Most Nepal treks need a few separate permits: a trekker registration card, an entry permit for the national park or conservation area you walk through, and sometimes a local municipality fee. Restricted regions add a special permit that only a registered agency can obtain. Fees and rules change, so confirm the current list with us before you book.
The permit types at a glance
Permits depend on where you walk, not on how long you trek. In general terms you will meet some combination of these:
- A trekker registration card, usually called TIMS, issued through registered channels.
- Entry to a national park, wildlife reserve or conservation area.
- A local municipality or rural municipality entry fee in some valleys.
- A restricted area special permit for border regions.
A short trek in the hills may need only one or two of these, while a long route that crosses several areas can need more. Each document is checked at gates and checkposts, so keep the originals together and carry a few photocopies. Because the system has been reorganised more than once, ask which permits your exact route needs rather than copying a list from an old trip report.
What the TIMS card is for
TIMS stands for Trekkers Information Management System. The card records who is on the trail, which route they plan to take and who to contact, so rescue teams and checkposts can trace trekkers if something goes wrong. It is normally arranged through a registered trekking agency or the official tourism offices in Kathmandu and Pokhara, and you need your passport details and passport-size photographs for it.
The rules about which routes need the card, and whether independent trekkers can still get one, have shifted in recent years. Fees differ between nationalities and change from time to time. Treat any figure you read online as a guess and confirm the current one with us before you book. Our packages include the card where it is required.
National park and conservation area entry
Many famous routes pass through protected land, and entry is charged separately from the trekker card. The Everest region sits inside a national park, Langtang has its own national park, and the Annapurna and Manaslu regions are conservation areas. You pay at an entry counter or through your agency, and you receive a stamped permit that the checkposts inspect.
Some routes cross more than one protected area, which means more than one entry permit. The Annapurna Circuit and the Manaslu Circuit are examples of treks where several areas come together. The price and the exact name of the permit can differ for Indian citizens and other South Asian nationals compared with other nationalities, so tell us your passport before we confirm the paperwork. Rules change, so confirm before you travel.
Local municipality fees
Since Nepal reorganised its local government, several valleys charge a local entry fee collected by the rural municipality. In some regions this has been added alongside the park or conservation area permit, and in others it has replaced an older fee. Where it applies, you usually pay it at a counter on the route or in advance through your agency, and you get a receipt that you should keep.
This is the part of the permit system that changes most often. The name of the fee, who collects it and where the counter sits can all differ from last year's information. If you are budgeting, ask for the full permit list for your dates and do not assume that a friend's receipt from an earlier season still applies. We check the current arrangement for each route when we confirm a booking.
Restricted area special permits
Border regions such as Upper Mustang, Nar-Phu, Tsum Valley, Dolpo, Kanchenjunga, Manaslu, Limi and Humla need a special permit in addition to the usual entry permits. These permits are issued through a registered agency, you must walk with a licensed guide, and there are usually conditions on group size, the days you may spend in the area and the checkposts you must pass.
You cannot buy these permits on your own at the trailhead. Processing needs your passport copy and a clear photograph, and it takes time, so send your documents early. Fees and conditions are set by the authorities and change, so we will quote the current requirement when you ask. Plan for the permit lead time when you choose your travel dates.
Arranging and carrying your permits
Send us a clear scan of your passport photo page, your arrival date and the route you want, and we handle the application. Keep the paper permits in a waterproof sleeve in your daypack, not in the bag your porter carries, because checkposts ask to see them and a guide may need them quickly. Take a phone photo of each one as a backup.
If your plans change, such as adding the Gokyo lakes to an Everest trek, tell us early because a different route can mean a different permit. Delays in Kathmandu are the most common reason permit paperwork runs late, so we suggest arriving a day before the trek starts. If a permit has a date or name wrong, point it out before you leave the issuing counter.
Common questions
Do I need a permit for every trek in Nepal?
Almost every popular trek needs at least a registration card and an entry permit for the protected area. A few lower hill walks need less, but rules differ by region and change over time, so confirm the list for your route before you travel.
Can I buy trek permits at the trailhead?
Sometimes entry counters sell park permits near the start, but restricted area permits cannot be bought that way. Rules have also changed for independent trekkers, so confirm in advance. Our packages arrange the permits for you.
Do Indian citizens pay different permit fees?
Fees for Indian citizens and other South Asian nationals have often been lower than for other nationalities, but the amounts change. Tell us your nationality and we will confirm the current figure before you book.
How long does a restricted area permit take?
It depends on the season, the office workload and how quickly we receive clear passport copies. Allow generous time, send documents early and do not book flights home with a tight margin.
