Since 1 April 2023 Nepal's rules say foreign trekkers need a licensed guide on most Himalayan routes, but what happens on the trail differs by region. Here is what applies in Everest, Annapurna, Langtang, Manaslu, Mustang and the Kathmandu Valley for 2026–2027.
12 min read
Yes, on most trekking routes in Nepal you need a guide. Since 1 April 2023, Nepal Tourism Board (NTB) rules have said foreign trekkers in the main Himalayan national parks and conservation areas must walk with a licensed guide and carry a TIMS card issued through a registered trekking agency. In restricted areas such as Manaslu, Upper Mustang and Nar Phu, a guide has been compulsory for much longer, under immigration law.
What happens on the trail is less tidy. The Khumbu (Everest) municipality has never accepted the rule. On Annapurna routes it exists on paper but is enforced unevenly, and checkpoints there check your conservation area permit, not a TIMS card. In Langtang, permits are checked at Dhunche. This guide sets out, region by region, what is law and what is practice for the 2026–2027 seasons, so you can plan with no surprises at a checkpoint.
For most foreign trekkers on Nepal's well-known Himalayan routes, yes. The 2023 NTB rule covers Everest, Annapurna, Langtang, Manaslu, Mustang, Dolpo, Kanchenjunga, Makalu and more. Restricted areas have always needed a guide. The main exceptions in practice are the Khumbu, where the municipality rejects the rule, and short hikes outside the listed routes.
There are two different legal layers, and it helps to keep them apart:
The NTB guide and TIMS rule. This covers trekking routes in national parks and conservation areas. It is applied through the TIMS card system, which only registered agencies can now issue.
Restricted area rules. These come from the Department of Immigration. Here the permit itself is only issued through a registered agency, with a licensed guide assigned. This has been the case for years and is strictly checked.
From 1 April 2023, foreign trekkers on listed routes must be accompanied by a licensed trekking guide and carry a TIMS card bought through a government-registered trekking agency. The TIMS fee rose to NPR 2,000 (NPR 1,000 for SAARC nationals). Independent trekkers can no longer buy a TIMS card themselves.
NTB and 13 trekking associations and unions agreed the change in early March 2023, citing trekker safety and jobs for local guides. The Himalayan Times and the Kathmandu Post reported it at the time. NTB's own TIMS page still states the rule today and lists the routes it applies to.
NTB's list names routes in these areas: Kanchenjunga, Makalu Barun, Everest, Rolwaling, Panchpokhari, Helambu (including Gosaikunda), Langtang (including the Tamang Heritage Trail), Ganesh Himal, Manaslu and Tsum, Annapurna (including the Circuit, Poon Hill to ABC, Khopra and Mardi Himal), Mustang, Dhaulagiri, Dolpo and Humla. You can read the full list on the NTB TIMS card page.
Routes that are not on the list include the Kathmandu Valley rim walks and areas outside the protected-area network, such as Pikey Peak in lower Solu.
It is an NTB provision applied through the TIMS system, not a separate act of parliament. That matters because some local governments have challenged it, most openly in the Khumbu. Restricted-area rules are different. They sit in Nepal's immigration law, and trekking outside the route on your permit counts as a breach of that law.
When the rule was announced, NTB set a fine of NPR 12,000 for a trekker found on a designated trail without a guide or TIMS card, and NPR 10,000 per trekker for an agency that sends trekkers without TIMS. The Kathmandu Post reported these figures in April 2023. We have not seen official figures on how often the fines are collected.
Not under local rules. The Khumbu Pasang Lhamu Rural Municipality, which runs the Everest region, has said since 2023 that a guide is not mandatory there. It issues its own entry permit instead of TIMS. NTB still lists Everest routes under its rule, so the two positions conflict.
In 2023 the municipality told the Kathmandu Post that solo trekkers are allowed in the Everest area as long as they follow municipal rules. NTB's chief executive at the time called that stance irresponsible. Since then, independent trekkers have continued to walk to Everest Base Camp, Gokyo and the Three Passes.
For the 2026 seasons, we know of no official notice that changes the municipality's position. Some trekking companies report stricter questioning at the Monjo checkpoint in 2026, but we have not seen anything official to back that up. What every trekker needs, guided or not, is:
the Sagarmatha National Park entry permit, checked at Monjo
the Khumbu Pasang Lhamu Rural Municipality permit, collected at Lukla (or on the trail if you walk in)
Our Everest Base Camp Trek, Gokyo Lakes Trek, Everest Three Passes Trek and Everest View Trek are all led by a licensed guide whatever the local position. Above Namche, a guide who reads altitude symptoms well is worth more than any permit.
