Let us demystify Nepal's trekking permits situation for you. We explain the different permits and fees, and then state which permits are needed for each of Nepal's most famous trek routes. We also let you know how much each one costs.
byPaul Kelly
May 12, 2025
11 min read
Please note that this blog post gives details on the permits and fees necessary for high-altitude trekking, not mountaineering. If you're going to be summiting mountain peaks, your permits and fees will be different.
Types of trekking permits and fees
Everyone who goes high-altitude trekking in Nepal needs to purchase one or more of the following permits to be allowed entrance to their chosen trek route:
An entry permit into the relevant national park or conservation area
A trekking information management system (TIMS) card
A restricted-area trekking permit
You don't need all of the above for any given trek, and further on we state exactly which are needed for each of Nepal's most popular high-altitude treks.
Note that on a few treks, like the Everest Base Camp trek, you must also purchase one or more:
Municipality trekking permits
Tour operators purchase all permits for you
A tour operator like Follow Alice is very useful when trekking in Nepal, as we organise and pay for all permits on your behalf.
But whether trekking on your own or with a tour operator, it's useful to know what each fee is about. It's also helpful to know how much they will, all together, actually touch your wallet (it's not a lot), so please read on ...
1. TIMS card
Many of Nepal's trek routes – including the Annapurna Circuit and Everest Base Camp treks – require you to obtain a trekking information management system (TIMS) card. Or they do at least in theory – park officials don't always check for this.
TIMS is administered by the Trekking Agencies' Association of Nepal. It gathers trekkers' information with the aim of regulating the trekking industry as well as securing trekkers' safety.
Here's what you can expect to pay for a TIMS card based on whether or not you live in a country that's part of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) ...
Trekker
Cost per person
Non-SAARC trekker
NPR 2,000 / US$17
SAARC trekker
NPR 1,000 / US$7.50
Where to purchase your TIMS card
The best place to get your TIMS card (if you don't have a tour operator doing it for you) is the Tourist Service Centre in Kathmandu. The office is a 15-minute walk from Thamel, and can be found on Pradarshani Marg (Street).
If you're organising your own trek, we recommend heading to the Tourist Service Centre as you should be able to purchase not only your TIMS card but also all other necessary trekking permits.
Office hours are officially 10 am to 5 pm, with a lunch closure usually between 1 pm and 2 pm.
Your TIMS card and most other permits can be obtained in Kathmandu upon arrival
What you need to apply for a TIMS card
Your card contains information like your country of residence, your trek route, your trek company, and a local emergency contact number.
So with this in mind, please note that you cannot apply for a TIMS card until you have the following:
your entry and exit dates for Nepal
your trek's entry and exit points
a detailed trek itinerary
a local emergency contact number (can be your tour operator)
a home-country emergency contact number
your insurance policy number (you can't trek without traveller's insurance)
You'll also need to supply the following:
a copy of your passport
two passport-style photos
As with all trekking permits, always carry it on your person so that you can present it when requested by an official.
2. Restricted-area trekking permit
You usually don't need a TIMS card if you're trekking in a restricted area like the Lower Dolpo or Nar–Phu region. Instead, you need to purchase a restricted-area trekking permit.
Some restricted areas charge a daily fee, others a weekly fee, and still others a combination of the two. Upper Mustang, for instance, requires US$500 for the first 10 days, after which you're charged US$50 for every subsequent day. (We list the permit fees per restricted area further on in this post.)
Restricted-area trekking permits are needed when you plan to walk in one of the following regions:
Humla
Kanchenjunga
Manaslu
Nar and Phu Valleys
Tsum Valley
Lower Dolpo
Upper Dolpo
Upper Mustang
The Nar and Phu Valleys require a restricted-area permit
Where to purchase a restricted-area permit
Your tour operator will obtain any restricted-area permits for you.You can't trek in a restricted area on your own.
This means that if you're a solo traveller wanting to visit a restricted area, you'll need to find a tour operator to put you with at least one other trekker wishing to hike the same route. That's something we at Follow Alice love doing – putting travel-loving strangers together on epic treks, and hearing about the awesome bonds that developed over the course of the adventure!
3. National park permit
Every high-altitude trek in Nepal takes place within a national park or a conservation area. The Annapurna Circuit, for instance, takes place within the Annapurna Conservation Area (ACA). And the Everest Base Camp trek takes place almost entirely within Sagarmatha National Park.
All of Nepal's national parks have a once-off entrance fee of just NPR 3,000 (around $22.50). That's pretty gosh-darn amazing when you think of other national park fees around the world!
The fee is also the same for every national park: NPR 3,000 (or around US$25). You also pay the fee just once, regardless of how long you stay in the park. And no profile photos are required. All very easy and inexpensive.
It's incredibly affordable to trek in Nepal compared to many other countries
Where to purchase your entry permit
In terms of national parks, an entry permit is easy obtain. You can purchase it:
When paying the fee in advance, you're issued your permit on the spot, so there's no to-ing and fro-ing involved. How civilised.
What you need to purchase an entry permit
To be allowed to enter a national park, you'll need to provide the following:
a detailed trek itinerary
entry and exit dates for the park
the name and address of your tour operator (if you have one)
the name and contact details of your trek guide (if you have one)
4. Conservation area permit
Similarly to national parks, you simply need to pay a once-off fee to obtain an entry permit for a conservation area. This fee is a super modest NRP 3,000 (or around US$25). And again, your permit is issued on the spot.
The most famous – and largest – conservation area in Nepal is the Annapurna Conservation Area (as you can see in the map below).
Map of Nepal's national parks and conservation areas
You do, however, need to provide two passport-style photos of yourself to obtain the permit.
Where to purchase your entry permit
You can obtain a conservation area entry permit at:
the Tourist Service Centre in Kathmandu
the Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation in Kathmandu
the Nepal Tourism Board office in Besisahar or Pokhara
While you can pay the fee at a checkpoint, you'll be charged double the usual amount. So it's better to organise it in advance at one of the above-mentioned offices.
The Annapurna mountains are part of the Annapurna Conservation Area
What you need to purchase an entry permit
To be allowed to enter a conservation area, you'll need to provide the following:
a detailed trek itinerary
entry and exit dates for the conservation area
the name and address of your tour operator (if you have one)
the name and contact details of your trek guide (if you have one)
two passport-style photos
5. Rural municipality trekking permit
Some municipalities charge trekkers an additional fee. Notably, those trekking to Everest Base Camp must purchase the Khumbu Rural Municipality Permit. At NRP 2,000 (or $17), this isn't a headache at all.
Aerial view of Namche Bazaar, an acclimatisation stopover point on the EBC trek
Where to pay municipality fees
Municipality trekking permits are obtained at the checkpoint to each municipality. So no forward planning is needed for these. Though again, if you're trekking with a tour operator, any municipality trekking fees will be obtained on your behalf.
Permits and fees needed for specific treks
Let's now look at each of Nepal's most popular treks and what permits and fees are required for each to help you plan and budget. We've placed them in alphabetical order to help you scroll and find the ones that interest you.
* Please note that Nepali and SAARC citizens pay lower rates than those stated below.
Sunrise over Poonhill
1. Annapurna Conservation Area treks
Here's what you'll pay for permits and fees to do any one of the following Annapurna Conservation Area treks: