Permits & Rules

Nepal's Valley That Stayed Sealed Off Until 2003 — and Still Takes Two People to Enter

Home to roughly 300 people who still practise a religion older than Buddhism, Nar Phu was closed to every outsider for decades. Here's what it costs…

By Laxman Rawal · Jul 20, 2026

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North of the Annapurna Circuit, tucked against the Tibetan border, there's a valley that most of the roughly one million people who visit Nepal each year have never heard of. Nar Phu wasn't just remote — it was legally off-limits. The Nepali government kept…

Travel Himalaya Nepal · News

What it actually costs to go

The restricted-area system, which also covers Upper Mustang, Upper Dolpo and a handful of other border valleys, exists for a straightforward reason: these are sensitive frontier zones close to Tibet, and Nepal manages foreign access to them deliberately, both…

Travel Himalaya Nepal · News

What this means for trekkers

What this means for you Nar Phu isn't a trek you add on a whim — you need to book with an agency that can process the restricted-area paperwork, travel with at least one companion, and budget roughly two extra weeks and $130–145 in permits beyond a standard…

Travel Himalaya Nepal · News

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Nar Phu Valley Trek — 14 Days

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