Safest cities in Nepal
12 cities with 100k+ population · data updated 2026-09-04
What official travel advice warns about
Terrorism
- Terrorism in NepalAlthough there’s no recent history of terrorism in Nepal, attacks cannot be ruled out.
Civil disorder
- Political protests, demonstrations and strikes are fairly common in Nepal.
Crime
- Protecting yourself and your belongingsWatch out for pickpockets and bag-snatchers, particularly in airports, on buses and in areas popular with foreign nationals like Thamel, Sanepa and Kupondol in Kathmandu.
- Sexual assaultWomen have been sexually assaulted in tourist areas such as Thamel and Sanepa in Kathmandu. Be cautious, especially when alone after dark. See Advice for women travelling abroad.
- Drink spikingBe wary of accepting drinks from strangers and do not leave drinks unattended.
- Methanol poisoningThere has been an increase in cases of serious illness caused by alcoholic drinks containing methanol in popular travel destinations around the world.
- ScamsThere have been isolated reports of some trekking guides taking inexperienced trekkers to high altitudes too quickly, and then calling in expensive helicopter medivacs from which the guides take a cut. Be wary of trekking deals that look very cheap and may be scams.
Laws and cultural differences
- Personal IDYou should carry your passport with you. Leave a copy in a safe place or with friends and family in the UK.
- Visiting holy placesAvoid wearing shorts and sleeveless tops in temples and other holy places. Remove shoes before entering certain holy places. Non-Hindus are not permitted inside certain parts of Hindu temples.
- Illegal drugs and prison sentencesPenalties for drugs related offences are severe. If you are caught with even small amounts of marijuana, you can go to prison for over 5 years, usually after a long and expensive legal process.
- LGBT+ travellersNepal is generally open and tolerant to LGBT+ issues, and same-sex relations are not illegal. However, showing affection in public, irrespective of sexuality or gender, is viewed by Nepalis as inappropriate.
- Wildlife, animal products and souvenirsIt’s illegal to buy, sell, kill or capture any wild animal or trade its parts without a licence. Nepal is a signatory to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), which bans trade of wildlife products without a permit. If you are caught buying or trafficking such goods, or knowingly assisting…
Outdoor activities and adventure tourism
- Trekking in NepalYou need a valid permit and a Trekking Information Management System (TIMS) card to enter Nepal’s main trekking regions. See the Nepal Tourism Board TIMS card requirement for more information.
- Volunteering and adventure travelResearch any organisation or company you’re planning to use before committing yourself. See Volunteering and adventure travel.
Transport risks
- Road travelIf you’re planning to drive in Nepal, see information on driving abroad and read the International Drivers Association Nepal driving guide.
- Bus travelBus accidents are common in Nepal and there are a number of accidents resulting in fatalities every year. Buses are often overcrowded, poorly regulated and poorly maintained. Speeding, low driving standards and poor road conditions contribute to the risk of accidents. Do not travel on overloaded or overcrowded buses, or at night. Tourist buses…
- Air travelAir crashes can have a variety of causes and are not necessarily linked with poor safety standards or non-compliance with international safety standards. However, there have been a number of fatal accidents and air crashes across Nepal in the commercial air transport sector, involving planes and helicopters. Over the last 5 years, this includes a…
Extreme weather and natural disasters
- MonsoonTravel during the monsoon season (normally June to October) can be hazardous. Flooding and landslides can lead to impassable roads, delays to journeys, or cut off towns and villages for days at a time. If you travel by road during monsoon season you should:
- EarthquakesEarth tremors are common across Nepal. The lack of emergency equipment and poorly resourced medical facilities is likely to worsen an earthquake’s impact. British Embassy assistance will be slow to reach you if you are in a remote area.
