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Nepal
I'm curious if anyone's been to Nepal recently and how the political troubles affected your travels. Yes I understand the current situation, and that it's likely to get worse before it gets better.
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It's been a few months - but saftey is not that much of a concern. Any problems risks/would mostly be from being in the wrong place at the wrong time - e.g. a general strike, political demonstartion, on public transportation, etc. I would check lonely planet's(.com) thorntree bulletin board for the latest.
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Thank you for the reply erik123. I've been following the LP threads for a bit now, but based on my experiences with the Thorn Tree and travel elsewhere I take it with a kg of salt. If you don't mind me asking, travel went as smoothly as could be expected in Nepal, i.e. no major delays outside the normal?
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You should expect major delays as general strikes are fairly common - though mostly they are announced beforehand and you will have time to change your plans/itinerary. When a strike happens transportation comes to a halt (in most cases). AFAIK no foreigner has been hit by political violence in the past decade and foreigners are not targeted. Though this bodes well for a possible trip - there is always a risk that the situation changes rapidly for the worse.
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According to the Australian Government "Smart Traveller" website
Australians are advised to defer non-essential travel to Nepal. Australians who consider their travel to Nepal to be essential should exercise extreme caution. Demonstrations and civil unrest may occur at short notice. Australian should avoid all rallies and public demonstrations as they may become violent. Bans on public gatherings and government-imposed curfews can be called at short notice. Security personnel are authorised to shoot at people breaking curfews. There is a violent Maoist insurgency in Nepal with frequent clashes between government forces and insurgents across the country, including in popular trekking and tourist areas. Maoists have targeted vehicles, including buses. There have been indiscriminate bomb attacks by Maoists, including in Thamel, the main tourist centre of Kathmandu. Maoists call frequent national and local strikes (bandhs) during which most businesses are closed. The lack of transport during strikes can make travel very difficult. Australians in Nepal are advised to register with the Australian Embassy in Kathmandu, via the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade on-line registration service. |
Overall tourists havent been targetted...
...did see a street riot near Royal chitiwan park..it was a little freaky but no foreigners were threatened at all...i think if you go to the real outlying areas like MUSTANG you may have to worry about robbery, ut overall i never felt any real threat.
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I just returned from 11 days in Nepal. Enjoyed it immensely. There is definite tension; saw a few demonstrations, but saw worse ones in Argentina this year.
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Originally Posted by dannyr
According to the Australian Government "Smart Traveller" website
I wouldn't be going to Nepal if I didn't have to |
From speaking with people who've traveled there, foreigners are not specifically targeted for political violence (e.g. no incidents like the bus massacre in Egypt), and the Himalayas are stunning. However, foreigners do get shaken down for the "Maoist tax" as well as by corrupt soldiers, and to get through the countryside you'll need to negotiate through roadblocks. There is also the danger of landmines and of being caught up in a riot.
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Originally Posted by choster
as well as by corrupt soldiers, and to get through the countryside you'll need to negotiate through roadblocks.
There's certainly the possible for collapse and travel delays, but it's not like Nepal is Africa and awash in weapons... some of the government troops carry caplock rifles :eek: |
I was there a few weeks ago. I got a feeling that things were going to get messy and they now will with the cease-fire now over.
Yak and Yeti and most of the hotels should be fine still .... :D I do not recommend country-side exploring. And if you see a military convoy on the road, make sure to keep your distance. |
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