What airport do I use to reach Karnali?

Most trips route through Nepalgunj's Ranjha Airport in the neighbouring Terai, then connect on small planes to Talcha for Rara, Juphal for Dolpa, or Jumla and Simikot. Surkhet, the provincial capital, also has flights into the region.

Is any network better than others in the far-western mountains?

Nepal Telecom, the state carrier, generally reaches further into Karnali's remote valleys than Ncell, but even NTC covers only the main settlements. Beyond the towns, plan for no data at all and carry a paper or offline map.

Karnali eSIM.

Name: Karnali travel eSIM
Brand: My Holiday SIM

Nepal's wild, roadless northwest - Rara Lake, Shey Phoksundo and the trails to Upper Dolpo.

from $6.29/day · unlimited dataAll of Nepal →

Unlimited dataFast 4G LTEInstant QR by emailKeep your number

1 · How many days?

10 daysOther:days

2 · How much data?

3GBBest pricevalid 15 days$14.78$1.48/day

Cheapest plan covering your trip: 3GB, valid 15 days.

Travellers (one eSIM each)

1 × 3GB (valid 15 days) · 10-day trip$14.78

Good to know in Karnali

Karnali is the least-connected province in Nepal, so don't rely on any signal beyond district towns. Nepal Telecom is the only realistic option in most villages - download offline maps, permits and offline translation before flying in from Nepalgunj.

Best time to visit Karnali

September-November and April-June are the windows for Rara and Dolpo, when trails are dry and passes open; deep winter buries the high country in snow and closes flights.

Two simple ways to buy

Karnali eSIM plans: unlimited, or by the GB.

Every Karnali eSIM from My Holiday SIM is one of two straightforward types. Pick whichever fits how you travel in Karnali — you can always top up or switch on your next trip.

Traveller streaming and browsing freely on an unlimited-data travel eSIM

Unlimited plans

High-speed data, nothing to count

Priced per day — the longer you stay, the better the daily rate. Ideal for streaming, hotspot and longer trips where you'd rather not watch a data meter. A fair-use policy keeps speeds fast for everyone; see each plan for the detail.

Best for streaming, video calls & hotspot
Great for longer or open-ended trips
One price per day — no GB anxiety

By-the-GB plans

3GB10GB20GB

A set bundle, brilliant value

A fixed data allowance (say 3 GB or 10 GB) valid for your travel days. The best-value pick for lighter trips built around maps, messaging and a bit of browsing. Running low? Top up in a couple of taps — nothing to reinstall.

Best value for lighter, shorter trips
Clear allowance — pay only for what you need
Top up any time from your phone

Compare plans →Not every destination has both types — the picker shows what's available where you're headed.

Plan your data

How much data do you need in Karnali?

A rough, honest guide to sizing your Karnali eSIM so you're not guessing. Most travellers in Karnali are comfortable on 3–5 GB a week — heavy streamers just go Unlimited.

Traveller checking maps and messages on her phone using a My Holiday SIM eSIM

Not sure? Start with a 5 GB plan — you can top up in seconds if you run low.

Light

~1 GB / week

Maps, messaging & email

Google Maps, WhatsApp, email and the odd search. Plenty for a city break where you mostly need directions.

Suits 1–3 GB plans

Balanced

3–5 GB / week

Everyday holiday use

Everything above plus social scrolling, music, cloud photo backups and a little video. Where most travellers land.

Suits 5–10 GB plans

Karnali eSIM: your local data guide.

Karnali is Nepal's largest and most remote province, a land of turquoise Rara Lake, the deep waters of Shey Phoksundo, apple-growing Jumla and the Tibetan-influenced trails of Dolpo and Humla. Coverage here is genuinely sparse, so a Karnali eSIM is best treated as a lifeline for the district headquarters - download maps and permits before you head into the backcountry.

One eSIM for Karnali and all of Nepal. It's the national Nepal eSIM — from $6.29/day with unlimited data, working the same in Karnali as it does the moment you leave it.

Landing at Nepalgunj - Ranjha Airport (KEP)?

Install the QR at home, then switch the eSIM on as you taxi in — you're online before you reach the arrivals hall.

Karnali eSIM pricingbest-value plan · per day

Days

Per day

Total

Saving

3 days1GB

$1.65

$4.94

—

5 days1GB

$0.99

$4.94

−40%

7 days1GB

$0.71

$4.94

−57%

10 days3GBPopular

$1.48

$14.78

−10%

15 days3GB

$0.99

$14.78

−40%

30 days5GB

$0.57

$17.03

−65%

Each trip length shows the best-value plan that covers it. Total always shown before you pay.

eSIM vs the old ways in Karnali

eSIM

ROAMING

AIRPORT SIM

Data allowance

Unlimited

Usually capped

Rarely unlimited

Price known upfront

Prepaid

Billed after

Varies at the desk

Ready when you land

Instantly

After the queue

Keep WhatsApp number

SIM swapped

Karnali eSIM from $6.29/day — the whole bill, agreed before you fly.

Across the region

Where you'll lean on data in Karnali.

Rara Lake (Mugu)

Nepal's largest lake is stunning but remote; expect little to no signal at the lakeside, with the nearest coverage back toward Talcha airstrip and Gamgadhi.

Shey Phoksundo (Dolpa)

The national park and its cobalt lake are deep wilderness - treat any signal as rare, and rely fully on offline maps and a guide.

Jumla

This apple-growing district town holds a basic but real 4G signal, useful before trekking toward Rara or the Sinja Valley.

Simikot (Humla)

The remote gateway toward Kailash-Mansarovar has patchy town coverage; beyond it, on the Limi Valley and border trails, expect none.

