Most treks in Nepal need two permits, arranged through a registered agency before you start walking. On the Annapurna and Langtang routes that means a TIMS card (NPR 2,000) plus a conservation area or national park permit (NPR 3,000), about USD 32 in all. Everest is the exception. The Khumbu skips TIMS and uses its own municipality trek card plus the Sagarmatha National Park permit, NPR 6,000 together. Restricted areas such as Manaslu, Upper Mustang and Kanchenjunga add a Department of Immigration permit paid in dollars, which runs from USD 20 a week to USD 50 a day. Since 22 March 2026 one trekker can hold a restricted area permit alone, but a licensed guide is still compulsory on almost every route outside the Khumbu.
- Most treks need2 permits
- TIMS cardNPR 2,000 (SAARC NPR 1,000)
- Conservation or park entryUsually NPR 3,000
- Everest regionTrek card + park permit, no TIMS
- Restricted areasUSD 20 a week to USD 50 a day
- Solo in restricted areasAllowed since 22 Mar 2026, with a guide
- Licensed guideRequired on most routes since 1 Apr 2023, not in the Khumbu
Most treks in Nepal require two permits, and the combined cost runs from about NPR 5,000 (roughly USD 32) for a standard Annapurna trek to USD 500 or more for ten days in a restricted area such as Upper Mustang or Upper Dolpo. The main documents are the TIMS card (NPR 2,000 for foreign trekkers), conservation area or national park entry permits (NPR 2,000 to 3,000), and restricted area permits priced in US dollars. Two rule changes matter in 2026: Nepal's Department of Immigration removed the two-trekker minimum for restricted area permits on March 22, 2026, so solo trekkers with a licensed guide can now enter, and the licensed-guide requirement for independent trekkers introduced in April 2023 remains in force in most regions. This guide lists every permit, its current fee, and where to get it.
What Permits Do You Need to Trek in Nepal?
A trekking permit in Nepal is a government-issued authorisation that funds conservation, records trekkers for safety, and controls access to sensitive border regions. Six categories cover every situation:
- TIMS card (Trekkers' Information Management System)
- Conservation area entry permits (ACAP, MCAP, GCAP, KCAP)
- National park entry fees
- Restricted area permits (RAP) for controlled regions
- Peak climbing and mountaineering permits
- Filming and documentary permits
Which permits you need depends on the route. An Annapurna Circuit trekker needs TIMS plus ACAP. An Everest Base Camp trekker needs the Sagarmatha National Park permit plus a local municipality fee. A Manaslu Circuit trekker needs a restricted area permit, MCAP and ACAP, but no TIMS card, because the restricted area permit takes its place.
Permits by Trek at a Glance (2026)
The table below lists the permits for Nepal's main trekking routes, what they cost a foreign trekker, and whether a guide is compulsory. Conservation and park permits come from the Nepal Tourism Board offices in Kathmandu and Pokhara. Restricted area permits come from the Department of Immigration, and only a registered agency can apply for them. The Khumbu trek card is the one permit you buy yourself, at the counter in Lukla or at Monjo.
