Kathmandu Travel Risk — Moderate Risk (45/100)
Is Kathmandu safe right now? Checked 8 October 2026
Kathmandu scores 45/100 on our travel risk index (Moderate). The US State Department rates Nepal Level 2 (Exercise Increased Caution, updated 4 Sep 2026); the UK has no advice against travel; Canada says: exercise a high degree of caution (with regional advisories). No GDACS or USGS hazard events within 100 km in the last 14 days. No change in government advice in the last 7 days.
Crime (score 45)
Environmental quality (score 65)
October 1, 2026
Kathmandu, Nepal has a current Travel Risk Calculator composite score of 45 out of 100 (moderate risk tier); the highest-rated risk category is environmental quality at 65/100; the lowest-rated category is crime at 45/100; last updated October 1, 2026. For official nationwide security advisories, entry requirements, and health notices, see the Nepal travel risk page. Real-time conditions below include live weather, official advisory levels, GDACS disaster alerts, and current news.
Get a personalized assessment for your tripHow safe is Kathmandu to visit in 2026?
Kathmandu currently sits at 45/100 on our composite travel-risk index, which puts it in the moderate-risk tier. Most travelers will be fine with normal precautions, but a few categories below score high enough that planning matters. The highest-rated risk category for Kathmandu is environmental quality (65/100), and the lowest is crime (45/100). This page was last updated on October 1, 2026; the baseline category scores reflect analytical indicators, layered with live conditions throughout the day. Live conditions — weather and air quality every 30 minutes, US State Department advisory every 6 hours, GDACS disaster alerts every 30 minutes, CDC health notices every 12 hours, and news every hour — are cached at the source and refreshed automatically when stale.
Driven by: security (54/100) and natural hazards (58/100).
A score of 45 is higher than the scores of 59% of the 241 countries we cover.
AI safety snapshot · refreshed Oct 5, 2026
Kathmandu currently maintains a moderate baseline risk level with a US State Dept advisory level of 2 and a Level 1 CDC dengue notice. Recent travel industry appeals urge visitors to return following devastating floods, while local aviation safety bills remain stalled.
AI-summarized strictly from the live public-source data below (US State Dept advisory, GDACS, CDC, Google News). Auto-refreshed at most once per day on the first visit. Not official advice.
Live conditions last refreshed: Oct 8, 2026 10:15 UTC
What should I do now?
- Run a real assessment. Open the calculator for live data (weather, advisory, news) layered onto this baseline.
- Environmental quality (score 65/100): Check air-quality forecasts. If sensitive, pack a mask and adjust outdoor activity. Hydration is critical in heat.
- Transport safety (score 60/100): Use the safest available transit. For high-risk routes, prefer reputable carriers and avoid late-night driving.
- Check your country's advisory. The single most authoritative live signal. Linked at the bottom of every real assessment.
Day vs Night Safety in Kathmandu
Guidance based on our scores and official advice — not a measured score.
Daytime conditions are generally secure along major corridors and commercial districts. Keep bags zipped and avoid displaying high-value items openly.
Risk levels elevate noticeably after dark outside main central zones. Avoid walking alone through unlit parks, alleys, or quiet transit stations; favor pre-booked door-to-door transport.
Safety by Traveler Type in Kathmandu
Guidance based on our scores and official advice — not a measured score.
Families with children
Health/disaster risk is elevated. Confirm medical-evacuation cover, identify hospitals near your accommodation, and check seasonal hazard (storm/heat/quake) before you book.
Older travelers
Health/transport risk is elevated. Confirm medical-evacuation cover, plan rest between transfers, and locate English-capable medical care on arrival.
LGBTQ+ travelers
Local laws and social attitudes toward LGBTQ+ travelers vary widely by country and are not captured in our category scores. The official advisory/political indicators are elevated. Read your government LGBTQ+ travel guidance carefully and weigh trip purpose against current conditions.
No group-specific warning is triggered in Kathmandu for solo travelers (Crime 45/100 · Transport 60/100), women traveling solo (Crime 45/100) and business travelers (Digital 20/100 · Money 40/100 · Transport 60/100): these scores sit in the low-to-moderate range, so standard precautions apply. Local laws affecting LGBTQ+ travelers and gender-specific incident rates are not captured in our scores; check your government's travel guidance.
Score layers
Safety categories
Source: Grounded open data research & citations
Quick facts
| Hospital access | medium |
|---|---|
| Airport risk | medium |
| Road safety | medium |
| Public transport | medium |
| Tourist scam risk | medium |
| Night safety | medium |
| Last updated | October 1, 2026 |
Live conditions in Kathmandu
Real-time data refreshed from public sources — weather and air quality from Open-Meteo, official advisory from the US State Department, disaster alerts from GDACS, health notices from the CDC, news from Google News. For an AI-synthesized briefing tailored to your specific trip, run a personalized assessment.
