What permits do I need for the Annapurna region?
The two fees come from two different bodies. The Annapurna Conservation Area is run by the National Trust for Nature Conservation (NTNC), which says it has been granted the right to collect entry fees from trekkers and reinvests the revenue in the area. The NTNC ACAP page describes the conservation area as 7,629 square kilometres across five districts, which covers Poon Hill, Annapurna Base Camp and most of the Annapurna Circuit.
The TIMS card (Trekkers' Information Management System) is run by the Nepal Tourism Board. The U.S. State Department says the card helps authorities find you in an emergency.
| Permit | Foreign national | SAARC national | Issued by | Where to get it |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ACAP entry permit | NPR 3,000 | NPR 1,000 | NTNC | epermit.ntnc.org.np or an NTNC counter |
| TIMS card | NPR 2,000 | NPR 1,000 | Nepal Tourism Board | Through a registered trekking agency, online |
NTNC's online permit page says the ACAP fee includes tax, that children below 10 do not need a permit, and that the permit is valid for a single entry, non-transferable and non-refundable. You must carry it for the whole trek and show it when conservation staff ask.
Is a guide mandatory, and who buys the TIMS card?
Yes, in the Annapurna region. The Tourism Board says that under the revised TIMS provision effective 31 March 2023, trekkers in listed protected areas must be accompanied by a licensed trekking guide and carry a TIMS card issued by a trekking agency. Its list includes the Annapurna, Mustang, Manaslu, Dhaulagiri, Everest, Langtang and Kanchenjunga regions, among others.
In practice that means you no longer walk into an office and buy a TIMS card yourself. The Tourism Board says trekkers should contact a government-registered trekking agency to arrange the guide and the card. The agency registers your details, the guide and the route on the TIMS portal, pays online, and the system generates an eCard with a QR code for each trekker.
The embassies say the same thing in their own words. The UK Foreign Office says all foreign independent trekkers must use a local guide or porter in national parks and protected areas, Canada says independent trekkers are required to hire a local licensed guide, and the U.S. State Department warns that breaking the rule can bring significant fines.
How much will the permits cost in total?
This table adds the two official fees to NTNC's own payment rule: card payments on the online system carry a 2.9% gateway charge, while cash at the counter has none. Dollar figures use Nepal Rastra Bank's open-market buying rate of NPR 152.65 per US dollar on 23 September 2026 from the central bank's exchange rate page.
| Who | ACAP | TIMS | Total in NPR | About in US$ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 foreigner, ACAP paid in cash | 3,000 | 2,000 | 5,000 | 33 |
| 1 foreigner, ACAP paid online by card | 3,087 | 2,000 | 5,087 | 33 |
| 1 SAARC national | 1,000 | 1,000 | 2,000 | 13 |
| 3 foreigners, cash | 9,000 | 6,000 | 15,000 | 98 |
| 2 foreign adults and a child of 8 | 6,000 (child free) | 4,000 for adults; ask about the child | 10,000 plus any child TIMS | 66 plus any child TIMS |
The permits are the small part of the bill. The licensed guide is a separate cost set by your agency and is not published by the Tourism Board or NTNC. Ask whether the agency prices the guide per group or per person, because that decides whether travelling as three or four makes the mandatory guide noticeably cheaper per head. The Tourism Board's TIMS page does not say whether children need a card, so confirm that with your agency.
Everest and other regions
The Everest region is also on the Tourism Board's guided TIMS list, including Everest Base Camp, Gokyo and the Three Passes. It sits in Sagarmatha National Park rather than a conservation area, so ACAP does not apply there. Canada notes that trekkers must obtain a national park entry permit before entering regions such as Annapurna, Everest and Langtang.
We could not confirm the current Sagarmatha park fee or any local municipality fee on an official page, so this guide does not quote them. The Sagarmatha National Park office is in Namche Bazaar and lists its contact details; ask your agency for the current fees in writing.
Restricted areas such as Upper Mustang need a special permit on top of these. The U.S. State Department tells trekkers to consult the Department of Immigration or an experienced agency before planning such a route.
Before you leave Pokhara
If you also need to extend your visa for a long trek, see our Nepal visa on arrival and extension guide. Arriving in Kathmandu first? Our Kathmandu airport to Thamel guide covers the first leg.