Langtang Valley trek permits are among the simplest and cheapest in Nepal. Two permits cover the standard route, and Mountain Hike Nepal includes both in the package price — your guide collects them in Kathmandu before departure. You never queue at a government office or pay separately at any checkpoint on the trail. This guide exists to make sure you understand exactly what you carry, where officers check it, and why the permit system works the way it does on this route.
What’s Inside This Guide
- Two Permits at a Glance
- Langtang National Park Entry Permit
- TIMS Card
- Do You Need ACAP for Gosaikunda? (No)
- Where to Get the Permits
- Permit Checkpoints on the Route
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Related Planning Guides
Langtang Valley Trek Permits — Two at a Glance
Every foreign trekker on the Langtang Valley route needs two mandatory documents, and that doesn’t change even if you add the Gosaikunda Lake extension — the same two permits cover the whole circuit.
| Permit | Cost Per Person | Required For | Where Issued |
|---|---|---|---|
| Langtang National Park Entry Permit | NPR 3,000 (~USD 23) | Standard route and the Gosaikunda extension | Nepal Tourism Board, Kathmandu or Dhunche checkpoint |
| TIMS Card | NPR 1,000 (~USD 8), via registered agency | Standard route and the Gosaikunda extension | Nepal Tourism Board or trekking association offices, Kathmandu |
Total permit cost — standard route
The Park Permit and TIMS together cost approximately NPR 4,000, around USD 31 per person, when booked through a registered agency like Mountain Hike Nepal. This ranks among the lowest combined permit costs of any major Nepal route. Permits take a small portion of the total Langtang Valley Trek budget as a result, and Mountain Hike Nepal covers both in the package price.
Langtang Valley Trek Permits — National Park Entry Permit
The Park Permit is the foundational Langtang Valley trek permit requirement. Without it, the Dhunche checkpoint officer stops the jeep before the trail begins. Your guide obtains this permit in Kathmandu on your behalf before departure day.
What the permit covers
The permit gives you entry to Langtang National Park for the full duration of the trek. The fee funds conservation across one of Nepal’s most ecologically important protected areas, which shelters red pandas, snow leopards, Himalayan black bears, and over 250 bird species. Every trekker’s permit fee goes directly toward protecting the landscape they walk through as a result.
Cost and validity
The permit costs NPR 3,000 per person, approximately USD 23 at current exchange rates, and the rate stays fixed year-round regardless of season. It covers the full duration of your trek with no daily charges. The standard 8-day itinerary needs no extension process and no additional payment at any point on the route.
Where officers check it
Officers first check the permit at the Dhunche checkpoint on the road before Syabrubesi, before walking begins. They re-check it at Ghoda Tabela and again at Kyanjin Gompa. Your guide keeps all permits accessible and ready at each stop as a result, so the group never breaks pace on the trail.
TIMS Card — Trekker Registration
The TIMS (Trekkers’ Information Management System) card registers every trekker across all Nepal routes. It records your name, passport number, trekking company, emergency contacts, and planned route. When a trekker goes missing, search teams use TIMS data to identify the registered route and emergency contacts quickly. This card protects you rather than restricting you — treat it accordingly.
Cost and collection
Booked through a registered agency like Mountain Hike Nepal, the TIMS card costs NPR 1,000 per person, approximately USD 8 — trekkers arranging it independently pay the higher NPR 2,000 rate instead. The office issues it per trekker with a photo attached, so bring two passport-size photographs to Kathmandu. Your guide collects the TIMS through Mountain Hike Nepal’s registered office before departure, so you never visit the Nepal Tourism Board queue yourself.
Where officers check it
Officers check the TIMS card at the Syabrubesi trailhead checkpoint at the start of Day 2, and potentially again at Ghoda Tabela. Each checkpoint officer stamps the card as proof of legitimate passage. Keep the TIMS with your park permit inside a waterproof holder throughout all 8 days above Syabrubesi.
Do You Need ACAP for the Gosaikunda Extension?
No. This is a common point of confusion, since ACAP does apply to nearby routes like the Annapurna Circuit and Annapurna Base Camp. But ACAP is specific to the Annapurna Conservation Area, and the Gosaikunda Lake extension from Langtang doesn’t enter that zone at all. The extension crosses the Laurebina Pass and descends to Gosaikunda Lake and Dhunche, staying entirely within Langtang National Park the whole way.
That means trekkers combining Langtang Valley with Gosaikunda need exactly the same two permits as the standard route: the Langtang National Park Entry Permit and the TIMS card. No additional permit, no extra fee, and no separate office visit — the combined itinerary costs the same in permits as the standard trek alone.
