Almost every trek in Nepal passes through a national park, a conservation area or a restricted region, and each of those has its own paperwork. It sounds complicated; in practice it comes down to a handful of permits, most of which take an hour in Kathmandu or Pokhara. Fees and rules change, so treat this as a map of the system and confirm current details with the Nepal Tourism Board (NTB), the Department of Immigration or a licensed agency before you go.
The building blocks
TIMS card
The Trekkers' Information Management System card is a registration for trekkers, managed by the NTB and the Trekking Agencies' Association of Nepal (TAAN). It is required in many trekking regions, notably Annapurna and Langtang, but not currently in the Everest region, where a local municipality fee replaced it. Issued at NTB offices in Kathmandu and Pokhara or through your agency.
Conservation area permits
The Annapurna Conservation Area Permit (ACAP) covers the Annapurna Circuit, Annapurna Base Camp, Ghorepani Poon Hill and Mardi Himal. Manaslu has its own Manaslu Conservation Area Permit (MCAP), and the Manaslu Circuit also crosses into ACAP territory toward the end. Available at NTB offices and at some checkpoints.
National park entry permits
Sagarmatha National Park (Everest), Langtang National Park, Shivapuri Nagarjun National Park (the hills north of Kathmandu, including Shivapuri Peak, Jamacho and the Sundarijal–Chisapani trail) and others each charge an entry fee. Most can be paid at the park gate.
Restricted area permits
Regions such as Upper Mustang, Manaslu, Nar Phu, Tsum Valley, Upper Dolpo and Kanchenjunga are restricted. These permits are issued by the Department of Immigration, must be arranged through a registered trekking agency, usually require a minimum group of two trekkers with a licensed guide, and are far more expensive — Upper Mustang and Upper Dolpo run to hundreds of US dollars for a ten-day permit.
Which permits for which trek
- Everest Base Camp / Gokyo / Three Passes: Sagarmatha National Park permit + Khumbu Pasang Lhamu Rural Municipality fee
- Annapurna Circuit, Annapurna Base Camp, Poon Hill, Mardi Himal: ACAP + TIMS
- Langtang Valley, Gosaikunda, Helambu: Langtang National Park permit + TIMS (Shivapuri park fee if you start from Sundarijal)
- Manaslu Circuit: Manaslu restricted area permit + MCAP + ACAP, via an agency with a guide
- Upper Mustang: restricted area permit + ACAP, via an agency with a guide
- Day hikes on the Kathmandu Valley rim: usually just the national park entry fee where the trail crosses Shivapuri Nagarjun National Park; none for Nagarkot–Changu Narayan or Champadevi
The guide question
In 2023 the Nepal Tourism Board announced that independent trekkers should hire a licensed guide in most national park and conservation area treks. Enforcement has varied by region and season. If you plan to trek without a guide, check the current position for your specific route before you commit, and understand that a good local guide adds safety, language and cultural context rather than just paperwork.
Practical tips
- Bring passport photos and a copy of your passport; several permits need them
- Carry the permits with you — they are checked at posts along the trail
- Buy travel insurance that explicitly covers trekking to your maximum altitude and helicopter evacuation
- Keep small cash for park gates and municipality fees on the trail
Trailma doesn't sell permits — we're the app you use once you have them. But the elevation profile, offline map and route on your phone are what make the trek behind the paperwork worth doing.