Official travel advisory
Level 2 · Exercise Increased Caution
Nepal - Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution
Read full advisory → · US Department of State
Natural hazard calendar & history
5-Year Hazard Calendar (100 km Radius)
| Hazard | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Floods | — | — | — | — | — | — | 2 | 3 | — | — | — | — |
| Wildfires | — | — | 2 | 7 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Most wildfire events within 100 km of Kathmandu happened in April (7 of 9 in five years).
Source: GDACS, USGS; five years to October 2026.
For consular advice on women's safety, LGBT+ travel, and local laws, see the Nepal travel advice & laws.
Check the official entry requirements for your nationality before you travel. See the Nepal entry requirements.
Health notices
Health Notices for this Destination
-
Level 1 - Global Dengue WATCH · 2026-10-02
Dengue is a year-round risk in many parts of the world, with outbreaks commonly occurring every 2–5 years. Travelers to risk areas should prevent mosquito bites. Country List : Colombia, Vietnam, Maldives, Bolivia, Cambodia, Kenya, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Costa Rica, Mar
-
Level 2 - Global Polio ALERT · 2026-09-23
Some international destinations have circulating poliovirus. Before any international travel, make sure you are up to date on your polio vaccines. Country List : Afghanistan, Algeria, Benin, Cameroon, Chad, Côte d'Ivoire (Ivory Coast), Democratic Republic of the Congo, Niger, Nig
-
Level 1 - Global Measles WATCH · 2025-05-28
Measles cases are rising in many countries around the world. All international travelers should be fully vaccinated against measles with the measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine, according to CDC's measles vaccination recommendations for international travel. Country List : Afghan
Source: CDC Travelers’ Health · fetched 2026-10-08 06:04:23 UTC
1991–2020 climate normals
Seasonal risk & best time to visit Kathmandu
The most weather-stable two-month window for Kathmandu is March–April, when typical daily temperatures run from about 11°C to 25°C and monthly rain averages 44 mm.
Seasonal planning flags include heavy rain season in May–September; monsoon in May–September. These are climate patterns, not forecasts.
Climate normals are planning context, not a short-range forecast. Source: Open-Meteo Climate API. Refreshed Sep 5, 2026.
Calculate risk for these travel dates Compare seasonal windows →
Practical safety map
Safety infrastructure nearby in Kathmandu
Kathmandu has 10 hospitals, 10 police stations, 5 embassies, 10 pharmacies and 3 fire stations within 7 km of the city center in the latest OpenStreetMap extract.
The interactive map loads when it approaches the viewport.
Facility list (works without JavaScript)
- Hospital: Grande City Hospital
- Hospital: Kathamandu Neuro and General Hospital
- Hospital: Kathmandu E.N.T. Hospital and Research Center
- Hospital: Kathmandu Model Hospital Dental Department
- Hospital: Somtala Patanjali Ayurvedic Center Pvt.Ltd
- Hospital: Swatha Parichyan
- Hospital: Swatha Parichyan
- Hospital: UNIVERSAL COLLEGE OF MEDICAL SCIENCES & UCMS COLLEGE OF DENTAL SURGERY
- Hospital: Valley Hospital (Putalisadak)
- Hospital: Valley Maternity Nursing Home
- Police: Unnamed police
- Police: Ason Police Booth
- Police: Community Police Naxal
- Police: Community Service Center, Naxal
- Police: Dillibazar Jail
- Police: Durbar Marg Police Station
- Police: Kamal Pokhari Police Station
- Police: Metropolitan Police Commissioner’s Office
- Police: Metropolitan Tourist Information Centre
- Police: Traffic Police Durbar Marg
- Embassy: Embassy of Austria
- Embassy: Honorary Consulate of Portugal
- Embassy: Honorary Consulate of Romania
- Embassy: Iran Embassy (Iranian Honorary Consulate)
- Embassy: Iran Embassy (Iranian Honorary Consulate)
- Pharmacy: Image Pharma
- Pharmacy: Naxal Pharma
- Pharmacy: Riwaj Pharma
- Pharmacy: Roshni Medical Pharma
- Pharmacy: Runo Pharmacy Pvt.Ltd
- Pharmacy: Sai Baba Ausadhi Pasal
- Pharmacy: Sai baba Pharmacy
- Pharmacy: Shree Krishna Aausadhalaya
- Pharmacy: Shuva-Labh Pharmacy
- Pharmacy: Siddharta Medi Pharma
- Fire station: Unnamed fire station
- Fire station: Mahanagar Fire Briged and Training Center
- Fire station: Phulchowk Fire Station
Map and facility data © OpenStreetMap contributors. Locations can be incomplete or outdated; confirm before relying on them. See this destination’s numbers or browse emergency numbers by country.
