Nepal bans foreigners from trekking without guides across the country

Five years after banning solo adventurers from climbing Mount Everest, Nepal’s government has extended the restriction to the entire country.

Nepal is home to eight of the highest mountains in the world, but is also known for its beautiful rural trekking regions – the trails. From now on, travelers looking to hike in remote regions must either hire a government-accredited guide or join a group.

While the trekking industry is one of the biggest money makers in the country, the cost of search and rescue missions for lone hikers who get lost is significant.

“When you are traveling alone, in case of an emergency, there is nobody to help you,” Mani R. Lamichhane, director of the Nepal Tourism Board, told CNN . “It’s fine if they are traveling in cities, but in the remote mountains the infrastructure is not adequate.”

Lamicchane adds: “When tourists go missing or are found dead, not even the government can track them down because they followed remote routes.”

In addition to the challenges caused when hikers go missing in rural areas, Lamichhane says unlicensed tour guides and businesses are also an issue. Those companies that don’t register with the government don’t pay taxes and, claims the director of tourism, take jobs away from Nepalis.

“There have been some cases where the trekking association has asked us to stop these unauthorized trekking operations. This has been a demand from tourism associations for a long time, ”he says.

Members of the climbing and trekking community have mixed opinions about the new decision.

Ian Taylor, owner of a highly regarded guide company with a long history in Nepal, says the move makes sense as more and more people attempt difficult climbs in Nepal.

“Things have changed dramatically in the region over the years,” he told CNN .

“Before, you only saw experienced hikers and climbers in the region, many of them without guides, and they were completely self-sufficient.”

“However, there are now a lot more people traveling in the region and more of them are tourists, not hikers. They are not self-sufficient outdoors and therefore need help from experienced guides.”

Taylor adds that the Nepalese government does not have the capacity to veto each visa applicant separately, hence the decision to enact a total ban.

“As someone who loves the mountains and visits the mountainous regions of the world, it is extremely disappointing that it has come to this point,” continues Taylor.

“We never want to see people’s access to the mountains restricted. However, the situation in Nepal is unique and changes need to be made.”