Health in Nepal

Recommended vaccines

Moreover, it is recommended to get some vaccines before travelling to Nepal: 

  • Hepatitis A

  • Hepatitis B

  • Typhoid

  • Japanese Encephalitis

All travellers should be sure to be up-to-date on routine vaccines before every trip. These vaccines include: 

  • Measles-mumps-rubella (MMR)

  • Diphteria-tetanus-pertussis

  • Varicella (chickenpox)

  • Polio

  • Rabies

MEDICAL REQUIREMENTS

Your are responsible of ensuring you are aware of all health precautions and that you undertook the recommended vaccinations in good time before departure. Please enquire yourself at your GP or at your local clinic before undergoing your trip. You must also fill in the medical form and send it back to us fully and truthfully completed. 

When travelling to Nepal, several precautions can be taken in order to stay healthy and feel good throughout your whole trip:

  • Keep your hands clean

  • Protect yourself from the sun

  • Watch what you eat and drink

  • Please ask the hosts of our guesthouse to give you the necessary information in regards to health

First aid kit you should have with you while travelling in nepal

  • Aspirin

  • Moskitos repellent and anti itch ointment

  • Sunscreen

  • Tablets for sterilizing water

  • Ask you GP for antibiotics to be used in emergencies such as high fever or allergic reactions

  • Antidiarrheal

  • Antihistamine

  • Antiseptic

  • Plasters (band-aid)

Water

Water in Nepal can be contaminated with all sorts of bacteria. If you aren’t sure if whether or not the water is safe don’t take any risk. Therefore always buy bottled water. Ice should be avoided except in touristy restaurants. Soft drinks, beer, tea and coffee are fine, but avoid other dairy beverages.

Food

Vegetables and fruit should be washed with purified or boiled water or peeled. Watch out with ice cream that is sold anywhere, it might have melted and refrozen. Also undercooked meat should be avoided. If a place looks clean, well run, and has good reviews on Trip Advisor (http://www.tripadvisor.com), the food is usually safe. In general, crowded places with travelers or locals will be fine, while empty restaurants are questionable. Also check out this link to Adventure Alternative food and accommodation on trek.

Mountain sickness

  • Altitude sickness is due to a rapid ascent to higher altitudes (3'500m or more) due to the decreasing amount of oxygen that occurs at high altitudes.

  • There are three main types of altitude sickness, acute (mild) altitude or mountain sickness (AMS), high-altitude pulmonary edema (HAPE), and high-altitude cerebral edema. 

Later symptoms of mountain sickness

  • shortness of breath

  • extreme fatigue

  • respiratory failure

  • cerebral edema

  • coma

early Symptoms of mountain sickness

  • Headache

  • Fatigue

  • Insomnia

  • Loss of appetite

  • Nausea

Treatment of mountain sickness

  • For mild acute mountain sickness, the person may be able to stay at current altitude to see if his or her body adjusts. If symptoms don’t get better in 24 to 48 hours or if they get worse, the person should go down to a lower altitude and seek immediate medical care.

  • Keep warm and rest

  • Drink plenty of water

 

Prevention of mountain sickness

  • Climb slowly

  • It is better to sleep at a lower altitude than the highest you have reached the same day

  • Drink a lot of water and avoid alcoholic beverages

  • If you don't feel good ask your guide to stop for a day

Please read our advice for acclimatising safely to altitude and of course our entire staff team are qualified to provide first aid in case of an emergency.