The Everest region has high-altitude freshwater lakes offering awe-inspiring vistas of surrounding mountains. Everest Gokyo Lake Trek is an alternative trek providing surreal vistas of Everest avoiding the crowd.
You might be thinking about classical Everest Base Camp Trek which is now replaced by the Salleri - Lukla Everest Base Camp Trek. With the development of road transport, you can access Salleri and Thamdanda from where you will one day hike to Lukla and follow the trails to Everest Base Camp.
All these trekking required the trekkers to issue permits to enter the Khumbu region.
Latest Update: Effective from April 1st,2023, all Non- Nepali solo trekkers are mandated to have licensed guides and must issue TIMS cards from registered trekking agencies.
So what is a Trekking permit and why is it mandatory to have while trekking in the Himalayas of Nepal? Trekking Permit is a must to have while trekking in the Himalayas of Nepal. Many trekking regions of Nepal fall within the national park and conservation area. The trekking region passes through culturally rich sites and indigenous communities. Hence for the protection of natural biodiversity, indigenous communities, and the safety of the trekkers, the trekking permit is a must to have travel document.
Similarly, you need to have a trekking permit while trekking in the Everest region. The article provides full detailed information about the trekking permit you require for hiking in the Everest Region.
Trekking Permit for Everest Base Camp Trek
Sagarmatha National Park Entrance Fee
Sagarmatha National Park located in Khumbu region is home to the tallest mountain in the world, Mt. Everest along with majestic mountains like Lhotse, Cho Oyu, and many more.
Sagarmatha National Park is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site which was established in the year 1976 and listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in the year 1979. It covered an area of 1148 sq. km.
The government of Nepal made a rule to issue national park permits to enter. Hence trekkers must issue a permit to enter Sagarmatha National Park.
Where can I get the Sagarmatha National Park Entrance Permit?
The Sagarmatha National Park Entrance Fee can be issued at the entrance of Sagarmatha National Park, Monjo. You can also obtain it from the Nepal Tourism Board Office in Kathmandu.
The office at the entrance of Sagarmatha National Park collects the entry and exit details of every trekker entering the national park which is essential for crowd management and the safety of the trekkers whether they are missing out or not.
How much does it cost for the Sagarmatha National Park Entrance Permit?
You will get a Sagarmatha National Park Entrance permit upon the payment of Nepalese currency Rs. 3000 at the entrance office.
Please note that you need to pay the permit fee in local currency. So carry local currency in proper amount.
You can find the showcase of different pictures of flora and fauna along with the details in the surroundings of the office.
Khumbu Pasang Lhamu Rural Municipality Permit
Khumbu Pasang Lhamu Municipality as a local government came into existence after the advent of the federal and decentralization system in Nepal in 2018. It results in the introduction of a new permit that is Khumbu Pasang Lhamu Rural Municipality Permit.
Hence you need to issue a local permit known as Khumbu Pasang Lhamu Rural Municipality permit to enter the Khumbu region for trekking.
Where can I get a Khumbu Pasang Lhamu Rural Municipality Permit?
Lukla, the starting point of trekking has an office that issues the entrance permit to Khumbu region.
If you are planning to start your trek from Jiri or Salleri, you can obtain the Khumbu Pasang Lhamu Rural Municipality Permit in Monjo.
Khumbu Pasang Lhamu Rural Municipality Permit isn’t available to obtain in Kathmandu, unlike Sagarmatha National Park Entrance Permit.
How much does it cost for Khumbu Pasang Lhamu Rural Municipality Permit?
Trekkers are required to pay Nepalese currency of Rs. 2000 as an entrance permit at Khumbu Pasang Lhamu Rural Municipality upon their arrival at Lukla.
Everest Trek Card
A new digital permit card has been introduced in the Everest region from 23rd September 2022. The Everest trek card is a digital permit that every trekker needs to have to enter the Khumbu region. Moreover, you can easily get information about the region by scanning or tapping the card.
