The Annapurna Circuit trek permits in 2026 are straightforward — two permits, and Mountain Hike Nepal arranges both before departure. The standard circuit requires the ACAP (Annapurna Conservation Area Permit) at NPR 3,000 per person and the TIMS (Trekkers’ Information Management System) card at NPR 2,000 per person, both confirmed directly through TAAN and the Nepal Tourism Board. The total permit cost for the standard Annapurna Circuit runs approximately USD 38 per person — simple, predictable, and identical to what ABC requires.
What’s Inside This Guide
- Permits Required — 2026 Summary
- ACAP Permit — Full Details
- TIMS Card — Full Details
- Upper Mustang Permit
- Permits If You Add Tilicho Lake
- Checkpoint Locations on the Route
- Circuit Permits vs Other Nepal Treks
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Related Planning Guides
Annapurna Circuit Trek Permits — 2026 Summary
| Permit | Status | Cost | In Package? | Where Issued |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Annapurna Conservation Area Permit (ACAP) | ✅ Required | NPR 3,000 (~USD 23) | ✅ Included | NTB office Kathmandu or Pokhara — arranged before departure |
| TIMS Card | ✅ Required | NPR 2,000 (~USD 15) | ✅ Included | NTB or TAAN office Kathmandu — arranged before departure |
| Upper Mustang Restricted Area Permit | Add-on only | USD 50/person/day (current 2025 rules) | ❌ Not in standard package | Registered agency mandatory to apply |
| Restricted Area Permit (standard circuit) | Not required | USD 0 | N/A | Standard circuit is open — no RAP needed |
Why the Annapurna Circuit trek permits are simpler than most trekkers expect
The Annapurna Circuit trek permits consist of two straightforward documents — the ACAP at NPR 3,000 and the TIMS card at NPR 2,000. No Restricted Area Permit, no NMA mountaineering permit, no special government clearance beyond these two. Mountain Hike Nepal arranges both in Kathmandu before departure, and your guide presents them at every checkpoint. The circuit’s permit total of roughly USD 38 matches ABC exactly, since both routes sit within the Annapurna Conservation Area and require the same two documents.
Annapurna Circuit Trek Permits — ACAP in Detail
The Annapurna Conservation Area Permit covers the entire standard circuit from the entry point at Besisahar through the Marsyangdi valley, across Thorong La, and down the Kali Gandaki through Tatopani, Ghorepani, and Ghandruk. Every trekker who enters the conservation area needs this permit — no exceptions, no age exemptions. It applies alongside the TIMS card, which the next section covers.
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Cost | NPR 3,000 per person (~USD 23) |
| Validity | Valid for full circuit duration — no daily limit or expiry within normal trekking period |
| Where issued | Nepal Tourism Board office in Kathmandu or Pokhara — Mountain Hike Nepal arranges before departure |
| Documents needed | Original passport — checkpoints do not accept photocopies |
| Checked at | Multiple checkpoints throughout the full circuit route |
| In Mountain Hike Nepal package? | Yes — arranged before departure, guide presents at all checkpoints |
Mountain Hike Nepal arranges the ACAP in Kathmandu before departure day — your guide carries all documentation and presents it at every checkpoint throughout the route. Checkpoint officers verify identity against the original passport, so carry your passport in the daypack top pocket throughout the entire circuit, not in the porter’s duffel. The permit process requires zero independent action from the trekker beyond keeping the original passport accessible during the trek.
What the ACAP fee funds
The Annapurna Conservation Area Project uses ACAP revenue directly for trail maintenance, conservation, community development, and environmental monitoring across the 7,629 km² Annapurna Conservation Area — the largest protected area in Nepal. The ACAP model is also internationally recognised as one of the more effective conservation funding systems in Asia. The NPR 3,000 permit fee is one of the more direct contributions any international trekker makes to the communities and environments that make the circuit possible.
TIMS Card — Full Details
The Annapurna Circuit requires the TIMS (Trekkers’ Information Management System) card in 2026. The Nepal Tourism Board and the Trekking Agencies’ Association of Nepal (TAAN) issue it jointly, and it applies alongside the ACAP for every trekker entering the Annapurna Conservation Area.
