Travel with Confidence in the Himalayas
At Himalayan Sherpa Exodus Team Treks & Expeditions Pvt. Ltd., your safety is always our highest priority. Nepal offers some of the most inspiring trekking, climbing and adventure experiences in the world, but travelling through remote mountain regions also involves risks that may not exist on an ordinary holiday.
For this reason, we strongly recommend that every traveller joining our trekking, peak climbing, expedition or adventure program arrives in Nepal with comprehensive travel insurance appropriate for the activities and maximum altitude included in their itinerary.
A standard holiday insurance policy may not be sufficient for trekking in the Himalayas. Many insurance policies have altitude limits or exclude trekking, mountaineering, helicopter evacuation and other adventure activities. Please check your policy carefully before purchasing it.
What Should Your Travel Insurance Cover?
For trekking and adventure travel in Nepal, your policy should provide appropriate coverage for:
Emergency Medical Treatment
Your policy should cover medical expenses arising from illness, injury or an unexpected medical emergency during your journey.
High-Altitude Trekking
Make sure the maximum altitude covered by your insurance is higher than the highest point of your planned trek. For example, Everest Base Camp is approximately 5,364 metres and Thorong La Pass on the Annapurna Circuit reaches approximately 5,416 metres.
Emergency Helicopter Evacuation
Road access is unavailable in many Himalayan regions. In a serious medical emergency, including severe altitude-related illness or injury, helicopter evacuation may be the fastest or only practical means of reaching an appropriate medical facility.
Your policy should therefore specifically cover medically necessary helicopter evacuation from the altitude reached during your trip.
Medical Evacuation and Repatriation
We recommend insurance that covers transportation to an appropriate medical facility and, when medically necessary, repatriation to your home country.
Trekking, Climbing and Adventure Activities
If your itinerary includes peak climbing, mountaineering, rafting, paragliding, mountain biking, canyoning, bungee jumping or similar activities, confirm that each activity is specifically included in your policy. Additional adventure-sports coverage may be required.
Trip Cancellation or Interruption
Weather, illness, natural events, flight disruption and other unforeseen circumstances can affect Himalayan journeys. Cancellation and interruption cover can provide additional financial protection.
We also recommend considering coverage for delayed baggage, lost belongings and travel delays, particularly when your itinerary includes domestic mountain flights.
Why Is Helicopter Evacuation Cover So Important?
Nepal’s Himalayan landscape is beautiful, but many trekking regions are several days’ walk from the nearest road or advanced medical facility.
Altitude sickness can affect anyone, regardless of age, previous trekking experience or physical fitness. Serious injuries or medical problems may also occur in places where ground evacuation would take too long.
When medically necessary, a helicopter may be required to transfer a traveller to Kathmandu or another suitable medical facility. Such evacuations can be extremely expensive, particularly when carried out from remote Himalayan regions.
For this reason, please do not simply assume that your insurance includes helicopter rescue. Ask your insurer specifically:
“Does my policy cover medically necessary helicopter evacuation in Nepal from the maximum altitude of my itinerary?”
We recommend obtaining confirmation in writing whenever possible.
Important: Check the Altitude Limit
The words “trekking covered” do not automatically mean that your entire Himalayan trek is insured.
Some policies cover walking only below 3,000 metres. Others may offer optional coverage to 4,000 metres, 4,600 metres, 6,000 metres or higher.
Before purchasing your policy, compare its altitude limit with the highest elevation on your itinerary.
For peak climbing and expeditions, ordinary trekking insurance may not be adequate because the use of ropes, crampons, ice axes, climbing equipment or supplementary oxygen can fall under separate mountaineering exclusions.
Please inform your insurer exactly what activity you will be undertaking.
Choosing an Insurance Provider
Himalayan Sherpa Exodus Team Treks & Expeditions Pvt. Ltd. is not an insurance company, broker or insurance agent. We do not sell travel insurance and we cannot guarantee whether an insurer will accept or settle a particular claim.
Travellers are free to purchase insurance from any reputable provider available in their country of residence.
Rather than selecting a company only because its premium is inexpensive, we recommend comparing:
- Maximum trekking altitude
- Emergency medical coverage
- Helicopter evacuation coverage
- Search, rescue and ground evacuation provisions
- Adventure or mountaineering exclusions
- Pre-existing medical condition rules
- Trip cancellation and interruption benefits
- 24-hour emergency assistance
- Requirements for pre-authorisation of helicopter evacuation
- Policy excess or deductible
Insurance Providers Travellers May Consider
The following are examples for travellers to research. Availability, policy wording and benefits can vary according to nationality, country of residence, age, destination, itinerary and the plan purchased.
World Nomads
Offers travel insurance products in a number of countries with options for trekking and hiking in Nepal. Depending on country of residence and plan, high-altitude trekking coverage may be available up to 6,000 metres. Travellers should verify the selected plan and activity level before purchase.
Cover-More – Australia
Cover-More offers optional Adventure and Adventure+ activity coverage. Its current Australian adventure travel information describes trekking cover of up to 6,000 metres under the appropriate option, subject to policy conditions.
True Traveller – UK & Europe
True Traveller offers specialist activity packages for trekking. Its Extreme Adventure option is designed for trekking above 4,600 metres and its published information includes medically necessary helicopter rescue, subject to policy terms and authorisation.
