How safe is Nepal for Tourists?
Sandwiched between two huge powerhouses; India and China, Nepal is a small South-East Asian country comprising of diverse culture, religion, mountains, hills, and forests. Not powerful economically as its two neighbors, Nepal is equally if not more powerful in terms of natural prowess. On the bucket-list of millions of tourists worldwide, Nepal has consistently been serving the tourists with utmost respect and admiration over the years. However, with the recent pandemic outbreak and insecurities surrounding it, there have been questions raised regarding the safety of the tourists in Nepal. We are here to answer some of the queries that potential visitors may have.
Like all the countries in the world, Nepal has also been extremely affected by the disease outbreak. After months of lockdown, Nepal has finally started to recover and after lots of planning and counter-measures Nepal opened its border for tourists on October 17. However, there has been plenty of skepticism about whether Nepal is safe or not from the danger of Covid-19. Even though it is impossible to minimize the risk until the appropriate vaccination is created, the Nepal Government and Nepal Tourism Board have established all the necessary protocols to prevent tourists from contracting the virus. All the lodges, restaurants, hotels, and homestays are ordered to strictly follow the necessary guidelines to prevent the spread of the virus. Tourists are also requested to give their PCR results before they visit the country. The PCR test should be taken no more than 72 hours before the flight. Tourists will also be taken to the designated hotels of their liking for their mandatory quarantine of 7 days after which they will be free to roam the country. Appropriate social distancing is also mandatory in all malls, lodges, and public areas. Therefore, even though appropriate measures are to be adopted, Nepal is relatively safe to visit.
Nepal has always been a safe destination for tourists as far as crime is concerned. Criminal incidents such as murder, robbery, theft, sexual harassment are few and far between. Nepal and hospitality have always been synonymous. Like every other country, Nepal is also not prone to some scamming and trickery, but they are not as frequent as with some other countries. The local people all around the country consider tourists more like a guest than tourists. There have been many cases where tourists are allowed to stay at the home of a local without any cost. Some precautions are expected to be followed while in Nepal and if the tourists follow the proper social etiquette of Nepal, there will not be any problems for the tourists in Nepal.
South-East Asian countries have long had a bad reputation for being unsafe for women. However, that is not the case when it comes to Nepal. In Nepal, everyone is taught at a young age to respect women of every age. People of very respectful of women and even a quick late-night stroll around the city isn’t a problem in Nepal. There have been some instances where some people try to flirt with the tourists so trying to stay away from suspicious people is encouraged.
One of the major pride for Nepal and Nepalese is their trekking trails. Famous all around the world, Trekking trails in Nepal has been one of the reasons why Nepal is a desired tourist destination. The Everest Base Camp Trek, Dhaulagiri Trek, Annapurna Base Camp Trek, etc are popular around the world. Therefore, Nepal Government pays a lot of attention when it comes to tourist ease and safety while trekking. All the tourism agencies, private and government, hires experienced guides to accompany tourists for their safety. Clinics and Medical stations are also established in and around the trekking trails. In case something goes wrong, helicopters are also dispatched immediately for the rescue. During the trek, altitude sickness should be monitored by the tourists at all times.
Even though Nepal is considered safe for the majority of tourists, they are, however, it is advised to adopt certain precautions like with any country in the world. Nepal is always welcoming to tourists and we hope you will have the time of your life on your visit here! Safe trip!