Building safety
- Building, fire and electrical protection standards in Nepal are not always the same as in the UK. You should:
Headings and opening lines from the UK FCDO “Safety and security” travel advice for Nepal, updated 2026-09-01 (Open Government Licence v3.0). Read the full advice on gov.uk →
Country figures
- Homicide rate
- 2.13 /100k2020
- Income inequality
- Gini 30.02022
- Human development
- HDI 0.6222023
- Income
- $6,250/yrGNI per capita PPP
- Road deaths
- 16.3 /100kWHO, 2019
- Political stability
- 59/100WGI, 2024 · higher = more stable
- Rule of law
- 52/100WGI, 2024
- Corruption perceptions
- 34/100Transparency Intl, 2025 · higher = cleaner
- Natural-hazard risk
- 5.4/10EU INFORM, 2026 · higher = riskier
- Women, Peace & Security
- 0.63GIWPS, 2025 · 0-1, higher = better
- Air quality
- 53.2 µg/m³PM2.5, 2023 · WHO guideline is 5
- Safe drinking water
- 17%of population, 2024 · WHO/UNICEF JMP
- Healthcare capacity
- 1.0 doctors /1k0.5 hospital beds per 1,000
- Malaria
- 0 /1k at riskWHO, 2024 · endemic countries only
Natural hazards
- Earthquake
- 9.8/10EU INFORM, 2026 · higher = riskier
- Flood
- 6.9/10EU INFORM, 2026 · higher = riskier
- Drought
- 3.7/10EU INFORM, 2026 · higher = riskier
Hazard types scoring under 1 out of 10 are not listed.
Same-sex sexual activity is legal in Nepal (as of 2025).
How Nepal compares
| Measure | Nepal | World median | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Homicide rate | 2.1 /100k | 2.4 /100k | −0.2 /100k — better for Nepal |
| Income inequality (Gini) | 30.0 | 35.2 | −5.2 — better for Nepal |
| Human development (HDI) | 0.622 | 0.763 | −0.141 — better for World median |
| Road deaths | 16.3 /100k | 15.4 /100k | +0.9 /100k — better for World median |
| Rule of law | 52/100 | 52/100 | ±0/100 |
| Corruption perceptions | 34/100 | 39/100 | −5/100 — better for World median |
| Air quality (PM2.5) | 53.2 µg/m³ | 19.7 µg/m³ | +33.5 µg/m³ — better for World median |
| Natural-hazard risk | 5.4/10 | 3.8/10 | +1.6/10 — better for World median |
| Measure | Nepal | Asia median | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Homicide rate | 2.1 /100k | 1.5 /100k | +0.6 /100k — better for Asia median |
| Income inequality (Gini) | 30.0 | 33.6 | −3.6 — better for Nepal |
| Human development (HDI) | 0.622 | 0.771 | −0.149 — better for Asia median |
| Road deaths | 16.3 /100k | 14.9 /100k | +1.4 /100k — better for Asia median |
| Rule of law | 52/100 | 52/100 | ±0/100 |
| Corruption perceptions | 34/100 | 37/100 | −3/100 — better for Asia median |
| Air quality (PM2.5) | 53.2 µg/m³ | 26.7 µg/m³ | +26.5 µg/m³ — better for Asia median |
| Natural-hazard risk | 5.4/10 | 3.6/10 | +1.8/10 — better for Asia median |
Medians, not means, so one extreme country cannot drag the reference value. Each row compares only the countries that have a published figure for that measure, and differences are plain arithmetic between stored values.
All 12 cities, safest first
- Kathmandu74.1 · #2952 worldwide
- Biratnagar74.1 · #2953 worldwide
- Pokhara74.1 · #2954 worldwide
- Pokhariya74.1 · #2955 worldwide
- Bharatpur74.1 · #2956 worldwide
- Sitāpur74.1 · #2957 worldwide
- Laksmipur74.1 · #2958 worldwide
- Biratnagar74.1 · #2959 worldwide
- Baidehi74.1 · #2960 worldwide
- Nepalgunj72.2 · #3156 worldwide
- Banjariya72.2 · #3157 worldwide
- Tulsipur72.2 · #3158 worldwide