Vaccines for Nepal
The checker above is set on Nepal: add India or another stop, your age and the weeks left before the flight to Kathmandu to get the CDC list and the price of each dose.
Travel vaccines CDC lists for most or some travelers on this trip
5 vaccines
plus 3 to discuss and routine vaccines up to date
| Yellow fever | Required only if you arrive from a risk country (Nepal) |
| Malaria | Prescription tablets for areas of Nepal |
| Longest lead time | 28 days before departure (Hepatitis B, 2 doses (Heplisav-B)) |
| Published price, these vaccines | $1,405 median, $1,215 to $1,550 |
Levels from the CDC destination pages; age 35 used for the Japanese encephalitis schedule. A list to take to a doctor, nurse or pharmacist, not medical advice.
| Disease | CDC level | Where | Start at least | Median price per dose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yellow fever | Required only if you arrive from a risk country | Nepal | 10 days before | $269 |
| Hepatitis A | CDC: most travelers | Nepal | Any time before | $109 |
| Hepatitis B | CDC: most travelers | Nepal | 28 days before | $149 |
| Measles | CDC: most travelers | Nepal | Ask | $115 |
| Typhoid | CDC: most travelers | Nepal | 14 days before | $174 |
| Japanese encephalitis | CDC: some travelers | Nepal | 14 days before | $375 |
| Chikungunya | CDC: may be considered | Nepal | Any time before | $326 |
| Cholera | CDC: may be considered | Nepal | 10 days before | $313 |
| Rabies | CDC: may be considered | Nepal | 7 days before | $419 |
Compiled by Radif Partners · Method and sources · CDC page reviewed August 25, 2026, read October 24, 2026
For Nepal, CDC lists hepatitis A and typhoid for most travelers, and hepatitis B for unvaccinated travelers under 60 (60 and older may get it), with routine vaccines such as measles (MMR). Japanese encephalitis is for some travelers. Rabies and cholera are both in the consider group, and both are worded strongly: CDC says rabid dogs are commonly found and that rabies vaccines may only be available in larger suburban or urban medical facilities, and that active cholera transmission is widespread. Chikungunya vaccination is generally not recommended. Kathmandu, Pokhara and the typical Himalayan treks have no malaria; tablets are advised only below 2,000 meters (about 6,500 feet) in Sudurpashchim and Karnali provinces. A direct flight from the US needs no yellow fever certificate, but travelers 9 months or older coming from a risk country need one, transits over 12 hours included. At US county health departments the median price is $109 a dose of hepatitis A, $174 for the typhoid shot and $419 a dose of rabies vaccine.
A trekker's reading of the Nepal page
Most visitors to Nepal fly into Kathmandu and spend part of the trip on foot: the Everest Base Camp route from Lukla, the Annapurna circuit from Besisahar or Pokhara, Langtang, or the shorter Poon Hill loop. Days are spent far from a road, often far from a hospital. That is why two lines that sit in the consider group on most Asian pages, rabies and cholera, get closer attention here, while malaria, which dominates many tropical destinations, barely touches the classic routes.
Rabies: care may be days away
CDC writes that dogs infected with rabies are commonly found in Nepal, and that if an exposure occurs, rabies vaccines may only be available in larger suburban or urban medical facilities. Compare that with Thailand or Cambodia, where CDC says the vaccines are typically available throughout most of the country. CDC's two criteria for pre-exposure vaccination are activities that increase contact with animals and possible difficulty getting prompt post-exposure care, and a trek several days' walk from the nearest town falls within the second. The decision stays with a healthcare provider.
The pre-exposure series is two doses 7 days apart, costing $360 to $480 a dose on the US lists, so $838 for both at the median. A traveler who had them still needs prompt care after a bite, but a simpler course without immune globulin. With hepatitis A (both doses), the typhoid shot and visit fees, a trekking list with rabies comes to $1,193 to $1,408, median $1,305.
