No more Solo Treks without a Guide in Nepal

From April 1, solo trekkers must have a guide or a porter to continue their trek in Nepal.

With recent cases of missing trekkers and accidents within their treks, the Nepal Tourism Board considers this decision for nothing but their safety assurance.

The Board Director of Nepal Tourism Board informs that they will now only issue the TIM permits if a guide accompanies you. However, implementing this new decision has yet to come to action for the trekkers with Nepali Citizenship.

There have been many discussions on implementing this plan since 2012 that got back-tracked for various reasons.

It was announced that the “one trekker, one guide” system would be in practice soon in 2012; however, the Tourism Ministry denied it.

The Trekking Agencies Association of Nepal urged the government to implement the “one-trekker, one guide” system again in 2014, and the government agreed to do so in 2016. However, it collapsed following the 2015 earthquake.

However, the Board has taken the decision seriously this time, along with signed minutes with thirteen other tourism and travel-based organizations to preserve official records that such a decision had been reached at the board meeting on Sunday.

With this decision, many debates are ongoing, with a few tourists exclaiming that this would restrict them as some might be traveling with a lower budget or will not get the adventure of wilderness they seek.

However, others acknowledge this rule considering it safe, as many trekkers have gone missing or were found dead during their trek.

Each year, 10-15 trekkers go missing; some get ill, while some meet accidents. With the implementation of this new rule, trekkers’ safety will be assured by a guide or porters, and the travel agencies will be responsible.

Along with the safety, the Board also agrees that this can increase employment opportunities for around 40,000 Nepalese within the tourism industry and might help reduce the emigration of youths from Nepal.

In addition to this, the Board has also decided to increase the TIM permit charges.

The TIM permit will now cost NRs 2000 per trekker who is not a part of SAARC nationals and NRs 1000 for SAARC Nationals. 

Source: Kathmandu Post, Online Khabar