Everest Trekking Permits: What You Need and How to Get Them

The Everest region is one of the dream destinations for many in the trekking world. From breathtaking views of snow-capped peaks to chilling treks at high-altitude Gokyo lakes, cultural immersion with Sherpas, and witnessing the biodiversity of Sagarmatha National Park, there are varied experiences to enjoy. But for this, you need to get all the Everest trekking permits.

Whilst the permits might not be essential for a Heli-sightseeing tour or the Everest Scenic Flight, any other package that requires you to step into the region might need one. Some of these permits are meant to keep records of visitors in the region, whereas a few permits are necessary for accessing the restricted or conserved areas of the Everest region.

Let’s go through the blog to learn about the Everest trekking permits required and where to get them.

Permits Required for Everest Trekking

Every visitor in the Everest region requires at least two of these permits to access or enter the Everest region. That’s the Sagarmatha National Park Permit and the Restricted Area permit for entering Khumbu Pasang Lhamu Municipality.

Sagarmatha National Park Permit

Every visitor who intend to trek through the Everest region has to pass through Sagarmatha National Park. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a conservation area for the region’s biodiversity. Thus, you need to get permit to access this protected area.

Such fund collected from the permits are invested in the conservation of this park and the fragile ecosystem as well as unique fauna and flora of the national park region. This permit is necessary for all trekkers, may it be domestic or international visitors even though charge might be different.

Khumbu Pasang Lhamu Rural Municipality Entry Permit

After you cross the Hillary bridge, all the areas you trek through falls inside the Khumbu Pasang Lhamu Municipality. Thus you need to get a permit issued by the local government for entering the area and exploring the villages and staying here during the trek. All the funds gathered from this permit benefits the local Sherpa communities. It is used for local development projects and to build all necessary infrastructures in the municipality.

This permit is necessary for foreigners and SAARC national but not mandatory for Nepali citizens.

Trekker’s Information Management System (TIMS) Card

The TIMS cards is mandatory for most of the trekking routes in Nepal. However, the local government of Everest region has recently replaced this card with Khumbu Pasang Lhamu Rural Municipality Entry permit.

Thus, you do not need to get this permit for Everest trekking.

Gaurishankar Conservation Area Permit

There is no road route to Everest and only entry way to enter is through a flight to Lukla airport. However, there is an alternative trekking trail to reach the Everest region. It is a less travelled route that begins from a place called Jiri or Salleri. If you are looking for a longer trek to enjoy the beauty of Everest region, you need to get this Gaurishankar Conservation Area permit.

How to Get Everest Trekking Permits

If you book your trek with a reputed trekking company like Awesome Holidays Nepal, you do not have to stress about getting a permit. The company will get all necessary permits after you pay a certain amount for booking the trip and submit all your necessary documents.

However, if you are thinking of exploring the Everest region on your own then you can apply to the respective local and national government bodies. Once you submit all necessary documents, the permits get ready in a matter of few hours or few days depending on the type of permit your trek requires.

Applying Yourself

Where to apply

If you are applying for the Everest trekking permits on your own, you can visit the office of Nepal Tourism Board (NTB) for the Sagarmatha National Park permit. You can also get this permit from Monjo check post which is also an entrance gate to get inside the park’s periphery. For the alternate trekking route via Jiri, you can get the Gaurishankar Conservation Area permit from NTB office.

Whereas for the Khumbu Pasang Lhamu Rural Municipality permit, you need to collect it either from Monjo check post or from Lukla right after getting off from your flight.

Documents Required

Apart from your IDS and photos, you will also require a proof of trekking route in some of the Everest treks. Here’s a detail on different documents required for the Everest trek.

• Valid passport
• Two passport-sized photographs
• Visa or proof of legal entry in Nepal
• Payment in Nepali rupees
• Proof of your trekking route (for alternative trekking route via Jiri)

The locals or domestic tourists do not need to carry any such documents as they do not need more than an entry fee for Sagarmatha National Park. But its better to carry your national ID and a few spare photographs.

Applications Fees

The applications fees of Everest trekking permits vary depending on your nationalities and the permits too. Here’s a list of different permits and their costs:

Khumbu Pasang Lhamu Rural Municipality Permit

• Nepalese – Free
• SAARC Nationals – Rs. 1500
• Foreigners – Rs. 2000 (for first 4 weeks) ; Rs. 2500 (after 4 weeks)

Sagarmatha National Park Entry Permit

• Nepalese – Rs. 100
• SAARC Nationals – Rs. 1500
• Foreigners – Rs. 3000

Gaurishankar Conservation Area Permit

• Nepalese – Free
• SAARC Nationals – Rs. 1500
• Foreigners – Rs. 3000

Note: All the Everest trekking permits should be paid in Nepalese currency.

Best Time to Get Everest Trekking Permits

You do not need to take the trekking permits in advance for the Everest region. You can get these easily from the entry points after you reach the Everest region. However, you need to keep in mind that during trekking seasons there’s a lot of crowd. Having these permit in advance prevents getting stuck on long queues.

Permit Through Agencies

For someone who is booking a trek package through a well-established travel agents or companies, you don’t need to hustle a lot. Just submit a copy of your IDS, a few passport sized photos, and your visa proofs. All then necessary permits will be arranged in advanced and there is be no delay due to logistics.

Tips for Everest Trekking Permits

• Choose good trekking agency to book your trek for enjoying hassle free adventure.
• For individual travelers, keep a few extra rest days to collect the permit.
• Always keep your permit safe during the trek.