Nepal's Remote & Restricted Trek Permits Explained (2026)
Heading off the beaten path — Makalu, Kanchenjunga, Api, Manaslu or Upper Mustang? Here's what permits you need, the rules, and why you must trek with a registered guide.
The remote treks Nepal's leadership is now putting in the spotlight come with paperwork the popular trails don't. Restricted and conservation areas have their own permit rules — and getting them wrong can end a trip before it starts. Here's the plain-English guide for 2026.
From the trail · Annapurna
The two permit types
- National park / conservation permits — e.g. Makalu Barun, Api Nampa; straightforward entry fees
- Restricted Area Permits (RAP) — e.g. Kanchenjunga, Manaslu, Upper Mustang; stricter and pricier
- Restricted areas require a registered operator and usually a minimum of two trekkers
- A licensed guide is mandatory on all of these routes
What each remote trek needs
Makalu and Api sit in protected areas (Makalu Barun National Park; Api Nampa Conservation Area) and need entry permits plus a guide, but no special restricted permit. Kanchenjunga, Manaslu and Upper Mustang are restricted areas: you cannot trek them solo or arrange the permit yourself — you must go through a registered agency, in a group of at least two, with a RAP. Because all of these regions are remote, an organised, fully supported trip isn't just the rule; it's the safe way to do it.
| Trek | Permit type | Solo allowed? |
|---|---|---|
| Makalu Base Camp | National park + guide | With a guide |
| Api Base Camp | Conservation area + guide | With a guide |
| Kanchenjunga | Restricted Area Permit | No — min 2 + agency |
| Manaslu / Upper Mustang | Restricted Area Permit | No — min 2 + agency |
We handle the paperwork
For full current fees see our Nepal trekking permits guide. We arrange every permit for the Makalu, Api and Kanchenjunga treks so you don't have to.
Source: Travel Himalaya Nepal operations; Nepal permit framework. Confirm current fees on our permits page.
Cover photo: Craig Taylor via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 2.0).
Source: Travel Himalaya Nepal
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