Nepal Permits and Fees

Nepal's permit and fee structure changed substantially across 2024 and 2025, with several further adjustments taking effect for the 2026 operating season. The changes affect every category of traveler — heritage tourists in the Kathmandu valley, trekkers across the Annapurna and Everest regions, restricted-area travelers in Mustang and Manaslu, mountaineers attempting the major peaks, and commercial film and drone operators.

This reference guide compiles the current fee structure for visas, urban heritage sites, national park entries, conservation area permits, restricted-area permits, trekking information cards, mountaineering royalties, drone operation licensing, and adventure sport tariffs.

The figures are current as of publication and reflect the operational realities our team works with daily across our Nepal departures. We update this page periodically as the federal Department of Immigration, the Department of Tourism, and the local municipalities adjust their tariffs.

The regulatory architecture governing travel to Nepal has matured considerably in recent years. The federal government, the local municipalities, and the conservation authorities have all overhauled their fee structures in the lead-up to the 2026 operating season, and the cumulative effect is a permit landscape that is more clearly defined, more comprehensively enforced, and — for several categories of traveler — meaningfully more expensive than it was even two years ago.

The shifts reflect a deliberate strategic pivot by the Nepal tourism authorities toward higher-yield, lower-impact travel. The independent solo trekking subculture that defined Nepal's mountain economy for decades has been substantially restructured. Mount Everest's climbing royalty has been escalated by approximately 36% to combat overcrowding in the higher camps.

The Khumbu region has localized its entry permit system away from the federal TIMS framework. Restricted-area permits have been recalibrated to allow solo travelers under specific conditions while preserving the licensed-guide mandate.

This guide compiles the current permit and fee architecture across the categories of travel our team actually arranges — visas, heritage site access, national park entries, conservation area permits, trekking information cards, restricted-area permits, mountaineering royalties, drone licensing, and adventure sport tariffs. The figures below reflect the 2026 operating season and the operational reality we work with on our departures. Fees are subject to change, and travelers planning trips more than six months out should verify the current rates with our office before finalizing their budget.

Visa Fees and Entry

Nepal operates a visa-on-arrival system for most foreign nationals at Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu and at major overland border crossings. The tariff is set in US dollars and is payable in a convertible foreign currency at the point of entry.

The 90-day visa is the appropriate option for travelers combining a major trek with cultural travel, festival attendance, or back-to-back regional itineraries. For mountaineering expeditions and multi-week treks that face weather delays, the 90-day visa removes the operational risk of needing a mid-trip extension.

Indian nationals are exempt from visa fees under the bilateral open-border agreement. Indian travelers entering by air must present a valid Indian passport or original Election Photo Identity Card — digital copies, Aadhaar, PAN, and driving licenses are not accepted for air entry.

Kathmandu Valley Heritage Sites

Heritage sites across the Kathmandu valley are administered by individual municipalities and the federal Department of Archaeology rather than a centralized authority. Fees are collected at each site individually. The pricing varies by nationality across four tiers — foreign nationals, SAARC and BIMSTEC nationals, Chinese nationals, and Nepalese citizens.

Bhaktapur Durbar Square charges meaningfully more than the other valley sites — NPR 1,800 for foreign nationals versus NPR 1,000 at Kathmandu and Patan. The premium reflects Bhaktapur Municipality's independent approach to heritage funding, in which elevated revenue supports the municipality's ongoing restoration of damage from the 2015 earthquake.

The site is widely regarded as the most architecturally intact of the three durbar squares, and most travelers consider the higher fee well justified. At Pashupatinath, the inner sanctum remains restricted to Hindus, while non-Hindu visitors may access the perimeter and the eastern banks of the Bagmati. Camera and video equipment incur small additional charges at state-run museums, typically NPR 50 for still cameras and NPR 200 for video equipment.

Lumbini, Pokhara, and Other Cultural Sites

Outside the Kathmandu valley, the major cultural and natural sites operate under their own administrative bodies with locally set fees.

Lumbini

The Lumbini main heritage area, which includes the Maya Devi Temple, Ashoka Pillar, and the monastic zone, charges foreign nationals NPR 700. The Lumbini Development Trust administers the site and keeps the fees low to facilitate religious pilgrimage from across Buddhist Asia. Indian nationals pay a nominal NPR 16 for the main heritage area in recognition of the cross-border religious demographic. Museum entries at Lumbini and Kapilvastu are nominal.

