The days of solo trekking have not ended. At least, not in the Everest region. On March 2, the , the country’s tourism promotional body, and 13 travel trekking organisations and trade unions, decided that beginning April 1, individual backpackers would not be allowed to trek the slopes of Nepal’s Himalayas without a guide.
The rule in the Everest region is, however, different.
“In the Everest area, solo trekkers are allowed,” said Mohan Prasad Chapagain, chief administrative officer of the Khumbu Pasang Lhamu Rural Municipality, under whose jurisdiction the Everest region falls.
“The trekkers, however, have to follow our rules.”
According to Chapagain, the rural municipality issues a separate “trek card” to trekkers that costs Rs2,000 per individual.
“We monitor trekkers at four check posts through this card.”
Khumbu Pasang Lhamu Rural Municipality trek card fees from foreign trekkers since October 2017 by exercising the powers granted by the federal law.
And since January 2008, all foreign trekkers visiting Nepal are required to obtain the trekkers’ information management system (TIMS) card jointly issued by the Nepal Tourism Board and the Trekking Agencies Association of Nepal.
Chapagain, however, said the trekkers visiting the Khumbu or Everest region do not need to bring the TIMS cards, which he says is “illegal”.
As per the Intergovernmental Fiscal Arrangement Act 2017, a
and non-tax revenues in accordance with the local law. “The tax raised by the Nepal Tourism Board and non-governmental organisations like the Trekking Agencies Association of Nepal is illegal as per the law.”
“So, the tax or royalty collected through the TIMS cards is naturally illegal.”