Rabies doses before a Himalayan trek
Rabies, before travel (2 doses): when to start
7 days before
| Doses | 2 doses: day 0, day 7 |
| Protection | From the dose given before travel |
| Published price per dose | $419 median, $360 to $480 (8 departments) |
| Series, median total with fees | $875 ($812 to $990) |
Cholera and the food and water vaccines
The Nepal page states that active cholera transmission is widespread, adds that cholera is rare in travelers, and says vaccination may be considered for children and adults going to areas of active transmission. The oral vaccine is one dose taken at least 10 days before exposure, $313 at the median price. Hepatitis A (unvaccinated travelers aged one or more) and typhoid (most travelers) are the firmer lines. Teahouse meals, refilled water bottles and dal bhat eaten with the hands on the trail are the context; water treatment and hand washing do much of the work, and CDC notes that typhoid vaccine is not 100% effective.
Nepal list with rabies and cholera
Self-pay cost of these travel vaccines
$1,658
| Hepatitis A, 2 doses | $217 |
| Typhoid, injection, 1 dose | $174 |
| Rabies, before travel (2 doses), 2 doses | $838 |
| Cholera, oral, 1 dose | $313 |
Altitude and malaria
CDC sets the malaria line in Nepal by elevation. Transmission is reported in Sudurpashchim and Karnali provinces in areas below 2,000 meters (about 6,500 feet), with rare cases in other areas of the country below the same height. Kathmandu, Pokhara and typical Himalayan treks have no transmission. Tablets (atovaquone-proguanil, doxycycline, mefloquine or tafenoquine) are advised only for the low areas of the two western provinces; in other areas with reported cases, the advice is bite precautions alone. Chitwan and Bardiya national parks are in the lowland Terai, so a jungle safari after the trek is the segment to check against that map with a prescriber. The malaria by country page shows the same split for other countries.
Japanese encephalitis: some travelers only
Japanese encephalitis is on the Nepal page for some travelers. CDC recommends it for people moving there, staying a month or more in affected areas or going often, and says to consider it for shorter trips with rural visits, hiking or camping, nights without air conditioning, screens or bed nets, or uncertain plans; it is not recommended for short urban stays. Adults of 18 to 65 need 14 days to complete the two doses with their protection delay, others 35 days, because their doses are 28 days apart. A dose costs $375 at the median. The Japanese encephalitis vaccine page has the schedule in detail.
Hepatitis B and the yellow fever rule
Hepatitis B is listed for unvaccinated travelers under 60, at $149 a dose. For yellow fever, CDC does not recommend the vaccine, and Nepal asks a certificate only from travelers 9 months or older arriving from a country with yellow fever risk, an airport transit of more than 12 hours included. Flights through Doha, Delhi or Istanbul, or the land border with India, do not trigger it. A trip that reaches Kathmandu after East Africa does: the shot costs $269 at the median and becomes valid 10 days after it is given.
What CDC says for Nepal, word for word
Source: CDC, Travelers' Health destination page for Nepal, page last reviewed August 25, 2026, read on October 24, 2026. The text is reproduced without change; it is available free of charge on cdc.gov. Its use here does not imply endorsement by CDC, ATSDR, HHS or the United States Government.
Travel notices: Level 1, Global Measles (May 28, 2025)
| Disease | CDC wording |
|---|---|
| Routine vaccines | Make sure you are up-to-date on all routine vaccines before every trip. Some of these vaccines include • Chickenpox (Varicella) • Diphtheria-Tetanus-Pertussis (DTaP, Tdap, or Td) • Flu (influenza) • Measles-Mumps-Rubella (MMR) • Polio • Shingles |
| COVID-19 | All eligible travelers should be up to date with their COVID-19 vaccines. Please see Your COVID-19 Vaccination for more information. |
| Hepatitis A | Recommended for unvaccinated travelers one year old or older going to Nepal. Infants 6 to 11 months old should also be vaccinated against Hepatitis A. The dose does not count toward the routine 2-dose series. Travelers allergic to a vaccine component should receive a single dose of immune globulin, which provides effective protection for up to 2 months depending on dosage given. Unvaccinated travelers who are over 40 years old, are immunocompromised, or have chronic medical conditions planning to depart to a risk area in less than 2 weeks should get the initial dose of vaccine and at the same appointment receive immune globulin. |
| Hepatitis B | Recommended for unvaccinated travelers younger than 60 years old traveling to Nepal. Unvaccinated travelers 60 years and older may get vaccinated before traveling to Nepal. |
| Typhoid | Recommended for most travelers. Typhoid vaccine is not 100% effective. Practicing safe food and water habits, including washing hands at key times, can also help prevent typhoid fever. |
