Tsum Valley Permit 2027: Cost, Which Permits You Need and How It Works
Updated 21 October 2026.
Short answer: The Tsum Valley is a restricted area, so you cannot walk it with just a park ticket. You need a Tsum Valley restricted-area permit from the Department of Immigration, a conservation-area permit and a TIMS card, and you must go with a licensed guide through a registered agency. The restricted-area permit costs USD 40 for the first week from September to November and USD 30 for the first week from December to August. Extra days cost a few dollars each. On our 16-day trek all of it is already in the price: USD 999 Budget, USD 1,899 Standard and USD 3,310 Luxury per person for two to four people. Important: the route was cut by floods in 2026, so check the status with me before you plan.
I am Shreejan. Tsum Valley permits are one of the most mis-explained topics online. Some sites say you need a Manaslu permit. Some say you do not need TIMS. Some quote prices from years ago. This page sets out what the official sources say, how the days are counted and what we do on our side.
Which permits does the Tsum Valley trek need?
| Permit | Issued by | Cost for a foreign trekker |
|---|---|---|
| Tsum Valley restricted-area permit (RAP) | Department of Immigration | September to November: USD 40 for the first week. December to August: USD 30 for the first week. Each extra day is USD 10 (September to November) or USD 7 (December to August), see below |
| Manaslu Conservation Area permit (MCAP) | National Trust for Nature Conservation | NPR 3,000 per person per entry (SAARC nationals NPR 1,000) |
| TIMS card | Nepal Tourism Board and TAAN | NPR 2,000 (SAARC NPR 1,000) |
The restricted-area figures come from the Department of Immigration fee page, which I read in September 2026, and the agency portal rates I checked on 4 September 2026. The park and TIMS figures come from the Nepal Tourism Board. The restricted-area permit covers Gorkha district, Chumnubri wards 3, 6 and 7. A restricted-area permit does not replace TIMS. Several sites say the opposite, and that is wrong on both official sources.
How much does each extra day cost?
After the first week, each extra day costs USD 10 from September to November and USD 7 from December to August. These are the rates on the Department of Immigration agency portal we file through, which is the system that actually charges us. The public fee table on the Immigration website shows USD 7 a day for the whole year, so you may see that figure on other sites. For an autumn trek I go by the portal. As an example, nine days inside the Tsum area in October would be USD 40 for the first week plus two extra days at USD 10, so USD 60. In March it would be USD 30 plus two days at USD 7, so USD 44. The portal also sets a minimum of seven days, and a trek that straddles a season boundary is charged per month at each month's rate. On our trek you pay none of this separately. It is in the price.
Who applies, and how long does it take?
Only a registered trekking agency can apply for the permit, and a licensed guide must go with you. We file online. The portal asks for your passport details, your visa number or the visa application submission ID, your insurance file, a recent photo, the route and a start date. A government office still processes it, so the lead time is a minimum of 48 hours counted in government working days. Nepali weekends and public holidays do not count. If you are flying in on a Friday, plan for the following week. I need a clear scan of your passport and your insurance a few days before you arrive.
Can I trek the Tsum Valley alone?
Yes, with a licensed guide. Since 22 March 2026 the Department of Immigration allows a restricted-area permit for a single trekker, applied for through a registered agency, with a licensed guide and the agency responsible for rescue. We have issued a solo Tsum Valley permit under that rule. The limit is seven trekkers per guide in a restricted area. You cannot walk apart from the guide, because the guide is named on the permit and the army and police posts check it. Read the solo permit guide and restricted-area permits in Nepal explained.
Is the Tsum Valley open now?
No, not as I write this. A flash flood on the Budhi Gandaki on 11 October 2026 destroyed the Soti road bridge and footbridges, and it hit villages on the Tsum side. We are not running Tsum or Manaslu departures until the route is rebuilt and confirmed safe. Read what happened. If you hold a booking, I will move your dates for free or switch you to another trek. For 2027 I will check with our local guides before every departure. I will not guess a reopening date.
