Trekking Permits in Nepal: The Complete Guide (2026)

Before you take the first step into the Himalaya, there is a piece of bureaucracy no Instagram post shows you: the permits, the official trekking authorisations. It is not a detail. On every popular route there are checkposts where police and park staff inspect your papers, and without them you are simply turned back — after already paying for a flight from Greece and half a trip. Planning your permits well is as important as your boots.

This guide explains, with real 2026 figures (in euros and in Nepalese rupees, NPR), which permits you need per region, what they cost, where to get them and what has changed with the new licensed-guide rule. If you are planning the wider trip, read alongside the complete Nepal travel guide and the Himalaya trekking guide.

How the permit system works

In Nepal there is no "one ticket for everything". Permits fall into three categories:

• TIMS card — the trekker registration card (Trekkers' Information Management System) issued jointly by the Nepal Tourism Board (NTB) and the agency association TAAN. Its purpose: so the authorities know who is on the mountain in case of an avalanche or earthquake.
• National park / conservation area permits — e.g. ACAP for Annapurna, Sagarmatha for Everest, Langtang for its valley. This is the "entry ticket" to the natural area.
• Restricted Area Permits (RAP) — special, expensive permits for sensitive or border zones (Manaslu, Upper Mustang, Dolpo, Kanchenjunga), issued only through an agency.

Depending on where you go, you combine two or three of these. Below we break them down one by one.

TIMS Card — what applies in 2026

The TIMS card was mandatory everywhere for years. In 2026 the picture is more nuanced:

• Cost: NPR 2,000 (~€14) for foreigners, NPR 1,000 for SAARC nationals.
• Annapurna & Everest: in practice it is no longer checked, as the local permits (ACAP and the Khumbu permit) replaced it at the checkposts.
• Langtang, western & remote regions: it remains required and is duly requested.

In practice, many agencies issue it anyway along with the rest of your papers "to be safe". The old distinction between the green card (independent) and the blue card (group) has essentially been dropped since the new guide rule explained below. Good rule of thumb: confirm on the spot with your agency, because the policy changes almost every season.

ACAP — the Annapurna permit

The Annapurna Conservation Area Permit (ACAP) is the country's most-purchased permit, because it covers the most popular region: Annapurna Base Camp, Poon Hill, Annapurna Circuit, Mardi Himal, Nar Phu.

• Cost: NPR 3,000 (~€21) per person for foreigners, NPR 1,000 for SAARC. Children under 10 free.
• Where: Nepal Tourism Board in Kathmandu (Bhrikutimandap) or at the ACAP office in Pokhara (Damside).
• Note: if you buy it at the checkpost instead of in advance, you pay double. Always get it before you set off.

For the full trails, days and altitudes of the region, see the detailed guide to Annapurna.

Everest: Sagarmatha NP + the local Khumbu permit

For Everest Base Camp (EBC) there is no TIMS; you need two separate permits:

• Sagarmatha National Park Permit: NPR 3,000 + 13% VAT (~€28 total). Issued at NTB Kathmandu or at the park entrance in Monjo.
• Khumbu Pasang Lhamu Rural Municipality Permit: NPR 2,000 (~€14) for the first 4 weeks. This replaced TIMS in the Everest region back in 2018. It is not issued in Kathmandu — you pay it locally, in Lukla or Monjo.

Total permits for EBC: roughly €42, not counting the Kathmandu–Lukla flight and your guide.

Langtang National Park

The Langtang valley, close to Kathmandu and less crowded, requires:

• Langtang National Park Permit: NPR 3,000 (~€21) + VAT.
• TIMS card: here it is duly requested — NPR 2,000 (~€14).

Restricted Area Permits: Manaslu, Upper Mustang, Dolpo

The "restricted zones" are border or culturally sensitive areas. Here the rules are strict and there are no exceptions: a registered agency is mandatory, along with a licensed guide and a minimum of 2 trekkers. You cannot obtain these on your own.