| Trek | Permits needed | Cost for foreigners | Guide rule |
|---|---|---|---|
| Everest Base Camp, Gokyo, Three Passes | Khumbu trek card + Sagarmatha National Park. No TIMS | NPR 6,000 (SAARC NPR 3,500) | Optional |
| Annapurna Base Camp, Annapurna Circuit, Poon Hill, Mardi Himal | ACAP + TIMS | NPR 5,000 (SAARC NPR 2,000) | Licensed guide |
| Langtang Valley, Gosaikunda | Langtang National Park + TIMS. Helambu also crosses Shivapuri (NPR 1,000) | NPR 5,000 (SAARC NPR 2,500) | Licensed guide |
| Makalu Base Camp | Makalu Barun National Park + TIMS | NPR 5,000 | Licensed guide |
| Manaslu Circuit | Manaslu RAP + MCAP + ACAP. No TIMS | From USD 75 to 100 for the first 7 days, plus NPR 6,000 | Guide + agency |
| Tsum Valley | Tsum RAP + MCAP, and most agencies also issue the Manaslu RAP for the Jagat to Lokpa stretch, so confirm when you book | From USD 30 to 40 for the first 7 days, plus NPR 3,000 | Guide + agency |
| Upper Mustang | Upper Mustang RAP + ACAP. No TIMS | USD 50 per day in the zone, plus NPR 3,000 | Guide + agency |
| Nar Phu Valley | Nar Phu RAP + ACAP | From USD 75 to 100 per week, plus NPR 3,000 | Guide + agency |
| Upper Dolpo | Upper Dolpo RAP + Shey Phoksundo National Park | USD 500 for 10 days, plus NPR 3,000 | Guide + agency |
| Lower Dolpo | Lower Dolpo RAP + Shey Phoksundo National Park | USD 20 per week, plus NPR 3,000 | Guide + agency |
| Kanchenjunga | Kanchenjunga RAP + KCAP. No TIMS | USD 20 per week, plus NPR 2,000 | Guide + agency |
| Rolwaling | Rolwaling RAP + Gaurishankar Conservation Area | USD 20 per week, plus NPR 3,000 | Guide + agency |
Restricted area fees change with the season and the number of days you spend inside the zone, and the tables further down give the full rates. The region guides listed at the end of this article cover each route in more detail.
What the Permits Cost for a Typical Trek
Permit fees only, per foreign trekker, at about NPR 152 to the dollar (October 2026). Food, lodging, guide wages and flights come on top.
| Trek | Permit cost | |
|---|---|---|
| Annapurna (ACAP + TIMS) | about USD 32 | |
| Langtang (park + TIMS) | about USD 32 | |
| Everest Base Camp (trek card + park) | about USD 39 | |
| Kanchenjunga, 4 weeks | about USD 93 | |
| Manaslu Circuit, 14-day trek (about 9 days in the zone), autumn | about USD 180 to 200 | |
| Upper Mustang, 10 days in the zone | about USD 520 | |
| Upper Dolpo, 10 days | about USD 520 |
The restricted areas cost several times more than the open routes, and most of that money goes on the restricted area permit itself. Upper Mustang's new daily rate helps on shorter trips. Eight days inside the zone costs USD 400 instead of the old USD 500.
TIMS Card: Cost and Rules
The TIMS card costs NPR 2,000 (about USD 13) per trek for foreign nationals and NPR 1,000 for citizens of SAARC countries. Since April 2023, Nepal Tourism Board issues TIMS only through registered trekking agencies, which also provide the licensed guide the same rule requires. The old green card for independent trekkers no longer exists. Your agency needs a passport copy and a passport-size photo to arrange it.
Enforcement of TIMS varies by region. The Everest region stopped using TIMS around 2017 to 2018 and switched to a local municipality trek card, and some operators report light checking on a few other routes, but checkpoints in Langtang, Annapurna and far-western Nepal do verify it. Treat TIMS as required everywhere except the Everest region and the restricted areas, where the restricted area permit replaces it. Climbers holding a peak permit, children under 10 and visitors who fly in and out by helicopter are exempt. Get caught on a TIMS route without the card and the Nepal Tourism Board fine is NPR 12,000, with a further NPR 10,000 charged to the agency that sent you (see our post on trekking without a TIMS card).
Conservation Area Permits
The National Trust for Nature Conservation and the Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation manage Nepal's conservation areas, and each area charges its own entry fee:
| Conservation area | Foreigners | SAARC nationals | Needed for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annapurna (ACAP) | NPR 3,000 | NPR 1,000 | Annapurna Base Camp, Circuit, Poon Hill, Nar Phu |
| Manaslu (MCAP) | NPR 3,000 | NPR 1,000 | Manaslu Circuit (alongside the restricted area permit) |
| Gaurishankar (GCAP) | NPR 3,000 | NPR 1,000 | Rolwaling Valley and the Jiri walk-in to Everest |
| Kanchenjunga (KCAP) | NPR 2,000 | Ask your agency (sources differ) | Kanchenjunga Base Camp routes |
Buy conservation permits at the Nepal Tourism Board offices in Kathmandu (Bhrikutimandap) or Pokhara with a passport copy and one photo. ACAP bought at the entry checkpoint instead of in advance may be charged at double the rate, so sort it out before you start walking.