The rule says yes. NTB names the Annapurna Circuit, Poon Hill–ABC, Khopra, Mardi Himal and Tilicho routes. In practice, enforcement has been uneven since 2023. Checkpoints at places such as Birethanti, Ghorepani, Chhomrong, Besisahar, Chame, Manang and Jomsom check the ACAP permit, and TIMS cards are not being checked.
Some websites say the Annapurna region is "exempt". We have found no official notice that says so, and NTB's current list still includes the Annapurna routes. The accurate position for 2026 is this: the rule applies, it is not consistently enforced, and ACAP is the permit that gets checked.
You cannot buy ACAP on the trail without paying more. It is issued in Kathmandu and Pokhara and through the NTNC online permit system. See our Nepal trekking permits guide for fees and documents.
Every Annapurna trek we run includes a licensed guide and the ACAP permit. That covers the Annapurna Base Camp Trek, the Annapurna Circuit Trek, the Ghorepani Poon Hill Trek, the Mardi Himal Trek and the Tilicho Lake Trek. On the ABC route your guide also knows the avalanche-prone stretch between Himalaya and Deurali, where trail choice matters in winter and spring.
Plan on yes. Langtang National Park is on NTB's list, and the Langtang Valley, Gosaikunda, Helambu and Tamang Heritage routes are all named. The park permit and TIMS card are checked at the park entrance near Dhunche and at posts along the trail. Without an agency-issued TIMS card, you do not have the paperwork the checkpoint asks for.
Reports from independent trekkers are mixed, and agencies' websites disagree about how strictly the guide part is checked. Because TIMS is now only issued through registered agencies, and Langtang checkpoints do ask for it, an unguided trek here is the riskiest of the main regions to attempt. Our Langtang Valley Trek, Gosaikunda Trek, Helambu Trek and Tamang Heritage Trail all include the guide, park permit and TIMS card.
No. Restricted Area Permits (RAPs) are issued by the Department of Immigration only through a registered trekking agency, and a licensed guide must stay with you throughout. Since 22 March 2026, a solo trekker can get a RAP. Before that, permits went only to groups of two or more.
The Kathmandu Post and the Himalayan Times both reported the March 2026 change. In summary:
Who can apply: one trekker on their own, not only groups of two or more.
Still required: a registered agency and a licensed guide. The agency is responsible for emergency rescue and logistics.
Guide ratio: one guide may lead at most seven trekkers.
Applying: online, with a Nepali visa number or, from abroad, a visa application submission ID.
Where it applies: restricted areas in 13 districts, including Upper Mustang, Upper and Lower Dolpo, Manaslu and Tsum, and Nar and Phu.
Restricted trek | Guide required | Solo permit since March 2026 | Other permits |
|---|---|---|---|
Yes, licensed, through an agency | Yes, with a guide | MCAP, ACAP | |
Yes | Yes, with a guide | MCAP | |
Travelling alone? We now run restricted-area treks for a single trekker with a licensed guide, or we can place you on a group departure. Tell us your dates when you ask for a quote.
Generally no for the Kathmandu Valley rim. Walks such as Chisapani and Nagarkot are not on NTB's guide-rule list. Part of that route crosses Shivapuri Nagarjun National Park, so you pay its entry fee (NPR 1,000 for foreigners) at the gate. Short hikes from Pokhara are different: places like Australian Camp and Ghandruk lie inside the Annapurna Conservation Area, so you need an ACAP permit.
Our Chisapani Nagarkot Trek, Australian Camp and Dhampus Trek and Ghandruk Village Trek are short guided options for travellers who want a taste of trekking without high altitude. You can also look at the best treks in Nepal for beginners.
Region | On paper | On the ground in 2026 | Permits checked |
|---|---|---|---|
Everest (Khumbu) | Listed by NTB; municipality rejects the rule | Independent trekking continues | Sagarmatha NP (Monjo), Khumbu municipality permit (Lukla) |
Annapurna | Guide and TIMS required | Uneven enforcement; TIMS not checked | ACAP |
Langtang, Gosaikunda, Helambu | Guide and TIMS required |
A licensed guide leads the trek. They hold a Nepal trekking guide licence, manage permits and lodges, watch your health and make the safety calls. A porter carries luggage. A porter-guide does some of both, usually with lighter loads and less guiding. Only a licensed guide meets the guide requirement.
