The following is suggested as a guideline to facilitate in planning your trip. Many personal use items are available in Kathmandu. There are supermarkets, pharmacies and retail stores in the Boudha area where the IBA is located, as well as bigger establishments in other areas of Kathmandu (around 20 minutes away by car/taxi from Boudha). Although you will find that you can purchase almost anything here, it is a safer bet to bring whatever you know you will need with you as the choices here may be limited.

The IBA is only a short walk from Boudhanath Stupa, which is surrounded by monasteries where many lamas of all Tibetan traditions live and teach. The area around Boudhanath Stupa offers many modern conveniences, including ATMs, Internet and laundry services. There are several supermarkets catering to most needs and first-class medical facilities, employing both foreign and local staff.

Weekend activities and holy sites:
Throughout Nepal, there are literally hundreds of holy sites, stupas and shrines that the students can visit. Students can also practice their Tibetan by befriending and mingling with the local Tibetan community in the shops and restaurants surrounding the main Bouddhanath Stupa. The longer holiday breaks in the program are a good opportunity to visit India’s many holy sites and attend or request teachings from lamas.

Nepal is a developing nation and one of the poorest in the world.  This causes a range of issues for some. You can expect to see people living in poverty and many stray and sick dogs. You may develop stomach trouble if you buy food from street vendors. There is sometimes a severe shortage of electricity which causes many hours of controlled load-shedding (blackouts).

The key to a successful stay in Nepal is not to have high expectations of what we are accustomed to in the West. If you have traveled in South Asia or visited other developing countries, you will have no trouble adjusting to a simple life in Nepal, with its friendly and vibrant culture.

 

Although there is very little personal security risk, for the peace of mind of the students, the IBA campus has a guard on duty 24 hours a day.

To facilitate students' ability to stay in touch with friends and family, the IBA has developed a wireless network for internet users on campus. Internet access also enables research, file sharing and information storage. The network is accessed by students' wireless laptops in most places on campus or by desktop computers in the student lounge room. Be forewarned that the connection speed is very slow by international standards.

In addition to regular and express mail services, there are internet cafes and public phone service shops available at the Boudha area which provide internet services, fax and long distance phone calls (some provide Voice Over Internet Protocol - long distance service at substantially reduced prices) which will enable you to maintain contact with your family and friends easily.

The climate in Kathmandu typically varies between  20 and 35 degrees Celsius between June and September. As it is also the rainy season in Kathmandu, one can expect heavy rainfall occasionally.