Is Nepal Safe for Women Travellers? What’s changed since I trekked there in 2005

In November 2005, I flew into Kathmandu with a backpack, a dodgy water-resistant jacket and my best friend Kell, to trek the Annapurna Base Camp route. Back then, hiring a guide was something we chose to do, because it seemed sensible and because Kell’s Aunty Lenore, who’d been living in Kathmandu for years, made it very clear that local knowledge was worth its weight in gold.

Twenty years on, women ask me all the time whether Nepal is actually safe to travel to, especially alone or in a small group of women. So I want to answer that properly, using what I know from being there and what’s changed since.

The short answer

Yes. Nepal is consistently rated one of the more welcoming, lower-risk destinations in Asia for women travelling alone or in small groups. Serious crime against tourists is rare. The bigger risks aren’t about being a woman specifically, they’re about altitude, road conditions and basic scams that catch out any first-time visitor, male or female.

That doesn’t mean you switch your brain off. It means the precautions are sensible ones, not fear-based ones.

The biggest change since I went – guides are no longer optional

This is the one that surprised me most doing the research for this piece. Since April 2023, the Nepal Tourism Board has made it a legal requirement for all foreign trekkers to hire a licensed guide through a registered trekking agency before setting foot in a national park or conservation area, including the Annapurna region I trekked. Independent solo trekking on those major routes is no longer permitted, full stop.

The reasoning is straightforward – dozens of independent trekkers were going missing or getting into trouble each year and the guide requirement was brought in for safety and to properly support the local guiding economy.

Here’s the thing though – Kell and I had a guide by choice in 2005, not because we had to. His name was Shankar and by the end of eleven days he’d talked us up mountains, taught us the phrase “Nepali flat,” and quite possibly saved us from ourselves on a snow-covered ridge above Machhapuchhare. What used to be the smart option is now simply the rule for everyone. If you’re nervous about the idea of trekking Nepal as a woman, take some comfort in that – you will not be figuring out remote mountain trails alone. You’ll have someone whose literal job is getting you there and back safely.

What actually causes the most trouble (it’s not what you think)

Every solo female traveller who’s spent real time in Nepal reports much the same thing – the danger isn’t violent crime, it’s logistics. The road between Kathmandu and Pokhara is still rough going, landslides happen and the flight into Lukla for Everest Base Camp has a reputation for a reason. Petty theft in busy areas like Thamel is a genuine, if minor, risk. So is the odd scam.

The ones worth knowing before you land:

• Inflated taxi fares. Use a ride-hailing app like Pathao or InDrive rather than flagging a cab on the street, or book through your accommodation.
• The “help me buy milk for my baby” approach in Kathmandu, which ends with you being pressured to overpay at a specific shop.
• Someone approaching you claiming to be a guide, who then steers you toward shops that pay him commission.

None of this is unique to Nepal and none of it is really about gender. It’s the same street-smarts you’d use arriving in any unfamiliar city.

What is about being a woman – staring, questions and modest dress

Nepali culture is warm but conservative, particularly outside Kathmandu and Pokhara. Covering your shoulders and knees is genuinely appreciated and will make your day-to-day interactions smoother. Public affection, even just holding hands, isn’t the norm and can draw attention.

You will get stared at. Nepalis stare at everyone who looks different, not just Western women and it’s almost always curiosity rather than menace (this is exactly how Emma Lovell describes it in India, too – watch the full episode here). You may also get personal questions from drivers or shopkeepers about whether you’re married. A lot of women who travel there solo simply wear a plain band on their ring finger and say they’re meeting their husband later. It closes the conversation politely and nobody thinks twice about it.

If someone is genuinely bothering you, the advice from women who live and guide there is consistent – don’t engage, don’t argue, just walk toward other people. A firm “no” and confident body language does more than any confrontation.

Where to base yourself

If you’re spending time in Kathmandu before or after a trek, Thamel is the obvious choice for a first visit, it’s noisy but everything is within walking distance and there are always other travellers around. Pokhara’s Lakeside area is quieter and a lovely place to decompress after a trek. Both are considered comfortable for women travelling without a group.

The bit I still think about most

What I remember from 2005 isn’t a moment of feeling unsafe. It’s Shankar walking us up 3,000 steps in the pouring rain, it’s a Nepali massage that had Kell and I in fits of laughter, it’s the entire trekking crew singing us their national anthem on our last night on the mountain. Nepal gave me one of the best experiences of my life and it did it while looking after me the whole way, guide included, well before that was ever a legal requirement.

If the idea of Nepal has been sitting on your list but the “is it safe” question has been the thing holding you back, I’d say this – it’s one of the more forgiving places in the world to take that first step into big, bold travel. You’ll be looked after. You just need to be the kind of prepared traveller who reads pieces like this one before she goes, which, if you’re still reading, you already are.

If a small-group women’s trip back to Nepal is something you’d love to join, I’d love to know. Register your interest here, it takes two minutes and it’s exactly what helps me plan where to go next.

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