Campbell Irvine – UK
Campbell Irvine currently states that recreational guided trekking on recognised routes may be insured up to 7,000 metres under its applicable policy, with medically necessary and authorised emergency helicopter evacuation subject to terms and excess.
ICICI Lombard – India
ICICI Lombard provides international travel insurance products and currently advertises specific protection options for travellers undertaking the Everest Base Camp trek. Adventure activity terms and the exact altitude and evacuation coverage should be confirmed before purchase.
HDFC ERGO – India
HDFC ERGO offers travel insurance for Nepal and discusses trekking and adventure travel. Travellers undertaking high-altitude trekking should confirm that their chosen product or add-on specifically covers the altitude and activities involved.
Global Rescue – International
Global Rescue provides emergency rescue, medical evacuation and security membership services to eligible travellers. Please note that a rescue or evacuation membership is not necessarily a replacement for comprehensive travel insurance. Travellers considering such services should also maintain suitable medical, cancellation and other insurance coverage.
Other established insurers in your home country may provide equally suitable or better coverage. The most important consideration is not the company name but whether the exact policy covers your itinerary, altitude and activities in Nepal.
Chinese, Hong Kong and Taiwan Travellers
Travellers from China, Hong Kong and Taiwan should carefully select travel insurance that specifically includes high-altitude trekking, emergency medical treatment and helicopter evacuation in Nepal.
Many standard travel insurance policies are designed for general overseas travel and may not automatically include Himalayan trekking, mountain rescue or adventure activities. Before purchasing a policy, please confirm that your insurance covers the maximum altitude and activities included in your itinerary.
Some insurance providers and platforms commonly used by Chinese-speaking travellers include:
Ping An Insurance (中国平安)
Ping An offers international travel insurance products for Chinese travellers. Customers should confirm that the selected plan includes Nepal trekking, high-altitude activities and emergency evacuation coverage.
AXA Tianping (安盛天平)
AXA Tianping provides travel insurance solutions for Chinese travellers. Travellers joining Himalayan trekking programs should verify adventure activity coverage and emergency rescue benefits before purchase.
China Pacific Insurance (太平洋保险)
China Pacific Insurance provides overseas travel insurance options. The policy details, altitude limitations and rescue coverage should be checked according to the planned trekking route.
World Nomads
Available for eligible nationalities and regions, World Nomads provides adventure travel insurance options with trekking-related coverage under selected plans. Travellers should confirm availability, altitude limits and policy conditions before purchasing.
AXA International Travel Insurance
AXA offers international travel insurance products in many markets. Coverage for trekking, climbing and helicopter evacuation depends on the specific policy selected.
Important Reminder for Chinese-Speaking Travellers
Before travelling to Nepal for trekking, please check:
- Whether Nepal is included as a covered destination
- Whether high-altitude trekking is covered
- Maximum altitude allowed under the policy
- Emergency helicopter evacuation benefits
- Medical evacuation and repatriation coverage
- Adventure activity exclusions
- Emergency assistance contact details
For Himalayan trekking in Nepal, selecting the cheapest insurance policy is not always the safest choice. A suitable policy should match your trekking route, altitude and planned adventure activities.
Himalayan Sherpa Exodus Team Treks & Expeditions Pvt. Ltd. recommends all travellers, including Chinese-speaking guests, to arrange comprehensive travel insurance before beginning their Himalayan journey.
Before You Leave Home
After purchasing your insurance, please send or bring the following information for your trip:
- Insurance company name
- Policy number
- Insurance certificate
- 24-hour emergency assistance telephone number
- Emergency contact information
- Details of your medical and helicopter evacuation coverage
Keep both digital and printed copies accessible during your journey.
In Case of an Emergency
Our trekking leaders and local team will always place your health and safety first.
However, helicopter evacuation should normally be arranged only when medically necessary. Wherever circumstances allow, the traveller, trip leader or assisting team should contact the insurer’s emergency assistance service before confirming an evacuation because many insurance companies require prior authorisation.
Travellers should never provide false information to an insurer or agree to an unnecessary evacuation simply because someone says that “insurance will pay.” Keep copies of medical reports, invoices, receipts and evacuation documents for any future claim.
Safety First, Adventure Always
The Himalayas reward travellers with experiences that remain for a lifetime. Good preparation allows you to enjoy those experiences with greater confidence.
Before joining Himalayan Sherpa Exodus Team Treks & Expeditions Pvt. Ltd., please take a few minutes to understand your travel insurance rather than simply purchasing the cheapest available policy.
Choose insurance that matches your destination, your maximum altitude and your planned activities, and make sure emergency medical treatment and helicopter evacuation in Nepal are clearly covered.
Our team will take every reasonable step to support you throughout your Himalayan journey, but appropriate travel insurance remains an essential part of responsible adventure travel.
Travel prepared. Trek responsibly. Explore the Himalayas with confidence.
Important Notice: Insurance products, eligibility, limits and policy conditions can change. The companies mentioned above are provided only as examples for independent research and are not endorsements by Himalayan Sherpa Exodus Team Treks & Expeditions Pvt. Ltd. Travellers are responsible for reviewing the latest policy wording directly with their chosen insurer before purchasing coverage.