Emergency numbers (Nepal)
| Police | 100 |
|---|---|
| Ambulance | 102 |
| Fire | 101 |
| General | 112 |
See nearby hospitals, police, pharmacies, embassies, and fire stations on the safety map.
Medical access
| Hospital access | medium |
|---|---|
| Pharmacy access | medium |
| Emergency response | medium |
| English-speaking care | unknown |
| Evacuation complexity | high |
Kathmandu has several public and private hospitals, though quality varies and some have been linked to insurance‑fraud schemes; travelers should verify credentials and carry comprehensive travel insurance. Helicopter evacuations are available but can be costly and may involve complex verification, so plan ahead.
Common scam patterns
- Thamel Art‑Student Commission Walk. In Thamel, individuals pose as art students and invite tourists to join a commission walk that ends with a demand for payment for fabricated services or products. This high‑severity scam can leave travelers out of pocket quickly. Tip: Decline unsolicited invitations to join art‑student tours and avoid paying for unverified services.
- Fake trekking permits & inflated guide fees. Scammers operate fake trekking permit offices and charge tourists inflated fees for guides, especially targeting visitors arranging treks from the Thamel district. The schemes often involve bogus paperwork and unregistered operators. Tip: Book trekking only through Nepal Tourism Board‑registered agencies and verify their registration at ntb.gov.np.
- Gem & Pashmina Referral Commission Scam. Taxi drivers and hotel staff refer tourists to specific gem or pashmina shops, claiming they are the most authentic, while they receive a large commission for each sale. The recommended shops often overprice items and sell counterfeit goods. Tip: Shop for gems and textiles independently and compare prices before purchasing.
Area notes
- Thamel. The main tourist hub with many shops, restaurants and nightlife, but also the concentration point for most documented scams.
- Maharajgunj. Location of the U.S. Embassy; generally busy and well‑policed, but visitors should stay alert to petty theft.
- Kathmandu City Centre. The historic core features narrow streets, heavy traffic and occasional air‑quality spikes, requiring standard city‑travel precautions.
Nearest embassies & consulates
Find your home country's diplomatic mission in Nepal for consular support, lost passports, or citizen emergencies:
Frequently asked questions about Kathmandu
Is Kathmandu safe?
Kathmandu currently scores 45/100 on our composite travel risk index (moderate risk; lower is safer). It already includes the current US State Department advisory for Nepal (Level 2 of 4). Official advice can change quickly, so check it again shortly before you travel.
Sources: Travel Risk Calculator — Kathmandu · Methodology
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Calculate my trip riskScore history
| When | Score change | Tier | Reason / source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 1, 2026 | 47 → 45 | moderate | Method change (scoring v2) scoring v2 |
| Sep 27, 2026 | 50 → 47 | elevated → moderate | Method change (scoring v2) scoring v2 |
| Sep 9, 2026 | 0 → 0 | unknown | Data update Grounded open data research & citations |
| May 15, 2026 | — → 46 | moderate | Data update Editorial baseline 2026-05-14 (round 2: Numbeo + WHO + State Dept + GPI + EPI references) |
Every editorial change to Kathmandu's composite score is logged here, with the source and reason for the change. Live data overlays (weather, advisories, disaster alerts, news) refresh continuously on their own cadences and are not recorded as score changes — see the Live conditions section above for current overlay state.
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Transparency & Sources
We document the baseline sources, coverage scope, and data inputs for this destination below.
Sources used
- SimpleMaps World Cities (CC BY 4.0): Coordinates, region, population for Kathmandu
- Travel Risk Calculator score (method v2): Security, crime and scams, health, natural hazards and current alerts for Kathmandu, from US, UK and Canadian advisories, INFORM, World Bank, UCDP, CDC, GDACS, USGS and OpenStreetMap
- Editorial baseline (Travel Risk Calculator): City-level threat scoring across 9 categories (crime, health, advisory, political, disaster, transport, environmental, digital security, money safety)
Live data overlays on this page refresh asynchronously on the source cadences shown above. Run an assessment to create a trip-specific briefing using your dates and traveler profile.
Baseline scope
- Category scores represent an analytical baseline, updated from official feeds and public records.
Coverage notes
- Transport-hub safety notes (airport, train stations).
Methodology · Full data-source registry · Report a correction
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Disclaimer
Travel Risk Calculator provides estimated travel-threat information for preparation purposes only. It does not replace official government advisories, medical advice, emergency alerts, immigration rules, insurance advice, police guidance, embassy information, or professional security consultation.