Nepal Trekking Permits Explained: TIMS, ACAP, MCAP & Restricted Areas

Which permits do you actually need? Here's how Nepal's trekking permit system works, simplified.

Nepal's permit system can look confusing at first, but it boils down to a few categories. The exact permits you need depend on which region you trek. When you book a guided trip with us, we arrange all of these for you — but it helps to understand what they are and why they exist.

The TIMS card

TIMS (Trekkers' Information Management System) is a registration card that records trekkers on the trail for safety. Most mainstream treks require one. It exists so that authorities know who is on which route in case of emergency or natural disaster.

Conservation area and national park fees

Most of Nepal's trekking regions sit inside a protected area, and each charges an entry fee that funds conservation and local communities.

• ACAP — Annapurna Conservation Area (ABC, Circuit, Poon Hill, Mardi)
• Sagarmatha National Park — Everest region
• Langtang National Park — Langtang & Gosaikunda
• MCAP — Manaslu Conservation Area
• Shivapuri-Nagarjun — short treks near Kathmandu

Restricted-area permits

A handful of culturally or strategically sensitive regions require a special Restricted Area Permit (RAP). These are more expensive, are issued only through a registered agency, and require a licensed guide and a minimum group size. Upper Mustang and Manaslu are the best-known examples. You cannot obtain these as a solo independent trekker — they must be arranged by an operator like us.

How we handle it for you

Permit rules, fees and paperwork change from time to time, and the restricted-area permits in particular involve specific documentation. As a Kathmandu-based registered operator, we take care of every permit your route needs, so you arrive at each checkpoint with the right papers and never lose a day to bureaucracy.