Nepal Trekking Permits: Everest, Annapurna and Poon Hill

Every major trekking route in Nepal passes through a national park or conservation area, and each one charges an entry permit. The rules are simple once you know which area your trek is in — but fees are revised from time to time, and online guides often disagree. Here is what applies to the treks we run, as checked in October 2026.

Everest Base Camp (Khumbu region)

Two permits are needed for the Everest Base Camp trek:

• Sagarmatha National Park entry permit — commonly quoted at NPR 3,000 plus 13% VAT for foreign nationals. It is issued at the Nepal Tourism Board / national park counter in Kathmandu or at the park gate in Monjo.
• Khumbu Pasang Lhamu Rural Municipality permit — a local government fee collected in Lukla or at Monjo, payable in cash only. Most current sources quote NPR 3,000 per person after a 2024 increase, although some guides still list the older NPR 2,000.

The TIMS card is not required in the Khumbu region; the municipality permit replaced it there.

Annapurna Base Camp and Poon Hill (Annapurna Conservation Area)

• ACAP (Annapurna Conservation Area Project) entry permit — NPR 3,000 for foreign nationals and NPR 1,000 for SAARC nationals; children under 10 are commonly listed as exempt.
• TIMS (Trekkers' Information Management System) card — now issued through registered trekking agencies, commonly quoted at NPR 2,000 for foreigners. Sources disagree on whether it is still strictly required in the Annapurna region, but checkpoints such as Birethanti are reported to ask for it, so we arrange one.

Both the Poon Hill and Annapurna Base Camp treks stay inside the Annapurna Conservation Area, so they need the same permits.

Do you need a licensed guide?

Since April 2023, Nepal's rules require foreign trekkers in the country's national parks and conservation areas to trek with a licensed guide arranged through a registered agency. The aim is safety — solo trekkers had been going missing or getting injured with no one to raise the alarm — and local employment. All of our treks include a licensed, English-speaking guide.

What you need to bring

• Your passport (valid for at least six months) with your Nepal visa.
• Passport-size photos — bring a few spares for permits.
• Cash in Nepali rupees for anything paid locally; card payment is rarely available at checkpoints.
• Travel insurance details, including cover for high-altitude rescue.

Day hikes from Kathmandu

Shivapuri Nagarjun National Park, on our doorstep in Budhanilkantha, charges a small entry fee at its gates (commonly quoted around NPR 565 including VAT for foreign visitors). It's a good warm-up hike before a big trek — see our Shivapuri hiking guide.