Is Nepal safe for travelers?
Yes. Honestly and precisely, Nepal is safe to travel and the reasons are many to prove this fact. After suffering the twin blow of the earthquake in April and the economic blockade in September; this young republic nation has bounced back very well. Moreover, the damage as reported in many international media has been an exaggerated projection. Except for substantial damage to the Langtang region, all other major trekking destinations suffered from limited damage, and these destinations, including the Langtang region, are already back to business: Hotels are up and running, touristic areas have food and water to supply to travelers, trails have already been repaired and readied and climbers have completed a season of Everest summit in 2016.
Only 14 out of the 75 districts were affected severely by the earthquake and the western as well as eastern regions of Nepal were unaffected by this disaster. This means the whole of Annapurna, Manaslu, and Everest region remained safe and the earthquake-related risks in these areas are out of the question. Pokhara, Chitwan, Lumbini, Namche Bazaar, and other popular destinations just ‘paused’ their business for some weeks following the disaster and are earnestly waiting for the guests now. Talking about Kathmandu, Bhaktapur, and Patan, the medieval cities of Kathmandu Valley, few of the ancient heritages suffered the blow out of which Kathmandu Durbar Square lost some of its ancient heritages and Bhaktapur Durbar Square also suffered some damage along with Patan Durbar Square. Boudhanath, a popular and sacred Buddhist pilgrimage suffered some damage and is undergoing repair. All of these sites are already open for tourists and are lively again. The historical tower of Dharahara is the only other prominent heritage, apart from damage in the Durbar Squares, which was lost due to the earthquake. Well, both of them have been rebuilt and re-inaugurated in the year 2020. Travel advisories and caution against visiting Nepal are things of the past now.
Trekking by the then US Ambassador to Nepal, Aliana B Teplitz, to Lo-Manthang of Upper Mustang in July 2016 with her family members and some embassy officials, is one of many trekking expeditions in this enticing nation since the earthquake and blockade last year.
Economic blockade and the subsequent austerity-like situation along with the unrest in some parts of the southern plains were settled comfortably. Fuels and other necessary commodities are available easily these days. Except for the usual ups and downs of politics as in any other nation, there are no such disturbances currently.
Travelers like you are exploring the wilderness of Nepal, one of the top trekking destinations of the world and one of the most favorite destinations of travelers, globally. Nepal continues to spread its magic like before: the Himalayas are still proud and hills are lush as ever. And the ever-smiling and resilient Nepalese will be available to greet you and present to you the natural, historical and cultural heritages and diversities which they are always proud to have. Nepal is already back in business!
Moreover, due to the heavy impact of the global pandemic of COVID-19 on the entire travel and tourism industry of the world; the Nepalese travel industry was also highly affected. However, with the discovery of vaccination and safety measures to protect against the spread of this virus, tourism in Nepal is gradually recovering. And by the end of 2021, the entire population of Nepal, as well as the whole world, will be vaccinated. Though it is uncertain proximity till now, we can assume that the travel restrictions will get relaxed by the end of this year. So, Is Nepal Safe for Travels? Yes, Nepal is, was, and will be safe for traveling. Welcome to Nepal!
