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Nepal Bans Solo Trekking for Foreigners
04 Mar, 2023
Nepal government has banned solo foreigner trekkers from 1 April 2023. Only a government-registered trekking company with a guide is mandatory for trekking in Nepal. Nepal bans solo trekking for Foreigners tourists need to hire a government-trained guide from the trekking agency before going hiking and trekking.
Nepal Tourism Board Nepal’s national tourism promotions department has announced that a guide is mandatory for all solo (FITs ) free independent trekkers due to safety concerns reason however, before FITs travelers are allowed to trek on their own.
A registered trekking company with a guide is mandatory for trekking and traveling in the Himalayas. So, the Nepal Tourism Board implanted these new rules at the beginning of April. Foreigners are not allowed to trek without a guide in Nepal.
According to the NTB records of 2019 about 50,000 trekkers went trekking without having guides and porters says, Maniraj Lamichhane the director of the Nepal Tourism Board.
Why do I need a guide for trekking and hiking in Nepal?
Different thirteen travel and tourism organizations have signed the minutes for the legal documents to stop FITs permits which decision was made at the board meeting on Sunday. Nepal Tourism Board noticed that trekkers need to issue trekking permits and have a guide for any trekking and mountaineering in Nepal for safety issues.
Moreover, the COVID-19 pandemic of 2020 and 2021 has badly affected the tourism industry and helped to get better employment in Nepal's tourism industry and safety for the trekkers. Thus a guide is obligatory for trekking and hiking in the Nepal Himalayas for solo hikers.
However, in 2014, the Trekking Agencies Association of Nepal TAAN tried to implement a mandatory guide for independent trekkers. The government has acknowledged it and going to implement its rules but the earthquake of 2015 affected the plan due to the lower visitor of tourists which was finally successful.
The tourism board has increased the permit cost of trekkers more than before. The fee for a TIMS card or trekking permits those trekkers from third RS 2000 per person and other South Asian countries cost RS 1000 per person. The new rules would be effective from 1st April 2023. Finally, the Nepal government has taken seriously the decision of the Nepal Tourism Board and finally implemented the rules.
