Is Nepal safe to Travel?

Simply the answer is YES, of course. Nepal has been always a safe place to travel. Travelling to Nepal is not only safe but also hassle free, fun, amazing and an extraordinary experience on itself. Overall, travelling into Nepal contains no more risk than travelling in any other part of the world. In fact as a traveller you are much safer in Nepal than in other countries. All the major tourist areas of Nepal are policed and patrolled. Nepal Police has a special branch of the Tourist Police who are dedicated to assist travellers and keep them safe when if a situation arise.

It is just couple of years Nepal was passed through an internal conflict and infighting between the government army and the Maoist rebels due to the political disagreement. Reports indicate that some about 1300 Nepalese had been killed during the insurgency but not a single tourist had been targeted or harmed by the rebels during a decade long revolution. There were number of tourist travelling Nepal even though the conflict had crafted wrong message to world about the safety and security situation of Nepal.

Security Issue

As of June 2008, the much awaited Comprehensive Peace Accord was signed between the government of Nepal and the Communist Party of Nepal (Maoists) formally announcing an end to a decade long armed insurgency by the Maoists. The signing of Peace Accord also put full stop to illegal donations collected by Maoists from trekkers in the different trekking routes. Now tourists can go anywhere in Nepal without any problems. In April 2008, the election of Constitutional Assembly was completed peacefully and fairly. In this election Maoist got huge support from the public and they are in the Government now. 

Though security threat is very low and we are confident that you will not face any problems but still we would like to suggest you some basic things that you need to do for your safety and security. Since Nepal is going through political adjustments and reformation of the country, the demonstration and strikes are very likely. We recommend you to avoid demonstrations and large public gatherings. Public vehicles are always overcrowded and you are strongly suggested to avoid travel on public buses and microbuses and congregating at or near bus stop. We suggest you to hire a guide and vehicles from a trusted travel agent or tour operator. You are advised to maintain a safe and legal distance when observing wildlife, including marine animals and birds. You should only use reputable and professional guides or tour operators and closely follow park regulations and wardens' advice. 

It is not a hidden secret that Nepal is a very safe country to go trekking although trekkers must make sure that all basic rules are followed. Always keep in mind that one could get lost or hurt and help may not be around you should you decide to go trekking alone by yourself. This is why it is advisable for trekkers to avoid trekking alone. To minimize your risk while trekking is to have a thorough planning, following the rules and realizing the limitations involved especially your own capability. It is always recommended to buy travel insurance policy that covers helicopter rescue cost as this will save you a lot of money should an accident happened to you deep in the mountains. It is better to leave a copy of the insurance details with us in Kathmandu. 

For your personal safety, do not carry expensive gadgets when travelling; avoid wearing jewelleries and other extravagant wears. Make two photocopies of your valuable documents such as your passport, tickets, visas and travellers' cheques. Keep one copy with you in a separate place to the original and leave another copy in the safety locker box at your hotel or someone else at home. Before you travel, organise a variety of ways to access your money overseas, such as credit cards, travellers' cheques, cash, debit cards or cash cards. Automated Teller Machines (ATMs) facilities are widely available so please check with your bank whether your ATM card will work overseas or not.

Stay safe

Altitude sickness - a significant risk when trekking on any trails above about 2500m. Be familiar with the symptoms and do not ignore them. If you keep to a conservative ascent schedule and drink plenty of fluids then most people can acclimatise. If you or anyone in your party begins to experience symptoms of AMS then do not ascent, and if they do not improve then descent to a lower altitude is to only option to consider. 

Water - The streams should be considered polluted and whilst bottled water is often available the disposal of plastic bottles is a problem. Have some means to purify water, iodine and/or a fine ceramic filter are the best options. 

Lone travelers - arriving in Kathmandu it is usually easy to find other like minded people with similar travel plans and trek together. Even if you start at the trailhead alone you are likely to meet the same people along the tail and sharing lodges at nights. It is not wise to trek alone (this is true not just in Nepal but anywhere). In the unlikely event that you should encounter troubles or become ill then it is far easier and safer to have some companion to help out. 

Further information about the travel preparation can be found on our Before to Travel Nepal section.