Visit Nepal 2017 - Health and Safety

General Health and Safety Information - Nepal

Food and Beverages: Meals are typically spicy and meaty, although that is not to say you cannot find good vegetarian cuisine. Indeed, the national dish is dal bhat (lentil curry), which, like most dishes, is accompanied with rice and thin pancake-like bread known as chapatti.

Nepals unreliable electricity supply restricts the ability to refrigerate produce, which, perversely, has a positive effect because it means most food is prepared to order.

Adventurous gastronomes should venture into the markets to sample fresh fruits including umpteen varieties of bananas, which are some of the sweetest you wll ever taste.

At the higher end of the market, Kathmandu has developed an international culinary scene where diners can find dishes from all over the world. Chefs artistically prepare five-star menus, and food competitions have aimed to encourage budding restauranteurs.

Bakeries and cafes are scattered around tourist towns, where patrons can quaff Nepali tea

Altitude: Travelling in Himayan Region can be risky if the traveller doesn't take little actions to protect himself and if he doesn't know how to listen to the signals his body gives him. When someone goes in high altitude, it's normal that his body needs to acclimatize. Normally he feels strange, he feels tired, he feels his breathe becomes shortest than before, and needs urinate frequently. It's is normal. The things he has to do to feel better are: be calm, walk slower, a modest increase of fluids , not to ascend more than 400 meters per day in sleeping elevation. Slowly he will see that the symptoms will disappear. If not the only thing he has to do is DESCEND.

Nobody can advise a traveller to take that medicine or another. Only a Doctor can do it, your doctor can tell you which kind of pill or medicine you have to take. This is very important. pills are not Candy or Sweet, or Fruit Drop.

Sanitation is one of the most dissatisfying due to lack of proper water source in the Kathmandu valley and other parts of Nepal. Be ready to squat because you will mostly fild toilets to say it properly all over.

Also the water quality is very poor. Make sure to bring your own solutions to purify the drinking water.

Road Conditions: In Nepal, vehicles are driven on the left-hand side of the road. Travel via road in areas outside the Kathmandu Valley remains dangerous. In general, roads in Nepal are in poor condition and lack basic safety features, resulting in significant numbers of accidents and fatalities. Deaths from motorcycle accidents have risen dramatically in recent years and U.S. citizens should consider avoiding riding motorcycles in Nepal, particularly on highways. It is dangerous to travel on the roof of buses as live electrical and other communications wires hang low in many places. Traffic police also impose fines and detain individuals for riding on the roof of buses. Long-distance buses often drive recklessly and bus accidents involving multiple fatalities are not uncommon.

Transportation: Visitors throughout Nepal, including in Kathmandu, are encouraged to use metered taxis and avoid public buses and microbuses. Many taxi drivers will refuse to use the meter, insisting on negotiating the price instead. In addition, there have been instances of taxi drivers tampering with the meters in an attempt to charge higher than normal fares. If you believe that you are being overcharged, you may wish to file a complaint with the traffic police on the street or at the nearest local police station.

Earthquake Thousands of people were killed and many of the country's historic sites were destroyed in the 7.8-magnitude earthquake and a number of aftershocks.People and places are still affected by the massive earthquake.

Political Unstability: The frequent changes in government in Nepal have badly hampered the countrys development and economic growth. Even after the constitutions promulgation, there is no sign of political stability in Nepal.

Due to political unstability the roads, cities, and businesses are often closed.

Electricity Outage: Nepal has scheduled power outgages through out days. Make sure to plan accordingly, and bring necessary power equipments.

Land Slides: As usual a key issue has been the role of poorly engineered roads in triggering landslides, and in many places there are reports that roads have played a key role in the failures.

Avalanche: Despite the thrilling adventure that trekkers enjoy, travellers should always be careful about the avalanches and be prepared.

Floodings: Floods and landslides are common in Nepal during the southwesterly monsoon season which runs from June to September.

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