Gokyo Lakes Trek Permits: Sagarmatha NP, Khumbu & Rules

The Two Permits You Need

The Gokyo Lakes trek lies inside Sagarmatha National Park, the UNESCO-listed heart of the Khumbu, but it is not a restricted area, so there is no expensive restricted-area permit. It is a teahouse trek, not a climbing expedition, so there is no peak-climbing permit either, just two documents.

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

Sagarmatha National Park Entry Permit

The Sagarmatha National Park entry permit is the main entry document, its fees fund conservation and management of the Everest region. For foreign nationals it costs around NPR 3,000; SAARC nationals pay less.

It is issued by the Nepal Tourism Board in Kathmandu, or you can buy it at the park entrance checkpoint at Monjo on the way in. It is checked at Monjo and at points along the route, so keep it accessible with your passport.

Khumbu Pasang Lhamu Rural Municipality Permit

The Khumbu Pasang Lhamu Rural Municipality permit costs around NPR 2,000 and is a local fee that funds the municipality that manages the Khumbu. It replaced the old TIMS card within this region, so on the Gokyo trek you do not need a TIMS.

It is paid locally on the trail, usually at Lukla or Monjo, rather than in advance in Kathmandu. Carry enough Nepali rupees in cash to cover it.

Where & How to Get Them

The Sagarmatha park permit is issued in Kathmandu (Nepal Tourism Board) or at the Monjo checkpoint; the Khumbu permit is paid locally at Lukla or Monjo.

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 the permits as part of the package, you simply hand over your passport details and photos. Permit costs are covered in the Gokyo cost guide.

The Licensed-Guide Rule

Since 2023, Nepal's Tourism Board has required trekkers in many national-park and conservation areas, including Sagarmatha, to trek with a licensed guide for organised trekking rather than fully independently.

• In practice, hiring a licensed guide (and optionally a porter) is now the standard, safest and most reliable way to trek Gokyo, particularly given the altitude.
• A guide also handles permit logistics, navigation, lodge bookings and altitude judgement, and is essential if you plan the glaciated Cho La pass crossing.
• Rules and enforcement continue to evolve, confirm the current requirement with a registered agency or the NTB before you travel.

If you extend to Everest Base Camp via the Cho La, the same two Khumbu permits cover you, no extra permit is needed for base camp itself.