The short version
You need two permits for the Annapurna Base Camp trek in 2026: ACAP (NPR 3,000 ≈ US$22) and the TIMS card (NPR 2,000 ≈ US$17) — about NPR 5,000 / US$40. This guide covers the cost, where to get them, who is exempt, and the documents required.
The Annapurna Base Camp trek crosses one of Nepal’s most protected landscapes, so before you reach that natural amphitheatre of 7,000-metre peaks you need your paperwork in order. The good news: the system is simpler than the internet makes it look. For 2026 you need exactly one entry permit — the ACAP — plus a licensed guide booked through a registered agency. This guide walks you through every rule, fee and checkpoint, updated for the 2026 season.
- You need the ACAP permit (Annapurna Conservation Area Permit) — NPR 3,000 (about USD 23) for foreign nationals, fixed regardless of trek length.
- A licensed guide is now mandatory for all foreign trekkers in the Annapurna region (rule in force since April 2023, fully enforced in 2026). Independent solo trekking is no longer permitted.
- The old TIMS card is no longer enforced at Annapurna checkpoints — checkpoints verify the ACAP only. Group TIMS (NPR 2,000) may still be issued by your agency but is rarely checked.
- Carry the original ACAP and your passport. You’ll show them at Birethanti, Chhomrong and other ACAP counters.
- Children under 10 are exempt from the ACAP fee.
Which permits do you actually need in 2026?
For years the standard answer was “two permits” — the ACAP and the TIMS card. That answer is now out of date. Nepal’s permit landscape changed significantly in 2023, and on the Annapurna trails in 2026 the practical reality is one enforced entry permit and one mandatory service.
The Annapurna Conservation Area Permit is your entry ticket to the entire sanctuary. It is checked at every major counter and you cannot trek to Annapurna Base Camp without it. NPR 3,000 for foreign nationals, NPR 1,000 for SAARC citizens, free for children under 10. Issued by the National Trust for Nature Conservation (NTNC), which runs the conservation project.
Since 1 April 2023, every foreign trekker in a conservation area — Annapurna included — must be accompanied by a licensed guide or porter-guide booked through a government-registered, TAAN-affiliated agency. This replaced the old independent-trekker system entirely.
The green “independent” TIMS card was abolished in 2023. A group TIMS (NPR 2,000 for foreigners, NPR 1,000 for SAARC) may still be issued through your agency, but Annapurna checkpoints in 2026 verify the ACAP only. Your operator handles this; you needn’t worry about it.
The mandatory-guide rule was introduced to improve trekker safety after a spate of solo-trekker accidents and disappearances, to support local employment, and to make search-and-rescue traceable. For first-time trekkers heading into high, remote terrain, it is genuinely a sensible safeguard — not just bureaucracy.
Permit costs at a glance
| Permit / requirement | Issuing authority | Foreign national | SAARC national | Validity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ACAP (entry permit) | NTNC / ACAP | NPR 3,000 (~USD 23) | NPR 1,000 | Single entry, full trek |
| TIMS (group, if issued) | Nepal Tourism Board / TAAN | NPR 2,000 | NPR 1,000 | Duration of trek |
| Licensed guide | Registered agency (mandatory) | Cost varies by package | Cost varies by package | Whole trek |
| Children under 10 | — | ACAP free | ACAP free | — |
The ACAP fee is a flat charge: a trekker on our 6-day ABC itinerary pays exactly the same NPR 3,000 as someone doing a 12-day Annapurna Sanctuary route. For a full breakdown of how permits fold into the total trip price, see our ABC trek cost guide for 2026.
If you lose your ACAP on the trail there is no replacement at a discount — you must buy a new one at the next counter. Photograph both sides of your permit and store the image offline. Keep the physical original dry in a zip-lock bag.
Where and how to get your ACAP
If you book a guided trek with us, permits are arranged for you — you simply send a passport scan and two passport photos, and your guide carries everything to the counters. If you want to understand the process anyway, here is how it works:
- Nepal Tourism Board office, Pokhara — the most convenient counter for ABC trekkers, a short drive from Lakeside. ACAP is issued on the spot.
- Nepal Tourism Board / NTNC office, Kathmandu — useful if you fly straight in and prefer to sort paperwork before heading west.
- ACAP entry checkpoints — permits can also be issued at conservation-area entry points, though buying in advance in Pokhara avoids queues.
You’ll need: a passport valid for your stay (see our Nepal visa guide), two passport-sized photographs, and the fee in Nepali rupees. Our deeper, step-by-step walkthrough lives on the dedicated ACAP & TIMS permit page, and the official source is the Nepal Tourism Board.
Bring four passport photos to Nepal, not two. They’re needed for permits, occasionally for restricted-area paperwork on side trips, and for SIM-card registration. Getting them printed in Pokhara is easy, but having spares saves a morning.
Checkpoints on the ABC route
The Annapurna Base Camp trail has several manned ACAP and police checkposts where your permit and passport are logged. The key ones you’ll pass through:
- Birethanti — the main entry checkpoint near the lower trailheads; your trek into the conservation area is registered here.
