Annapurna Circuit Trek Permit Guide

Short answer: the Annapurna Circuit requires one permit — the Annapurna Conservation Area Permit (ACAP) — plus a licensed guide, which has been legally mandatory since April 2023. The TIMS card, which older guides and many still-unupdated websites list as a second required permit, was dropped for the Annapurna region back in 2023 and isn't checked at trail checkpoints in 2026.

If you've seen "ACAP + TIMS" listed as the standard permit pair for this trek, that's outdated. Here's what you actually need, what it costs, and how it's arranged.

Annapurna Circuit Permits at a Glance

Permit	Required?	Cost (foreign nationals)	Who issues it
ACAP (Annapurna Conservation Area Permit)	Yes	NPR 3,000 (~USD 25)	National Trust for Nature Conservation (NTNC) / Nepal Tourism Board
TIMS Card	No — discontinued for Annapurna, April 2023	N/A	N/A
Licensed guide	Yes, legally mandatory since April 2023	Included in our trek packages	Registered trekking agency
Restricted Area Permit (RAP)	Only for extensions into Upper Mustang or Nar Phu Valley	Varies by route and season	Department of Immigration, via registered agency
Local municipality entry fees	Small fees at some villages, generally NPR 1000	Paid on the trail	Local rural municipalities

Trek the Annapurna Circuit Trek

A legendary high-altitude trek in Nepal that encircles the Annapurna Massif, offering dramatic scenery, diverse cultures, and the iconic crossing of Thorong La Pass at 5,416 meters.

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Do You Need a TIMS Card for the Annapurna Circuit?

No. The TIMS (Trekkers' Information Management System) card was discontinued for the Annapurna region effective April 2023. At the time, the government introduced a different mechanism to track and safeguard trekkers on the route: a mandatory licensed guide for every foreign trekker, arranged through a registered agency like Places Nepal Treks. That guide requirement now covers the safety-tracking role TIMS used to serve — your agency knows your route, your dates, and your whereabouts throughout the trek, without a separate card.

This is genuinely one of the most common outdated claims still circulating about Annapurna-region treks. TIMS remains required in some other parts of Nepal — Langtang, for instance, and certain restricted areas — which is likely why the confusion persists. But for the Annapurna Circuit specifically, checkpoints in 2026 check your ACAP permit and your guide's credentials, not a TIMS card.

What Is ACAP?

The Annapurna Conservation Area Permit grants legal entry into the Annapurna Conservation Area — Nepal's largest protected area, covering the entire standard Annapurna Circuit route from Besisahar through Manang, over Thorong La, and down through Muktinath to Jomsom. It funds conservation work and community infrastructure across the region, and it's checked at trail checkpoints throughout the route.

Cost:

• Foreign nationals: NPR 3,000 (approximately USD 25)

• SAARC nationals: NPR 1,000 (approximately USD 7)

• Nepali citizens: Free

• Children under 10: Exempt from the fee, though still registered at checkpoints

Validity: Single entry, valid for the full duration of your trek — there's no fixed time limit attached to the permit itself, so a longer itinerary doesn't cost more.

Where to get it: The Nepal Tourism Board (NTB) office in Kathmandu, the NTB office in Pokhara, or in some cases at trekking entry checkpoints — though arriving without it and buying on the trail risks a late-purchase fine, so it's worth sorting in advance. Places Nepal arranges this for every booking as standard, well before departure.

Do You Need a Guide for the Annapurna Circuit?

Yes — and this is the permit-adjacent rule that actually matters most in 2026. Since April 2023, independent trekking without a licensed guide has not been permitted anywhere within the Annapurna Conservation Area. Every foreign trekker must be accompanied by a guide registered through a licensed trekking agency like us, regardless of experience level or whether you're trekking solo, as a couple, or in a group.

This isn't a permit in the traditional sense — there's no separate card or certificate to carry — but checkpoints do verify it, and agencies register guides against each group's itinerary. Practically, it means solo trekking on the Annapurna Circuit today means solo with a guide, not solo unaccompanied.

Trek the Annapurna Circuit Trek

A legendary high-altitude trek in Nepal that encircles the Annapurna Massif, offering dramatic scenery, diverse cultures, and the iconic crossing of Thorong La Pass at 5,416 meters.

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What Documents Do You Need to Apply?

• Valid passport with your Nepal visa

• Passport-sized photos (typically 2–4 copies)

• Proof of travel insurance

• A detailed trekking itinerary

Places Nepal Trek team collects these documents during your booking process and handles the application on your behalf — this is standard practice and one of the more useful things a registered agency actually does for you logistically, beyond the guide requirement itself.