Manaslu is the most popular restricted trek because it is the cheapest and combines wild nature with a relatively affordable cost. Upper Mustang — the "Tibetan kingdom of Lo" behind the Himalaya — is the most expensive, but also the most culturally unique. Both start or finish inside the Annapurna region, which is why they also require the ACAP.

The licensed-guide rule (since 2023)

The biggest change of recent years: since 1 April 2023, the Nepal Tourism Board stopped issuing permits to "free independent trekkers" (FIT) on the classic national park and conservation area routes. In practice, this means you need a licensed guide through a registered agency.

• In restricted areas (Manaslu, Mustang, Dolpo, etc.) the guide and the 2-person minimum were always mandatory — that did not change.
• On the classic routes (Annapurna, Everest, Langtang) the rule is new and its enforcement is uneven: at some checkposts it is checked strictly, elsewhere less so. Do not risk it — a good guide is not just a legal obligation, it is also safety at altitude and support for the local economy.

A good guide costs about $25–35/day, a porter $18–25/day, and a tip at the end of the trek is customary (guide $80–100, porter $20–40 in total).

Where & how permits are issued

• Nepal Tourism Board — Kathmandu: at Bhrikutimandap (near Ratna Park). ACAP, national parks and TIMS are issued here the same day.
• Nepal Tourism Board — Pokhara: at Damside/Pardi, convenient if you start from Annapurna or Poon Hill.
• At checkposts / park entrances: some permits (Sagarmatha in Monjo, Khumbu in Lukla) are issued on the spot. The ACAP, however, costs double at the checkpost.
• Restricted permits: ONLY through a registered agency — they are not issued to individuals.
• Online: the NTB is gradually rolling out online issuance, but in 2026 most people still get them in person. Confirm before relying on an online process.

What to bring: a valid passport (6+ months), 2–4 passport photos, cash (NPR or USD), and for restricted areas the original visa. Also check the guide to the best time to trek, as in some restricted areas the cost changes by season.

Validity, duration & what happens if you are caught without one

Most national park permits and the ACAP are open-ended in time: they are issued with an entry date and are valid for one continuous visit to the area — there is no stress to "make it within X days", as long as you do not exit and re-enter. Restricted permits, by contrast, have a strict day window (e.g. 10 days for Upper Mustang) and you are charged extra for every day beyond it, which is why your guide locks the dates from the start.

A permit is personal and non-transferable: it carries your name and passport number, so at checkposts it is checked against your passport in hand. If you are caught without one, at best you pay a double or triple fine on the spot and are made to go back and get it; in restricted areas the consequences are more serious, from a heavy fine to deportation. It is not worth the risk to save a few euros.

It is worth knowing where the money goes: the ACAP and park fees fund trail maintenance, waste management and projects in local communities. It is not just a "tourist tax" — it is the reason the Himalaya stays clean and walkable. See the trekking in Nepal guide for the full picture before you choose a route.

Summary table: permits per trek

Euro prices are approximate, at a rate of about NPR 145 / €. Allow a small margin for fluctuations and VAT.

Practical tips for travellers from Greece

• Get your permits at the start of the trip, in Kathmandu or Pokhara, on arrival day or the next. This saves time and avoids the double charge at checkposts.
• Keep photocopies of your passport and visa — they are needed for every permit application.
• Cash: permits are almost always paid in cash. Keep NPR and a few dollars for restricted areas.
• Insurance: make sure your travel insurance covers trekking above 4,000m and helicopter evacuation — without that, permits are the least of your problems.

If all this bureaucracy sounds tiring, there is also the easy way: with an organised programme, all permits, the guide and the logistics are arranged for you. For a high-end trip with private coordination in the Himalaya — permits, licensed guides and all the logistics handled effortlessly — see the premium partnership Elysian Himalaya. You just walk; the team takes care of the paperwork.