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Travel safety profile · Asia

Is Nepal Safe to Visit in 2026?

43 / 100

Higher Risk: Plan Carefully

Welcoming for trekkers and tourists. Altitude sickness is a real danger. Infrastructure is basic. Reviewed 24 April 2026 How we score

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What Warnely Is Tracking

Real-time incidents pulled from the Warnely pipeline. The dashboard renders a richer feed.

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Official Travel Advisories

UK FCDO

See travel advice

No advisory against travel. Notes earthquake and altitude risks.

View full advisory →

US State Department

Level 2 - Exercise Increased Caution

Exercise increased caution due to crime and occasional strikes.

View full advisory →

Nepal compared to your home country

Nepal's composite Warnely risk score is 43/100 (High Risk). Here is how that compares to common home countries for English-speaking travellers. Append ?home=GB (or US, AU, CA, DE) to the URL to pin your home.

United Kingdom 22/100

Nepal is noticeably riskier than United Kingdom (2.0× riskier on the Warnely index).

United States 35/100

Nepal is slightly riskier than United States.

Australia 14/100

Nepal is materially riskier than Australia (3.1× riskier on the Warnely index).

Canada 15/100

Nepal is materially riskier than Canada (2.9× riskier on the Warnely index).

Germany 20/100

Nepal is noticeably riskier than Germany (2.1× riskier on the Warnely index).

Lower scores are safer. Each home country's score is its own composite on the same 0-100 scale. See methodology.

Regional breakdown

Nepal sits at 43/100 as a country-level composite. Specific regions vary. Each card links to the regional safety page.

Kathmandu Caution

Pollution and chaos; petty theft in Thamel tourist zone. Religious sites, Durbar Square. Earthquake-prone.

Pokhara Generally safe

Lakeside, gateway to Annapurna. Calmer than Kathmandu. Adventure-sport hub.

Annapurna Circuit / Region Generally safe

Most popular trek. Altitude is the main risk – proper acclimatisation essential. Teahouses well-organised.

Everest Base Camp Region Generally safe

Safe with licensed guide. Altitude sickness above 3,500m serious. Lukla airport notoriously dangerous.

Chitwan / Terai Generally safe

Jungle safari; rhinos and tigers. Hot and low-altitude.

Mustang & Restricted Areas Caution

Special permits required ($500+). Remote, ancient Tibetan-Buddhist culture.

Risk Breakdown

This is the static baseline rating across six dimensions. The Warnely dashboard adds a live 30-day signal alongside.

Crime2/5

Low crime rate. Pickpocketing in Kathmandu tourist areas. Trekking route theft rare but reported.

Natural Disasters4/5

Major earthquake zone. Landslides during monsoon. Avalanche risk at altitude. Flooding.

Health3/5

Altitude sickness above 2,500m is serious. Limited medical facilities in mountains. Kathmandu has good hospitals.

Terrorism1/5

No significant threat. Very safe political environment for tourists.

Civil Unrest2/5

Occasional strikes (bandhs) can block roads. Generally resolved quickly.

Infrastructure4/5

Mountain roads dangerous. Domestic flights weather-dependent and occasionally canceled. Load-shedding improving.

Quick Facts

Plug type	C/D/M
Voltage	230V/50Hz
Time zone	UTC+5:45
Driving side	Left
Tap water	Unsafe

Visa & Entry

Type	Visa on arrival
Length	15/30/90 days
Cost	$30/$50/$125 USD
Apply	Official portal →

VOA at Kathmandu airport + major land borders. 15 days $30, 30 days $50, 90 days $125. eVisa option pre-arrival.

Verify on IATA Travel Centre →

Summary: Visa on arrival at Kathmandu airport and land borders. $30 for 15 days, $50 for 30 days.

Passport: Valid 6+ months.

Customs: 100 cigarettes, 1L alcohol.

Prohibited: Drug trafficking = life imprisonment. Trekking permits required. Drone permits required.

Practical Tips

Acclimatize properly – altitude sickness kills trekkers every year
Get comprehensive trekking insurance including helicopter rescue
Register treks with TIMS and get required permits
Carry water purification tablets – bottled water creates waste
Hire a local guide for safety and to support the local economy

Common Scams & Practical Risks

Fake trekking guide: Unregistered "guides" lacking insurance and emergency training have led to deaths. Verify TIMS card and licence.
Holy man blessing demands: Sadhus at Pashupatinath/Boudhanath bless tourists then demand large "donations." Don't engage.
Helicopter scam: Some operators fake altitude sickness to charge insurance for unnecessary helicopter rescue. Reputable: Mountain Helicopters, Manang Air.

Solo & Women’s Safety

Solo Travellers

Nepal is a classic solo travel destination. The trekking community is inherently social. Kathmandu's Thamel area is backpacker central. Hiring a local guide is recommended for safety and companionship on treks. Incredibly rewarding and affordable.

