Nepal SIM card for Indian travellers: roaming, local SIM or eSIM

Nepal eSIM or Ncell/NTC SIM: what Indian travellers need

You need mobile data in Nepal, not a Nepali number. An eSIM for Nepal supplies data from the moment you land, while your Indian SIM stays in the phone for OTPs. Our plan connects to the Ncell network. It includes no calls and no SMS.

Pack prices as listed by Jio, Airtel and Vi on 12 Oct 2026; ₹ per GB is our derivation (price ÷ GB). eSIM prices are an estimate at the day’s rate; your card is charged in US$.

The Himalayan Times reported 292,438 arrivals from India by air in 2025, citing the Nepal Tourism Board; road crossings are not in that figure. Separately, the Ministry of External Affairs lists 700,000 NRIs in Nepal (January 2026). We quote no Nepal SIM card price for Ncell or NTC because we have not verified current ones.

Your Jio, Airtel or Vi pack in Nepal vs this eSIM

All three Indian operators sell roaming packs that cover Nepal, but Jio’s choice is limited: only World Pack 132 and the data-only packs list Nepal. The same two Jio families cover Bangladesh. The five packs below cost ₹599 to ₹1,499 as listed on 12 Oct 2026. The ≈ ₹ per GB column is our derivation (price ÷ GB).

We sell travel eSIMs, so we have an interest here. The table still shows when your operator pack is the better choice.

Source: operator documents (Jio IR plans · Airtel T&C · Vi prepaid T&C), checked on 12 Oct 2026. Airtel’s T&C are dated 24 Sep 2026. Airtel’s single set of packs covers Nepal, and Vi’s prepaid zone list shows Nepal in the non-UL zone and Budget Set 1. The full comparison, with minutes and SMS per pack, is on Nepal roaming vs eSIM.

Jio’s data pack carries no calls; the Jio roaming guide covers its other packs. Jio states: “The pack benefits are applicable only on the preferred partner network in the visited country, if any other partner is chosen then standard rates will be applicable.” Vi’s terms say: “IR packs are not applicable for customers in J&K, Assam and North East”.

On our Nepal eSIM, 2 GB over 15 days costs ≈ ₹813 (12 Oct rate), charged US$8.49; 5 GB over 30 days costs ≈ ₹1,627 (12 Oct rate), about ₹326 (US$3.40) per GB. Unlimited data plans run 3 to 10 days: 7 days cost ≈ ₹3,351 (12 Oct rate), and speed drops to 1 Mbps after 3 GB a day. The pack wins when you need calls on your Indian number: Airtel’s ₹998 pack includes 150 minutes. On the eSIM side, your bank may add a forex markup to the US$ charge.

Kathmandu airport SIM vs an eSIM bought in India

The main alternative is a Nepal tourist SIM from Ncell or NTC, which you buy after you land, for example in Kathmandu. An eSIM bought in India is installed before you land, so you skip the counter. We have not verified what ID a Nepali seller asks from Indian visitors.

A physical Nepali SIM needs a slot. On a phone with one physical SIM slot, you would remove your Indian SIM and lose OTPs on that number. An eSIM leaves the slot untouched. A Nepal SIM card makes sense if you need a Nepali number, for example for a local guide. Going on to another country? See all our country guides.

Install the Nepal eSIM in India; its days start in Nepal

Install the eSIM in India; it connects when you land abroad. Our Nepal plans count their days from the first connection to a network in Nepal, whether you fly into Kathmandu or cross by road, so installing at home costs no days. On arrival, turn on data roaming for the eSIM line only.

Scan the QR code sent after payment in your phone’s SIM settings, on home Wi-Fi. On Android, also type in the APN shown in the plan details on the Nepal eSIM page. Hotspot use draws on the same data allowance; our plan details do not state a hotspot rule. The install guide covers iPhone and Android step by step, and the phone list shows which models take an eSIM.

Full refund within 30 days of purchase, as long as the eSIM has not connected to any network. If the eSIM doesn’t work and it isn’t your phone’s fault, we refund the payment whether or not it was installed.

OTPs in Nepal: your Indian SIM takes the SMS, Ncell carries data

Bank OTPs reach your Indian number by SMS, and our Nepal eSIM carries data only, so it cannot receive them. In Nepal, keep the Indian SIM in the phone as a second line with its mobile data off, while the eSIM runs data on Ncell. No page can promise that every OTP will reach you.

Whether SMS reaches you in Nepal depends on your Indian plan. Airtel prepaid lists a ₹118 IR activation for 28 days that allows unlimited incoming SMS and needs an active base pack (Airtel T&C, as listed on 12 Oct 2026). On Jio, check the MyJio app; Vi states: “Prepaid International roaming is not applicable to customers of Assam and North east circle”. Your phone must run an eSIM and a physical SIM together; the guide to keeping your Indian SIM for OTPs explains the dual-SIM settings.

Your card is charged in US dollars. Your bank converts the amount at its own rate and may add a foreign-transaction (forex markup) fee. How card payments work.

What if the eSIM doesn’t work when you land in Nepal?

Check four settings, in this order, before you write to us.

The first is the line for mobile data. On iPhone it is Settings > Mobile Service > Mobile Data; on Android, the SIM manager. Pick the travel line there; your Indian line stays on for calls and SMS, with its mobile data off.

The second is data roaming, for the eSIM line only. The eSIM is a foreign profile, so the phone treats Nepal as roaming for it.

The third is the APN. The plan does not set it by itself here: add e-ideas on Android under the eSIM line’s mobile network settings.

The fourth is a restart. Restart the phone or switch airplane mode on and off, and let it find Ncell; this can take a few minutes after you leave the plane.

Still no data? Write to us on WhatsApp or at support@esimgo.in with your order number, or go through the no-signal checklist. Do not delete the eSIM to “try again”: a deleted profile usually cannot be installed twice from the same code. If the eSIM doesn't work and it isn't your phone's fault, we refund the payment whether or not it was installed.

What I’d choose (and when NOT to buy the eSIM)

For a week of maps, rides and messaging I’d take 1 GB for 7 days, ≈ ₹483 (US$4.99). For two weeks or more, with photos and social media, I’d go for 5 GB for 30 days, ≈ ₹1,643 (US$16.99). If you video-call and stream every day, take the unlimited plan for 7 days, ≈ ₹3,385 (US$34.99), with 3 GB a day at full speed, then 1 Mbps.

I would not recommend the eSIM in three cases. If you need calls or SMS on your Indian number every day, a Jio, Airtel or Vi roaming pack carries them (compare the packs). If your phone has no eSIM or is locked to one operator, it cannot take the plan: check your model first. And if your group travels together all day and shares one connection, a pocket Wi-Fi can cover everyone.

FAQ

Get an eSIM for Nepal, from ≈ ₹483 Pay by card in US$. Your bank converts the US$ charge at its own rate and may add a foreign-transaction fee. Install the profile at home on Wi-Fi before you fly. The QR code arrives by e-mail after payment. See plans