Greetings and Basic Interactions

The standard Nepali greeting is Namaste - palms pressed together at the chest, with a slight forward bow of the head. The word means approximately "I honour the divine in you" and is appropriate in all contexts: meeting someone for the first time, greeting a shopkeeper, acknowledging a monk at a monastery, passing someone on the trail. It is both humble and respectful, and foreign visitors who use it are invariably received warmly.

Among older Nepalis and in traditional contexts, Namaskar is the more formal version - used for people of higher social standing or in more formal situations. Both words are universally understood. Handshakes are increasingly common in urban and business contexts; traditional Nepali communities don't typically shake hands. Following the local person's cue is the right approach.

The question "Khana khanu bhayo?" - "Have you eaten?" - is a standard Nepali greeting on the trekking trail and in rural communities. It is not a literal inquiry about your last meal but an expression of warm concern. The correct response is "Khayo, dhanyabad" ("Yes, thank you") even if you haven't just eaten.

Temple and Religious Site Etiquette

Universal Rules

Remove footwear before entering any temple, monastery, or shrine interior. Look for a pile of shoes at the entrance as the signal. This applies equally to Hindu temples, Buddhist gompas, and private home shrine rooms.
Circumambulate clockwise around stupas, chortens, prayer wheels, and mani walls - always keeping them on your left side. Counterclockwise movement is inauspicious and disrespectful.
Spin prayer wheels clockwise only - the mantra inscribed on the exterior is activated by clockwise rotation.
Dress modestly - shoulders and knees covered. Carry a light scarf or wrap for unexpected temple visits.
Ask permission before photographing inside prayer halls, during ceremonies, or of sacred objects.
Do not touch sacred objects (statues, thangkas, ritual implements) unless explicitly invited.
Make a donation at all monasteries and temples you visit - the donation box at the entrance is the appropriate place. NPR 200 - 500 is meaningful to a small community.

Hindu Temples Specifically

Some Hindu temple interiors are restricted to Hindus only - Pashupatinath's inner sanctum is the most prominent example. Restrictions are usually clearly indicated at the entrance. The outer precincts of major Hindu temples are generally accessible to all visitors. Never enter a restricted area; the restriction is a religious boundary, not a logistical inconvenience.

Buddhist Monasteries Specifically

Stay silent or speak in a low voice during prayers (puja). If monks are in session in the prayer hall, you may observe from the back or sides without speaking or moving around. Do not sit higher than a monk or lama - if seating is available, sit at the floor level.

Visiting Nepali Homes

Hospitality is central to Nepali culture. If you are invited into a Nepali home - for tea, for a meal, or simply to sit - the following customs apply:

Remove your shoes at the doorway
Accept offered tea or food, even if you only sip or take a small amount - refusal is a mild social discourtesy in traditional households
Do not enter the kitchen without being invited - the kitchen hearth has ritual significance in many Nepali Hindu households
Do not step over or over any food being prepared or laid out - this is considered polluting
Accept food with your right hand or both hands - never the left hand alone
Complimenting the host's home and the food is appreciated and appropriate

Dining Etiquette

Right hand for eating: In traditional contexts, use the right hand for eating and for passing food. The left hand is associated with hygiene functions and is considered impure.
The thali plate: A traditional Nepali thali or dal bhat set is eaten by mixing: some dal (lentil soup) poured over the rice, vegetable curry mixed in, eating everything together from the plate. This mixing is normal and expected.
Touching the serving utensil: In traditional Hindu households, once a serving utensil has touched your lips or plate, it should not go back into the communal serving dish. Your lips are considered to render food jutho (impure). Serve yourself once and use your own utensils thereafter.
Finishing your plate: It is polite to finish what you take; leaving significant food on the plate can be interpreted as a comment on the food's quality. At teahouses, the standard unlimited refill custom of dal bhat resolves this - you can take small amounts and add more.

