Is Nepal Safe for Travel?

Simply the answer is YES, of course. Nepal has been always a safe place to travel. Traveling to Nepal is not only safe but also hassle free, fun, amazing and an extraordinary experience on itself. 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 travelers and keep them safe when if a situation arise.

Generally speaking, Nepal is a safe place to travel for international visitors due to the conservative culture of Nepali society and the general openness to other cultures and religions. Although Nepal is consider to have moderate risk county, travelers should take considerable care of some issues while traveling.

Since Nepal is going through political adjustments and reformation of the country, the demonstration and strikes are very likely. After the much awaited Comprehensive Peace Record signed between the government of Nepal and the Communist Party of Nepal (Maoists) in June, 2008, it 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.

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. 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.

Is Nepal Good forTravel after 2015 Earthquake?

The earthquake of April 25, 2015, killed 8686 people leaving thousands injured and many more homeless. The rural parts of Nepal are still recovering from those damages. The resulting year saw tourists number all-time low in preceding six years. The Visit Nepal 2020 campaign can be the backbone to support the fragile economic conditions of numerous families in the rural areas.

Some media outlets reports of Nepal in the state of complete devastation and buried under heaps of pile is wrong. The earthquake mostly downed old buildings made of mud and some temples around the affected districts. The majority of Kathmandu remains intact which was not shown in the media, all a scheme to generate more TRP.

Nepal was affected majorly in about 5 districts and minorly in 7 other districts. All other destinations are entirely untouched. The repair and reconstruction of temples and heritage sites are underway and will finish come 2020.

Personal Safety while Traveling

For your personal safety, do not carry expensive gadgets when travelling; avoid wearing jewelries and other extravagant wears. Make two photocopies of your valuable documents such as your passport, tickets, visas and travelers’ 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, organize a variety of ways to access your money overseas, such as credit cards, travelers’ 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 from altitude sickness, drink boiled water and choose the best companion for travelling.

Whilst trek in high altitude, be familiar with the altitude problems and don’t ignore it. Spend days in lower altitude and acclimatize your body. It is suggested to drink boiled or purified water throughout the journey. You will get to meet the likeminded people while traveling and can trek together. 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.

Especially when traveling in Nepal, you should get a good first aid kit including insect repellent, antiseptic cream, sun cream and lip balm, throat lozenges, anti-diarrhea medication, basic antibiotics, analgesics and painkillers, triangular bandages and add any regular medications prescribed by your own doctor.