Where to Get the Permits
Your Mountain Hike Nepal guide obtains all permits in Kathmandu before departure. You never visit any government office personally.
| Permit | Issuing Office | Location | Processing Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Langtang National Park Entry Permit | Nepal Tourism Board | Bhrikutimandap, Kathmandu | Same day |
| TIMS | Nepal Tourism Board or TAAN office | Bhrikutimandap, Kathmandu | Same day |
What your guide needs from you
Your guide needs your original passport, two passport-size photographs, and the permit fees, all covered in the package price, to collect both permits. Your passport must carry at least six months of validity beyond your Nepal departure date too, so check the expiry before booking. An expired or near-expiry passport blocks permit collection and creates problems that no Kathmandu office resolves quickly.
Langtang Valley Trek Permit Checkpoints
Officers check your Langtang Valley trek permits at four points along the route. Your guide presents all documents at each stop. You carry your original passport on your person at all times above Syabrubesi — never in the porter bag.
| Checkpoint | Day | Altitude | Permits Checked |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dhunche (road checkpoint) | Day 1 (drive) | 1,982m | Park Permit entry — national park boundary on the road |
| Syabrubesi trailhead | Day 2 (trail start) | 1,460m | TIMS card and permit confirmation |
| Ghoda Tabela | Day 3 | 3,000m | Park Permit re-check — national park inner checkpoint |
| Kyanjin Gompa | Day 4 | 3,870m | Final permit check on ascent |
What happens at each checkpoint
Your guide approaches each checkpoint first and hands over all documents. The officer records your permit number, nationality, and entry date, then stamps your permit — these stamps confirm legitimate passage at every subsequent stop. Store all original permits in a waterproof holder throughout; wet or torn documents cause delays that affect the whole group.
The Dhunche checkpoint — the most important stop
Dhunche sits at 1,982m on the road before Syabrubesi and marks the national park entry point. Officers here check documentation thoroughly, flagging incomplete permits before the trail begins rather than at later stops. Your guide verifies all permit details before the jeep leaves Kathmandu, not at the checkpoint itself, so the group never waits at Dhunche while a paperwork issue gets resolved.
Frequently Asked Questions
Two permits cover the Langtang Valley Trek — the Langtang National Park Entry Permit and the TIMS card — and that stays true even if you add the Gosaikunda Lake extension, since the extension doesn’t require any additional permit. Mountain Hike Nepal includes both in the package price, and your guide collects everything in Kathmandu before departure. You arrange no permits independently and pay nothing extra at any checkpoint on the route.
Yes — unlike restricted-area routes like Manaslu, trekkers can obtain Langtang Valley permits independently at the Nepal Tourism Board in Kathmandu, and the park entry permit is also available at the Dhunche checkpoint on the road. That said, Langtang National Park’s guide-mandatory rule, in effect since February 17, 2025, requires all trekkers in the region to trek with a licensed guide or registered agency, so an independent permit doesn’t allow guide-free trekking. Booking through a licensed operator like Mountain Hike Nepal remains the most practical approach as a result — permits and guide come together in one booking.
The standard route permits — Park Permit and TIMS — total approximately NPR 4,000 per person when booked through a registered agency, equivalent to about USD 31. That figure doesn’t change for the Gosaikunda extension either, since no additional permit is required. The Langtang Valley Trek carries among the lowest combined permit costs of any major Nepal destination as a result — significantly cheaper than the Manaslu Circuit at USD 175–205 in restricted area permits alone.
Related Planning Guides
- Full Cost Guide 2026 — How permit costs fit into the total Langtang Valley Trek budget.
- Full Day-by-Day Itinerary — Every checkpoint stage with altitude and trail notes.
- Route Map Guide — Where each permit checkpoint sits on the Langtang Valley route.
- Gosaikunda Lake Extension — How the extension combines with Langtang using the same two permits.
- Best Time to Trek — Seasonal guide for the Langtang Valley route.
- Langtang Valley Trek Package — Full 2026 package with all permits included in the price.
Two Permits. One Kathmandu Collection. Zero Queues on the Trail.
Your guide collects the park permit and TIMS card in Kathmandu before the jeep departs for Syabrubesi. Officers check them at four points on the route. You carry your passport. Your guide handles every checkpoint interaction. The Langtang Valley permit system runs as simply as any major Nepal trek offers, and every rupee funds the conservation infrastructure that keeps the route open.
View the full Langtang Valley Trek package on Mountain Hike Nepal →
Questions about permits, the guide requirement, or what happens at each checkpoint? Our team responds within 12 hours.