Nepal trekking permits explained

Permits are the part of trek planning that confuses almost everyone. Most treks need only two or three, and your agency or guide will usually help. This guide explains the types, which route needs which, who issues them and the mistakes that cost people a day in Kathmandu. Every fee below is as of October 2026 (checked on 18 October 2026) and comes from an official page listed under Sources. Amounts change and differ by nationality, so confirm at the counter, and use our permits page for the current table.

In one line: open-area treks need a protected-area entry permit (national park or conservation area) and sometimes a TIMS card or local municipality permit; restricted-area treks add a Restricted Area Permit that only a registered agency can obtain.

The permit types at a glance

Which treks need which

These come from the route pages on this site: see Everest Base Camp, Manaslu Circuit and Upper Mustang.

What the permits cost, as of October 2026

Entry permits are per person per entry, and children under 10 are free. Foreigner rates:

For ACAP and MCAP, online payment adds a 2.9% gateway charge and a permit issued at a check post costs double. Restricted Area Permits are priced in US dollars and differ by area:

The TIMS card is the exception: the Nepal Tourism Board lists it at NPR 2,000 for foreigners (SAARC nationals NPR 1,000), issued only through an agency, for the listed routes; it is not required on the Everest route. The "What it costs" section of each route page, for example Everest Base Camp or Manaslu Circuit, adds the right permits to lodging, transport and guide costs for that trek.

National park and conservation area permits

These are entry fees for protected areas. Foreigners, SAARC nationals and Nepali citizens pay different amounts, as the table above shows. The permit is checked at the park gate (for example at Monjo for Sagarmatha National Park) and at checkpoints inside the Annapurna Conservation Area.

Local municipality fees

In the Everest region the Khumbu Pasang Lhamu Rural Municipality collects its own entry fee at Lukla or Monjo, separate from the national park fee. Because it is paid on the trail in rupees, carry enough cash and keep the receipt.

TIMS card

The Trekkers' Information Management System card records who is on the trail, which helps in an emergency. Where it is needed, and which colour or price applies, has changed over the years and sources disagree, so ask the agency issuing your permits to confirm it for your route and dates in writing.

Restricted Area Permits (RAP)

Regions near the Tibetan border, including Manaslu and Upper Mustang, are controlled. There you need:

• a registered trekking agency to apply for you (you cannot buy a RAP yourself),
• a licensed guide from that agency,
• passport copies, photos and your itinerary, because the permit lists your route and dates.

Minimum group size and per-day pricing for restricted areas have been revised more than once. A May 2026 report in Kantipur says the Department of Immigration introduced a permit system for foreigners trekking in controlled areas of 13 districts, so ask the agency for the rule that applies on your start date rather than relying on an older blog.

This is where finding partners really helps: solo you pay the whole guide and agency fee yourself, while a group splits it. Our guide rule explainer covers who needs a guide and why.

Where to get permits

Conservation area and national park permits are issued in Kathmandu (Nepal Tourism Board office at Bhrikutimandap) or Pokhara, and at some park entrances. Restricted Area Permits are processed in Kathmandu by your agency, usually in a day or two once your documents are ready. Offices close on public holidays and Saturdays, so allow a working day.

Documents you need

• Passport (and a copy)
• Passport photos, or digital photos if your agency accepts them
• Travel insurance details, ideally covering helicopter rescue to 6,000 m
• Your itinerary and, for a RAP, your visa details

Step by step: an open-area trek such as Annapurna Base Camp

1. Confirm the route and dates. Permits are checked against the route you give, so decide whether you are doing the seven-day Annapurna Base Camp trek or something longer first.
2. Collect your documents. Passport, photos, insurance details and a rough itinerary.
3. Go to the permit office in Kathmandu or Pokhara, or let your agency or guide do it. Pokhara is the easier place to do it if you are starting from there, because the trailhead is a short drive away.
4. Check every line on the permit before you leave: your name, passport number, route and dates.
5. Photograph the permits and keep the originals dry. A zip bag in your daypack is enough.
6. Present them at the first checkpoint and again wherever the trail passes a gate. Checkpoints stamp or record you in.

What checkpoints do

On the main trails the checkpoints are small offices or a desk in a lodge: a staff member writes your name and permit number in a ledger, sometimes takes a photocopy and waves you on. Their purpose is safety. If the weather closes a pass or a landslide blocks a road, the ledger shows who is where. On restricted-area routes such as Manaslu the checkpoint at Jagat is stricter, because the guide and the permit have to match the people walking. Plan to arrive at checkpoints during daylight, as many close in the evening.

Why this matters when you share a trek

If you are travelling with partners found online, make sure everyone's permits are bought for the same route and dates. A person who joins late or leaves early changes nothing for a national park permit, but for a RAP the agency must list every trekker, so late changes cost time. Agree who holds the group paperwork and keep one photographed copy of everybody's permit on each phone.

Tips

• Carry permits at all times. They are checked at gates and checkpoints.
• Keep receipts until the end of the trek.
• Check before you go. Rules and prices change. Our region pages show the source list and a link to report outdated information.

Common mistakes

• Forgetting the municipality fee in the Khumbu: it is paid on the trail, so carry rupees.
• Buying the wrong conservation permit on combined routes. The Manaslu Circuit, for example, needs the Annapurna (ACAP) permit too, because it exits via Dharapani.
• Assuming a RAP can be extended on the trail. Extra days must be arranged through your agency, so plan buffer days from the start.
• Leaving it to the last day. Allow a working day in Kathmandu or Pokhara.

Plan the route

The Annapurna region guide lists the other treks in the area, and the Upper Mustang guide covers the restricted-area permit that changes the maths. For costs, start with the Nepal trekking cost guide.