Pokhara

• International Mountain Museum: NPR 400 for foreign nationals, NPR 200 for SAARC, NPR 150 for Indian nationals
• Davis Falls (Patale Chhango): NPR 50 for foreign nationals
• Gupteshwor Mahadev Cave: NPR 100 for foreign nationals
• Gurkha Memorial Museum: NPR 200 for foreign nationals
• Sarangkot viewpoint: NPR 100 for foreign nationals
• Phewa Lake rowboat hire: NPR 650 for a standard four-person rowboat per hour, applied universally regardless of nationality

National Park Entry Fees

The Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation administers entry to Nepal's protected areas. Two fee structures apply — daily per-person tariffs for the lowland Terai wildlife parks, where safari tourism dominates, and per-entry tariffs for the higher-altitude Himalayan parks, where trekkers follow multi-week itineraries.

Lowland Terai Parks (Daily Per-Person Tariff)

Chitwan is the only Terai park that adds 13% VAT to the daily entry fee, reflecting its position as the most commercially developed wildlife destination in the country. The daily tariff compounds for multi-day safaris — a four-day Chitwan stay incurs roughly NPR 9,000 in park entry per foreign traveler before any safari activity is added.

Chitwan also has additional micro-tariffs for the Elephant Breeding Center (NPR 100), the Tharu Cultural Museum (NPR 25), and elephant-related activities (which we do not arrange — see our wildlife blogs for the operating standards we follow on elephant welfare).

Himalayan and Mid-Hill Parks (Per-Entry Tariff)

Himalayan park fees are charged once for the full duration of the trek rather than compounding daily. The fee revenue funds trail maintenance, waste management infrastructure, anti-poaching operations, and the conservation oversight that protects the high-altitude ecosystems.

Conservation Area Permits

The National Trust for Nature Conservation administers four major conservation areas separately from the federal park system. The conservation area permits sustainable development, community micro-hydroelectric projects, and eco-tourism initiatives among the populations resident in the conservation zones. Like the Himalayan park permits, conservation area permits are valid for the full continuous duration of the trek on a single entry.

The Manaslu Circuit Trek requires both the MCAP (for the eastern restricted-area section) and the ACAP (because the trek exits into the Annapurna Conservation Area at Dharapani after the Larkya La pass crossing), in addition to the restricted-area permit and the TIMS card. The cumulative permit cost for Manaslu is among the highest single-trek permit totals in the Nepal portfolio.

TIMS Cards and the Khumbu Local Permit

The Trekkers' Information Management System (TIMS) card is the federal trekking registration administered jointly by the Nepal Tourism Board and the Trekking Agencies' Association of Nepal (TAAN). The card serves both as a regulatory record and as a search-and-rescue safety mechanism — the system tracks trekker location across major routes.

Where TIMS Applies

TIMS registration is required across the Annapurna region (Circuit, ABC, Poon Hill, Mardi Himal, Khopra Danda), the Langtang region (Langtang Valley, Gosaikunda, Tamang Heritage Trail), the Manaslu region (in addition to the restricted area permits), Dhaulagiri, Helambu, and most other Nepal trekking zones.

The current cost is NPR 1,000 per person for foreign nationals, typically bundled into the trekking agency's operating costs and presented as part of the trek package rather than as a separate line item. Foreign trekkers must operate through a registered Nepal trekking agency on the major routes — independent, unguided trekking that defined Nepal's mountain economy in earlier decades is no longer the dominant operating model on these routes.

The Khumbu Anomaly — Everest Region

The Everest region operates under a separate local permit system rather than the federal TIMS. In 2018, the Khumbu Pasang Lhamu Rural Municipality (the local government covering the Everest Base Camp trail) withdrew from the federal TIMS framework and instituted its own local entry permit. The local permit replaced TIMS in the Khumbu and is currently the operational standard. Trekkers presenting a TIMS card in Lukla are turned back at the local permit checkpoint — the federal card is not recognized in the Khumbu.

• Khumbu Pasang Lhamu Rural Municipality Entry Permit: NPR 2,000 per person for the first four weeks, NPR 2,500 if the expedition exceeds four weeks. Procured in Lukla on arrival or at the Monjo checkpoint for travelers walking in from Jiri or Salleri. Cannot be purchased in Kathmandu in advance. Applies equally to foreign and SAARC nationals.
• Sagarmatha National Park Entry Permit: NPR 3,000 for foreign nationals, NPR 1,500 for SAARC, NPR 100 for Nepalese. Procured at the Nepal Tourism Board in Kathmandu before departure or at the park gate in Monjo.

