Permits, gear and getting there, the boring page that saves your trek
What you need to carry, what you can rent in Lakeside for a fraction of the cost of buying it, and how the permit system works in practice.
By the Lakeshore team · 6 min read · Updated 5 October 2026
You didn't come to Nepal to read about permits. But the two things that most often derail a trek are a paperwork problem at a checkpoint and a pair of boots someone bought new the week before flying.
Both are easy to avoid, and most of it can be sorted at our office in Lakeside in a single afternoon.
Permit rules in Nepal do change between seasons, so treat this page as a starting point. If anything below sounds like a rule, check it with us close to your dates.
Permits in plain terms
To trek in the Annapurna region you need an Annapurna Conservation Area Permit. Restricted areas such as Upper Mustang, Nar Phu and Manaslu need a separate special permit, which has to be arranged through a registered agency and can't be issued to solo trekkers. That's the one that catches independent travellers out.
The trekker registration system that used to apply everywhere has been revised more than once in recent years, and the rules about guides have moved with it. We don't print a fee table here on purpose, because a page that goes out of date is worse than no page. Instead, send us your route and your dates and we'll tell you what you need and what it costs this season, whether or not you book the trek with us. It takes us five minutes.
Rent, don't buy
A down jacket rated for -10°C, a four-season sleeping bag, a duffel and trekking poles cost several hundred dollars new and a few dollars a day to rent in Lakeside. Unless you trek regularly at home, rent all four.
The exception is boots. If there's a single sure way to end a trek early with blisters, it's rented boots. Buy yours at home at least six weeks out and put fifty kilometres through them before you fly, including downhill, because downhill is what does the damage.
Buy your own socks, base layers and rain shell too, if you can. Everything else is fine to rent. A jacket that a hundred people have worn before you has already been tested on the trail, and ours are cleaned and checked after every rental.
The kit list that matters
Layers beat bulk. A base layer, a fleece, a down jacket and a waterproof shell will handle everything from a hot afternoon in the valley to a pass before dawn. Add two pairs of trekking trousers, four pairs of good socks, a sun hat and a warm hat.
The small things people forget are a headtorch with a spare battery, lip balm with sun protection, a filter bottle or purification tablets, and a power bank. Above 3,000 m you pay per device per hour to charge, and power isn't always available.
Sun protection isn't optional at altitude, so bring high-factor cream and good sunglasses. UV reflected off snow at 4,000 m will burn the underside of your nose in a morning.
Getting around
Kathmandu to Pokhara is a 200 km drive, six to eight hours depending on the road and the season. Tourist buses are comfortable and cheap. The 25-minute flight is worth it if time is short. We can book either and send the ticket to your WhatsApp.
For trek starts we use private jeeps from Lakeside. Shared jeeps are cheaper but leave when they're full, which can mean a two-hour wait at the stand on the morning you wanted to be walking. Domestic flights, especially to Jomsom and Lukla, depend on the weather, and cancellations are routine. If you have an international flight to catch, build in a spare day. Every experienced guide in Nepal will tell you the same.
How booking with us works
Every trip we run is a private departure on your dates. There's no fixed group calendar to fit into, and we never put you in with strangers unless you ask us to. A solo trekker gets the same itinerary as a group of six, with the price per person adjusted for the smaller party.
We take a deposit to confirm your dates and hold permits, and the balance before you start walking. Before you pay anything you get a written breakdown, with government permit fees on their own line, so you can see which part is a fee and which part is us. When you enquire, ask which payment methods we can take for your dates.
If you need to cancel, tell us as early as you can. What comes back to you depends on what has already gone out on permits and non-refundable bookings, and we'll show you that breakdown instead of quoting a percentage. If we cancel for weather, a closed pass or a guide's call on the day, we'll talk to you about moving the dates or returning the money. We'd rather lose a booking than push a group onto a mountain that isn't ready for them. Ask us for the current terms in writing before you pay anything.
Walk it with us
Private departures on your dates, guided by the people who wrote this page.
Questions we get asked
Do I need travel insurance?
Yes. It has to cover trekking to the altitude you're going to, and it has to include helicopter evacuation. Standard policies often stop at 3,000 m or leave out trekking altogether, so read that clause carefully. It's the one that matters.
How much cash should I carry on trek?
There are no ATMs above the road head, and most teahouses don't take cards. Budget 1,500 to 2,500 rupees a day for extras and bring it in small notes.
What weight can a porter carry?
We cap our porters at around 9 kg per trekker, and each porter carries for two trekkers. Anyone who offers to carry a lot more than that is either exaggerating or being exploited.
Can I leave luggage in Pokhara?
Almost every Lakeside hotel will store your luggage while you trek, and if yours won't, ask us and we'll sort something out. Take a duffel with what you need on the trail and leave the rest behind.
Can I get a Nepali visa on arrival?
Most nationalities can, at Kathmandu airport or the land borders, paying cash for 15, 30 or 90 days. A handful of countries have to apply in advance. Check your own passport before you fly, because the visa is the one piece of paperwork we can't fix for you from here.
Do you arrange airport pickup?
In Pokhara, yes, and it's included. In Kathmandu we can arrange it as an extra. Send us your flight number and someone will be there with a sign.
Is trekking in Nepal safe for solo female travellers?
Yes, and a large share of the people we guide are women travelling alone. Teahouses are family homes and the trails are well used. If you'd like a female guide, ask when you book, not on the morning you leave, and we'll do our best to arrange it.
Is there an age limit?
There's no fixed one either way. We've guided children of eight on the shorter routes and trekkers in their seventies to Annapurna Base Camp. Give us a straight account of your recent activity and any medical conditions, and we'll tell you which trips fit.
Still deciding?
Tell us your dates, and we'll tell you whether Permits & TIMS Service is right for you. If it isn't, we'll say so.
Nothing to pay online. We confirm your dates first.
Or call the office +977 61-457830