Stranded in Nepal? Message for Tourists Stuck in Nepal

Find below information from Nepal Tourism Board who are stranded in Nepal.

1) If you want help, YOUR GOVERNMENT NEEDS TO KNOW WHO AND WHERE YOU ARE. The most important thing right now is to register your desire to leave with your respective Embassy or Consulate. You can do this electronically and you can find information on their website.

Remember that if your country does not have an embassy here, you should register with your responsible embassy abroad (likely in New Delhi). Be sure you provide a reliable way to contact you (email preferably). Get a SIM card if you don’t already have one.

2) If you have shelter and food, do not move until instructed to do so by your embassy. You must respect the lockdown and social distancing first and foremost.

3) You are not alone! There are currently between 1000 and 2000 foreigners in your situation. The embassies are coordinating with the authorities to establish an evacuation plan.

The airlines have stopped being effective or reliable, so there is no point in trying to book or rebook yourself until the airport reopens and regular airline services resume. The embassies are looking for a solution on behalf of the group.

4) Remember that it takes a lot of effort to gather 2000 people near the airport from all corners of the country while respecting social distancing. Then you must have enough planes to get them out (approx. 230 pax/flight). And most will have to connect to another flight to get home.

So, the logistics are complex and cannot be worked out on a case by case basis.

The embassies are working on:

• Authorized transportation to Kathmandu
• Designated hotels and restaurants to gather the group safely near the airport while respecting lockdown and social distancing
• Special transportation to the airport and check-in
• Special charter flights out of Nepal

5) You will be expected to pay for the hotel/food/flight. Some embassies might help you financially based a promissory note, but that is not offered by all countries.

The end horizon for this crisis is in mid-April at best. But it might take longer until some freedoms are recovered.

The best option if you can, is to stay put and respect the lockdown/restrictions until it is over. Conditions are most likely not going to be better in your country and the trip back is going to be long and dangerous.

Don’t worry about your Visa, Nepal has granted amnesty on foreign visas and it will be sorted out later.

BUT WHATEVER YOU DECIDE, PLEASE LET YOUR EMBASSY KNOW WHERE YOU ARE AND WHAT YOUR PLANS ARE.

Where to Stay & Eat

We shall try to maintain an updated list of accommodations, restaurants and eateries still serving, but cannot promise the validity of this data. It changes on a regular basis.

• Hotels that are open on a map
• Restaurants that are open on a map

List of Airlines & Contacts

We cannot promise that the airlines will immediately pick up the phone, they are also up to their ears, but here is a handy updated list

• Updated list of Airlines and Numbers to Call

List of Embassies and Consulates

Here is the list of Embassies and Consulates you might need to contact. List of Embassies and Numbers to call

#StrandedInNepal #StuckInNepal #covidResponse #nepalNOW #stayHome #washHands #BreaktheChain

Source: Nepal Tourism Board (Strandedinnepal.com)