Safety in Nepal: what overland travellers should know
Our summary of the country advice published by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Viaggiare Sicuri) on 6 January 2025.
Safety
- Licensed guide required — Since 31 March 2023 trekking on your own is no longer allowed: you must use a guide or an agency authorised by the Nepalese government. Trekkers also need a TIMS card, issued by authorised trekking agencies, TAAN or the Nepal Tourism Board.
- Strikes and roadblocks — Small politically motivated protests and bandh (strikes) are fairly common and unpredictable, called at short notice, and can turn into clashes with police. A transport strike wrecks road traffic and is a physical risk as well as an inconvenience: limit movement to what is essential.
- Terai region — The security situation in the Terai remains fluid. The ministry asks for maximum caution when travelling in the eastern and western districts of the Terai, including the Chitwan National Park area.
- Monsoon landslides — Roughly June to September brings landslides, mudslides and flooding, the last especially around Chitwan National Park. Check the weather and the state of the roads before setting off and follow any instructions from local authorities.
- Earthquakes — Nepal is highly seismic. The 25 April 2015 earthquake killed over 8,000 people and badly damaged parts of Kathmandu, Patan and Bhaktapur. Repairs are incomplete and further collapses of weakened buildings, including on Kathmandu's main streets, cannot be ruled out.
- Crime and night travel — Crime occurs, particularly in the Thamel tourist district of Kathmandu. The ministry advises against travelling at night and against isolated trips away from the usual tourist routes.
Before you rely on this
This is our summary of advice written by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs for Italian travellers, published on 6 January 2025. We summarise in good faith, but we cannot guarantee it is accurate, current or complete, and we take no responsibility for decisions made on the basis of it. Rules change without notice and are applied by officials at the border, not by websites. Always read the original source and the travel advice your own government publishes for Nepal before you travel. GuideMeet has no way of checking whether an individual guide meets any standard mentioned here — ask them directly.
Source: Viaggiare Sicuri — Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, updated 6 January 2025. Last checked by GuideMeet on 2026-09-20.