What TIMS registration means in practice
Every trekker on the circuit needs a TIMS card, at NPR 2,000 (~USD 15) per person. Mountain Hike Nepal arranges it at the same time as the ACAP, at the Nepal Tourism Board office or the TAAN office in Kathmandu, as part of the pre-departure paperwork. TIMS exists to record trekker details for safety and rescue purposes — if a search or rescue operation ever becomes necessary on the trail, TIMS records help authorities locate and identify trekkers in the area. Checkpoint officers check it alongside the ACAP, and your guide presents both together throughout the route. Since Mountain Hike Nepal includes both permits in every package price, there’s nothing for the trekker to arrange independently beyond carrying the original passport.
Upper Mustang Permit — If You Extend the Circuit
Upper Mustang is a restricted area north of Kagbeni — accessible from Day 10 of the standard circuit. If you extend the circuit into Upper Mustang, you need a separate Restricted Area Permit in addition to the standard ACAP and TIMS.
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Cost | USD 50 per person per day — pay only for days actually spent in Upper Mustang |
| Current rules | Under 2025 rules: USD 50/day, no fixed minimum — a 3-day visit costs USD 150 per person |
| Agency requirement | Registered Nepal trekking agency mandatory — no independent application exists |
| In standard package? | No — add-on only. Contact Mountain Hike Nepal before booking to arrange |
| Application timing | Arrange before departure from Kathmandu — the Kagbeni checkpoint cannot issue this permit |
The Upper Mustang permit pricing under current rules makes the extension accessible without a large fixed cost. A 3-day visit costs USD 150 per person in permit fees. Mountain Hike Nepal handles the entire application process as a registered agency, since independent applications aren’t accepted. Any trekker wanting to add Upper Mustang to the circuit should confirm this with Mountain Hike Nepal before booking, since the Kagbeni checkpoint cannot issue this permit on the trail.
Permits If You Add Tilicho Lake
Tilicho Lake doesn’t require a separate permit, whether you add it as a detour onto the standard 15-day circuit or book the dedicated 13-day Annapurna Circuit with Tilicho Lake package. The same ACAP and TIMS that cover the standard circuit also cover the Tilicho route, since Tilicho sits within the same Annapurna Conservation Area as the rest of the circuit — no restricted-area permit applies. The checkpoint process matches the standard route too, and your guide presents both documents at the usual checkpoints. See the Annapurna Circuit with Tilicho Lake package →
Permit Checkpoints on the Circuit Route
| Checkpoint | Location | Day | Permit Checked |
|---|---|---|---|
| ACAP entry | Besisahar or Dharapani | Day 1–2 | ACAP + TIMS + passport identity |
| Chame checkpoint | Chame village | Day 2 | ACAP + TIMS verification |
| Manang checkpoint | Manang village | Day 5–6 | ACAP + TIMS verification |
| Thorong La approach | Thorong Phedi | Day 8 | ACAP + TIMS spot check |
| Muktinath checkpoint | Muktinath | Day 9 | ACAP + TIMS on descent |
| Jomsom checkpoint | Jomsom | Day 10 | ACAP + TIMS + Upper Mustang RAP if extending north |
| Ghorepani checkpoint | Ghorepani village | Day 12 | ACAP + TIMS verification |
Your Mountain Hike Nepal guide presents all permit documentation and manages every checkpoint entirely. The officer verifies identity against the original passport and records the permit details — a process that takes 2–5 minutes per trekker. Carry the original passport in the daypack top pocket throughout the full 15 days too, accessible within 10 seconds at any checkpoint, not buried in the porter’s duffel at the back of the group. The guide presents documentation first at every checkpoint — no delays, no queuing, no confusion.