You might be wondering how much it will cost. You don’t need to pay individually for it as you will get it after you pay the Khumbu Pasang Lhamu Rural Municipality fee. You need to submit a color copy of the valid passport and a photo will be taken at the Trek Card Registration Centre in Lukla.
It will save you time as you can easily tap the card at each checkpoint hence avoiding long queues at the checkpoint.
TIMS Card for Everest Base Camp Trekking
Trekkers Information Management System, TIMS Card is required to ensure the safety and security of trekkers and to control the illegal trekking operations in the Himalayas of Nepal.
Before the revised TIMS provision, there used to be two types of TIMS Cards. Blue TIMS Card for group trekkers and green TIMS Card for Free Individual Trekkers.
Now as per the revised TIMS Provision from the Nepal Tourism Board and Trekking Agencies Association of Nepal (TAAN) effective from 31st March 2023, every trekker needs to hire a guide and must have issued a TIMS card to trek in the specific protected areas of Nepal. Everest Region falls under protected areas hence you need to issue a TIMS card to trek in the Everest region.
The cost of TIMS cards for SAARC citizens is NPR. 1000 per head and for other foreign nationalities, it costs NPR. 2000 per head.
However, there is a debate that the Khumbu Pasang Lhamu Rural Municipality should replace the old TIMS card with a new local entry permit - Khumbu Pasang Lhamu Rural Municipality Entry Permit.
Additional Permit for Everest Base Camp Trek
If you are planning for a classical Everest Base Camp Trek from Salleri or Jiri, then you need an additional one more permit which is the Gauri Shankar Conservation Area Permit.
Gauri Shankar Conservation Area Permit
The classical Everest Base Camp trails taken by Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norway enter the Gauri Shankar Conservation Area. Hence permit can be obtained upon the payment of Nepalese currency Rs. 3000 at the Nepal Tourism Board Office, Kathmandu.
Documents required for the issuance of Trekking permit
You need to have your valid passport and detailed personal information to issue the trekking permit.
For Everest Base Camp Trekking, you need a valid passport and fill out a form with personal details along with Nepalese currency Rs. 3000 for Sagarmatha National Park Entrance Fee, Rs. 2000 for Khumbu Pasang Lhamu Rural Municipality, and TIMS Card fee of either Rs. 1000 for SAARC countries or Rs. 2000 for foreign nationals.
For the classical Everest Base Camp Trek, you need a passport and personal details with 2 passport-size photos for Gauri Shankar Conservation Area Permit.
Please make sure to carry local currency for the issuance of the trekking permit as you need to pay them in local currency.
Summary
Sagarmatha National Park Entrance Fee, Khumbu Pasang Lhamu Rural Municipality Entrance Permit, and TIMS card are the required permits that you must have to trek in the Everest region. Additionally, a Gauri Shankar Conservation Area Permit is required for a classical Everest Base Camp Trek from Salleri or Jiri. You must have them otherwise you might get fined and legally punished.
Make sure to carry local currency as they all are paid in Nepalese currency. Keep them safe as you need to show them at every checkpoint.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is a trekking permit essential in Nepal?
A trekking permit is mandated in Nepal for the safety and security of the trekkers. The data collected through trekking permits helps in trekkers’ control, management, and rescue in an emergency.
Why Do You Need Three Permits in the Everest Region?
The Everest region falls in Sagarmatha National Park and as per the rule of the Government of Nepal, trekkers are required to pay the entrance fee to enter Sagarmatha National Park.
Khumbu Pasang Lhamu Rural Municipality Permit is a local permit to be issued to enter the Khumbu region. Khumbu Pasang Lhamu Rural Municipality formulated this new system after the decentralization of government.
The Trekkers Information Management System, TIMS card was introduced jointly by the Nepal Tourism Board and the Trekking Agencies Association of Nepal for the safety and security of trekkers. It aims to control illegal trekking in the Himalayas of Nepal.
Does my Local Guide Require Permits for Trekking in the Everest Region?
No, local guides don’t require permits for trekking in the Everest region.
Can I Pay the Permit Cost in Foreign Currency?
You need to pay all permit costs in Nepalese currency. So it’s highly recommended to carry enough local currency with you.
