Which permits you need, region by region
Three categories cover almost everything: conservation area, national park, and restricted area. Knowing which one you are in explains every rule you will meet.
By Sabina Adhikari · 6 min read · Updated 1 August 2026
Nepal's trekking permit system looks arbitrary until you see the structure, and then it is straightforward. Almost every trek falls into one of three categories, and the category tells you the cost, the paperwork and whether you can walk it alone.
We are deliberately not printing a fee table. Permit prices and the rules around guiding have changed more than once in recent seasons, and a page with confident numbers on it is worse than no page at all once it goes stale.
What follows is the structure, which does not change. For this season's numbers, message us — we will tell you what is current whether or not you book with us.
Category one: conservation areas
The Annapurna Conservation Area covers everything we run from Pokhara — Poon Hill, Ghandruk, Mardi, Annapurna Base Camp, the Circuit, Khopra, Sikles, Kapuche, Kori and the rest. You need an ACAP entry permit.
Manaslu and Kanchenjunga have their own conservation area permits with the same broad idea. These are managed by a conservation trust rather than the national park service, and the fee funds conservation and local development in the area you are walking through. Practically: one permit, obtainable in Kathmandu or Pokhara, checked at posts along the trail. Keep it accessible rather than at the bottom of your duffel.
Category two: national parks
Everest sits inside Sagarmatha National Park, and the Khumbu additionally charges a local rural municipality fee — so two payments for that trek rather than one.
Langtang National Park covers Langtang and Gosaikunda. Chitwan and Bardia charge park entry per day for wildlife activities rather than trekking.
The pattern to remember: national parks tend to stack a local municipal charge on top of the park fee. If a quote for Everest looks lower than everyone else's, that second fee is usually what is missing from it.
Category three: restricted areas
Upper Mustang, Nar Phu, Manaslu, Tsum Valley, Upper Dolpo and parts of Kanchenjunga are restricted. These need a special permit that is substantially more expensive, is priced per person for a fixed window with a daily rate after it, and cannot be issued to an individual.
You must go through a registered agency, with a licensed guide, and there is a minimum group size — often two trekkers. A solo traveller cannot legally trek these areas, no matter how experienced.
This is national policy rather than an operator upsell, and it is enforced at checkposts. It is also why these regions stay quiet, which is most of their appeal.
The guide question
Requirements around whether a licensed guide is mandatory for non-restricted trekking have shifted more than once in recent seasons, and enforcement has varied by region and by year.
We are not going to state a rule here that might be wrong by the time you read it. What we will do is tell you exactly what is being enforced on your route in the week you arrive. For restricted areas the answer has been consistent and is not in doubt: guide and agency, always.
How we handle it
Permits are included in every trek we sell, and they appear as their own line on your quote so you can see what is government fee and what is us. We think that transparency should be standard and it is not.
If you are trekking independently and just need the paperwork sorted, we do that as a standalone service — bring two photos and your passport, we queue for the ACAP and TIMS, walk you through where the checkposts are, and send you off with a laminated route map. It takes an afternoon, and the government fees stay separate from our fee.
Either way, tell us the route and the dates and we will confirm what you need before you commit to anything.
Walk it with us
Private departures on your dates, guided by the people who wrote this page.
Questions we get asked
Can I get permits myself?
For conservation areas and national parks, yes — offices in Kathmandu and Pokhara issue them. For restricted areas, no; those only go through a registered agency.
How long does it take?
Conservation and park permits are usually same-day or next-day. Restricted-area permits take longer and need passport details in advance, so give us notice.
What if I lose my permit?
Tell your guide immediately. Replacement is possible but involves a trip to an office, so keep a photo of it on your phone as a backup.
Do children need permits?
Usually yes, often at a reduced rate or free below a certain age depending on the area. We will confirm for your specific route and ages.
Are permit fees refundable if I cancel?
Generally not once issued, which is why they appear separately on your quote. If you cancel before we buy them, you are not charged for them.
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Still deciding?
Tell us your dates and how much walking you have actually done, and we will tell you honestly whether this trek is the right one for you.
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