MAAGSA Symposium 2026

Conference Fee:

Attendance and meals will be free of charge for all presenters. 

Non-presenting attendees will be charged a nominal fee (TBA) to contribute to the cost of meals. This fee will be waived for graduate student volunteers. 

As is customary for the Annual Conference on Nepal and the Himalaya, we ask organized panels that are well-funded by international grants to consider making a donation toward symposium production costs at their discretion. Payment details TBA. 

Lodging (to be updated)

Participants may stay at the Hotel Shanker (posh and pricey) or at one of the plethora of nearby budget hotels in Thamel (20 minutes’ leisurely walk; 5-10 minutes taxi or motorbike taxi ride away), a list of which is forthcoming. 

Funding for Participants

Funding for everything is extremely limited this year. We are working on fundraising, and we will announce if any travel funding for SAARC-based graduate students becomes available. 

Nepal Travel

Participants should enter Nepal on a tourist visa and state the purpose of their visit as Tourism.

Citizens of all SAARC countries and most other countries are eligible for Visa on Arrival, and citizens of most SAARC countries are eligible for a gratis visa of 30 days. Please see the latest visa information from the Government of Nepal here. 

All citizens of non-SAARC countries who do not already possess a multiple-entry visa for Nepal will find it easiest to enter the country at an air border. We are not sure at this time of the land border entry situation for non-SAARC citizens.

Communications while in Nepal

You can easily obtain a SIM or e-SIM at one of the mobile phone company kiosks just after customs at the airport. SIM cards are available at many shops around Kathmandu as well.

Once you have a local SIM and load a bit of data on your phone, you can use the ride apps inDrive, Pathao, or Tootle to get around. (For Bangladesh residents-Pathao requires a local phone number so you do still need a Nepal SIM to use it here).