Foreigners trekking without licensed guide banned in Nepal

The Government of Nepal has recently made the decision to prohibit solo trekking for foreign nationals without a licensed trekking guide. This means that if you want to trek in Nepal, you will need to hire a licensed trekking guide compulsorily.

The Director of Nepal Tourism Board, Mani Raj Lamichhane has confirmed the decision stating that the new rule will be implemented from April 1, 2023. He stated that the decision was made for the tourists’ safety and benefit. 

It is believed that the new rule will eliminate the incidents of tourists getting lost while also benefiting both trekkers and guides. So how exactly the new rule will benefit the tourists, let’s take a brief look at the advantages of hiring guides for trekking.

With this decision, tourists will no longer be able to get a TIMS card without a certified guide for trekking in Nepal. A TIMS card is an essential trekking permit, which is necessary for trekking in Nepal. This means, tourists will have to book their treks through a registered trekking company, which will arrange the TIMS card and other necessary permits for them.

Importance of hiring licensed trekking guide in Nepal

Although there might be some cons of hiring guides for trekking, the pros over cons are considerable. Some of the significance of hiring a guide for trekking are listed below:

• Safety: Having a trekking guide ensures that you are safe throughout the journey. They will navigate you through the trails and can also provide medical support in case of an emergency.
• Navigation: They lead you the way and navigate the trails, so there is no chance of getting lost in the wilderness.
• Local Knowledge: The guides have extensive experience and local knowledge. They can provide you with information about the local culture, customs, and traditions.
• Convenience: Hiring a guide makes the trek more convenient and easy for you. You can just enjoy the trek as the guides can take care of the rest.
• Personalization: The guides can also help you personalize trek according to your preferences. They can recommend trails and destinations while also being concerned about your safety.

Choosing the best guiding travel company in Nepal

Before you decide to hire a guide from any company, there are certain things that you need to consider. Some of the tips for finding the right guiding travel company for you are:

• Look for a company that has experience providing guiding service.
• Check about the authenticity of the company, whether the company is registered and has necessary permits to operate or not.
• Read the reviews by their past clients on various online platforms.
• Ask for recommendations from any one who has already done trekking in Nepal.
• Always choose a company that is responsible for your questions and concerns. It ensures that they do care about you and you have hassle free trekking experiences.
• Ensure that they have a well established team for different roles, not just 1 or 2 doing everything by himself.

Himalayan Glacier Adventures, LLC ® is the #1 guiding adventure travel company on Mount Everest Base Camp and beyond with 98% success rate. Our expert guides have over a decade of experience organizing and guiding numerous trekking in Nepal such as Everest Base Camp trek, Annapurna Base Camp trek, and many more destinations.