Permits for Side Trips and Extensions

The standard Annapurna Circuit only needs ACAP. That changes if you extend the route:

• Tilicho Lake: Covered under the same ACAP — no additional permit needed, since it sits within the conservation area.

• Nar Phu Valley: Requires a separate Restricted Area Permit (RAP), issued only through a registered agency, in addition to ACAP.

• Upper Mustang: Also requires a RAP, priced differently from standard conservation-area permits and issued exclusively through a licensed agency — you cannot apply for this one yourself.

Our 10-day itinerary stays on the classic circuit route — Besisahar or Dharapani through to Jomsom — ACAP alone covers you.

Trek the Nar Phu Valley Trek with Annapurna Circuit

Two Trails, One Epic Adventure – Venture Into the Hidden Nar Phu Valley and Conquer the Annapurna Circuit

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What Happens If You Don't Have a Permit?

Checkpoints along the route verify ACAP at multiple points, including Manang, which also functions as a key safety checkpoint ahead of the Thorong La crossing. Trekking without a valid permit typically means being turned back at the checkpoint or charged a penalty rate — commonly double the standard fee — to purchase it on the spot, assuming that's even possible at that particular checkpoint. Neither outcome is a good use of a trekking day, which is the practical case for sorting permits properly before you start walking rather than assuming you can handle it en route.

How Places Nepal Handles This

Permit processing is included in every Annapurna Circuit booking. Our team applies for your ACAP in Kathmandu ahead of your trek start date, using the passport and insurance details collected during your pre-booking— one less thing to manage once you're focused on the trek itself. See the full Annapurna Circuit Trek itinerary and what's included.

Annapurna Circuit Permits vs. Other Nepal Treks

Permit requirements vary meaningfully by region, and the Annapurna Circuit's single-permit stack is genuinely one of the simplest in the country:

• Annapurna Circuit: ACAP only, plus mandatory guide.

• Everest Base Camp: No TIMS either — replaced by the Khumbu Pasang Lhamu Rural Municipality Permit since 2018 — plus the Sagarmatha National Park entry permit.

• Manaslu Circuit: The most permit-intensive standard route — Manaslu Conservation Area Permit, Restricted Area Permit, and ACAP for the section that crosses into Annapurna territory near Dharapani.

• Upper Mustang: RAP required, priced per-day rather than as a flat conservation fee, alongside ACAP for the lower section of the route.

For a full breakdown across regions, see our Nepal trekking permits master guide — though note the caveat above about that page's current Annapurna TIMS listing.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need a TIMS card for the Annapurna Circuit? No. TIMS was discontinued for the Annapurna region in April 2023. Only the ACAP permit and a licensed guide are required.

What permits do I need for the Annapurna Circuit? Just one: the Annapurna Conservation Area Permit (ACAP). A licensed guide is also legally required, though it isn't a separate permit card.

How much does the ACAP permit cost? NPR 3,000 (about USD 25) for foreign nationals, NPR 1,000 for SAARC nationals, and free for Nepali citizens.

Is a guide mandatory for the Annapurna Circuit? Yes. Since April 2023, independent trekking without a licensed guide has not been permitted anywhere in the Annapurna Conservation Area.

Can I trek the Annapurna Circuit solo? Yes, in terms of pace and independence — but you must be accompanied by a licensed guide throughout. Unaccompanied solo trekking isn't permitted.

Where do I get the ACAP permit? At the Nepal Tourism Board office in Kathmandu or Pokhara. Registered agencies like Places Nepal handle this on your behalf as standard.

Do I need a permit for Tilicho Lake? No additional permit — Tilicho Lake sits within the Annapurna Conservation Area and is covered by the same ACAP.

Do I need a different permit for Nar Phu Valley or Upper Mustang? Yes, both require a separate Restricted Area Permit (RAP) on top of ACAP, issued only through a registered trekking agency.

How long is the ACAP permit valid for? It's a single-entry permit valid for the full duration of your trek, with no fixed time limit.

What happens if I don't have my permit at a checkpoint? You risk being turned back or charged a penalty rate to purchase it on the spot — arrange permits before your trek starts rather than at the checkpoint.

Is TIMS required anywhere in Nepal in 2026? Yes, in some regions — Langtang is a common example — but not for the Annapurna Circuit, Annapurna Base Camp, Poon Hill, or Mardi Himal.