Nepal Has Scrapped Its Two-Person Minimum for Restricted-Area Trekking Permits

Nepal's Department of Immigration issued a notice on 22 March 2026 (8 Chaitra 2082 in the Nepali calendar) removing the requirement that restricted-area trekking permits be issued only to groups of two or more foreign trekkers. The change applies across Nepal's restricted districts along the northern border with Tibet, including Upper Mustang, Upper Dolpo and the Nar-Phu valley, and is relevant to independent trekkers, including a steady number of Indian travellers who use Nepal's visa-free access to combine short visits with high-altitude trekking.

What actually changed

Previously, a solo foreign trekker could not obtain a Restricted Area Permit on their own; agencies typically paired solo travellers with strangers or turned them away. The March 2026 notice removes that minimum-group requirement. It does not remove Nepal's separate rule requiring a licensed guide from a registered trekking agency for any restricted area, which remains mandatory regardless of group size.

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Upper Mustang's fee also changed

Separately, a Nepali government gazette notice dated 22 December 2025 replaced Upper Mustang's old flat fee of USD 500 for 10 days with a charge of USD 50 per person per day, applied only for days actually spent north of the Kagbeni checkpoint, in addition to the standard Annapurna Conservation Area Project fee. The change was reported to follow a Cabinet decision from November 2025, and it cuts costs sharply for short visits, such as a brief trip timed to the Tiji Festival, while leaving the cost of a full ten-day trek roughly unchanged.

What hasn't changed

Nepal's TIMS card system for general trekking has been phased out in restricted areas in favour of the Restricted Area Permit itself, but conservation area fees for Annapurna, Manaslu and Kanchenjunga remain separately payable, and the licensed-guide requirement is unaffected by either reform.

Traveller tips

• Restricted-area permits must still be arranged through a registered Nepali trekking agency; they cannot be obtained by independent applicants without one.
• Confirm current per-day and conservation fees directly with a registered agency or Nepal's Department of Immigration before booking, since regional permit costs are revised periodically.
• Most Indian nationals do not require a visa for Nepal, but permits, guide fees and conservation charges apply regardless of nationality.
• This article reflects rules announced in December 2025 and March 2026; always verify current requirements with official Nepali sources before travel.