Nepal travel advice

• Visit your GP or travel clinic at least 6-8 weeks before departure to ensure you have all the necessary vaccinations and that they are up to date.
• Medical treatment is expensive at western travellers’ clinics in Nepal and healthcare is poor in most places outside the Kathmandu Valley and Pokhara. Make sure you have adequate travel health insurance and accessible funds to cover the cost of any medical treatment abroad, emergency helicopter evacuation and repatriation.
• If you do need to receive medical treatment in Nepal, up-front payment may be required even if it is covered by your insurance.
• If you need emergency medical assistance during your trip, dial 102 and ask for an ambulance.
• You may find the high mountain altitudes demanding. Familiarise yourself with the dangers of altitude sickness, especially if you are trekking in remote areas.
• Many travellers experience stomach upsets in Nepal. These are not usually serious, but do be prepared, and bring medication including rehydration and diarrhoea remedies to ensure this disrupts your trip as little as possible.
• There is no malaria risk in Kathmandu, Pokhara or the mountain trekking areas, but malaria does exist in the southern belt of Nepal (the Terai) and risk is highest in the months of June, July and August, so consult your doctor or travel clinic about the best medication to take, especially if travelling to Nepal with kids.
• Only drink bottled water and avoid ice cubes.
• Apply insect repellent to skin and clothing to being bitten: wear long sleeves, long trousers, hats and shoes (rather than sandals), and for rural and forested areas, boots are preferable, with trousers tucked in, to prevent tick bites.
• Kathmandu’s polluted air gives many people respiratory infections within a few days of arrival; asthmatics should take particular care - minimize exposure by staying off the main streets, and think about bringing a filtering face mask if you’re spending much time in the Kathmandu Valley.
• Personal hygiene is paramount in Nepal. Wash your hands often and use antibacterial soap or gel. Keep any cuts clean and disinfected.

Pick pocketing and bag snatching are common in Nepal, particularly in airports and on buses. Take particular care in the areas of Thamel, Sanepa and Kupondol in Kathmandu and be mindful that your valuables are not on show. Always use your hotel safe.

As in the case of reaching Everest, air travel is sometimes unavoidable in Nepal. Check the weather conditions before travelling - bad weather conditions in mountainous and hill regions could increase the risk to your safety and cause lengthy delays.

The general standard of driving throughout Nepal is poor and badly regulated. Roads are very congested, drivers are not properly licensed, and vehicles are poorly maintained. There are few pavements outside central Kathmandu, but pedestrian right of way doesn’t exist, so exercise extreme caution.

There is a gay scene in Kathmandu and the government are taking a more progressive stance, but homosexuality is still frowned upon, so same-sex couples should act discretely.

Trekking in Nepal often involves treks to very remote areas. Always use a reputable trek provider, don’t veer off established routes and walk in groups – never trek alone.

Keep an eye on the local press to find out about impending strikes, demonstrations and curfews. Don't ever break curfews as the green light has been given for those who do to be shot.