Permits & Rules

Do You Actually Need a Guide to Trek in Nepal in 2026? The Real Rule, Explained

Since April 2023 no foreign trekker has been allowed on a Nepal national-park trail without a licensed guide, and a March 2026 change now lets solo…

By Laxman Rawal · Jul 21, 2026

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Yes, you need a licensed guide to trek in Nepal in 2026, on every national park and conservation area route, including Everest Base Camp and Annapurna Base Camp, and the rule has only tightened since it began. What changed for the better this year is who can…

Travel Himalaya Nepal · News

What this means for trekkers

Do not read solo Restricted Area Permits as a return to independent trekking, they are not the same thing. You still cannot walk into Manaslu or Upper Mustang alone with a map and a tent; you book through a registered Nepali agency, that agency assigns you a…

Travel Himalaya Nepal · News

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