| Yellow Fever | CDC recommendations: Vaccine is not recommended. Country entry requirements: • Direct travel from United States: Vaccine is not required. • Travel from countries with risk for YF virus transmission: Vaccine is required for travelers ≥9 months old; this includes >12-hour airport transits or layovers in countries with risk for YF virus transmission. Updated April 23, 2025 See footnotes |
| Malaria | CDC recommends that travelers going to certain areas of Nepal take prescription medicine to prevent malaria. Depending on the medicine you take, you will need to start taking this medicine multiple days before your trip, as well as during and after your trip. Talk to your doctor about which malaria medication you should take. Transmission areas • Sudurpashchim and Karnali provinces in areas <2,000m (~6,500 ft) elevation • Rare cases in other areas throughout the country in areas <2,000 m (~6,500 ft) elevation • No malaria transmission in Kathmandu (the capital), Pokhara, or on typical Himalayan treks Drug resistance • Chloroquine Species • P. vivax (primarily) • P. falciparum (<10%) Recommended chemoprophylaxis • Areas <2,000m in Sudurpashchim and Kernali Provinces: Atovaquone-proguanil, doxycycline, mefloquine, tafenoquine • All other areas with reported malaria transmission: No chemoprophylaxis recommended (insect bite precautions and mosquito avoidance only) Updated April 23, 2025 See footnotes |
| Japanese Encephalitis | Recommended for travelers who • Are moving to an area with Japanese encephalitis to live • Spend long periods of time, such as a month or more, in areas with Japanese encephalitis • Frequently travel to areas with Japanese encephalitis Consider vaccination for travelers • Spending less than a month in areas with Japanese encephalitis but will be doing activities that increase risk of infection, such as visiting rural areas, hiking or camping, or staying in places without air conditioning, screens, or bed nets • Going to areas with Japanese encephalitis who are uncertain of their activities or how long they will be there Not recommended for travelers planning short-term travel to urban areas or travel to areas with no clear Japanese encephalitis season. |
| Rabies | Dogs infected with rabies are commonly found in Nepal. If rabies exposures occur while in Nepal, rabies vaccines may only be available in larger suburban/urban medical facilities. Rabies pre-exposure vaccination considerations include whether travelers 1) will be performing occupational or recreational activities that increase risk for exposure to potentially rabid animals and 2) might have difficulty getting prompt access to safe post-exposure prophylaxis. Please consult with a healthcare provider to determine whether you should receive pre-exposure vaccination before travel. For more information, see country rabies status assessments. |
| Cholera | Active cholera transmission is widespread in Nepal. Cholera is rare in travelers. Certain factors may increase the risk of getting cholera or having severe disease (more information). Avoiding unsafe food and water and washing your hands can also help prevent cholera. Vaccination may be considered for children and adults who are traveling to areas of active cholera transmission. |
| Chikungunya | All travelers should take steps to prevent mosquito bites. Chikungunya vaccination is generally not recommended. Travelers who wish to consider vaccination can visit “What to consider before traveling” on the chikungunya vaccines page to learn more. |
| Measles | Cases of measles are on the rise worldwide. Travelers are at risk of measles if they have not been fully vaccinated at least two weeks prior to departure, or have not had measles in the past, and travel internationally to areas where measles is spreading. All international travelers should be fully vaccinated against measles with the measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine, including an early dose for infants 6–11 months, according to CDC’s measles vaccination recommendations for international travel. |
| Monkeypox | Monkeypox vaccination is recommended for any adult who anticipates any of the following activities during travel: • Sexual or intimate contact with a new partner • Sexual or intimate contact at a commercial sex venue, like a sex club or bathhouse • Sexual or intimate contact in exchange for money, goods, drugs, or other trade • Sexual or intimate contact in association with a large public event, such as a rave, party, or festival Get your first monkeypox vaccine at least 6 weeks before traveling if you can, or as far as possible before travel if fewer than 6 weeks before you leave. Two doses of vaccine, given 4 weeks apart, are recommended. After completing your first and second vaccine doses it takes about 2 more weeks to get the best protection against monkeypox. Whether or not you've been vaccinated, continue to take steps to reduce your risk of getting monkeypox while you are away. |