Permits & Rules
Since April 2023, foreign trekkers can not legally walk into a Nepali national park or conservation area alone. Here is exactly where that rule…
By Laxman Rawal · Aug 8, 2026
Short answer: yes. Since 1 April 2023, foreign trekkers have not been able to legally enter any of Nepal's national parks, conservation areas or restricted areas without a licensed guide from a government-registered trekking agency. That covers Everest Base…
Travel Himalaya Nepal · News
Every major trekking region in Nepal sits inside a national park or conservation area, so the guide requirement follows the permit, not the trail's difficulty. A gentle three-day walk to Ghorepani needs a guide exactly as much as a three-week circuit, because…
Travel Himalaya Nepal · News
The Kathmandu Post reported the fee structure when the rule was announced: guides for standard routes charge in a defined daily band, and technical or high-altitude routes cost more. Those rates have held up as the going market range in 2026. That guide fee…
Travel Himalaya Nepal · News
The Nepal Tourism Board's stated reason was safety: a small but steady number of independent trekkers went missing or died on the trail each year, disproportionately solo hikers without local support who pushed on despite altitude sickness or lost the route…
Travel Himalaya Nepal · News
Unlicensed 'guides' still approach trekkers in Thamel and Pokhara's Lakeside, offering cut-rate treks with no insurance, no NMA certification and no accountability if something goes wrong at altitude. We cover the exact license numbers, insurance documents…
Travel Himalaya Nepal · News
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