- Chhomrong — the gateway village into the upper sanctuary, where details are re-checked before you climb toward Deurali, Machhapuchhre Base Camp and ABC.
- Additional ACAP/TIMS posts appear depending on your exact route and the entry road used.
Checkpoints exist for your safety: they create a record of who is on the mountain, which is what makes a helicopter rescue possible if altitude sickness or weather forces an evacuation. Always cooperate, sign the register, and keep your original permit accessible — not buried at the bottom of your duffel.
Responsible-trekking rules inside the conservation area
The Annapurna Conservation Area is Nepal’s largest protected area and a fragile high-mountain ecosystem. Your ACAP fee funds its upkeep — trail maintenance, micro-hydro, waste management and community projects — and a set of conduct rules comes with entry:
- Leave No Trace: pack out what you pack in, carry a reusable bottle and use teahouse refill/boiled-water stations rather than buying plastic. Single-use plastic is discouraged region-wide.
- No open campfires: firewood collection is restricted to protect forest cover; cook only in designated teahouse kitchens.
- Cultural respect: dress modestly in Gurung and Magar villages, ask before photographing people, and walk clockwise around chortens, mani walls and monasteries.
- Wildlife: keep your distance from any wildlife and never feed animals. The area shelters Himalayan tahr, langur and, at higher elevations, snow leopard habitat.
For how we put these principles into practice — porter welfare, fair pay and plastic-free trekking — see our responsible trekking commitments and our regional Annapurna guide.
Staying inside the Annapurna Conservation Area — whether you trek ABC, Poon Hill, Mardi Himal or the full Annapurna Circuit — you need only the single ACAP. The Circuit does not require an extra permit unless you add a restricted-area side trip such as Upper Mustang or Nar Phu, which carry their own separate Restricted Area Permits.
Don’t forget altitude
Permits get you onto the trail; acclimatisation gets you home safely. Annapurna Base Camp sits at 4,130 m, and the climb from Chhomrong gains altitude quickly. Learn the warning signs of acute mountain sickness, ascend gradually, and hydrate well — our altitude sickness prevention guide covers the symptoms and the golden rules. The World Health Organization also publishes general high-altitude travel advice worth reading before you go.
What permits do I need for the Annapurna Base Camp trek in 2026?
You need the Annapurna Conservation Area Permit (ACAP), which costs NPR 3,000 (about USD 23) for foreign nationals. You must also trek with a licensed guide booked through a registered agency — this has been mandatory for foreigners in the Annapurna region since April 2023. The old TIMS card is no longer enforced at Annapurna checkpoints.
How much does the ACAP permit cost?
NPR 3,000 for foreign nationals (roughly USD 23 depending on the exchange rate), NPR 1,000 for citizens of SAARC countries, and free for children under 10. The fee is fixed and does not change with the length of your trek.
Is the TIMS card still required for ABC?
The independent TIMS card was abolished in 2023. A group TIMS may still be issued through your trekking agency, but Annapurna checkpoints in 2026 verify only the ACAP permit. In practice you do not need to worry about TIMS as an individual — your operator handles any paperwork.
Can I trek to Annapurna Base Camp solo without a guide?
No. Since 1 April 2023, foreign trekkers must be accompanied by a licensed guide or porter-guide booked through a government-registered, TAAN-affiliated agency. Solo independent trekking is no longer permitted in the Annapurna Conservation Area, and trekking without a guide can result in fines or removal from the trail.
Where do I get my ACAP permit?
At the Nepal Tourism Board office in Pokhara (most convenient for ABC), the NTB/NTNC office in Kathmandu, or at conservation-area entry checkpoints. If you book a guided trek with us, we arrange every permit for you — you just provide a passport scan and two photos.
What documents do I need to apply?
A passport valid for the duration of your stay, two passport-sized photographs, and the permit fee in Nepali rupees. Carry the original permit and your passport on the trek — you’ll show them at Birethanti, Chhomrong and other ACAP counters.
Book our guided 6-day Annapurna Base Camp trek and your ACAP, licensed guide and all logistics are arranged for you — just send a passport scan and turn up ready to walk. NMA-certified guides, est. 1998, zero fatalities across 5,000+ treks.
View the 6-day ABC trek →Want the bigger picture before you commit? Our ultimate guide to the ABC trek and the Nepal permits hub cover everything from itineraries to costs and seasons. And always confirm the latest fees with the Nepal Tourism Board before you travel, as government fees are reviewed periodically.
Featured image: Alexey Komarov via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Use our free Nepal permit cost calculator for the 2026 total in NPR and USD, or read the full Annapurna ACAP and TIMS permit guide.
Written by
Travel Himalaya Nepal
Pokhara-based, NMA-certified trekking guides. We’ve led 5,000+ treks across the Annapurna and Everest regions since 1998 — every word here comes from the trail. Meet the team →
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