Everest Base Camp Trek Permits (2026)
A trekking permit is a government or municipal authorization required to enter a restricted or protected trail corridor on foot, and the Everest Base Camp Trek requires two of them, both payable in Nepalese rupees at the start of the trail.
Permits Required
2
Total Fee
NPR 6,000 (foreigners)
TIMS Card
Not Collected in Practice
Guide Requirement
Unresolved 2026
Every trekker on the Everest Base Camp Trek needs the Sagarmatha National Park entry fee and the Khumbu Pasang Lhamu Rural Municipality fee. Neither requires paperwork from home: both are paid in person, at Lukla or Monjo, or in Kathmandu for the park fee. Whether a licensed guide is also legally required is a separate, unresolved question, covered below.
The rest of this page covers the 2026 fees, where each one is paid, what to bring to the counter, and the dispute between the Nepal Tourism Board and the municipality over the guide rule.
2026 Permit Table
| Permit | Fee (NPR) | Where obtained |
|---|---|---|
| Sagarmatha National Park entry fee | NPR 3,000 (foreigners) | Nepal Tourism Board counter, Bhrikutimandap, Kathmandu, or the Monjo entry checkpoint |
| Khumbu Pasang Lhamu Rural Municipality fee | NPR 3,000 (non-SAARC foreigners) | Paid in person at Lukla, or at the Monjo checkpoint if walking in. Cash in NPR; not sold in Kathmandu |
| TIMS card | Not collected in practice | The municipality rejects TIMS in the Khumbu, but the Nepal Tourism Board still lists this route under TIMS (NPR 2,000). Confirm with your operator |
| Gaurishankar Conservation Area permit (Jiri route only) | NPR 3,000 (foreigners) | Nepal Tourism Board office, Kathmandu. Needed on the Jiri approach; confirm exact coverage with your operator |
Fees are listed NPR rates for 2026 and should be verified before travel. SAARC nationals pay NPR 1,500 for the park. For the municipality fee, the one press report gives NPR 2,000 for SAARC and Chinese visitors, while operators quote NPR 1,500 to 3,000. Children under 10 enter the park free, and the same press report extends that to the municipality fee. Some operators add 13% VAT to the park fee, about NPR 3,390; the Nepal Tourism Board's page doesn't mention it, and no official source settles it.
Operators and insurers describe a travel insurance requirement dating from 1 April 2025, but we found no official notice, and no source ties it to the park or municipal fee. Carry proof of cover for helicopter rescue and medical evacuation anyway, since your operator will expect it. See the full insurance guide for the altitude cover this route calls for.
How to Apply, Step by Step
Both permits are issued in person, not online, and the process at each counter takes a few minutes if the paperwork is ready in advance.
1
Carry two passport photos
Standard passport-size photos, in case a counter asks for one per permit. Kathmandu photo shops near Thamel print a set quickly if you arrive without any.
2
Bring your passport and insurance proof
The original passport is checked at each counter. Keep proof of travel insurance covering helicopter rescue and medical evacuation with it, in case you're asked.
3
Pay in Nepalese rupees
Counters at Lukla and Monjo generally expect cash in NPR. Kathmandu counters more often accept card. Carry enough small-denomination rupees either way.
Guided trekkers rarely touch this process directly. A Swotah guide collects photos and passport details during the pre-trek briefing in Kathmandu and handles both applications on the group’s behalf.
For how these permits fit into the rest of the trip planning, from route to altitude to cost, see the complete Everest Base Camp Trek guide.
Does Either Permit Require a Guide?
Paying the two fees and being allowed to trek without a guide are separate questions. The Nepal Tourism Board decided its guide rule on 2 March 2023 with 13 trade bodies, effective from about 1 April 2023, and its page names Everest Base Camp as a guide-required route. The Khumbu Pasang Lhamu Rural Municipality said in 2023 that solo trekkers are allowed in its area and that guides are recommended, not compulsory. That is a refusal to apply the rule, not a granted exemption: we found no document granting one. The board called the stance irresponsible and said it could cancel permits.
As of late 2026, no official notice has settled the dispute. One operator says the municipality never enforced the rule, others say a guide is required and that Monjo checks credentials, and none cites enforcement records. The Department of Immigration's decision of 22 March 2026 doesn't resolve it either: it lets solo foreigners obtain restricted-area permits, still with a licensed guide and a registered agency, and doesn't mention Everest. Tourism Bill amendments, in committee at last report in July 2026, would mandate guides on designated high-risk and Himalayan routes, but they were not law at that point. See the full solo trekking guide for the detail, including the anecdotal reports on checkpoint enforcement. This dispute concerns standard trekking on the Everest route; a technical side-objective like Island Peak still requires a qualified climbing guide under separate Nepal Mountaineering Association rules.
Extra Permit for the Jiri Route
Trekkers on the Jiri Route itinerary need one additional document: a Gaurishankar Conservation Area permit for the Jiri approach (NPR 3,000 for foreigners, NPR 1,000 for SAARC nationals, free under 10). Its exact coverage isn't officially confirmed, so check with your operator. This is on top of the Sagarmatha National Park and Khumbu Pasang Lhamu fees above, not a replacement for either.
For the full cost picture beyond permits, see the per-person cost breakdown.
Frequently Asked Questions
The Permits Themselves
Two, for the standard route: the Sagarmatha National Park entry fee and the Khumbu Pasang Lhamu Rural Municipality fee, both NPR 3,000 for non-SAARC foreigners. TIMS is not collected in practice in the Khumbu, although the Nepal Tourism Board still lists the route, so confirm with your operator. Jiri-route trekkers also need a Gaurishankar Conservation Area permit for the Jiri approach.
Guide Requirement