Permits Required for Helambu Trek

Before you start trekking in the Helambu region, you need to get two different permits required for Helambu trek. Along with the permits you need to know about the weather conditions of the region and the total cost of Helambu trek. You can then plan your trek to suit your preferences and get the best out of it.

For enter into the Helambu region and walk inside the many valleys and explore the varied landscapes, you need to get TIMS card, Langtang National Park Entry Permit and pay the Shivapuri National Park Entrance fee.

Permits Required for Helambu Trek

As Helambu region lies within the Langtang region, the permits for Helambu Trek is similar to Langtang trek permit. Here are all the details you need to know about TIMS card, permits and entrance fees that you will have to pay for in Helambu trek.

TIMS Card

TIMS is a paper card that all the trekkers in Nepal must carry. The card collects all the personal and trekking details from the trekkers. The information you provide will help authorities ensure your safety.

In case of an emergency such as an earthquake, landslide. these pieces of information will help them find you and send a rescue team to help you. TIMS card also helps to control any illegal operations in Nepal.

There are three types of TIMS card i.e. green, blue, and pink. If you are an individual foreign trekker, you will get the green card which costs $20. The blue ones are for foreign trekkers who travel in a group and costs $10. If you are a SAARC national, you have to pay only $6 for the pink TIMS card.

You can travel without TIMS card or permit if you fall under the following conditions:

• A guest with an invitation from Government of Nepal
• Have a residential visa in Nepal
• Have a permit to climb a mountain and are an expedition member
• Have controlled area permits issued by the Department of Immigration
• Authorities with diplomatic missions
• Visitors who are on a mission under Government departments

To get your TIMS card, please take a copy of your passport and two passport-sized photographs to the Tourism Board office at Kathmandu. You will have to fill out an application form and pay the required charges.

Authorities use the money collected from TIMS card to buy medical and accident insurances for the trekking workers. It is also used to manage the issue counters, print TIMS card, and holograms, etc.

Other than that, the revenue also goes in the development of the tourism sector in Nepal.

UPDATE

Recent decentralization in Nepal has transferred the basic rights of the trekking permits to local authorities. This led to the implementation of the local permit system in the Everest region from 1st October 2017.

So, if you want to go to Everest Base Camp, you no longer need TIMS card. In its replacement, you can buy a Local Area Permit for $20. The cost is the same for both individual and group trekkers.

From October 2018, trekkers also do not need to carry TIMS card to trek in the Helambu region. You can get the Local Area Permit at the trailheads which works on behalf of TIMS card.

Langtang National Park Entry Permit

Helambu trek takes you to the Langtang region where you will enter the Langtang National Park, so you will need to have Langtang National Park Entry Permit. It is available at Nepal Tourism Board and the entry point in Dhunche, Rasuwa.

If you are a foreign national, this permit costs $30 and for SAARC nationals it costs $15, excluding 13% VAT. You do not have to get this permit for children under the age of 10.

Langtang National Park Entry Permit helps ensure the safety and security of the trekkers inside the park. The information on your permit can help authorities help you in case of any emergencies.

The revenue collected from the permit goes for the rehabilitation of the region post-earthquake 2015. It also contributes to the maintenance and development of the trekking trails.

Shivapuri National Park Entrance Fees

On your Helambu trek, you will enter the Shivapuri Nagarjuna National Park area from Sundarijal. On proceeding from Sundarijal, you will enter the Shivapuri National Park for which you have to pay a certain amount to get the entry pass.

If you are a foreign national, your entrance fee is $5. For the SAARC nationals, it costs only around $3.39 excluding VAT. Children under the age of 10 will not have to pay for the entrance fee.

We can help you with both the permits and the entrance fee before your trek. We make sure you have all the required permits before you trek anywhere in Nepal.

Where Do I Get the Required Permits?

Both the permits are available in Nepal Tourism Board, Kathmandu and Pokhara. You can also get it at the starting point of the trekking trail. In addition, TIMS card is also available in Trekkers’ Agencies Association of Nepal (TAAN) office.

What Happens If I Trek Without A Permit?

Both these permits and the entrance fee is compulsory. You will have to show your permits at different points of the trail. If you trek without the required permits, you will have to buy one on the trail with fines. So, even if you don’t find the time to get them in Kathmandu, please do get it at the starting point of the trail. Or, allow us to arrange the necessary permits for your trek.

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