Just recently, Nepal has no longer allowed trekking for foreigners without a guide/Porter/Porter come to Guide from April 1, 2023. Now, a licensed guide or porter comes to Guide is mandatory to trek around any trekking route in Nepal. Mostly, inside the Conservation Areas and National Parks. The main ambition is to ensure the safety and well-being of tourists and discourage unauthorized trekking operators in Nepal.
The action was forced under the director of the Nepal Tourism Board (NTB), Maniraj Lamichhane. He also added,” This decision was taken on the behalf of tourists’ benefits. We have seen many solo travelers get lost and feel insecure. To reduce such cases, we made a decision to ban solo treks in Nepal. The guide/Porter will be mandatory from the first of April 2023”.
According to the NTB in 2019, 50,000 tourists had gone trekking without hiring a guide and porter. Solo trekkers only required a route permit and Trekkers Information Management System (TIMS) permits.
Before this new provision, TIMS permits have two variants: “Blue” for travel agencies and “Green” for individual travelers. With the latest decision, ‘Green' TIMS permits have come to be banned too.
Now, TIMS has a price is NPR 1,000 for SAARC countries and NPR 2,000 rest of the world.
TIMS permits can be obtained from the Trekking Agencies Association of Nepal (TAAN). Lamichane also stated, “Tourists are required to proceed to apply for trekking permits from the authorized trekking agencies.”