Women’s Safety Generally Safe

Generally safe. Some harassment in cities but rare on trekking routes. Dress conservatively. Trekking with a guide recommended for solo women.

LGBTQ+ Travellers

Legal status	Civil unions / partnerships
Social climate	Accepting

Supreme Court ordered same-sex marriage registration 2023; first registered couple 2023. Third-gender legally recognised. Kathmandu accepting; rural areas more conservative.

Verify current law on Equaldex →

Drug Laws

Severity	Severe (long sentences)
Cannabis	Severe penalties

Possession 1–7yrs; trafficking up to life. Cannabis was historically tolerated (Hippie Trail era) but criminalised 1976; tourist enforcement strict.

Verify on UK FCDO →

Emergency Numbers

police

100

ambulance

102

fire

101

tourist

01-4247041

If you decide to travel to Nepal

A practical checklist that applies to any trip. Each item links to the part of this guide where the specifics live.

1

Check the live advisory Read the UK FCDO and US State Department pages within a week of departure. Advisories change. View current FCDO advisory →
2

Register your trip US citizens: enrol with STEP. UK citizens: register your itinerary with the nearest British embassy. Both enable consular contact in an emergency.
3

Save the local emergency numbers Police: 100. Ambulance: 102. Pin them in your phone's emergency-contacts screen so they're reachable from a locked phone.
4

Insurance with medical evacuation Travel insurance with a medical-evacuation limit of £10m or more. Cheap policies usually exclude or cap medevac, the single most expensive thing that goes wrong abroad. See the medevac entry in the glossary for what to check.
5

Confirm vaccinations and prescriptions Visit a travel clinic 4-6 weeks before departure for any routine vaccinations and country-specific recommendations. Check any prescription medication against the destination's import rules.
6

Set up a check-in routine before you go Agree a daily or every-other-day check-in time with a contact at home, plus a fallback channel if your primary one fails (WhatsApp goes down in countries that block it). The family communication plan covers the specifics.

Find every foreign embassy and consulate in Nepal in the Warnely embassy directory →

Medical evacuation cost (pre-insurance)

Nepal sits in Band B on Warnely's medevac cost dataset. The figures below are typical pre-insurance ranges in USD, calibrated against published bands from Global Rescue, MedJet, Allianz, and insurance-industry whitepapers.

Regional air ambulance

Typical $20,000 to $60,000

Air ambulance to a regional Western or strong-regional hub is usually achievable in one or two legs. Most major tourist destinations sit in this band.

For the full methodology, the four-band table, and the downloadable CSV, see /methodology/medevac. Sanity-check your travel insurance limit against the high end of this band before booking.

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Data version v2 · Last reviewed 24 April 2026 · Next review by 21 October 2026 · methodology · Found something out of date? Tell us.

Common questions about Nepal

Is Nepal safe for tourists in 2026?

Welcoming for trekkers and tourists. Altitude sickness is a real danger. Infrastructure is basic. Warnely's overall safety assessment for Nepal is High Risk (43/100), higher risk: plan carefully. Always check the latest UK FCDO and US State Department advisories before booking.

What's the crime risk in Nepal?

Low crime rate. Pickpocketing in Kathmandu tourist areas. Trekking route theft rare but reported. Crime category score: 2/5 (low).

Are there health risks travelling to Nepal?

Altitude sickness above 2,500m is serious. Limited medical facilities in mountains. Kathmandu has good hospitals. Health category score: 3/5. Consult a travel clinic 4-6 weeks before departure for recommended vaccinations.

Is Nepal safe for solo female travellers?

Generally Safe. Generally safe. Some harassment in cities but rare on trekking routes. Dress conservatively. Trekking with a guide recommended for solo women.

When is the best time to visit Nepal?

Spring (Mar-May). Rhododendrons in bloom, clear views, warm at lower elevations.

What are the drug laws in Nepal?

Drug penalties: Severe (long sentences). Cannabis: Severe penalties. Possession 1–7yrs; trafficking up to life. Cannabis was historically tolerated (Hippie Trail era) but criminalised 1976; tourist enforcement strict.

Do I need a visa to visit Nepal?

Visa on arrival. Stay length: 15/30/90 days. VOA at Kathmandu airport + major land borders. 15 days $30, 30 days $50, 90 days $125. eVisa option pre-arrival.

Which regions of Nepal are safest to visit?

Generally safer regions include Kathmandu, Pokhara, Annapurna Circuit / Region, Everest Base Camp Region. See the regional breakdown for current safety guidance on each area.

Is the tap water safe to drink in Nepal?

Tap water in Nepal is not safe to drink – use bottled or filtered water. Most travellers should stick to bottled or filtered water for cooking, drinking and ice.

What do governments say about travel to Nepal?

UK FCDO: See travel advice. US State Dept: Level 2 - Exercise Increased Caution. Read the full advisories on the relevant government sites – links are inside the Official Travel Advisories section above.