Nepal News

Update: FCO no longer advise against all but essential travel to the whole of Nepal

We are pleased to announce that on the 3^rd July 2015, the FCO updated their travel advice lifting the restriction on “all but essential travel to the whole of Nepal”. Nepal’s capital Kathmandu is among the areas no longer affected by the restriction, other well-known areas include Patan, Pokhara, Annapurna Sanctuary, Chitwan and Bardia, plus central and southern regions.

Nepal relies heavily upon tourism and this news will be a welcome step in a positive direction for Nepalese communities.

Mountain Kingdoms welcome the change in advice and hope to bring you more encouraging FCO advice and updates soon.

Read Nepal FCO advice here: https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/nepal

Update - 16th July 2015

Operations Manager Jim Davies will be visiting Nepal prior to the start of the autumn trekking season. Survey teams have already been tirelessly assessing trekking routes and have provided positive overall assessments of regions including Dolpo, Mustang, Ganesh, Kangchenjunga, Annapurna and the Everest regions.

Jim plans to visit local suppliers to discuss plans for forthcoming treks and to offer support to local communities, visiting and lending a hand at DHC New Life Centre. He will also spend time at Ginette Harrison School, funded by SHIVA Charity which is one of our many recommended Nepal Earthquake Appeals.

Update - 1st June 2015

Steve Berry, Mountain Kingdoms’ MD, reports on the messages received from friends in Nepal, and highlights a selection of worthy charities working on the ground to provide aid and assistance to local communities.

Nepal

We have been collecting detailed information from all our friends in Nepal. Today we have had a visit from our local operators from the Annapurna foothills, and the information that they have provided us with has been extremely valuable. Their view is that, come the autumn, many of the affected areas within Nepal will be functional, with certain exceptions. Water and electric is currently operational in Kathmandu and Pokhara, and communications with ground agents have started to build. Our ground handlers and hotel owners in Nepal are reporting that they are busy delivering aid and assistance to remote villages and are doing what they can to support local communities.

Unfortunately, it is with great sadness that we hear, that some areas of Nepal have been devastated by the recent earthquake; however some have been untouched. The village of Langtang is reported to be one of the worst-affected areas, and almost completely destroyed, buried in avalanche and flattened by the earthquake. It is highly unlikely that trekking will resume here, and it is unclear when this region will recover. We will be cancelling all future Langtang trips forthwith and have been in contact with all clients booked to travel to Langtang shortly.

Third hand reports suggest that Mustang, Dolpo, Far-West and East Nepal have received relatively minor damage, even the Annapurna region seems to have received relatively little damage. The Ker and Downey Lodges in the foothills received minor damage, Pokhara has received minor damage and we can report that our hotels are fully functional.

Tibet

As far as Tibet is concerned, little information has been received. China, it appears, have restricted information. We do know that the friendship bridge has received “damage”, plus the road from Nepal to Tibet has been affected by a number of landslides and is closed at this time. It is unlikely that the road will be reopened in the near future.

We have also heard that China are not allowing travel to Mount Kailash at this time, yet we believe that the cultural cities Lhasa, Gyantse and Shigatse are, as far as we know unaffected. Rumours that the earthquake has struck Shigatse are not confirmed. We remain unsure of future travel at this time. We are gathering information with the hope that we can continue group departures both this summer and autumn.

Bhutan

Bhutan has been unaffected by the recent earthquake in Nepal, however the majority of our Bhutanese programmes travel through Kathmandu. There is no reason to think that we will need to change our itineraries at this time.Should we need to reroute your itinerary we can do so via Delhi, Calcutta or Bangkok.

The future of Nepal

We encourage our clients to be optimistic about Nepal’s autumn tourist season, this beautiful country has received one devastating blow, and one way for us all to ensure that they don’t receive another is to support Nepal’s tourist industry.

Our hearts remain with the people of Nepal.

Update - 27th May 2015

A month has passed since the devastating earthquake struck Nepal. Although the news is fading from the media, there are many relief organisations, charities and individuals working day and night to help support and repair the lives and hearts of those living in the affected regions.

Event organisers have sprung into action, raising funds for worthy causes, running races, baking cakes for school fetes and donating as much as possible.

Over the past few weeks we have recommended a number of charities, read about the extraordinary aid efforts and the progress that has been achieved.

Gurkha Welfare Trust - Mountain Kingdoms' clients donate £30,000 in a day. Read more

Shiva Charity - Progress is made in Nepal. Read more

Nepali Children's Trust - Convey their thanks.

Update - Tuesday 12th May 2015

It is with great sadness that we hear the news that a second major earthquake has struck eastern Nepal. We are in contact with our local ground agents and at this time have little news to report. During these disturbing times our thoughts are with our Nepali friends and their families. Please continue to donate.

Supporting Nepal

We feel that the most important thing to do now is to raise funds, help and support for the Nepalese. In particular, supporting small charities, getting cash on the ground so that the people of Nepal can start to rebuild their lives.

Mountain Kingdoms have for many years supported a number of Nepalese charities and over the past week we have recommended that donations are directed to The Gurkha Welfare Trust. Now in addition to this, we are able to recommend the following charities, we are confident that all money donated through them will go directly to helping the people of Nepal.

Nepal Earthquake Appeals:

1. Nepali Children’s Trust supports the Newlife Centre which provides a caring home for disabled children in Kathmandu.

2. The Himalayan Trust UKis a charity whose aim is to have a real and immediate effect on the Nepali Sherpa’s’ daily lives. This is achieved by our providing resources to support education, basic health and forestry programmes. (www.himalayantrust.co.uk)

3. Ginette Harrison Memorial Fund raises money for Shiva Charity which supports a poor school near Banepa, near Kathmandu (www.shivacharity.com).

4. Global Action Nepal aims to improve the education of children in Nepal, and also works within a number of different areas, including environmental, health and sanitation issues.

5. The Gurkha Welfare Trust helps to provide financial, medical and community aid to alleviate hardship and distress among the Gurkha ex-serviceman and their families when they leave the British Army (www.gwt.org.uk).

6. Shivapuri Heights Cottage has been assisting the nearby village of Dadagaun and request financial assistance for food and shelter followed by substantial rebuilding costs. For more information please refer to: www.shivapuricottage.com

7. Dolma Development Fund is a non-profit organisation founded in 2003 to alleviate poverty by investing in education, health and sustainable businesses in Nepal.

Please donate directly to your chosen charity. No amount of money is too small and anything you can spare will be put to good use.

Update - Monday 27th April 2015, 14.30

We are encouraging our clients, friends and families to donate directly to the Gurkha Welfare Trust. To read more about how the Gurkha Welfare Trust are assisting in Nepal, please click here.

Update - Monday 27th April 2015, 12noon

Nepal Earthquake Appeal – Mountain Kingdoms

At this terrible time we would like to thank our clients, friends and families for their messages of support. All our clients travelling within Nepal remain safe, many have departed Nepal on their international flights home.

We are currently setting up a facility for our client’s, friends and families to donate. All money raised will go directly to those in need. Details on how to donate will follow on our website and Facebook page in due course.

Update - Sunday 26th April 2015, 11.00am

We can now confirm that all clients currently travelling with Mountain Kingdoms in Nepal have been accounted for and are safe. Our Sherpas and crew are also reported as safe. Our thoughts remain with our friends and their families.

In light of the recent earthquakes in Nepal, we would like to express our deepest sympathy to our friends and the people of Nepal, India and Tibet, our thoughts are with you all during this devastating time.