Annapurna Circuit Trek Permits vs Other Nepal Treks
| Trek | Permits Required | Total Permit Cost | Complexity |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annapurna Circuit | ACAP + TIMS | ~USD 38 | Two permits — simple, both included |
| Everest Base Camp | SNP + Khumbu Pasang Lhamu (TIMS not required — replaced by local permit since 2018) | ~USD 38 | Two permits — all included in package |
| Annapurna Base Camp | ACAP + TIMS | ~USD 38 | Same as circuit — two permits |
| Langtang Valley | Langtang National Park permit | ~USD 23+ | TIMS status not independently confirmed this session — check current requirement |
| Manaslu Circuit | MCAP + MSTBZ + Tsum Valley (if applicable) | USD 175–350+ | Restricted area — complex |
| Upper Mustang | ACAP + RAP at USD 50/day | USD 23 + USD 50/day | Restricted area — agency required |
The Annapurna Circuit trek permits sit in the same range as ABC and EBC — all around USD 38 — and dramatically lower than Manaslu’s restricted-area total. The circuit doesn’t have a meaningful permit-cost advantage over ABC or EBC specifically; where it’s simpler is in having only two straightforward permits with no restricted-area complexity, unlike Manaslu or Upper Mustang. Permit cost is a minor factor either way — the bigger decision points between these routes are altitude, duration, and scenery.
Frequently Asked Questions
Two permits — the ACAP at NPR 3,000 (~USD 23) and the TIMS card at NPR 2,000 (~USD 15) per person, roughly USD 38 total. Every trekker entering the Annapurna Conservation Area needs both. Mountain Hike Nepal includes both in every package price and arranges them before departure, so the Annapurna Circuit trek permits process requires zero independent action from the trekker beyond carrying an original passport at all times on the trail.
Yes. The Annapurna Circuit requires TIMS in 2026, confirmed directly through TAAN. Checkpoint officers check it alongside the ACAP throughout the route. Since Mountain Hike Nepal arranges both permits before departure and includes them in every package price, no trekker on a Mountain Hike Nepal departure needs to arrange TIMS independently.
USD 50 per person per day under current 2025 rules — you pay only for the days you actually spend in Upper Mustang. A 3-day visit costs USD 150 per person in permit fees. This permit requires a registered Nepal trekking agency to apply, and Mountain Hike Nepal handles the application entirely. Contact us before booking if you want to add Upper Mustang, since the Kagbeni checkpoint cannot issue it on the trail — Mountain Hike Nepal has to arrange it in Kathmandu beforehand.
Related Planning Guides
- Annapurna Circuit Package — Full 15-day expedition from USD 828 per person
- Annapurna Circuit with Tilicho Lake Package — Same two permits, no extra permit for the lake detour
- Circuit Cost 2026 — Permit costs in the full budget breakdown
- Day-by-Day Itinerary — Checkpoint locations on the daily route
- Trek Route and Map — Full route with checkpoint positions
- Best Time to Trek — Season guide for 2026
- How Hard Is the Circuit? — Full difficulty guide
- Altitude Sickness Guide — Preparing for 5,416m
Two Permits. Zero Complications. Fully Handled.
The Annapurna Circuit trek permits in 2026 are among the simplest on any major Nepal trekking route — the ACAP and TIMS, roughly USD 38 total, with no Restricted Area complexity on the standard circuit. Mountain Hike Nepal arranges both before departure, and the guide presents them at every checkpoint from Besisahar to Ghorepani. That leaves you free to focus on the preparation that actually matters: breaking in the boots, training the consecutive days, and booking the bus to the trailhead.
Mountain Hike Nepal has managed circuit permit logistics since 2018 as a licensed local operator in Kathmandu. When you contact us, you speak directly with the team that handles this paperwork every season. Any question about permits, TIMS, Upper Mustang extension requirements, or checkpoint procedures gets a real answer before departure day.
The full package starts at USD 828 per person for groups of 8–12, USD 898 for 5–7, USD 998 for 2–4, and USD 1,198 for solo trekkers. ACAP and TIMS both included. All transport included.
View the full Annapurna Circuit Trek package →
Questions about permits, TIMS, Upper Mustang, or documentation? We respond within 12 hours and give straight answers.