Guide mandatory while trekking in Nepal

Nepal Government has announced - Guide mandatory while trekking in Nepal from April 1st 2023 - No more solo treks

The Trekking Agencies Association of Nepal (TAAN) has been lobbying for a group of trekker(s), one-guide mandatory system while trekking in Nepal, since 2012. The trekking agencies had announced that solo trekkers would have to take along a guide from September 1, 2012, Tourism Ministry said it had not issued.

The related bodies have tried again in 2014. The government then assured to implement the system by the beginning of 2015 but it was not easy so far and unfortunately the plan was failed due to the earthquake.

 However, the government has accepted kindly to the industry’s proposal of Guides mandatory.

The new fee too would come into effect from April 1st 2023. The fee for Trekkers Information Management System (TIMS) card or one of permits has been increased to Rs2,000, from Rs1,000 per person. It used to cost Rs2,000 for the  solo trekkers or free independent trekkers (FITs). Similarly, for South Asian trekkers  fee was  Rs300 and Rs600 for FITs. Now, both kinds of trekkers have to pay Rs1,000.

Why the Nepal government has made rule a Guide mandatory while trekking in Nepal?

Due to increasing safety concerns

Nepalese will get new employment if the rule is enforced

After announced mandatory guide rules, some tourists had complained about the restrictions on their freedom, at the same time some others felt that the mandatory provision would make trekking safer.

Missing in December 2008, Julian Wynne, a British solo trekker in the Everest region. Patricia Wynne, mother of Julian Wynne, it would be good for the Nepal government to enforce such rules. She posted in an email in 2012, “If guides had been made compulsory four years ago, my son would probably be with us today.” There are in recorded with Nepal government many such kinds of incident.