Is Nepal Safe to Travel?

Nepal is very safe for tourists and has seen an increased fascination to travel with tourists hailing from different nooks and corners of the world.

Due to poor journalism practices, one question many travelers have in their minds regarding Nepal has been How Safe Is Nepal For Visitors?. Nepal is undoubtedly safe for travelers. Traveling to Nepal has no many threats or risks when compared to traveling to any other country on the globe. While you may be confronted with minor inconveniences at some point which can be avoided with little precautions and measures on your part; Nepal is safe for traveling, even alone.

One of the general questions that have there been due to the earthquake which took numerous lives and dismantled many structures. Again, there was a time when there was Maoist Insurgency almost a decade ago. Nonetheless, the peace agreement of different parties with the Nepalese government has brought about miraculous changes and Nepal even celebrated the year 2011 as the “Visit Nepal Year”, and now we are having campaigns like the “Visit Nepal 2020” for flourishing the tourism industry in Nepal. Over the last few years, Nepal has become stable than ever, and significant sites and structures have been revitalized to their old forms. Moreover, now earthquake-resistant structures and prerequisites have been built. Not to forget that we have always had peaceful, loving people here.

There is no second opinion in saying that Nepalese people are the most hospitable people you will find on the globe. They warmly welcome tourists as their esteemed guests irrespective of their work, culture, worship, or nationality. There is safe travel in Nepal for both male and female travelers except for the probability of some petty crime and fraud attempts which are avoidable; most of the traveler zones of Nepal are closely watched as they are policed; there are tourist policies to look after and help travelers in different parts of the country.

Things You Need To Know Before Visiting Nepal?

• Before you make your way to visit Nepal, there are few things you should consider understanding and doing to keep you on the safe edge for when things do not go the way they should go:
• Travel Insurance: For safe travel in Nepal, while it is not mandatory to have travel insurance to have travel safety, this may help you a lot in case some urgent situation arises like the necessity of hospital service or having your stuff stolen at unfortunate moments.
• It would be best if you considered travel insurance since it does not cost a fortune and can be done with less while has numerous benefits. It can help you easily avail emergency health services when things go off track.
• We recommend you to get insurance for safe travel in Nepal as a health facility here is not free of cost. They require knowing if or not you are capable of taking care of the bills. Here, hospitals are affiliated with insurance companies, so having insurance enables you to get validated, and your travel insurance can be verified to look after the expenses in time.
• Despite the safe travel in Nepal, there are still some things we would like you to know before you travel to Nepal, alone or with an accomplice for safe, convenient travel in Nepal:

The Things To Know Before Visiting Nepal Are

1. Etiquette In Nepalese Society

• Know how to greet the people; this involves putting your palms together like when people are praying and telling them “Namaskar” or “Namaste”.
• Greet men with “dae” and women with “didi”; this sounds more honorific as it means brother and sister respectively.
• Do not touch people with your legs or feet and never step over people’s extended legs; it is deemed impolite.
• Avoid wearing revealing clothes, especially for women.
• Remove your slippers or shoes before entering the house.
• Avoid having a public display of affection around the locals.
• When dining at a host’s home, let the hosts serve you food and avoid contaminating the food with a used utensil or hand.

2. Safe Hotels and Food In Nepal

• When you are traveling, figuring out where to stay and what to eat are two very significant decisions to make as they affect your safety and health. There are bazillions of hotels, motels, lodges, and homestays in Nepal to choose from.
• You must choose safe budget hotels if you are traveling solo; you can select hotels from trusted sites like Tripadvisor and make the choices based on the reviews, quality, and price. Do ensure that you get a popular place to stay, which is well-received by people.
• Food is another important factor to consider while traveling in Nepal or anywhere else duly. Several good restaurants offer clean, tasty food and awesome service. The bright side is these restaurants have reasonable prices to offer. Some hotels have their own eateries which serve typical Nepali food along with western cuisines.
• To avoid street food if you are not habituated to eating “foreign dishes”; even if they may be a treat to your taste buds, the cooking may not be very sanitary and may pose health risks. This is another tip for traveling safely in Nepal.

3. Tips For Adventure Sports

• Nepal is one of the most sought-after spots for adventure sports. While adventure sports especially trekking and hiking are adrenaline-inducing and fun, do make sure you have an accomplice when going for long hikes and treks as it can be dangerous for some reasons.
• Get a guide for dense forests and mountain areas can get you confused, and the threat of injury is a risk too.
• Be well prepared for frostbite and altitude sickness in case you are planning to scale high altitude regions.
• Do not carry unnecessary stuff you can’t carry and be sure to dress accordingly.
• Take necessary precautions and hear out the warnings properly when taking on sports like rafting, bungee jumping, canoeing, and rock climbing, and so on.

4. Tips For Solo Women Visitors For Safe Travel in Nepal

We have few matters to make suggestions upon, even though Nepal is safe for solo female travelers; there are still some things you need to watch out for if you are a solo female traveler.

• Trekking is not recommended to be done alone, and you should avoid having a strange male guide as it is just as unsafe as it is to do it alone.
• Avoid wearing revealing clothes as Nepalese society is conventional in its perspectives and ways, and there are prejudices against female tourists. You would not want to be mistaken for a different kind of person.
• Last but not least, when enjoying your time partying at night, make sure you enter clubs and bars with a group since women entering such venues alone are largely stigmatized, and it could make you a victim of unsolicited pestering. However, you can always eat alone at restaurants safely with minimal chances of being propositioned in a negative light.

