across the road!

If you plan on long-distance trekking in Nepal, it is essential to select a harness that fits your dog properly to prevent chaffing or rubbing. All dogs are built differently, so one harness does not fit all. Check out our article on Backpacking with a Dog: Packing List for advice on gear to bring trekking.

2. Beware of stray dogs and livestock. 

There are many stray dogs in Nepal – both in the cities and out on the hiking trails.  Because of this, Nepal is a high-risk rabies country, so it is essential to be cautious. When we took Merci out with us, Gator always carried a trekking pole or a stick. Just the act of pounding the stick on the ground is enough to keep most strays at bay. If they get more aggressive, pretend to pick up a rock and throw it. This would usually scare them away.

Locals are very used to stray dogs, and they would often come to our aid to help deter them. If you feel threatened, it’s a good idea to catch someone’s attention!

Livestock is also a concern. In the cities, cows roam free in the streets, and in the mountainside, there are goats, yaks, and pony trains. One time trekking, a small yak charged at us. I wasn’t able to grab Merci in time, so I got in between her and the yak. I got horned in the butt! Don’t worry; we both made it out alive.

Waving a trekking pole and yelling worked if there were only a few animals. Of course, all dogs react differently to animals, so stay aware of your dog’s behavior and limits!

3. Nepali are generally afraid of dogs.

In Nepal, dogs are not commonly viewed as companions. They are either guard dogs or strays with only a handful of dogs as pets. With such an abundant stray dog population, Nepali have been raised to be afraid of dogs, or at least be cautious of them. Many of the dogs are unvaccinated and carry the potential for rabies.

 When we took Merci out and about, people stopped to stare, jumped out of the way, or shrieked in confusion. It was entertaining to see the difference in cultures and attitudes towards dogs. Some people just do not like dogs. Occasionally, people were curious about this dog that traveled all the way from the United States. We would show a couple of her tricks, the handshake was always a favorite, and people warmed up to her.

4. Nepal has a high import tax for dogs.

The breed of the dog will determine its value, and the import tax is a percentage of the value. This was surprising to us when we were trying to get Merci through customs, as it was never mentioned in any of our correspondence with Nepali officials.

After the customs agent performed a quick Google search about border collies, Merci was valued at $500 USD. The import tax rate for dogs is 40% of the perceived value. We were charged $200 USD. An important thing we learned is point-of-sale credit card machines are rare, and there is no ATM near customs. It is best to have cash on hand, and most major currencies are accepted.

For more information, read our article on Requirements for Traveling with Your Dog to Nepal.

5. Bring some dog food with you from home.

Depending on the length of your stay, you should bring enough dog food for the duration of your trip, or to transition your dog to a new food. I recommend bringing 1 to 2 weeks of food if you need to transition.

It is not good to switch your dog’s diet all at once. You should allow for one week to transition so that your dog does not get an upset stomach or diarrhea. To transition, mix your dog’s current food with its new food. Over seven days slowly decrease the amount of the current dog food and increase the amount of new dog food. We stayed in Nepal for two months, so we brought enough dog food for Merci for two weeks. This allowed us enough time to find new food and transition her without upsetting her stomach.

Even in the major cities of Kathmandu and Pokhara, dog food was challenging to track down. Since pets are not common, many people just feed their dogs leftovers from their meals.

Dog food can be found at a handful of pet stores and sometimes the grocery store. There are three major brands of dog food: Drools, Pedigree, and Buddy. Drools and Pedigree are available at pet stores, and Buddy is available at major grocery stores. I recommend the Drools; Merci did the best on this dog food.

6. You can purchase poop bags at the plastics store.

We brought two rolls of dog poop bags with us when we came to Nepal. When we needed more, I searched pet stores and grocery stores and could not find any. I even reached out to some of the expat groups on Facebook to find out what locals did for their pet waste.

There are stores called “plastics stores,” where they sell bowls, containers, and all kinds of plastic bags. When you need some poop bags, just inquire where the closest plastics store is. While this is not the most environmentally friendly option, the alternative is having your dog soil in the street. Using a poop bag at least stops the waste from getting into the water supply.

7. Use Airbnb to find pet-friendly accommodations.

In Nepal, especially in the big cities of Kathmandu and Pokhara, there is not much grass. This makes it challenging to find accommodations where Merci can play and go to the bathroom. Airbnb has a “Pets Allowed” filter, which allows us to narrow our search. Then we look at the photos provided to choose accommodations with ample green space.

Airbnb is also a great way to meet new people. Our kind hosts in Kathmandu showed us around the neighborhood, invited us over for dinner, and taught us how to cook Nepali food. A great way to learn more about the culture! They even had two dogs that Merci could play with.

Before we book, we always message the host to let them know Merci will also be staying with us.

Use this link to get $55 towards your first trip, and help us earn a $30 travel credit!

8. If you plan to stay at a hotel, ask about their pet policy.

In Nepal, there are no real established pet policies at hotels, teahouses, and homestays. Be respectful of establishments, but it doesn’t hurt to ask if your pooch can stay.

For example, when we were booking a hotel online for a short stay in Bandipur, the booking website stated no dogs allowed. I emailed the hotel, and they said it would be no problem as long as she didn’t disturb the other guests.

Another time, when we were trekking the Annapurna Circuit, we took Merci into a teahouse, and the owner looked at her unapprovingly. He asked what she was doing in there, and our guide said she was hiking the circuit. The owner asked if she walked or we carried over Thorong La Pass (the highest point on the trail at 17,769 ft (5,416 meters)). Our guide stated that she walked it herself, so the hotel keeper nodded in approval. Merci was allowed to stay!

9. Dogs are allowed on most public transportation.

In Nepal, generally, there are no regulations regarding public transportation. Here, everything is a negotiation. The ultimate decision to allow your dog on public transit will lie with the bus or cab driver. Prepare to be flexible; you may have to pay more for your ticket or wait a few minutes for the next bus.

One thing to be mindful of is that many people are fearful of dogs in Nepal. There was one instance leaving Pokhara where we had to use a different bus because some passengers were afraid of dogs. Be respectful of their space and ensure that your dog is on good behavior. In buses and taxis, Merci would just crawl up at our feet, and most of the time, people don’t even realize she’s there.

10. Utilize Facebook as a resource for questions.

Several times during our research, and our travels, we reached out to others for advice. We would highly recommend this, as there are plenty of areas where little is written, but there are plenty of people willing to share their advice and experiences.

There are many expat groups that help to answer questions on Facebook. In Nepal, we used groups such as Kathmandu Expats and Pokhara Expats. For example, I was looking for a veterinarian that did animal transport paperwork to get Merci back into the United States. A veterinarian from the Pokhara Expats group reached out, and we were able to complete the paperwork with no problems.

Keep in mind that many businesses (including hotels and guesthouses) do not have a website, as it is costly to maintain. They may have a Facebook Page instead.

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