Nepal has four kinds of trekking permit: a trekking information card, national park or wildlife reserve entry, conservation area entry, and restricted-area permits. Which you need depends entirely on the route, and most routes need two. Your tourist visa covers none of them. Restricted areas additionally require a registered agency, a licensed guide and generally a minimum of two trekkers.
This page explains the structure rather than quoting prices. Fees are set by government bodies and revised, and a wrong number on a page like this is worse than no number, because people budget around it. Confirm current amounts with the issuing body or your agency before you travel.
The four kinds of permit
| Permit | Issued by | How it is charged | Where it applies |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trekking information card | Nepal Tourism Board with TAAN | Per person, flat, lower for SAARC nationals | Most trekking routes outside restricted areas |
| National park or reserve entry | Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation | Per person per entry, lower for SAARC nationals | Rara, Shey Phoksundo, Khaptad, Bardiya, Shuklaphanta, Sagarmatha, Langtang and others |
| Conservation area entry | National Trust for Nature Conservation | Per person per entry | Annapurna, Manaslu, Kanchenjunga, Gaurishankar, Api Nampa |
| Restricted-area permit | Department of Immigration, through a registered agency only | Per person per week, in US dollars, higher for the first period | Upper Mustang, Upper and Lower Dolpo, Humla, parts of Mugu, Manaslu, Nar Phu, Tsum, Kanchenjunga and others |
The restricted list is set by the Department of Immigration and changes, so treat the fourth row as indicative and check the current schedule for your specific route.
What the trekking information card is, and is not
The card, usually called TIMS, is a registration rather than an access fee. It records who is on which route so that somebody can look for you if you do not come out. It is issued by the Nepal Tourism Board with the Trekking Agencies Association of Nepal, from offices in Kathmandu and Pokhara, and by registered agencies.
Two things about it are commonly misunderstood. It does not admit you to a national park, which is a separate fee at a separate counter. And the rules around whether a foreign trekker may walk without a guide have tightened in recent years, with enforcement varying between regions. Check the current position with the Nepal Tourism Board rather than a forum post, because the answer has changed more than once.
The Everest region is a standing exception worth knowing: the Khumbu has its own local entry permit issued at Lukla or Monjo, in place of the national card.
Which permits your route needs
| Route | Permits normally required |
|---|---|
| Annapurna Circuit or Base Camp | Annapurna Conservation Area entry plus the trekking information card |
| Everest Base Camp | Sagarmatha National Park entry plus the local Khumbu entry permit |
| Langtang | Langtang National Park entry plus the trekking information card |
| Manaslu Circuit | Restricted-area permit plus Manaslu and Annapurna conservation area entry |
| Upper Mustang | Restricted-area permit plus Annapurna Conservation Area entry |
| Rara Lake | Rara National Park entry plus the trekking information card |
| Khaptad | Khaptad National Park entry plus the trekking information card |
| Shey Phoksundo and Dolpa | Shey Phoksundo National Park entry plus a restricted-area permit; Upper Dolpo is charged at a higher rate than Lower Dolpo |
| Humla and the Limi Valley | Restricted-area permit for Humla, issued only through a registered agency |
| Api Base Camp, Darchula | Api Nampa Conservation Area entry; parts of the district fall under restricted-area rules |
| Bardiya, Shuklaphanta, Banke | National park or reserve entry, charged per entry |
Confirm your specific route with an agency before you fly. Zone boundaries inside Dolpa and Darchula are not obvious from a map, and the difference between two adjacent valleys can be a permit you do not have.
How restricted-area permits actually work
This is the part that changes trips, so it is worth being precise.
A restricted-area permit is issued by the Department of Immigration and cannot be applied for by an individual. It goes through a registered trekking agency, which submits your passport details and itinerary. You cannot turn up in Simikot and buy one.
It is charged per person per week in US dollars, with a higher rate for the first period and a lower rate for subsequent weeks. That is why a three-week Limi Valley trek carries a permit cost several times that of a one-week trip, and why the length of your itinerary is a budget decision rather than only a scheduling one.
The law requires a licensed guide and generally a minimum of two trekkers. A solo traveller cannot legally enter these zones, and agencies will sometimes pair a single client with another group to satisfy the minimum. Checkpoints are staffed and do check.
Why these areas at all: they are border districts adjoining Tibet with small, culturally distinct populations and effectively no infrastructure. The permit system is partly control and partly a blunt limit on visitor numbers. Our guide to restricted area permits for Dolpa, Humla and Mugu goes through the western zones in detail.
