Permits & Rules

Nepal just put trek permits online — and trekking without a guide now costs you

From March 2026 you can apply for Nepal's restricted-area permits online before you even land — and the fine for trekking without a licensed guide is…

By Laxman Rawal · Jun 17, 2026

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Two quiet changes in 2026 have reshaped how you get onto Nepal's trails — one that makes life easier, and one that makes going it alone genuinely costly. Nepal's restricted-area permits can now be applied for online from your home country, using a visa…

Travel Himalaya Nepal · News

The good news: permits from your sofa

The Department of Immigration's new digital platform, live since March 2026, lets foreign trekkers apply for restricted-area permits online — using your approved Nepal tourist visa number — and pay the fees in advance, before you arrive. For anyone who has…

Travel Himalaya Nepal · News

The catch: going guideless is risky now

The flip side is enforcement. On the national-park and conservation-area trails — Annapurna, Langtang, most of the Everest region — a licensed guide is mandatory, and checkpoints do verify it. Get caught without one and you face a fine of up to NPR 12,000…

Travel Himalaya Nepal · News

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