Trekking Permits & Time/Business Hour

Nepal Trekking Permits and Cost

Trekking Permits are mandatory in Nepal for all kinds of trekkers whether he/she is traveling in a group or solo.  Each permit fee is different from others depending on the specific trekking regions. So, make sure that you have your permits before embarking on your treks in the mountain regions of Nepal.

Nepal Trekking Permits are issued by different government bodies and associated authorized bodies such as the Department of Immigration office, Nepal Tourism Board, Trekking Agencies of Association of Nepal (TAAN), and National Trust for Nature Conservation (NTNC) to regulate and monitor all trekking destinations.

Is it mandatory to get a permit for trekking in Nepal?

Almost all mountain regions of Nepal require trekking permits. If the checkpoints find trekkers visiting without a permit may lead to big trouble by paying penalties for violation of tourism rules and regulations. So, it is better to have your permit before starting your trek.

Let us demystify the confusion about Nepal trekking permits by going through the details given below. Please read thoroughly all the different topics below.

Different categories of trekking permits in Nepal

In general, there are four different trekking permits in Nepal. Each trekking region requires different trekking permits to visit. We explained all the permits including their cost and also stated which permits are needed for each trekking region.

TIMs E-Card Permit

E-TIMS Card is the short form of Trekkers’ Information Management System which has been implemented jointly by the Nepal Tourism Board (NTB) and Trekking Agencies Association of Nepal (TAAN) to ensure the safety and security of trekkers and to control illegal trekking operations in Nepal. Since the first January of 2008 TIMs card permit issuing to trekkers was effectively implemented.

This Card is the latest trekking permit which came into effective from 1st April 2023 where  E-TIMs permit is not available for Free Individual Trekkers (FITs) but for group trekkers taking the service of government-authorized trekking agencies.

In the past Tims Permit is issued by Nepal Tourist Board to Free Individual Trekkers directly by filling up the form available in Tourism office at Brikutimandap. Since 1st of April E-TIMs Card is mandatory for all trekking areas of Nepal except restricted area where trekkers received special permits form Department of Immigaration Offfice.

As per Revised TIMS Provision effective from March 31, 2023, specific Protected Areas of Nepal need trekker to be accompanied by licensed trekking guide and carry a trekking agency issued TIMS Card.

Below are the trekking regions and routes falling under this rule.

Therefore, the first thing an aspiring trekker must do is find out if the route they are interested to trek requires trekking guide and TIMS Card. If yes, please get in touch with a Government registered trekking agency to arrange for the trekking guide and TIMS Card.

For Trekking Agencies Only

In order to buy TIMS Card, agencies shall have to complete a registration form with details of trekkers, guides and trekking routes.

Procedure to submit the form:

1. Please click here and register to fill the form.
2. Submit the form with all the mandatory fields.
3. Check out for payment through provided payment services (e.g. ConnectIPS, nepalpay etc.)
4. Once the payment is successful, eCard for TIMS will be generated for each trekker with QR in it.

TIMs Card cost NPR 2000 per person for international trekkers and NPR 1000 for SAARC (South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation).

If any of the trekkers found travelling on designated trekking trails without a guide or TIMS card faces a Rs12,000 fine.

Restricted areas which have been opened for Group Trekking

To visit Restricted Areas in Nepal. a Trekking Permit must be obtained from the Department of Immigration, Kalikasthan, Kathmandu.

A restricted trekking permit is also often known as a special permit. Even though trekkers in Nepal are allowed to trek as FIT (Free Individual Trekker) or in a group of various sizes. However, there are certain trekking regions known as ‘Restricted Areas’ or ‘Controlled Areas’ that are highly regulated by the Government of Nepal, and hence FITs are strictly forbidden.

1. Trekking in any area or along any route except the specified area of route shall be deemed to be violation of law.
2. The Trekking permit should be kept along with the trekker while trekking.
3. The Trekking permit has to be shown to immigration employees or police on request.

A restricted trekking permit is issued from the Department of Nepal Immigration only through a registered trekking office like Friendship World Trek.

Please find the restricted area permit (RAP) fees in the below table:

Note:- In the case of Upper Mustang and Upper Dolpa Region if the royalty paid for mountain expedition is less than the fee for trekking permit then the difference amount should be paid.