Where you get them
The trekking information card comes from the Nepal Tourism Board offices in Kathmandu and Pokhara, or from a registered agency handling your trip.
National park and conservation area entry is bought either at the relevant office in Kathmandu or Pokhara, or at the park entrance itself. Buying at the gate is normal for the western parks. Buying in advance saves an argument if the counter is unstaffed on the day you arrive.
Restricted-area permits come only through an agency, and take time. Allow several working days, and remember that government offices close on Saturdays and public holidays, of which Nepal has many.
What to bring to the counter
Your passport, your Nepal visa already in it, at least two spare passport photographs, and your itinerary. Insurance details are asked for on some applications and are worth carrying regardless.
Carry more photographs than you think you need. Four is sensible. Several permits consume one each, and the machines at Kathmandu airport are frequently out of order.
Your visa is separate from all of this and must be sorted first. Most nationalities are eligible for a tourist visa on arrival, covered in our visa on arrival guide. A visa admits you to Nepal and permits nothing else.
The mistakes that cost people days
Assuming the visa covers trekking. It does not, and this is the single most common misunderstanding.
Assuming a national park entry fee covers a restricted zone inside or beyond it. It does not. Dolpa is the classic example, where park entry and restricted-area rules are two separate things.
Booking a solo trip into a restricted area and expecting to sort it locally. You cannot; the minimum group size and the agency requirement are legal conditions, not paperwork you can negotiate at a checkpoint.
Leaving the permit run to the last day in Kathmandu. Offices close for public holidays, and a restricted-area application is not same-day.
Not building spare days into a western itinerary. Mountain flights to Juphal, Jumla, Talcha and Simikot cancel for weather routinely, and a permit issued for fixed dates against a fixed itinerary is a poor combination with an airline that goes when the cloud lifts. The logistics are in how to get to West Nepal.
What it all costs
In rough proportion rather than figures: the trekking information card is the cheapest by a wide margin and will not affect your plans. National park and conservation area entry is a modest per-entry charge. Restricted-area permits are an order of magnitude above both, charged weekly, and on a Dolpa or Humla trip they and the mandatory agency structure are usually the largest single line in the budget after flights.
All of these fees are revised periodically by the issuing bodies. Confirm the current amounts with the Nepal Tourism Board, the Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation, the National Trust for Nature Conservation or the Department of Immigration before you travel. If you are still choosing a region, our comparison of Nepal trekking regions sets out which ones carry which permit burden.
Permit structure last reviewed August 2026. Fees, rules on unguided trekking and the restricted-area list all change. Confirm with the issuing body or a registered agency before you travel.
Frequently Asked Questions
What permits do I need to trek in Nepal?
Usually two: a trekking information card and entry to whichever national park or conservation area your route crosses. Restricted areas such as Upper Mustang, Dolpa, Humla and Manaslu need a restricted-area permit instead of the card, issued only through a registered agency.
Does my Nepal visa cover trekking?
No. A tourist visa permits entry to the country and nothing more. Every trekking permit is separate, and park entry is separate again from the trekking information card.
What is a TIMS card?
A trekking information management registration, issued by the Nepal Tourism Board with the Trekking Agencies Association of Nepal. It records who is on which route so you can be searched for if you do not come out. It does not admit you to any national park.
Can I get a restricted-area permit myself?
No. Restricted-area permits are issued by the Department of Immigration through a registered trekking agency only. They also require a licensed guide and generally a minimum of two trekkers, so a solo traveller cannot legally enter those zones.
Why are Dolpa and Humla permits so expensive?
Because they are charged per person per week in US dollars, at a higher rate for the first period, and because the law requires an agency and a licensed guide alongside them. A three-week trek carries three weeks of permit plus that structure, which is what makes those trips costly rather than the walking itself.
Can I still trek without a guide in Nepal?
Rules on unguided trekking in national parks and conservation areas have tightened in recent years and enforcement varies by region, so check the current position with the Nepal Tourism Board. In restricted areas a licensed guide has always been mandatory.
Where do I buy national park entry permits?
At the relevant office in Kathmandu or Pokhara, or at the park entrance itself. Buying at the gate is normal for the western parks, though buying in advance avoids a problem if the counter is unstaffed when you arrive.
How long does it take to get trekking permits in Nepal?
A trekking information card and park entry can be same-day. A restricted-area permit takes several working days through an agency, and Nepali government offices close on Saturdays and on a long list of public holidays. Do not leave it to your last day in Kathmandu.