Nepal is one of the most popular trekking destinations in the world and it comes as no surprise considering the back drop of the mighty Himalayas. Kathmandu is the capital and the main base for backpackers and offers everything you could need for a trek. Nepal does also have issues at the moment and it is not an entirely safe destination. Travel insurance is necessary and you should also consider that for trekkers, many travel insurance policies will only cover you up to an altitude of 4000m so please double check. For many of the easy to moderate treks that are available in Nepal that is enough, but for the harder ones, you will need travel insurance that gives you cover over 4,000m.
The UIAA website (International Mountaineering and Climbing Federation) has a comprehensive list of mountaineering federations in many countries http://www.theuiaa.org/federations.php
These federations are a very good starting point for getting information about available insurance cover which includes evacuation up to very high altitudes.
Note: - If you do not have adequate insurance cover, all costs of an emergency evacuation must be paid in cash in Nepal (Helicopters charge about USD 2000 per hour). It is therefore extremely important that you make sure any insurance policy you purchase covers emergency evacuation for ther altitude you are going to reach on your trek, and does not exclude mountaineering incidents.
Before you leave home, it’s important to check the travel advice for Nepal. You should carefully evaluate the implications for your security and safety before deciding to travel to Nepal. You can have your fingers crossed but you can't afford to shut your eyes. It is possible for things to go wrong on any holiday. You could fall ill or have an accident. Somebody might steal your money or luggage, your visit might be cancelled or cut short through injury or illness, and your family may need to fly out to be with you if there is a serious incident.
Following an intense period of unrest and armed conflict, the political and security situation in Nepal remains for the moment fragile and volatile. Visitors should maintain a high level of personal security awareness at all times.
Taking out adequate travel insurance can cover all these risks and more. Nepal Spirit Adventure can help you to sort out all your travel insurance needs, to find out how we can help, please get in touch.