No travel can be guaranteed safe, but knowing the common tricks, the emergency numbers and a few local customs will help you feel at ease.
Current notice: Floods on 26 August 2026 hit Rasuwa (on the Nepal–China border), Gorkha, Nuwakot and Dhading. The UK (1 October 2026) does not advise against travel to Nepal. Canada (15 October 2026) advises a high degree of caution and no non-essential travel to Rasuwa and Nuwakot. The US has rated Nepal Level 2 since 31 March 2026.
The essentials
Tourist Police: call 1144 (toll-free, English spoken). Police: 100.
Book treks through a registered agency, never a street or hotel broker.
Get travel insurance that covers helicopter rescue.
Don't drink tap water; boil or treat it, or buy bottled.
Please don't trek alone, and avoid walking alone at night.
Emergency numbers
Police 100, fire 101, traffic police 103, disaster and government helpline 1234.
Ambulance 102, but with no central public ambulance service, the UK Foreign Office suggests calling the nearest hospital.
Helicopter rescue fraud: some guides take trekkers up too fast, then call an expensive evacuation. Police arrested six people in January 2026; one US$2,500 flight was allegedly billed at up to US$31,000.
To protect yourself, book with a registered agency, climb slowly, and be wary of very cheap treks.
Taxis: agree the fare first. Touts who take you to a hotel usually earn a commission. Please politely decline touts offering dance bars.
Pickpockets work at airports, on buses and in Thamel, Sanepa and Kupondol, especially in poorly lit areas in the evening.
Volunteering with children? Check the organisation with the Central Child Welfare Board (+977 1-5010045 / 5010046). Orphanage volunteering has been linked to "paper orphans" taken from their families.
Choosing an agency or guide
Since March 2023, treks in remote regions need a licensed guide.
Book through an agency registered with TAAN, the trekking agencies' association (about 1,729 members).
Agencies without a Department of Tourism licence operate illegally, so please avoid street and hotel brokers.
Women and solo travellers
The UK Foreign Office reports assaults in Thamel and Sanepa, and advises not walking alone at night or trekking alone.
Canada notes harassment of women travelling alone and suggests dressing conservatively.
Health
The US CDC (August 2026) recommends routine vaccines plus typhoid and hepatitis A for everyone, and hepatitis B, Japanese encephalitis and rabies for some travellers.
Malaria pills are only advised for Sudurpashchim and Karnali below 2,000 m, not for Kathmandu, Pokhara or the usual treks. Yellow fever vaccine only matters if you arrive from a yellow fever country.
Rabid dogs are common. If you are bitten, wash the wound and see a doctor. Healthcare is poor outside the Kathmandu Valley and Pokhara.
Air pollution is worst December–February and before the monsoon, so a mask is worth buying.
Weather and natural hazards
Sources disagree on the monsoon: Canada says June–September, the UK says June–October.
Nepal is an earthquake zone; Canada suggests learning what to do in a quake.
Road accidents are more likely after dark, so travel by day when you can.
Respecting local customs
Walk clockwise around Buddhist sites. Non-Hindus may not enter parts of many Hindu temples.
Take your shoes off in homes and temple buildings, try not to point your feet at people, and use your right hand to give, take and eat.
Dress modestly at religious sites (no shorts or sleeveless tops). Please don't photograph soldiers or checkpoints, and note that preaching religion is illegal.
General guidance from the sources listed, not a guarantee. Rules, fees and trail conditions change; confirm with the official source or a registered trekking agency before you go.