Question 1

What is the "Drug-Spiked Tea or Food" scam in Kathmandu?

Accepted Answer

Friendly strangers in tourist areas invite solo travelers for tea or food. The beverages or food are laced with sedatives and tourists wake up having been robbed of cash, passports, and valuables. This is especially reported near bus stations. Never accept food, drink, or cigarettes from strangers you just met in tourist areas. Be especially cautious if someone is overly insistent. Meet new people in public social settings like hostel common rooms instead.

Question 2

What is the "Counterfeit Trekking Gear" scam in Kathmandu?

Accepted Answer

Thamel's outdoor gear shops sell equipment branded as North Face, Mammut, and Arc'teryx that is counterfeit. Down jackets may have minimal insulation and gear may fail in high-altitude conditions, creating genuine safety risks. Buy gear from established shops with clear return policies and ask to see labels inside seams. Better yet, rent gear from reputable agencies if you only need it for one trek. Accept that genuinely cheap branded gear is fake.

Question 3

What is the "Overpriced Altitude Medication" scam in Kathmandu?

Accepted Answer

Pharmacies in Thamel and near trekking trailheads sell Diamox (acetazolamide) and other altitude medications at prices many times the standard cost, targeting trekkers who have not brought medication from home. Some sell incorrectly dosed or counterfeit tablets. Consult a doctor and obtain altitude medications before travelling to Nepal. Bring sufficient supply from your home country or purchase from a reputable international pharmacy chain in Kathmandu. Verify packaging and lot numbers for any medicine purchased locally.

Other Tourist Scams in Kathmandu

Drug-Spiked Tea or Food

Counterfeit Trekking Gear

Overpriced Altitude Medication

Experienced a scam here?