What are documents require for trekking company to obtain a Restricted Area Permit ?

Only authorized trekking agencies can apply for restricted area trekking permits along with the following documents from the department of the immigration office.

• Copy of Passport
• Copy of  valid Visa sufficient to cover trekking days
• Name lists of trekkers
• Program Schedule of trekking
• Guarantee letter of Agency
• Agreement with Agency
• Tax clearance Certificate of Trekking Agency
• Documents relating to insurance of the trekkers (foreign nationals) and Nepalese staff accompanying the trekkers
• License issued by The Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Civil Aviation to operate trekking business
• License  issued by Nepal Rastra Bank allowing exchanging of foreign currencies
• The program schedule for trekking (Day wise itinerary)
• Registration Certificate of Permanent Account Number
• Voucher of Bank payment (fees) for permits

National park permit

A national park permit is another permit that is required for trekking in Nepal. There are 12 National Parks, one hunting reserve, and one wildlife reserve. All these are monitored by the Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation (DNPWC). DNPWC was established in 2037 BS (1980 AD) to manage and conserve the wildlife and biodiversity of Nepal. These protected areas cover the ecosystems and landscapes of the high mountain region, hilly region, and plain region of the country.

National park permits are issued at Bhrikuti Mandap by the Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation (DNPWC) located within the Nepal Tourism Board building.

Below are the required permits obtained from different National Parks Located in Nepal

National Parks that are designated UNESCO World Heritage Sites (Natural)

National Parks and Permit Fee for Trekking in Nepal

Conservation area permit

A conservation permit is similar to a national park permit which is issued and managed by The National Trust for Nature Conservation (NTNC). NTNC was established in 1982 AD under a Legislative Act to work in the field of nature conservation in Nepal and is a not-for-profit organization. There are 6 conservation areas in Nepal which are listed below with their respective fee for trekking. All the visitors who are entering these conservation areas require purchasing a Conservation permit before starting their treks or tours.

Conservation permits are issued at Bhrikuti Mandap by the National Trust for Nature Conservation (NTNC) permit counter located within the Nepal Tourism Board building.

Below are the required permits obtained from different National Parks Located in Nepal

Conservation Area and Permit Fee for Trekking in Nepal

Rural municipality trekking permit

Rural Municipality (RM) administrative division was established in 2017 and replaced the existing village development committees. There are currently 460 rural municipalities. Since 2018 Khumbu Pasang Lhamu Rural Municipality is the only local level government among all the rural municipalities that implemented the trekking permit rule for trekkers in the Khumbu region. Before TIMS Card permit was used carried by all trekkers in the Everest region.

Khumbu Pasang Lhamu Rural Municipality cost NPR 2000 for every individual.

Personal documents that are required to obtain Trekking Permits in Nepal

When booking a trek or tour with us (Friendship World Trek), we kindly request you to provide the following documents:

1. Passport or Travel Documents
2. A valid passport copy
3. A recent passport size photo
4. Your contact details
5. Complete documents of travel and health insurance
6. Your Arrival Details and Departure flight Details

Time and Business Hours

Fourth General Information for Traveller in Nepal is Time and Business Hours. Nepal is five hours 45 minutes ahead of GMT.

Business hours within the Valley: Government offices are open from 10 am to 5 p.m. from Sunday through Thursday and close at 3pm on Friday in the Kathmandu Valley. During the winter, they close at 4 pm. Most Business offices are open from 10 am to 5 p.m. Sunday through Friday. Embassies and international organizations are open from 9 am to 5 pm Monday through Friday. Most shops open after 10 am and close at about 8 pm and are usually closed on Saturdays.

Business hours outside the Valley: Government offices outside Kathmandu valley open from 10 am to 5 p.m. from Sunday through Thursday. On Fridays they remain open until 3 pm. Banks are open from Sunday through Thursday from 10 am to 3 pm. On Fridays, banks remain open until 12 pm only. Business offices are open from 10 am to 5 pm Sunday through Friday. Recently many private banks have re-organized to have different branches open at various different times making banking hours longer. If one branch is closed another will be open.

Holidays: Nepal observes numerous holidays, at the least a couple in a month. So please check the holiday calendar. The longest holiday in Nepal is during the Dashain festival in late September or October. Government offices observe all the national holidays and banks observe most of them. Businesses observe major holidays only.