Permits, region by region

No trekking permit is needed for the valley's towns and temples. Most heritage zones charge foreigners an entry fee at the gate: Kathmandu, Patan and Bhaktapur Durbar Squares, Swayambhu, Boudhanath, Pashupati and Changunarayan all collect one, with lower rates for SAARC nationals and Chinese visitors. Keep your Bhaktapur ticket, as it can be extended with your passport. Hikes on the rim inside Shivapuri Nagarjun National Park need a park entry ticket, and the 2023 rule requiring foreigners to walk with a licensed guide in national parks may apply. Check current status before you travel.

Getting to Kathmandu Valley →

No permit is needed for Pokhara, Sarangkot, Begnas, Bandipur or Gorkha. Treks to Ghandruk, Poon Hill, Mardi Himal, Annapurna Base Camp and Manang need an Annapurna Conservation Area permit, as we understand it NPR 3,000 for most foreigners and NPR 1,000 for SAARC nationals, plus a TIMS card. Since April 2023 foreign trekkers must walk with a licensed guide. Permits are issued in Kathmandu and Pokhara, and checked at posts such as Birethanti. Check current status before you travel.

Getting to Pokhara & the Annapurnas →

Trekkers in Khumbu need two permits: the Khumbu Pasanglhamu Rural Municipality entry permit, about NPR 2,000 per person, collected at Lukla or on the trail just beyond, and the Sagarmatha National Park entry permit, about NPR 3,000 for foreigners, paid at Monjo. Since April 2023 Nepal requires foreign trekkers in national parks and conservation areas to trek with a licensed guide; in Khumbu, where the local municipality runs its own permit, the rule has been applied unevenly. Climbing peaks such as Island Peak needs a separate climbing permit. Solu outside the park needs no trekking permit. Check current status before you travel.

Getting to Everest & Solukhumbu →

There is no special permit for the Terai, but every national park and reserve charges a daily entry fee, collected at the gate or bought through your lodge. For Chitwan we understand the foreign visitor rate to be about NPR 2,000 per person per day, with lower rates for SAARC and Nepali visitors. Walks inside parks must be led by licensed nature guides, usually two per group. Nepal's April 2023 rule requiring foreign trekkers in national parks and conservation areas to use a licensed guide also applies. Check current status before you travel.

Getting to Chitwan & the Terai →

No trekking permits or national park fees apply in this region, and there is no conservation-area entry. Foreign visitors buy tickets for the Maya Devi temple area at Lumbini and for some heritage sites such as Tilaurakot and the Kapilvastu Museum, with lower rates for SAARC nationals; fees are set by the Lumbini Development Trust and Department of Archaeology and change from time to time. Indian citizens need no visa for Nepal; most other nationals can get a visa on arrival at Bhairahawa airport or the Belahiya border. Check current status before you travel.

Getting to Lumbini & the Buddha's Country →

Lower Mustang, up to Kagbeni and Muktinath, needs the Annapurna Conservation Area permit, as we understand it NPR 3,000 for most foreigners, plus a TIMS card. Upper Mustang, north of Kagbeni, needs a restricted-area permit, USD 500 for the first 10 days and USD 50 for each extra day, issued only through a registered agency for at least two trekkers with a licensed guide. Upper Dolpo has the same fee; Lower Dolpo costs about USD 20 a week, plus the Shey Phoksundo National Park fee. Since April 2023 foreign trekkers in national parks and conservation areas must walk with a licensed guide. Fees are under review from time to time; check current status before you travel.

Getting to Mustang & Dolpo →

Foreign visitors need the Langtang National Park entry permit for Langtang, Gosaikunda and upper Helambu, and the Shivapuri Nagarjun National Park fee for Chisapani. Manaslu requires a restricted area permit, issued through a registered agency for at least two trekkers with a guide, plus the Manaslu Conservation Area permit, and ACAP if exiting to Dharapani. Tsum has its own restricted permit. Since April 2023 foreign trekkers in national parks and conservation areas must trek with a licensed guide. Fees and rules change; check current status before you travel.

Getting to Langtang & Manaslu →

Most of eastern Nepal needs no trekking permit: Ilam, Kanyam, Sandakpur's Nepal side, Pathibhara, Dhankuta, Hile, Bhedetar, Tumlingtar and Chainpur are open. The Kanchenjunga region requires a Kanchenjunga Conservation Area permit and a restricted area permit, issued through a registered agency, normally for at least two trekkers with a licensed guide. The Makalu trek requires a Makalu Barun National Park permit. Since April 2023 Nepal requires foreign trekkers in national parks and conservation areas to trek with a licensed guide. Fees and rules change; check current status before you travel.

Getting to Eastern Nepal →

Bardia, Shuklaphanta, Rara and Khaptad are national parks and charge foreign visitors an entry fee, paid at the park office or entry gate. Since April 2023 Nepal requires foreign trekkers in national parks and conservation areas to walk with a licensed guide, which affects the Rara, Khaptad and Humla treks. Upper Humla, including the route to Hilsa and the Limi valley, is a restricted area: you need a special permit arranged through a licensed trekking agency, a group of at least two, and a licensed guide. Fees and rules change; check current status before you travel.

Getting to Far West & Karnali →