Nepal is a country of many world records including the highest peak, Mt. Everest, the deepest gorge, Kali Gandaki and the highest lake in the world Tilicho lake. Nepal is certainly known for its originally shaped flag and that it has no independence day since it has never been subjugated. When visiting Nepal, beware of some unusual behavior such as excessive honking which is not carried out with aggression as it would be back home, but rather to warn others whilst driving on perilous roads. If you get called fat in Nepal, do not take offense. It is a compliment, as in Nepal fat is a synonym to healthy. Beware that Nepal is a country with over 80 ethnic groups and over 120 languages with only 40 % speaking a single language.

Travelling info

All visitors traveling to Nepal must have a valid passport in order to enter the country. Certain nationals must apply for a visa, whilst others may receive a visa on arrival. Nationals of certain countries do not require a visa and may stay in Nepal for periods of 30 up to 90 days depending on their citizenship. (List in sources) Tourists who decide to drive either a private or a rental vehicle in Nepal must know that an international driving permit is required to legally drive. Beware however that the IDP is only a translation of the original driving permit and does not substitute for it meaning that both must be present whilst driving. Traffic in Nepal moves on the left side of the road.

Travelling hazards

Driving in Nepal outside of Kathmandu or any other large urban area generally remains dangerous. Roads outside of cities are generally poorly paved, lack any sort of safety features and often lack signage. Driving private or rental vehicles outside of Kathmandu in Nepal is generally discouraged for those with little driving experience. When traveling in Kathmandu it is recommended to use public transport or taxis which are an alternative to rental or private vehicles. Beware however that taxi drivers will often try to scam therefore make sure the taxi driver has a meter in his vehicle or the price is negotiated beforehand.

Environmental hazards

Nepal due to its diverse climate is home to a very wide range of large mammal predators ranging from wolves through large felines like tigers and leopards to bears. Although wolves and brown bears usually do not hunt humans, black bears of Nepal and tigers are known to be bald creatures not fearing humans. Luckily there are very few reports of any of these animals attacking humans in Nepal. There are several dangerous snakes and vipers inhabiting Nepal however most of these are found in the south of the country where the temperature is reptile friendly. There are several dangerous looking spiders, some reaching enormous sizes however none of these is in any way lethal. Although their bite might be painful, it is not life-threatening. Nepal is a landlocked country and despite numerous rivers and lakes being situated in the country, swimming is not particularly what Nepal is known for having rather few designated beaches.
The Himalayan mountains are a relatively young mountain range and experience a lot of seismic activity. The most recent disastrous earthquake took place in April 2015 claiming almost 10 thousand lives. Earthquakes also trigger other serious disasters such as avalanches which depending on their place of occurrence might go unnoticed or be a terrible disaster.

Health hazards

There is no risk of yellow fever in Nepal however the government of Nepal demands all visitors traveling from countries with a risk of yellow fever to be vaccinated against the disease and be able to present a proof whilst entering the country. Failure to do so will result in not being to enter the country until such a document is obtained. There are several other vaccines which are not required but recommended for safe travel. These are the routine vaccines also known as MMR vaccines, typhoid, hepatitis A and B, Japanese encephalitis and rabies vaccine. The public healthcare system in Nepal is quite far from modern standards however it is constantly improving, particularly in the field of maternal health greatly decreasing child mortality at birth rate and mortality of children under the age of 5. Private healthcare facilities generally provide much better services however these come at a price and are not available throughout the country and are mostly focused on Kathmandu. Despite the availability of private facilities in Kathmandu, the prevalence of the disease is significantly higher than in other Asian countries. Tourists should consider purchasing medical insurance to cover for their expenses and to make sure emergency airlift is also covered for as many remote areas of Nepal are very difficult to get to on the road. Visitors are also recommended to stray from public facilities and use private services if possible.
In case of an emergency dial 102.

Crime

Much of the criminal activity affecting Nepal is street crime, such as bag snatching and pickpocketing, particularly in the tourist areas of Thamel, Pokhara, and the Annapurna region. Violent crime is rare and almost non-existent for tourists. Petty crime is non-confrontational and carried out stealthily, therefore, tourists should pay attention to their belongings and stay low key, by being discreet with money and their jewelry. This particularly applies to tourists when traveling through crowded places like popular tourist spots, markets or public transport. Wearing money belts is a great way to avoid falling a victim of pickpockets. These will allow you to safely store money. Nepal is one of the major hubs for trafficking in Asia. All drugs are illegal in Nepal however before the prohibition in 1973 Nepal use to be a place where marijuana was available on every corner and locals to carry on illegally cultivating the plant. There is no terrorist risk in Nepal

Summary

Nepal is certainly a place to visit. For those who enjoy their mountain climbing and hiking, it is the most challenging and demanding place on earth. Remember that planning your trip with Travset.com will give you the quickest information about nearest emergency services and will also help you purchase indispensable travel insurance for the trip of your lifetime. Please feel free to comment and share the experiences of your travels with Travset.com.

Sources

(Visa)
http://www.nepalimmigration.gov.np/
(Vaccinations)
https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/destinations/traveler/none/nepal