ACAP Permit & TIMS 2026: Cost, Online Application & Where to Get Them

ACAP & TIMS 2026: the short answer

• ACAP permit (the one that actually matters): NPR 3,000 for foreign nationals (about US$22–25). SAARC nationals pay NPR 1,000.
• TIMS card: NPR 2,000 for individual trekkers, NPR 1,000 booked through a registered agency.
• Both together: NPR 5,000 — but in practice Annapurna checkpoints verify ACAP only; TIMS is not being enforced on the trail.
• Where to get them: Nepal Tourism Board offices in Kathmandu or Pokhara. Bring your passport and a passport photo.

Trekking with us? We arrange both permits for you — they are included in our 9-day Annapurna Base Camp trek and Ghorepani Poon Hill trek, so you skip the queue at the NTB office entirely.

Getting permits for the Annapurna Base Camp trek is one of the first questions every trekker asks — and the good news is that the process is simpler than the internet makes it sound. For 2026 you need the ACAP conservation permit, a TIMS registration, and a licensed guide. Two offices, a handful of documents, and you are on the trail. This guide covers every rule change, cost and checkpoint so you never arrive unprepared.

ACAP — Annapurna Conservation Area Permit

The Annapurna Conservation Area Permit (ACAP) is the single most important document for the ABC trek. For 2026 it costs NPR 3,000 per foreign trekker — the equivalent of roughly USD $25–30 depending on the exchange rate — and NPR 1,000 for SAARC nationals. It is required for every trekker entering the Annapurna region, regardless of route. This one permit covers ABC, Poon Hill, Mardi Himal, the Annapurna Circuit and every other trail inside the conservation area.

ACAP is issued by the National Trust for Nature Conservation (NTNC). You can obtain it at the Nepal Tourism Board counters in either Pokhara or Kathmandu, or have your agency arrange it. It is a single-entry permit and must be carried at all times — it is the document checkpoints actually scrutinise on the Annapurna trails today.

TIMS Card — Trekkers' Information Management System

The TIMS card is a rescue-and-tracking registration: if something goes wrong on the trail, rescue teams use TIMS records to identify and locate trekkers. For 2026 it costs NPR 2,000 for individuals and NPR 1,000 for trekkers booked through a group/agency — roughly USD $15–20.

Two important 2026 changes. First, TIMS is now issued only through a registered, TAAN-affiliated trekking agency — the walk-in independent option has effectively closed alongside the mandatory-guide rule. Second, Nepal is moving to e-TIMS, a digital record tied to your passport rather than a laminated card; in practice checkpoints on the Annapurna trails now verify ACAP first and foremost, with TIMS held in the system. We still register every client on TIMS because it is your rescue safety net and remains the official requirement.

Where to Get Permits in Pokhara

The easiest option for most trekkers flying into Pokhara is to collect permits here before heading to the trailhead.

• Location: Nepal Tourism Board office, Damside (Pardi), Pokhara — the TAAN office at Lakeside also processes agency permits
• Hours: Sunday–Friday, 9:00am–5:00pm (closed Saturdays and public holidays)
• What to bring: 2 passport-size photos, a photocopy of your passport (bio page + Nepal visa), cash in NPR or USD (no card payments)
• Time required: 20–40 minutes if you have all documents ready

Both ACAP and TIMS are arranged at the same office in Pokhara. Fill out the forms, hand over documents and fees, and your permits are issued on the spot.

Where to Get Permits in Kathmandu

If you are flying into Kathmandu and heading to Pokhara by bus or plane, you can collect permits in the capital instead.

• Location: Tourist Service Centre, Bhrikutimandap, Kathmandu (near Thamel)
• Hours: Sunday–Friday, 9:00am–5:00pm
• What to bring: Same as Pokhara — 2 photos, passport copy, cash

The process is identical. Many Kathmandu-based trekkers find this more convenient since they are already in the city before flying to Pokhara.

2026 Permit Cost Breakdown

Here is exactly what an ABC trekker pays in 2026, with the NPR rate and a US-dollar guide figure side by side. Exchange rates move, so treat USD as approximate.

Permit / fee	Cost (NPR)	Cost (USD approx.)	Required?
ACAP (Annapurna Conservation Area Permit)	3,000	$25–30	Yes — every trekker
TIMS (group / agency rate)	1,000	$15	Yes — via agency
TIMS (individual rate)	2,000	$20	If not group-booked
Ghandruk village conservation fee	~300–400	$2–3	If route passes Ghandruk
Typical total (group trekker)	~4,400	~$45–50	—

For full permit cost details across all Annapurna routes, see our ACAP & TIMS permit guide, the Nepal permits hub, or the official Nepal Tourism Board TIMS page.

If You Book With an Agency

When you book your ABC trek with Travel Himalaya Nepal, we handle all permit paperwork on your behalf. You arrive in Pokhara, we sort it — no queuing, no confusion, no risk of missing documents. Because the 2026 rules require a licensed guide and agency-issued TIMS anyway, going through a registered agency is no longer just convenient — it is how the system now works.

All you need to bring are your original passport and two passport-size photos. We prepare every form, pay the fees on your behalf (included in your trek cost), and hand you both permits ready for the trail. If any question arises at a checkpoint, you have a local point of contact and a licensed guide walking with you.

Permit Checkpoints on the Trail

Your permits are checked at multiple points along the Annapurna Base Camp route. The main checkpoints are:

• Nayapul / Jhinu area — first checkpoint near the start of the trail
• Chhomrong — major checkpoint further up the valley
• Dovan / Bamboo — checkpoint before the upper sanctuary section

Rangers inspect your ACAP and record your details; your TIMS registration links to the same record. Trekkers caught without a valid ACAP face heavy on-the-spot fines — typically double the original fee — and in some cases are turned back entirely. There is no grace period and no option to pay later. Carry your permit at all times and keep it dry in a zip bag.

Ghandruk Conservation Fee

If your itinerary passes through Ghandruk village — which many ABC routes do on the return leg — you may be asked to pay a small additional conservation fee of approximately NPR 300–400 (USD $2–3) at the village entrance. This is separate from ACAP and TIMS and is collected locally for village upkeep. Keep all receipts in case you are asked again at a later checkpoint.

Do These Permits Cover Poon Hill and Other Annapurna Treks?

Yes — your ACAP permit is valid for all treks within the Annapurna Conservation Area for its single-entry duration. This includes:

One permit, one fee, all Annapurna trails. If you combine treks — for example doing Poon Hill on the way to ABC — your existing ACAP covers everything within its validity. You do not pay again. For how this compares to other regions, the Everest Base Camp route needs three separate permits, and Manaslu requires a costly restricted-area permit.

Frequently Asked Questions

Still planning? Browse all Annapurna treks, read our ultimate ABC trek guide, or learn how your permit fees support local communities. Questions about checkpoints or timing? Contact our Pokhara team — we answer within a day.