Exercise caution — there are real risks that travellers should plan around. Political freedoms are limited and travellers should be mindful of local sensitivities.
Regional breakdown
Most travel to Nepal centres on Kathmandu, Pokhara and the trekking routes around the Annapurna and Everest regions. The official advisory guidance points to cities, including Kathmandu, as places where demonstrations and local unrest can still flare up without much warning. Crowds tend to gather around government buildings in the capital, so travellers are told to give protests a wide berth. The Kathmandu Valley sits in a high earthquake risk zone. The 2015 quake still shapes how the US frames the area, and aftershocks remain a background concern. Outside the valley, medical services thin out quickly. Trekkers heading into Solukhumbu for Everest Base Camp, or into Mustang and Manang on the Annapurna circuit. Should plan for slow evacuations if something goes wrong at altitude. Monsoon rains between June and September trigger landslides and flash floods on mountain roads. Routes into Langtang, Helambu and the far west are the most exposed. Domestic flights to Lukla and Jomsom are often delayed or cancelled by weather.
Recent advisory changes
The official advisory guidance last updated its Nepal page on 19 March 2026. The current focus is not on Nepal itself but on knock-on effects from the Middle East. Where airspace closures and cancelled flights are disrupting routes into Kathmandu. The official advisory guidance points travellers to airline updates, transit country advice and insurance cover. Nepal's immigration department has agreed to give free visa extensions at the airport for travellers stuck by flight disruption. The official advisory guidance reissued its Nepal advisory on 31 March 2026 at Level 2, Exercise Increased Caution. The reissue notes that the nationwide demonstrations which began in September 2025 have stopped and that the security situation is now stable. Even so, official advisory guidance keeps the Level 2 rating in place because of the residual risk of civil unrest. The earthquake exposure in the Kathmandu Valley, and the limited medical care available outside the capital.
What travellers should know
Travel insurance is the first thing to sort. Make sure the policy covers high-altitude trekking if Everest Base Camp, Annapurna or any route above 3,000 metres is on the itinerary. Helicopter evacuation from the mountains is expensive and routine policies often exclude it. Check that cover extends to flight cancellations, given the current disruption flagged by official advisory guidance. On the ground, watch out for altitude sickness on the trekking routes and take acclimatisation days seriously. Hire a registered guide for anything beyond day hikes. Keep an eye on local news for protests in Kathmandu and avoid political gatherings. Carry a paper copy of your passport and visa. Roads in the hills are rough and night driving is best avoided. For flights to Lukla, Jomsom and Simikot, build slack into the schedule because weather delays are common.