National Park Entry Fees
Nepal has 12 national parks, and any trek that passes through one requires an entry permit, payable in advance or at the gate:
| National park / fee | Foreigners | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Sagarmatha (Everest region) | NPR 3,000 | NPR 1,500 for SAARC. Payable at Monjo or in Kathmandu |
| Khumbu Pasang Lhamu Rural Municipality fee | NPR 3,000 | NPR 2,000 for SAARC and Chinese nationals. The Everest region's local trek card, which replaced TIMS. Sold in Lukla or at Monjo |
| Langtang National Park | NPR 3,000 | NPR 1,500 for SAARC. Langtang Valley, Gosaikunda, Helambu |
| Shey Phoksundo National Park | NPR 3,000 | Dolpo treks |
| Makalu Barun, Rara, Khaptad, Shivapuri, Banke, Bardia, Chitwan, Parsa, Shuklaphanta | NPR 1,000–3,000 | Varies by park. Makalu Barun and Rara charge NPR 3,000, Shivapuri and Khaptad NPR 1,000, and the lowland parks charge per day |
Wildlife reserves such as Koshi Tappu and the Dhorpatan Hunting Reserve charge separate entry fees in a similar range.
Restricted Area Permits (RAP)
Restricted areas are border regions where Nepal's Department of Immigration controls entry, and their permits are the most expensive trekking documents in the country. A registered trekking agency must apply on your behalf, and a licensed guide must accompany you throughout. The restricted area permit also replaces the TIMS card. Current fees per person, paid in US dollars:
| Restricted area | September – November | December – August |
|---|---|---|
| Upper Mustang | USD 50 per day inside the zone, counted from Kagbeni. This replaced the old USD 500 for 10 days after a cabinet decision in November 2025 | |
| Upper Dolpo | USD 500 for the first 10 days, then USD 50 per day | |
| Manaslu Circuit | USD 100 for the first 7 days, then USD 15 per day | USD 75 for the first 7 days, then USD 10 per day |
| Nar Phu Valley (Manang) | USD 100 per week, then USD 15 per day | USD 75 per week, then USD 15 per day |
| Tsum Valley | USD 40 for the first 7 days, then USD 7 per day | USD 30 for the first 7 days, then USD 7 per day |
| Kanchenjunga (Taplejung), plus the restricted wards of Sankhuwasabha and Solukhumbu | USD 20 per week for the first 4 weeks, then USD 25 per week | |
| Lower Dolpo, Rolwaling (Dolakha), Rasuwa | USD 20 per week | |
| Humla (Simikot, Limi Valley) | USD 50 for the first week, then USD 10 per day | |
| Mugu | USD 100 per week, then USD 15 per day | |
| Darchula, Bajhang | USD 90 for the first week, then USD 15 per day | |
Rates follow the Trekking Agencies' Association of Nepal fee schedule, checked in October 2026. That schedule still prints Upper Mustang at the old USD 500 for 10 days, while agencies now charge the daily rate, so ask your agency to confirm the Mustang figure when you book.
The December-to-August discounts make the restricted regions one of trekking's better offseason deals, and several of them sit in the rain shadow where monsoon weather barely reaches. Our guide to offseason trekking in Nepal covers which routes suit which months.
New for 2026: Solo Trekkers Can Get Restricted Area Permits
On March 22, 2026, the Department of Immigration removed the long-standing requirement of at least two foreign trekkers per restricted area permit. Solo trekkers can now obtain a RAP for all restricted districts, including Upper Mustang, Manaslu, and Kanchenjunga, provided they book through a registered agency and trek with a licensed guide. The change followed years of lobbying by the Trekking Agencies' Association of Nepal (TAAN) and ends the old practice of solo travellers paying for a second, fictitious group member.
Do You Need a Guide to Trek in Nepal?