The total federal-plus-local permit cost for a foreign trekker doing the standard Everest Base Camp or Three Passes trek is NPR 5,000 — roughly USD 37. The Khumbu local permit funds Sherpa community infrastructure, porter shelters, and trail maintenance directly within the region rather than routing through Kathmandu. The successful localization of permit revenue in the Khumbu has set a precedent that other high-yield trekking regions are observing closely.

Restricted Area Permits

Restricted areas represent the most heavily regulated trekking zones in Nepal. The areas are designated restricted for one or more of three reasons — proximity to the militarised border with the Tibet Autonomous Region of China, the presence of insulated cultural communities the state wishes to protect from rapid commercial change, or particularly fragile ecological conditions.

The Department of Immigration administers restricted-area permits centrally from Kathmandu. The permits cannot be purchased at trailheads.

Operational Reality for Travellers

• Restricted-area permits are issued through registered Nepal trekking agencies — they cannot be purchased independently by the traveler
• A licensed Nepal government-registered guide is required on every restricted-area itinerary
• Permit lead time is typically 2-4 weeks; last-minute restricted-area travel is operationally very difficult
• Permits are non-refundable once issued
• Fees are calculated in USD but paid in equivalent NPR via the Department of Immigration's bank voucher system

Restricted Area Permit Fees

Upper Mustang and Upper Dolpo have the highest tariffs in the restricted-area portfolio: USD 500 for the first 10 days, plus USD 50 per additional day. The pricing reflects a deliberate policy — both regions contain insulated Tibetan-Buddhist communities and fragile high-altitude desert ecologies, and the state uses tariff levels to throttle visitor volume rather than allowing the routes to develop the mass-tourism profile of the Annapurna Circuit or Everest Base Camp.

Manaslu and Nar Phu sit in the middle tier at USD 100 per week in peak season. Kanchenjunga uses a long-duration structure with a minimum permit of four weeks, which forces travelers to commit to deep exploration of the eastern Himalaya rather than rapid traverses.

Mountaineering Royalties

Climbing peaks in Nepal operates under two parallel regulatory structures — the Department of Tourism administers expedition peaks above 6,500 meters, including all the 8,000-meter giants, and the Nepal Mountaineering Association (NMA) administers 27 designated trekking peaks at 6,500 meters and below.

Mount Everest Royalty — 2026 Update

The Mount Everest climbing royalty increased substantially for the 2025-2026 season. The standard South-East Ridge route in peak Spring season now costs USD 15,000 per foreign climber, up approximately 36% from the long-standing USD 11,000 baseline. The Autumn season equivalent is USD 7,500 (previously USD 5,500).

Non-standard technical routes, such as the West Ridge, cost USD 10,000 in the spring. The increase is part of a broader strategy to reduce overcrowding in the higher camps and to reposition Everest expedition costs to reflect the mountain's operational realities.

Mandatory insurance coverage for foreign climbers now requires a minimum death-repatriation cover of approximately USD 37,500, and life and rescue cover for high-altitude Sherpa guides has been increased to NPR 2 million. Solo and unsupported alpine-style ascents are not permitted under the current regulations.

Other Expedition Peak Royalties

Manaslu has a reversed seasonal fee structure compared to most peaks — Autumn royalty is double Spring royalty (USD 3,000 vs USD 1,500). The reversal reflects the operational reality that post-monsoon Autumn produces the most stable, avalanche-resistant snowpack on Manaslu, and the peak has become the dominant Autumn 8,000-meter training peak for climbers preparing for an Everest Spring attempt the following year.

Ama Dablam shows the same Spring-and-Autumn-equal pricing (USD 400 in both seasons), reflecting its position as the premier technical autumn ascent in Nepal.

Garbage Management Deposits

• Mount Everest: USD 4,000 refundable deposit per expedition
• Other 8,000-meter peaks: USD 3,000 deposit
• Peaks 7,001-8,000 meters (including Ama Dablam): USD 2,000 deposit
• Peaks 6,501-7,000 meters: USD 1,000 deposit
• Returned only after verified removal of oxygen cylinders, human waste, and tent infrastructure from the mountain

Nepal Mountaineering Association Trekking Peaks

The NMA administers 27 trekking peaks up to 6,500 meters, including the popular Island Peak, Mera Peak, and Lobuche East. The terminology 'trekking peak' is misleading — these are serious glaciated ascents requiring crampons, ice axes, and fixed-rope technique. The NMA simplified its pricing in September 2025 to a per-person flat-rate structure across all peaks.

