Solo Trekking Banned in Nepal

The government of Nepal, a country home to some of the world’s highest mountains, has banned solo trekking across the country. Trekkers must hire a government-licensed guide or join a group. In 2019, there were 300,000 solo trekkers in Nepal, according to the country’s tourism statistics here.

Silly rules season return in Nepal. This is an old one recycled by the current officials: no trekking alone, you must hire a guide. It’s been around but loosely enforced. I guess we’ll see for 2023. https://t.co/vB2xLMyYkj #everest2023

— Alan Arnette (@alan_arnette) March 7, 2023

The ban applies to “protected mountain areas” of Nepal, which includes places like Sagarmatha National Park, Langtang National park, Makalu Barun National Park, and conservation areas such as those at Annapurna, Kangchenjunga and Manaslu. For the list of protected areas of Nepal, visit here.

“When you are traveling solo, in case of emergencies there is no one to help you,” Mani R. Lamichhane, director of the Nepal Tourism Board, told CNN. “It is fine if they are traveling in the cities, but in the remote mountains, the infrastructure is not adequate.”

The Kathmandu Post ran an op-ed titled Don’t Push It, where they said, “We cannot chop and change our rules for incoming tourists without having a long-term vision for Nepali tourism.” Read the full statement by the Nepal Tourism Board below.