The practical bit

Getting around Karnali on your eSIM.

Apps you'll want online in Karnali

Maps.me— Essential offline trail and road maps for Rara, Dolpo and Humla where data disappears.
eSewa— Nepal's main wallet for booking domestic flights, top-ups and paying in the district towns.
Khalti— Second widely used wallet for flight tickets, recharges and cashless payments before you trek in.
Organic Maps— A lightweight open offline-map app, a good backup to Maps.me for remote Karnali navigation.

How long to stay in Karnali

Karnali trips are expedition-length: a Rara Lake circuit runs about a week, while Upper Dolpo or Humla treks often need two to three weeks including flight buffers.

How much data for Karnali

Because you'll be offline for long stretches, a modest 1-3 GB is realistically all you'll use, spent in towns booking flights and messaging home; there's little point buying Unlimited for the backcountry.

Coverage in Karnali

Be realistic: only Karnali's district headquarters - Surkhet, Jumla, Gamgadhi, Dunai and Simikot - have usable 4G, and even that is Nepal Telecom-dependent; Rara Lake, Shey Phoksundo and the high trails are effectively off-grid.

Where you're headed

Discover Karnali.

Majestic mountain landscape with cloudy skies over a serene lake in Karnali Province, Nepal.

Stunning view of snow-capped mountains in Phoksundo, Nepal, showcasing natural beauty and rugged landscapes.

A lone traveler in a red jacket admires the vast mountain range in Juphal, Nepal.

Man enjoying the pristine waters of Phoksundo Lake in Nepal, surrounded by towering mountains.

How to activate your Karnali eSIM.

Full installation guide →

A traveller happily planning her next trip with a map and phone

Buy your plan

Choose your days — the QR code arrives by email in seconds.

A traveller installing her eSIM from the sofa in two minutes

Install at home

Scan the QR on Wi-Fi before you fly. About two minutes, no app needed.

Friends laughing together while packing for a holiday

Fly relaxed

Nothing counts down yet — your days start only at first connection.

A joyful family reunion at the airport arrivals hall

Switch on in Karnali

Turn the line on when you land. Connected before baggage claim.

New to eSIM in Karnali?

What is a Karnali eSIM?

A Karnali eSIM is a digital SIM that's already built into your phone. Scan one QR code and a local Karnali data plan installs alongside your home SIM — no plastic, no tray tool, no swap. Your number and WhatsApp stay exactly where they are.

✓ 2-minute install✓ Keep your number✓ Works on phones from 2018+

How eSIM works →Check my phone

A traveller with a backpack smiling at her phone — online abroad with My Holiday SIM

Connected · 5G

Home SIM · calls & WhatsAppHoliday eSIM · unlimited data

30-day refund promiseUnused, uninstalled eSIM? Full refund, no questions.

The price is the billPrepaid and final — roaming charges can't happen.

Days start when you landInstall early with zero pressure; counting begins at first connection.

Humans, 24/7Real people answer, before, during and after the trip.

Why travellers choose My Holiday SIM for Karnali.

Instant eSIM deliveryQR code in your inbox seconds after checkout — even at the departure gate.

No physical SIMNothing to collect, lose or poke out with a paperclip. Your home SIM stays put.

Keep your WhatsApp numberData flows through us; WhatsApp stays on your home number. Family always reaches you.

A traveller at the departure gate, eSIM ready on her phone

eSIM ready in ~2 minutes

No bill shock, everOne clear price before you fly. Roaming charges simply can't happen.

Secure paymentsCards, Apple Pay, Google Pay, PayPal and Klarna — encrypted end to end.

Real human supportReal people — before, during and after your trip. Live chat and email, no bots. Easy top-ups too.

Coverage in Nepal.

Fast 4G LTE nationwide

Connected · 4G

Your eSIM joins Nepal's partner networks automatically — no settings to choose, no manual network hunting. If signal drops in a remote spot, toggling Airplane Mode for a few seconds forces a fresh connection.

Ncell
Nepal Telecom (Namaste)
Smart Cell

Popular places covered

KathmanduPokharaChitwan National ParkLumbiniBhaktapurNagarkotNamche Bazaar

Keep data roaming ON for the eSIM line only — that's the switch travel eSIMs use, and it never adds charges on our plans.

Trusted networks, honest numbers.

No invented star ratings behind your Karnali eSIM — just the numbers we actually stand behind.

Friendly globe with location pins — coverage on every continent

My Holiday SIMSTAY CONNECTED. ANYWHERE.

200+

destinations — every continent covered

regions covered by a single regional eSIM

~2 min

typical install — QR to connected

Live

chat & email support

Before you fly

Karnali eSIM questions, answered.

Rarely at the lakes themselves. You may find a weak Nepal Telecom signal in district towns like Gamgadhi, Jumla and Dunai, but the Rara shoreline and Shey Phoksundo are effectively off-grid. Download everything you need before you trek in.

Your Karnali eSIM glossary.

eSIMA SIM built into your phone's hardware. Plans install onto it digitally — no plastic card involved.

QR profileThe code we email you. Scanning it downloads your holiday plan onto the eSIM. One scan per device.

Data roaming (the switch)The toggle travel eSIMs use to join partner networks abroad. On our plans it never adds charges — keep it ON for the eSIM, OFF for your home SIM.

Hotspot / tetheringSharing your phone's data with laptops and tablets. Included on our plans wherever networks allow.

Top-upExtra days added to a live plan from your account. They append to the end — nothing overlaps.

First connectionThe moment your eSIM first joins a network at the destination — that's when your days start counting, not before.

Travelling wider in Nepal?