Nepal eases rules for solo foreign trekkers

Nepal has revised its trekking permit policy for restricted areas, allowing individual foreign tourists to obtain permits for trekking that were previously only issued to groups of two or more.

The restricted areas mainly lie in the remote mountain region near the China border, such as Lomanthang and Upper Mustang. The Department of Immigration (DoI) on Sunday issued the notice following grievances from the Trekking Agencies' Association of Nepal (TAAN) and other related organisations.  Previously, foreigners were facing inconvenience as they needed to find a trekking partner before a permit could be issued.

According to a spokesperson, this decision was made on March 21. To make the process for foreign groups travelling through agencies more efficient, the department has arranged an online system for granting trekking permits.

This move is intended to make the permit issuance process hassle-free, fast, and user-friendly, reads the notice. While solo trekking is permitted, applications must be submitted through a registered trekking agency.