Since April 1, 2023, Nepal Tourism Board has required foreign trekkers to hire a licensed guide through a registered agency for treks in national parks and conservation areas. Enforcement is uneven: the Khumbu Pasang Lhamu Rural Municipality has publicly stated that independent trekkers may still enter the Everest region, while restricted areas have always demanded a guide without exception. For safety and for permit logistics, treat a guide as standard. Our post on why you should take a guide while travelling in Nepal covers the practical case.
Peak Climbing and Mountaineering Permits
The Nepal Mountaineering Association (NMA) issues climbing permits for 27 designated trekking peaks, including Island Peak, Mera Peak, and Lobuche East. Since the royalty revision of 1 September 2025, peaks under 6,500 m cost USD 350 per climber in spring and USD 175 in autumn, winter and summer, and the higher NMA peaks about USD 500 in spring. Permits for expedition peaks come from the Department of Tourism, where the headline figure changed recently: Nepal raised the Everest spring-season royalty from USD 11,000 to USD 15,000 per climber effective September 1, 2025, the first increase in a decade. The same year the government opened 97 new peaks with no royalty from August 2025 to 2027, listed in our post on Nepal's 97 free peaks. Our peak climbing permit guide has the full royalty table. Climbing permits are valid for the season applied for and always require an authorised agency. Current rates are published at nepalmountaineering.org.
Filming and Documentary Permits
Commercial filming inside national parks, conservation areas, or restricted regions needs a separate permit from the Ministry of Communication and Information Technology, applied for through a local coordinator or agency. Applications include a synopsis, full script, shooting schedule, locations, and the name list and passport details of the foreign crew. Fees depend on the equipment and locations involved, and drone filming requires additional clearance from the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal.
What Documents Should You Carry?
- Passport plus two to four photocopies
- Four to six passport-size photographs
- Nepali rupees in cash for fees paid locally (checkpoint offices rarely take cards)
- Travel insurance covering your maximum trekking altitude (agencies ask for it with restricted area applications)
Trekking Permits FAQ
Do I need a TIMS card for Everest Base Camp?
No. The Everest region replaced TIMS with the Khumbu Pasang Lhamu Rural Municipality trek card (NPR 3,000, or NPR 2,000 for SAARC and Chinese nationals), bought in Lukla or at Monjo. You still need the Sagarmatha National Park permit.
Can I buy permits at the trailhead?
National park fees can be paid at the entry gates, but ACAP bought at a checkpoint instead of in advance may be charged double, and restricted area permits can only be issued in advance through a registered agency. Sort everything in Kathmandu or Pokhara before you start walking.
Does the Manaslu Circuit need a TIMS card?
No. The Manaslu restricted area permit replaces TIMS, and the same goes for Upper Mustang and Kanchenjunga. You still need the conservation area permits, MCAP and ACAP on Manaslu.
Can I trek solo in Nepal in 2026?
Without a guide, only in the Everest region, where the local municipality has never enforced the 2023 guide rule, and on a few short routes outside protected areas, listed in our post on permit-free treks for solo trekkers. Everywhere else you need a licensed guide. In restricted areas, one trekker can now hold a permit alone (since 22 March 2026), but the guide is still mandatory.
Do SAARC nationals pay less?
Yes, for most local permits. SAARC citizens pay NPR 1,000 for TIMS and ACAP, NPR 1,500 for most national parks and NPR 2,000 for the Khumbu trek card. Restricted area permits are priced in US dollars, so check the rate for your nationality with your agency.
How many passport photos do I need?
Carry four to six. TIMS, conservation permits, and SIM cards each consume one or two, and photo shops on the trail are rare.
Are trekking permits refundable or transferable?
No. Permits are issued for a named person, route, and dates, and unused days are not refunded, including on restricted area permits.
Do children need permits?
Yes, but children under 10 are generally exempt from national park and conservation entry fees. Restricted area permits apply at full rate regardless of age.
Planning Your Trek?
Our team at Swotah Travel handles all trekking permit logistics, from TIMS cards and conservation area fees to restricted area permits for Upper Mustang and the Manaslu Circuit. Contact us to start planning, or read our complete guide to trekking in Nepal for route ideas.
