Kathmandu, Mar 24: Nepal has updated its trekking permit policy for restricted areas, now permitting individual foreign tourists to obtain permits previously reserved for groups of two or more.
The policy targets remote northern regions near the China border, including Lo Manthang and Upper Mustang, following complaints from the Trekking Agencies’ Association of Nepal (TAAN) and others.
The Department of Immigration announced the change on Sunday—decided March 21—to eliminate the hassle of finding trekking partners.
Solo trekkers must apply via registered agencies, with a licensed guide assigned (maximum 7 trekkers per guide); agencies bear full responsibility for emergency rescues.
An online permit system has also been introduced for faster, user-friendly processing, while ensuring safety and monitoring in these sensitive zones.
