Missing: The Disappearance Of A Solo Traveller

A year ago, skimming through news articles on the Internet, ones that piqued my interest as a traveller and a tour operator; the headline read ’62 tourists gone missing in 5 years’. https://myrepublica.nagariknetwork.com/news/62-tourists-gone-missing-in-five-years/
The other one on the Uk’s The Telegraph titled ‘Missing women may be victims of Nepal Serial Killer’. https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/nepal/1505189/Missing-women-may-be-victims-of-Nepal-serial-killer.html

For this many tourists to go missing or the female tourists to fall prey in a foreign country is a very big deal that is not credited enough to this day. What really happened? Where are they now?

Nepal is one of the best countries in the world for trekking destinations and furthermore the mentality of the travellers who come here thinking it is cheap has limited their knowledge of what lies beyond the mask. Pushing yourself to indulge in this cheap luxury of a small country has made you greedy to spend more, which is only human nature but keep in mind that you’re still in a foreign country nevertheless. What differentiates Nepal from other countries is the fact that the geographical features are so complicated that there is no proper map or navigation for it. If things were to get worse you are cut off from network or communication, you have no knowledge of the trails there and you will get lost. Nepal is a completely different country from what it claims to be- if you are a solo traveller travelling all over the world then it is best that you do not underestimate Nepal over your experiences in other countries.

How many cases have you read of Nepal being an insecure country for travellers? Maybe none or just a few on the Internet or maybe some didn’t live to tell their tale of what really happened in Nepal. I came across a missing traveller poster on my way to the American Embassy and I knew this wasn’t the first one to be stuck there. The bigger picture here is that no one here cares for it unless you are a relative who has filed a report for them. The main common denominator for the missing cases of travellers is that all of them were solo travellers. My point is that the generation today is heavily reliant on cell phones and the Internet that seems that this has become a wall between them as a traveller and their vision to travel safely. Not calling out ‘Solo travellers’ as cocky for trying to be independent but a fair safety warning to keep safe from any harm or getting lost in an unknown country.

Male travellers are robbed and females are raped- there is neither justice nor proof to prosecute these cases. Shocking right? You’ve never heard of such things ever happening in Nepal before. So why has no one heard of it and why was this not reported? What is the problem? Solo travellers are seen as an easy target by predators; if you were to walk the same path on a group you wouldn’t be the victim of such misfortune. One of the major debacles is the fact that there are different trekking companies in Nepal that are not even registered and put up a fake ID to garner the attention of travellers who are trying to get in cheap as possible. How many more travellers should get lost before it is taken as a major situation? If we were to see eye-to-eye on the same level the blame does not just lie to the country for not having the proper facilities or the police for not taking these cases seriously. Travellers have underestimated Nepal as a small cheap country but that’s about it- you have no knowledge about Nepal. How cheap is Nepal? Are you aware of the dangers you are exposed to? Besides Mt. Everest is the tallest mountain in the world, what exactly do you know about Nepal?

The case of Aubrey Saccos who disappeared in the Langtang National Park back in 2010 in detail by Tracy Ross: https://www.backpacker.com/trips/gone-girl-aubrey-saccos-disappearance-hiking-in-nepal
One of the devastating cases that was dragged on for 4 years with unclear proof that Aubrey was murdered despite having caught the suspects. If not for her father who was adamant to find his missing daughter and refused to let it die down by seeking help from all sides, then maybe such a thing would have never been brought to light and Aubrey would be just another solo traveller who overstepped the boundary and got lost in a foreign land.

Here are some good reasons to think twice before you solo travel in Nepal:

• No map - Maps are convenient but when you venture into a new territory of the vast land in Nepal, you are in trouble. The trails have no directions or a proper road that is captured in the map. The maps seem useful only for commercial treks that people come and go back and forth from and especially when there is no map trail or navigation you can certainly get lost.
• No communication - You are cut off from any form of communication. There is no network up there so don’t even dream of having the Internet to rescue you. Your worst fear is not even meeting a person who can help you.
• Language Barrier - If you happen to meet a local person mid-trail chances are you will still not escape the place. You may know the English language but you are in a foreign and rural place far away from urban civilization and the people here have no damn idea what you’re talking about. This is a major problem you must overcome as a solo traveller.
• Food Poisoning - Most travellers are missing or ‘dead’ due to food poisoning. How? Travellers often get weak and sick midway from the food they eat. The food you get for cheap prices is not always healthy and up in the villages there are no refrigerators to store food making you prone to diseases you have probably never heard of.
• Health Post - There are none! In case of altitude sickness or food poisoning, you will not find a proper health post where you can get access to the medicine or rest. Rare cases you do find a health post, they are not good making it even worse.
• Helpless - If you were to get mugged or harassed by people looking for an opportunity, you are on your own with no way to escape. You can’t call out for help or get help because you are in the middle of nowhere.

I did list out the reasons to not solo travel but it does not mean you don’t travel in Nepal at all. You can solo travel and it has not stopped people from doing so but safety comes first. As a fellow traveller I would only wish for the best and pray that no harm comes to those who are simply on a journey/ vacation. The best advice I can suggest is to take a guide or at least a potter so you can have a successful trip and avoid misfortune. Try to take as much information from genuine travel agencies. It is crucial that you are hooked with a proper travel agency who will help you from start to finish.

Why should you take a guide or potter?

• Your guide is your eyes and ears.
• Your guide is your travel companion and your talking navigation.
• They are locals of the region and they know every nook and cranny, the proper trails and shortcuts.
• They know the right route for walking or transportation roads to take depending on the weather condition and political situations.
• They know the culture of the region and communication is much easier to get across the locals.
• In case of food poisoning or altitude sickness, they will provide you with medical care. If it gets worse they will rescue you by calling for helicopter rescue service so you are saved in time.
• They know the local currency and rates so you can avoid being scammed. They will tell you the proper paying price so you don’t accidentally give away even if it seems cheap. You can save a lot!
• During tourist season the hotels/lodges are fully packed. Your guide has all the numbers of the local places/hotels/lodges. They will make sure to book a room for you so you don’t have to spend the night out in the open cold. If you were a solo traveller, it would be impossible for you to survive- there will no network and you also have no numbers.

Paying your guide $50-$60 should not be a big problem because in return they are saving you hundreds and guarantee you a secure trek.
I would call out the missing travellers for their misjudgment of not taking proper precaution. No matter how great dangers you have travelled across in other countries, Nepal is a completely different country. The only danger you will be facing is yourself. Before you are a traveller or an adventurer, you are first only a human.

If I were in place of any solo traveller, I would definitely prepare myself. Talking to a good travel agency is always important before you start your trip. Safety and security is something that a travel agency can promise you. Would you take a guide if you were in such a situation? Or are you confident to tackle the unknown trails on your own?