Dress Code

Nepal is a conservative country in traditional and rural contexts, while Kathmandu and Pokhara tourist areas are more relaxed. General guidelines:

At religious sites (temples, monasteries, shrines): shoulders and knees covered for all visitors, regardless of gender
In rural villages and on trekking trails: modest dress is respectful - shorts above the knee attract attention in traditional communities, though they are functionally acceptable for trekking
In Thamel, Lakeside, and tourist areas: Western dress standards are widely accepted
Topless sunbathing or swimming is not culturally appropriate anywhere in Nepal, including near Phewa Lake
Lightweight scarves are the universal solution for women visiting temples unexpectedly - one in your day bag solves the coverage problem quickly

Photography Etiquette

Nepal is a photographic paradise and most Nepalis are comfortable with photography. The nuances:

Always ask before photographing individuals - particularly people at prayer, in ceremony, or engaged in intimate village life. "Photo khichnu parcha?" is the Nepali phrase; a gesture toward your camera with a questioning expression is universally understood.
Sadhus and holy men at major pilgrimage sites (Pashupatinath, Swayambhunath) have learned to monetise photography - some expect NPR 100 - 200 for a portrait. Agree on terms before shooting or decline gracefully.
Never photograph the deceased or active cremation ceremonies at the Pashupatinath ghats without very specific permission - this crosses a line from photographic tourism into an invasion of private grief.
Festival photography: During major festivals, photography of the public performances is generally permitted; photography of private religious ceremonies within homes or monastery interiors requires explicit permission.

Tipping Culture

Tipping is expected and economically significant in Nepal's tourism economy. The mountain trekking industry runs substantially on tips - the wages for guides and porters are meaningful but tips represent a significant additional income that workers depend on seasonally. Standard tipping guidelines:

Licensed guide: USD 10 - 20/day (as a tip, in addition to the daily wage paid through the agency)
Porter: USD 5 - 10/day tip in addition to their daily wage
Cook/kitchen crew on camping trek: USD 5 - 8/day per person
Restaurant: 10% is standard and appreciated in tourist restaurants; not always expected at local dal bhat spots
Teahouse owner: Not typically tipped separately; the meal prices include their margin
Taxi driver: Rounding up the fare is standard; a 10% tip is generous and appreciated

Tip your guide and porter at the end of the trek, in cash (USD or NPR), given privately with a "dhanyabad" (thank you). Group tip envelopes passed around the final teahouse table are a common alternative - they pool the group's contribution into a single gesture.

Bargaining

Bargaining is appropriate in Kathmandu and Pokhara markets, handicraft shops, and with unofficial taxi drivers. It is not appropriate at teahouses on the trekking trail (prices are relatively standard and these are family businesses with slim margins), in restaurants with printed menus, or in fixed-price shops.

The right approach to bargaining: friendly, patient, and willing to walk away. Start at 60 - 70% of the asking price and settle at around 75 - 80%. Aggressive, disrespectful bargaining is culturally inappropriate and counterproductive. The "final price" is usually reached in 3 - 4 exchanges. If you've agreed a price and then decide not to buy, this is a minor social awkwardness; if the seller has already made a custom item to your request, it is a genuine problem.

Body Language and Physical Contact

Do not touch anyone's head: The head is the highest and most sacred part of the body. Casually patting a child on the head - a natural gesture in Western cultures - is disrespectful in Nepal.
Do not point the soles of your feet at people or sacred objects: The feet are the lowest and least pure part of the body. Sitting with soles pointing toward others or a temple altar is disrespectful.
Public displays of affection between couples are uncommon in traditional Nepali culture. Holding hands is acceptable; kissing in public is inappropriate outside tourist-area establishments.
Personal space norms differ: Nepali men may walk arm-in-arm or hold hands as an expression of friendship - this carries no romantic connotation.
Beckoning gesture: The Western beckoning gesture (palm up, fingers curling toward you) can be misread. The Nepali beckoning is palm down, fingers curled downward - more of a downward wave motion.

Key Things Not to Do in Nepal

Don't enter a temple or monastery with shoes on - this is the single most universally observed rule and the most visible sign of cultural respect.
Don't offer leather goods at a Hindu temple or to a Hindu priest - leather (from cow, the sacred animal of Hinduism) is ritually impure in this context.
Don't walk counterclockwise around sacred structures - the mani walls, stupas, and prayer wheels are always passed left-hand side (clockwise).
Don't tip directly to the guide and ignore the porter - porters are essential to the trekking economy and bear the hardest physical burden. Tip both.
Don't take photographs in a temple without checking the rules - many temple interiors prohibit photography entirely; others charge a fee. Check at the entrance.
Don't litter on the trail or in sacred areas - carry out all waste, including food packaging and plastic.
Don't refuse food or tea in a traditional household - accept and at minimum gesture appreciation, even if you only take a small amount.
Don't discuss the royal family in disrespectful terms - the relationship between the Nepali public and the restored monarchy is complex; avoid pronouncements on Nepali political matters.