Rimini, August 29, 2026 – It’s an Apocalypse. A massacre of immense proportions. The number of dead and missing in Nepal and Tibet continues to rise hour by hour, after the devastating flood three days ago caused by the collapse of a glacier. The confirmed death toll is already nearly 600, while 2,000 are missing: among them are also some Italians. The images coming from Nepal are terrifying: digging continues in the mud and among the rubble, in the hope of saving more lives.
The dream trip and the nightmare
Faced with those images of horror, a group of Rimini residents who had booked – months ago – an organized trip between Nepal and Tibet, rightly decided to give up. “How can you think of going on vacation in a devastated country, with the risk of hindering the rescue efforts?” some of them explain. The problem is that the airline that sold them the tickets refuses to refund them or reschedule the trip to other dates. “A paradoxical situation”, say those at the travel agency Ariminum travel, which had organized the trip. It was supposed to be an unforgettable experience. “A trip between Nepal and Tibet, from the ancient cities of the Kathmandu valley to mystical Lhasa. A spectacular itinerary among Buddhist monasteries, sacred lakes, and the extraordinary views of the Himalayas,” read the announcement of the trip proposed by Ariminum. Then the flood came, and all participants decided, in agreement with the agency, to give up.
18 people, but now no one wants to leave
“None of the 18 participants in the trip want to leave anymore – confirm the agency – both out of respect for the populations affected by the flood, and for fear of being in areas that are still at risk.” For this reason, Ariminum immediately contacted the airline, to cancel the flight tickets. “But the airline is refusing to refund the tickets or postpone the dates. They keep telling us that the trip can be done, but that is not the case at all. To go from Nepal to Tibet you would have to take another plane, because some of the border crossings are closed while others are used by rescuers. But we have no available seats on the planes: they are all already committed to the emergency.” And in any case “the 18 Rimini residents who were supposed to leave on September 7, accompanied by one of our guides and local guides, no longer have any intention of going.”
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The cost of the trip: 4,000 euros per person
The problem of the plane tickets remains unresolved. The trip to Nepal and Tibet organized by Ariminum cost 4,000 euros per person, and the expense was mainly due to the cost of the flights. “We are talking about a total of 35,000 euros in plane tickets – they say again from Ariminum – We don’t understand why the airline does not intend to refund or postpone the tickets. After all, it would be the fairest and wisest decision for everyone.” The only certainty, for now, is that “the group will not leave for the trip. None of the participants feel up to it.” Impossible to blame them.
