Will my plan work at Everest Base Camp?

Briefly, sometimes. The trek to EBC has spotty Ncell service at lower stages and almost none above Namche. Buy a satellite messenger if you need guaranteed connectivity.

No. Tibet has separate Chinese restrictions. See our Mount Kailash Pilgrimage Pack for the full breakdown.

Tourist SIM in India — really not possible?

You can buy one with a passport scan at the airport, but it takes 20+ minutes of paperwork and is restricted to 30-day validity. The eSIM from abroad has no such restriction.

Country comparison

India vs Nepal

Subcontinent neighbours, one SIM nightmare each. Plus: high-altitude coverage falls off sharply.

Last updated 2026-04-14

Key takeaway

"No mainstream eSIM works above 4500m on either side of the Himalayas. The Everest Base Camp trek, the Annapurna Circuit, and the Spiti Valley all have multi-day offline stretches that are physical-reality limits, not plan limits."

India and Nepal share a mountainous border and significant cultural overlap — many travellers visit both in the same trip, particularly Buddhist pilgrims. Both also share strict tourist SIM bureaucracy and the practical reality that high-altitude trekking quickly leaves cellular range entirely.

India's carrier network is dense at low altitude and almost nonexistent above 4500m. Nepal's coverage thins out beyond Kathmandu and Pokhara, with most Himalayan trails having only sporadic Ncell or Nepal Telecom service.

Side by side.

	India	Nepal
Top carrier	Jio	Ncell
Tourist SIM rules	Aadhaar required	Easier — passport accepted
Mountain coverage	Drops above 3500m	Drops above 3500m
Pilgrimage relevance	Kumbh Mela, Bodh Gaya	Lumbini, Mount Kailash route
eSIM Garden 5 GB / 15 days	$8.49	Not seeded yet
Best season (highlands)	Oct–Mar	Oct–May

Pick India if

India-only traveller.

India has the better dedicated coverage and more carrier options. Use the country plan for any India-only itinerary including the Golden Triangle, Goa, Kerala, or Rajasthan.

See India plans

Pick Nepal if

Cross-border Buddhist or Mount Kailash pilgrim.

Nepal is essential for Lumbini visits and the overland Tibet/Kailash route. Note: Nepal is not yet in our country catalogue — use the Asia Pacific regional plan in the meantime.

See Nepal plans

Or just buy both

Asia Pacific regional plan

Covers India, Nepal, and 18 other Asian destinations on one profile. The right choice for any subcontinent + Himalayas trip.

Questions.

Will my plan work at Everest Base Camp?
Briefly, sometimes. The trek to EBC has spotty Ncell service at lower stages and almost none above Namche. Buy a satellite messenger if you need guaranteed connectivity.
Mount Kailash kora?
No. Tibet has separate Chinese restrictions. See our Mount Kailash Pilgrimage Pack for the full breakdown.
Tourist SIM in India — really not possible?
You can buy one with a passport scan at the airport, but it takes 20+ minutes of paperwork and is restricted to 30-day validity. The eSIM from abroad has no such restriction.

Keep exploring

Plans and guides for both countries.

Country

India eSIM plans

Country-specific plans with real carrier data for India.

Open

Country

Nepal eSIM plans

Country-specific plans with real carrier data for Nepal.

Open

Guide

eSIM vs roaming

The honest cost comparison between travel eSIMs and home-carrier roaming.

Open

Regional

Global eSIM

140+ countries on one profile for round-the-world trips.

Open