A Solo Traveller Missing for 37 Days After Nepal’s Floods Just Walked Into His Embassy, and What It Teaches Every Trekker

A Malaysian man who went missing in Nepal’s Rasuwa district on 25 August has been found safe after 37 days. He was travelling alone, was last seen at Nagthali Viewpoint, and ended the search by walking into the Malaysian Embassy in Kathmandu himself, according to the Malaysian family group MASFIH. His return cuts the number of Malaysians still missing from 55 to 54. It is good news in a disaster that has killed more than 1,450 people in Nepal. It also shows how a lone traveller can fall off the grid when roads, bridges, power and mobile signal all fail at once.

What happened to him

MASFIH spokesperson Manivannan Retinam said the loss of electricity, water and internet, after roads and bridges were damaged, disrupted the man’s movement and communication. In plain terms, he was stuck in an area cut off from the outside world, and nobody at home could reach him. Families had even been asked for DNA samples before he reappeared. There is no suggestion he was injured, and nothing in the reports says he was on a guided trek.

Does one safe return mean the others will be found?

No, and it would be wrong to read it that way. His case is unusual: a solo traveller who was alive and simply out of contact. The great majority of the missing are local residents and workers swept away by the Bhote Koshi flood, and searchers have been working on that basis for over a month. Treat 54 as the real number of families still waiting.

Why a lone traveller is the hardest person to find

A group has a leader, a guide and a booking record. A solo traveller has a phone. When the network goes, the phone is the only link, and it stops working. A guided trekker has someone whose job is to account for them and to tell an embassy or an operator where they are within hours.

What to do if someone you know is out of contact in Nepal

Start with their embassy in Kathmandu, then their hotel or operator, then the Nepal Tourism Board and local police. Give them a last-known place and date, as the Malaysian family did with Nagthali. Do not rely on social media alone; embassies hold the working contact lists.

Is it safe to trek in Nepal now?

Most of Nepal’s main trekking regions were outside the flood zone, but Rasuwa and Langtang were hit and bookings there are paused. For an autumn trip we point people to routes that are running normally, with a guide and clear check-in times. If you are unsure whether your route is open, ask us before you book.

Thinking of going this season? Ask about a guided trek and we will tell you honestly what is open.

Cover photo: Roman Saienko via Pexels (Pexels License). Section photos: Volker Meyer via Pexels (Pexels licence); Quang Nguyen Vinh via Pexels (Pexels licence); Subash Thapa via Pexels (Pexels licence); Siarhei Nester via Pexels (Pexels licence); Mr Dr3igeteilt via Pexels (Pexels licence).