What does the 16-day route look like?
| Days | Route |
|---|---|
| 1 | Drive Kathmandu to Arughat and Soti Khola, 6 to 8 hours |
| 2 to 4 | Soti Khola, Machha Khola, Jagat, Lokpa (about 2,040 m) |
| 5 to 6 | Chumling (about 2,386 m), then Chhokangparo (about 3,010 m) |
| 7 to 8 | Nile (about 3,361 m), then Mu Gompa (about 3,700 m), with a visit to Dephyudonma Gompa (about 4,060 m) |
| 9 to 11 | Rachen Gompa, Gumba Lungdang, and a day to Ganesh Himal Base Camp (about 4,200 m) |
| 12 to 15 | Back down through Lokpa, Jagat and Lapu Bensi to Arughat |
| 16 | Drive Arughat to Kathmandu, 9 to 10 hours |
The heights are from our itinerary and published trekking sources, so read them as approximate. See our village guides: Chumling, Milarepa's cave and Mu Gompa.
When is the best time to go?
| Months | What to expect |
|---|---|
| October and November | Clearest air. The higher permit rate applies (September to November) |
| December to February | Cold at Mu Gompa and above. The lower permit rate applies |
| March to May | Good second season. The lower permit rate applies |
| June to August | Monsoon. Landslides on the lower valley |
The permit is cheaper from December to August, but price should not choose the month. Weather, trail safety and the flood repairs matter more. See the complete Tsum Valley guide and Tsum Valley versus the Manaslu Circuit.
What does it cost in 2027?
These are the prices on the trip page today, in US dollars per person. The price falls as the group grows.
| Group size | Budget | Standard | Luxury |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 (solo) | 1,850 | 2,660 | 5,070 |
| 2 to 4 | 999 | 1,899 | 3,310 |
| 5 to 8 | 949 | 1,849 | 3,205 |
| 9 to 12 | 899 | 1,799 | 3,030 |
| 13 to 20 | 849 | 1,749 | 2,349 |
The price includes the transport, teahouse rooms, the Tsum Valley restricted-area permit, the conservation-area permit, TIMS, a licensed guide and the government taxes. Standard and Luxury include meals. Budget does not include meals. Kathmandu hotels are not in any tier. Standard has one porter for every two trekkers (10 kg each), Luxury has a dedicated porter (bag up to 20 kg), and Budget has none. A solo trekker on Standard has no porter, and the guide carries up to 10 kg. Read the Tsum Valley cost guide for the full breakdown.
Frequently asked questions
How much is the Tsum Valley permit? USD 40 for the first week from September to November and USD 30 from December to August, plus a daily charge after the first week. In addition you need the conservation-area permit (NPR 3,000) and TIMS (NPR 2,000).
Do I need a separate Manaslu permit for the Tsum Valley? The Tsum Valley has its own restricted-area permit. Our trip page also lists the Manaslu Conservation Area permit. We arrange whatever your route needs and it is in the price.
Do I need TIMS for the Tsum Valley? Yes. TIMS applies in all trekking areas, restricted areas included, and a restricted-area permit does not replace it.
Can I get the Tsum Valley permit on arrival or on my own? No. A registered agency must apply, and a licensed guide must go with you. There is no desk where you can buy it yourself.
How long does the permit take? A minimum of 48 hours, counted in government working days. Send your passport and insurance early.
Can I trek the Tsum Valley solo? Yes, with a guide, under the rule in force since 22 March 2026. The solo price is higher.
What insurance do I need? Cover bought at home, with helicopter evacuation, to 4,500 m. The highest point is about 4,200 m and I round up to the next 500 m.
Is the Tsum Valley open in 2027? I cannot say yet. It was cut by floods in 2026. Ask me on WhatsApp for the current position before you book flights.
How do payment and cancellation work?
You pay a deposit of 10 per cent to book and the balance when you meet us in Kathmandu, in US dollars or euros, in cash or by card. Cash carries no fee, and card carries a 3.5 per cent bank charge. We cannot take Nepali rupees from foreign guests.
The deposit is non-refundable, and there is no refund if you cancel yourself. I can move your trip free of charge to any date within one year, with at least 7 days notice for a restricted area. If we cannot run the trip, we refund what you have paid, less taxes, bank or card charges and any money already spent on your behalf.
What is the next step?
The full trip page is Tsum Valley Trek, 16 Days. Message me on WhatsApp on +977 9810351300 with your dates, group size and a scan of your passport photo page. I will tell you the route status and what the permit will be.
Written by Shreejan Simkhada, CEO of The Everest Holiday, from a family of three generations of family guides. TAAN Member #1586. WhatsApp +977 9810351300.
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