• Foreign nationals: USD 350 per climber in Spring, USD 175 in Autumn, Winter, and Summer
• Six designated entry peaks below 5,800 meters have had their NMA royalty waived entirely (Yala Peak, Mardi Himal, Tharpu Chuli, Chhukung Ri, Machhermo, and Pokhalde). These peaks now require only the standard regional trekking permits

Drone and Cinematography Permits

Drone operation in Nepal is heavily regulated by the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN) in coordination with the Ministry of Home Affairs, the Department of National Parks, and the Department of Tourism. Foreign travelers should not assume that a drone permitted in their home country can be flown in Nepal without permit infrastructure — the regulations are strict, and the penalties for unpermitted flight are serious.

Operational Restrictions

• Maximum altitude: 120 meters above ground level
• Visual line of sight: 500 meters from the pilot
• Nighttime flight (sunset to sunrise) is not permitted
• 5-kilometer exclusion zone around all active airports
• Drones must be declared on customs entry at Tribhuvan International Airport

Permit Architecture

• CAAN drone registration: USD 10 + 13% VAT, issuance of a Unique Identification Number valid for 3 months
• Recreational flight permit budget through a local agency: typically USD 200-500 total
• Commercial documentary or cinematography in a national park: baseline USD 1,500 + 25% cinematography surcharge through the Department of National Parks
• Liaison Officer requirement for protected-area commercial filming: salary, daily stipend, transport, and mountain accommodation funded by the production team

Border-adjacent regions, including the Everest Base Camp corridor, can require permit processing of up to 90 days because of the security clearance requirements through the Ministry of Home Affairs.

Travelers planning drone photography on a trip to Nepal should start the permit process with our office at least 8 weeks before departure and should not expect last-minute permits for any restricted-area or border-adjacent route.

Paragliding in Pokhara

Pokhara is one of the major paragliding destinations on the global tandem-flight circuit, taking advantage of the thermal currents that develop against the Annapurna massif. The local paragliding syndicate maintains unified pricing for foreign tandem flights.

• Standard tandem flight from Sarangkot (20-30 minutes): USD 65-80 (approximately NPR 8,500-10,500)
• Cross-country tandem flight (extended): USD 95-130
• In-flight photography and videography surcharge: USD 15-25
• All flights include round-trip transport from Lakeside, a safety briefing, a harness, and basic insurance
• Commercial pilots are CAAN-licensed under international safety compliance standards

Indicative Permit Cost Totals for Major Routes

To help travelers budget, the indicative total permit cost (excluding visa) for the major Nepal trekking and climbing programs is set out below. Permit costs are typically bundled into the trek package price by registered operators rather than presented as separate items.

How Our Team Handles Permits

• All permits are arranged by our office in advance. TIMS, conservation area permits, restricted-area permits, and national park entries are processed by our team. Travelers do not need to visit the Department of Immigration or the Nepal Tourism Board directly.
• Permit costs are typically bundled into the trip price. Our trek and expedition pricing includes standard permit fees. Travelers see a single total price rather than a list of separate permit charges, simplifying budgeting and removing the operational burden on the guest.
• Restricted-area lead time confirmed at booking. Routes requiring restricted-area permits have specific lead-time requirements. Our pre-trip team confirms permit processing time at the inquiry stage and structures the booking timeline accordingly.
• Updates communicated as regulations change. Permit costs and rules change with reasonable frequency. Our office monitors updates from the Department of Immigration and the Department of Tourism and communicates any changes that affect confirmed bookings before departure.
• Pre-trip briefing covers route-specific permits. Every confirmed guest receives a pre-trip briefing covering the exact permits applicable to their itinerary, the checkpoints where permits are inspected, and the documentation we have already prepared on their behalf.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need to arrange Nepal permits myself?

No. All federal and conservation permits applicable to your trek or expedition are arranged by our office in advance. Travelers do not need to visit the Department of Immigration, the Nepal Tourism Board, or any other permit-issuing body directly. Our standard trip pricing includes the relevant permit fees, and our pre-trip team handles the documentation. The exception is the Khumbu local permit, which is procured in Lukla on arrival rather than in advance — our guide team handles this at the checkpoint.