5. First Aid Box For Traveling Safe

• As a safety measure, while traveling in Nepal, you should make sure that you carry with you a first aid box, especially when you are going for an adventure sport. Even if we hope that no mishaps happen when you are traveling in Nepal, you can never be too careful.
• You are advised to carry a kit that has regular antibiotics, painkillers, insect repellent, sun cream, throat lozenges, bandages, multi-vitamins, and other medication you think will be needed on the journey. You need to carry any other medication prescribed by your doctor.

6. Mistakes You Should Avoid For Travelling Safe In Nepal

• To stay on the safe edge away from any crime or resentful activity, you must remember not to show a large amount of cash you are holding or having others know that you are rich. This can make you a target of vengeful activities.
• Do not travel alone by walking when it’s dark; rather get a taxi or a shared commute for getting to your accommodation.
• Make sure you do your research and spell your words appropriately not to offend a person from a particular religion; especially when conversing with a devout. This is to ensure that you do not disrespect their values or break their religious taboos.

7. Important Emergency Contacts For Traveling Safe In Nepal

During your time in Nepal, there may be instances where you may need to call an emergency number for assistance. Given below are the contact numbers of tourist police based on your location here in Nepal:

Tourist Police

• Bhrikutimandap: +977-1-4247041
• Thamel: 977-1-4700750
• Basantapur: 977-1-4268969, 4269452
• Pokhara: 977-61-521087
• Belhiya: 977-71-520197
• Metro Police Control, Ranipokhari: 100, 120, 130
• Department of Immigration, Kalikasthan: 977-1-4433934,4429660
• Police Headquarter Operation, Naxal: 977-1-4412780,4411549
• Nepal Tourism Board, Bhrikutimandap: +977-1-4256909
• Nepal Tourism Board, Pokhara: 977-61-465292,463029
• Tourism Crisis Unit: 977-97510-44088
• Himalayan Rescue Association: 977-1-4440292, 4440293

Is Nepal Safe To Travel Nepal Alone?

Nepal is considered safe for traveling alone. Despite being a conventional society, Nepalese society is very open and welcoming to people coming from any culture or religion as long as there is mutual respect.

Nevertheless, there are a few aspects we like you to understand if you are planning a solo trip to Nepal:

Treatment of Solo Travelers

• People who are traveling alone in Nepal have treated the same way groups, or couples are treated. There are no biases based on room, entry, or food charges.
• If you are traveling alone, you can either choose a single room or a double. The good news is if you are traveling alone in Nepal during the offseason, you are likely to find similar prices for single and double rooms as prices go down.
• You can also find hostels or dormitories for accommodation where some even provide food in the hostel. You can always meet new people and make friends in hostels.
• There are no judgments made on people who dine alone and be reminded that there is very little chance of someone welcoming you to dine with them or coming up to you to chat. Just in case someone asks you to join them, you can always refuse to do so in a polite way.
• Please be reminded that while going to restaurants alone or eating alone, in that case, doesn’t bring much stigma. Still, you may be judged for going to a bar or club alone especially if you are a woman who may even call unsolicited pestering if it’s late. A better option would be to enjoy live music at a good restaurant.

How Do You Stay Safe When Travelling Alone?

Even though mishaps like sexual pestering, stealing, emotional blackmails do not happen very often, it is still better to watch out for these and take preventive measures as not to let have any chance of them happening to you. Be sure to not put yourself in such kind of uncertain situation by being aligned to the common etiquette, maintaining necessary distance from strangers, and so on.

1. Things To Remember When Trekking Alone In Nepal

While it is normal for you to want to trek alone; however trekking alone in Nepal is not recommended especially if you are a newbie at this. Over the years, we have come across the news of Solo travelers going missing while trekking alone. Some of the reasons for them going missing is due to lack of companionship when some unfortunate events like getting lost or getting sick or getting a sprain happens. IF only they had someone to assist them, the worst events could have been avoided.

We recommend you to let your friends and family know your plan and trekking details, have a well-functioning SIM card to make it safer; also do not try risky things when you are alone.

You can meet other travelers; you can find travel friends in restaurants where you can socialize with fellow travelers when trekking alone; this can make your solo trek more fulfilling if you like company and more importantly safer. You can gain some cost benefits by traveling in a group when it comes to food and lodging discounts in addition to the companionship while Trekking in Nepal.

2. Meeting The Locals To Travel Safe In Nepal

Nepalese people are very open when it comes to socializing and chatting about Nepal, the local culture, and even hearing you out about your country and your culture.

However, there are a few things you should understand; that is, you should avoid sharing information about the money you are holding and avoid developing an emotional attachment with people. There are cases of some ill-intentioned Nepalese people trying to woo tourists and some others using foreigners for donations. You can never be too careful; it is better to avoid such a situation.

Even though many good-hearted people are only looking for company and meaningful conversation, there are some evil people you should be careful about.

3. Secure Accommodation For Travelling Safe In Nepal

If you are wondering where to stay in Nepal when you are traveling alone Nepal, then you should find a good hotel around the major tourist spots like Thamel, Freak Street, and Pakanajol. You can also find hotels around Bhaktapur which is just a few miles away from Kathmandu.

Thamel has proximity to the airport and the major tourist spots making it convenient for solo travelers to commute. There are good restaurants around the Lakeside area in Pokhara and Sauraha in Chitwan. You can always decide where to stay based on the reviews these hotels have got on popular travel sites and the Google review.

Travel life has been easier for solo travelers with technology, especially if you are traveling alone in Nepal.

For more information and advice in this regard, reach out to Footprint Adventure.