On our treks, a porter typically carries for two trekkers, with a load of up to 20 kg (10 kg each). Each trip page lists exactly which staff are included. Our guide to what's included in a Nepal trekking package explains how staffing affects price.
Ask to see the guide's licence card before the trek starts. Nepal's Department of Tourism issues it, with the holder's photo and licence number. A registered agency also needs to show its company registration when you book. On TIMS and restricted area permits, the guide's details are recorded with yours.
Our guide to choosing a trekking company in Nepal covers what else to ask before you pay. Our trust and safety page sets out how we work.
On busy, low trails in good weather, many people do. Above 3,500 m, on passes and in winter or the monsoon, the risks climb fast. Missed altitude symptoms, wrong turns in cloud and avalanche-prone gullies are where unguided trekkers get into trouble. A guide's main value is judgement: knowing when to stop, wait or go down.
Altitude is the biggest factor. Fitness does not protect you. Our altitude sickness guide explains the warning signs and why going down is the treatment.
Your guide handles the permits and checkpoints, books teahouses, sets the pace and checks every trekker each evening. They carry a first aid kit and a pulse oximeter. They follow the rule of never climbing higher with altitude symptoms, and if someone needs to go down, a member of the team goes with them. In an emergency, the guide arranges evacuation and contacts your insurer.
Beyond safety, a good guide explains what you are walking through: monasteries, mani walls, festival days, and which teahouse has the warm dining room. Those are the things you remember.
Yes, but for TIMS routes and restricted areas the guide has to come through a registered agency, because only agencies can issue TIMS cards and apply for restricted area permits. Booking ahead means permits are ready before you reach the trailhead. With us, guide and permits are arranged together.
No. The Khumbu uses its own Khumbu Pasang Lhamu Rural Municipality permit instead of TIMS, alongside the Sagarmatha National Park permit. Both are included on our Everest treks.
Not at present. Annapurna checkpoints check the ACAP permit, and TIMS has not been checked there since the 2023 changes, although NTB still lists Annapurna routes under its TIMS rule. Carry a printed ACAP permit.
Yes, and many do. Since March 2026 this includes restricted areas, where a solo trekker can now get the permit as long as they book through an agency and walk with a licensed guide. If you would like a female guide, ask when you enquire and we will tell you honestly whether we can arrange one for your dates.
In restricted areas the Department of Immigration now allows one guide for at most seven trekkers. On other routes there is no fixed national ratio. We size groups so that each trekker gets proper attention, and every trek runs for 1 to 12 people.
Permits and rules
What your travel insurance must cover to trek in Nepal: the altitude limit in the wording, helicopter evacuation, pre-existing conditions, Lukla and Jomsom delays, rescue fraud, and the details we need from you before you start.
Yes |
Yes, with a guide |
ACAP |
Yes | Yes, with a guide | ACAP |
Yes | Yes, with a guide | Shey Phoksundo NP |
Yes | Yes, with a guide | Kanchenjunga CA |
Yes | Yes, with a guide | Gaurishankar CA |
Permits checked at Dhunche and on the trail
Langtang NP, TIMS (plus Shivapuri NP for Helambu) |
Manaslu, Tsum, Nar Phu, Mustang, Dolpo, Kanchenjunga, Rolwaling | Guide and agency required by immigration law | Strictly checked; solo permits since March 2026 | RAP plus park or conservation area permit |
Makalu, Dhaulagiri | Guide and TIMS required (both routes listed) | Few trekkers; plan for full checks | Makalu Barun NP or ACAP, TIMS |
Rara | Not named on NTB's list; inside Rara National Park | Park permit registered at the lake | Rara NP, TIMS |
Kathmandu Valley rim | Not on NTB list | No guide rule applied | Shivapuri Nagarjun NP where the route enters it |
No. The requirement is for a licensed trekking guide. A porter carries luggage and does not hold a guide licence, so a porter alone does not meet it.
The 2023 guide requirement is aimed at foreign trekkers. SAARC nationals, including Indians, pay lower TIMS and park fees, but they are covered by the same TIMS rule on listed routes. Nepali citizens do not need TIMS. Restricted areas also apply to foreigners from every country.
Officially yes: NTB lists the Poon Hill–ABC route. In practice only the ACAP permit is checked at Birethanti and Ghorepani. Our four-day Ghorepani Poon Hill Trek includes a licensed guide and the ACAP permit.
Police and immigration posts at the entry points, such as Jagat for Manaslu, Koto for Nar Phu and Kagbeni for Upper Mustang, will turn you back. Trekking off your permitted route breaks immigration law. There is no way to buy a restricted area permit on the trail.