How much do permits add to the cost of my Nepal trip?

For most standard treks, the federal and conservation permits total roughly NPR 4,000-7,000 (USD 30-55) per traveler. Restricted-area routes add significantly more — Manaslu adds roughly USD 100-200, Upper Mustang adds USD 500 for the standard 10-day permit.

Mount Everest and other expedition peaks add the climbing royalty itself, which is the dominant cost component. Our trip pricing typically presents one bundled figure rather than a breakdown of separate permit charges, but the indicative totals in this guide help travelers understand what is included in the trip price.

Can I still trek independently in Nepal?

On most major routes, the operating model has shifted toward registered-agency trekking with licensed guides. The previous independent-trekker subculture that defined Nepal's mountain economy in earlier decades is no longer the dominant model on the major commercial routes.

Restricted areas have always required accompaniment by a licensed guide. National park entries and conservation area permits can still technically be purchased by individuals at the relevant offices, but in practice, on the major trekking routes, registered-agency operations are the standard.

Why is the Everest royalty so much more expensive than other peaks?

Three reasons. First, Everest is the most commercially demanded peak in the world, and the price reflects the demand-side reality. Second, the Nepal government has used the royalty as a policy tool to combat overcrowding in the higher camps — the increase from USD 11,000 to USD 15,000 in 2025 is part of an explicit strategy to reduce traffic on the fixed ropes.

Third, the operational footprint of an Everest expedition (multiple-day acclimatization rotations, large support teams, oxygen logistics, and helicopter evacuation infrastructure) genuinely costs more than smaller peaks, and the royalty reflects part of that operational cost.

How long does a restricted-area permit take to process?

Typically, 2-4 weeks from confirmed booking to issued permit. The processing involves the Department of Immigration's standard administrative timeline plus the trekking agency's documentation preparation. Our office works with this lead time as standard. Travelers contacting us less than 4 weeks before a restricted-area trek departure may still be accommodated if our office has the capacity for expedited processing, but the timeline is genuinely tight, and we typically recommend a 6-8 week lead time for restricted-area itineraries.

Are permits refundable if I cancel?

Department of Immigration restricted-area permits are non-refundable once issued. Conservation area permits and TIMS cards are also non-refundable. National park entry permits purchased at the gate are nonrefundable because they are issued upon entry. Trip cancellations that occur before permits are formally issued can typically have the permit portion refunded; cancellations after issuance cannot. This is why we recommend travel insurance that covers trip cancellation for travelers booking restricted-area or expedition itineraries.

What about permits for Bhutan and Tibet?

This guide covers Nepal permits only. Bhutan operates under the Sustainable Development Fee structure and a separate visa system — see our Bhutan SDF and Visa Guide for details. Tibet permits operate under the Chinese tourism authority framework and require specific Tibet Travel Permits issued through Chinese-registered tour operators — see our Tibet Permits and Entry Guide for the equivalent reference. Combined Nepal-Tibet or Nepal-Bhutan itineraries require permits from both countries, and our office handles coordination across jurisdictions for combined-country bookings.

Are these fees current?

Fees are current as of publication and reflect the 2026 operating season as our team understands it. Nepal permit and fee structures change with reasonable frequency — the federal Department of Immigration, the Department of Tourism, and the local municipalities adjust their tariffs as policy priorities shift. We update this page periodically. Travelers planning trips more than six months out should verify current rates with our office before finalizing their budgets. For confirmed bookings, our pre-trip briefing covers the exact permit costs for your itinerary at the time of departure.

Can permits be paid in foreign currency?

Visa fees on arrival must be paid in convertible foreign currency (USD is the standard). Restricted-area permit fees are calculated in USD but paid in the equivalent amount in NPR via the Department of Immigration's bank voucher system. National park fees, conservation area permits, and TIMS cards are paid in NPR. For travelers operating through our office, currency conversion is handled internally, and trip pricing is presented in USD or the traveler's preferred currency, without operational currency complications affecting the booking.

Tell us your dates, your route preferences, and your nationality. Our team returns a written proposal within 48 hours covering the route, the permits we will arrange, the bundled pricing that includes all federal and conservation fees, and the pre-trip briefing that handles the documentation on your behalf. Permits should not be the bureaucratic challenge that defines a Nepal trip — they are the operational background that our team manages, so the travel itself can be the focus.