Annapurna Circuit Trek Permits: ACAP, TIMS & Rules

The Two Permits You Need

The Annapurna Circuit lies inside the Annapurna Conservation Area, Nepal's largest protected region, but it is not a restricted area, so you do not need a special restricted-area permit. It is a teahouse trek, not a mountaineering expedition, so there is no climbing permit either, just two documents.

Figures are 2026 estimates; confirm current rates with the Nepal Tourism Board or your agency before you travel.

ACAP, Annapurna Conservation Area Permit

The ACAP is the main entry permit, issued by the Nepal Tourism Board and the National Trust for Nature Conservation, whose fees fund conservation and local development across the region. For foreign nationals it costs around NPR 3,000; SAARC nationals pay less.

On the Circuit it is checked at several entry and route posts, including Besisahar, Chame and Jomsom, so keep it accessible with your passport throughout the loop. The permit is single-entry for your trek and non-transferable.

TIMS, Trekkers' Information Management System

The TIMS card registers you in a central database so authorities can locate and account for trekkers in an emergency, which matters on a high, weather-exposed route like the Circuit. For foreign nationals it costs around NPR 2,000 (SAARC nationals pay less), and it is usually arranged through a registered trekking agency. The card records your route and emergency contacts, and is checked alongside the ACAP at posts around the loop.

Where & How to Get Them

Both permits are issued in Kathmandu or Pokhara, at the Nepal Tourism Board offices and through the Trekking Agencies' Association of Nepal (TAAN). Get them before you drive to Besisahar.

You will need:

• Your passport (and a photocopy).
• 2–4 passport-sized photos.
• The fees in Nepali rupees (cash).
• Your itinerary and emergency contact details.

If you book through a trekking agency, they routinely arrange both permits as part of the package, you simply hand over your passport details and photos. Permits cannot be obtained on the trail, so sort them in town before you start.

The Licensed-Guide Rule

Since 2023, Nepal's Tourism Board has required trekkers on most conservation-area routes, including the Annapurna region, to trek with a licensed guide for organised trekking rather than going fully independent.

• In practice, hiring a licensed guide (and optionally a porter) is now the standard, safest and most reliable way to trek the Circuit.
• A guide is especially valuable here for Thorong La judgement: reading the weather, deciding when to cross, and managing altitude on the high section.
• Rules and enforcement continue to evolve, confirm the current requirement with a registered agency or the Nepal Tourism Board before you travel.

Guide costs are covered in the Circuit cost guide.