Travel guide · Kathmandu
Kathmandu Valley Hiking Permits
When you need a park fee for a valley hike, where to pay it, and which trails are free to walk.
For most Kathmandu Valley hikes you need just one thing: the Shivapuri Nagarjun National Park entry fee, paid in cash at the gate, and only when your trail enters the park. There is no advance paperwork, no TIMS card and no agency requirement for a day walk. Open hill trails outside the park are free. This guide covers when a fee applies, where you pay and roughly how much, so you arrive with the right cash in your pocket.
When you need a permit
The valley's protected forest is Shivapuri Nagarjun National Park, which wraps the northern rim. You pay an entry fee whenever you walk into it — that means the Sundarijal gorge, the Shivapuri Peak route from Pani Muhan, and the Nagarjun forest above Mudkhu. The southern-rim walk up Champadevi is largely outside the park and free, while Phulchowki only enters protected forest near the top. For the park's full story, see Shivapuri Nagarjun National Park.
Where and how you pay
There is no need to buy anything in the city. Each trail has a checkpoint where rangers issue a ticket on the spot:
- Sundarijal — a short way up the stepped gorge path.
- Pani Muhan — at the gate above Budhanilkantha.
- Nagarjun (Mudkhu) — at the western forest entrance.
Bring cash in rupees and your passport; cards are not accepted and the gate may ask for ID for the foreign rate.
Roughly how much
Fees are tiered — highest for foreign visitors, lower for SAARC nationals and lowest for Nepalis, with child reductions. The park authority sets and occasionally revises these rates, so treat any quoted figure as approximate and carry a little extra. The fee is modest compared with the Himalayan park permits described in our trekking permits for Nepal guide.
Valley hikes vs Himalayan treks
It is worth being clear: a valley day hike needs only the park fee where applicable. The TIMS card, national-park permits for places like Langtang, and conservation-area permits for Annapurna are for multi-day treks in the mountains — none of them apply inside the Kathmandu Valley. If you are heading higher afterward, our trekking permits for Nepal and the national Nepal trekking guide cover the rest.
Good to know
- Carry small-denomination cash — gates rarely have change.
- Keep your passport handy for the foreign-visitor rate.
- Fees are per entry; budget for it on each hike that enters the park.
- Planning the wider day out? Start at the Kathmandu Valley hiking logistics hub.
Frequently asked questions
Do you need a permit to hike in the Kathmandu Valley?+
Only for trails inside Shivapuri Nagarjun National Park, which covers the Sundarijal gorge, Shivapuri Peak and the Nagarjun forest. There you pay an entry fee at the gate. Open hill walks on the southern rim, such as Champadevi, do not require a permit, though Phulchowki crosses into the park near its summit.
Where do you pay the Shivapuri hiking fee?+
You pay in cash at the national-park checkpoint on each trail — above Sundarijal, at the Pani Muhan gate above Budhanilkantha, and at the Nagarjun (Mudkhu) entrance. There is no need to buy a permit in advance in the city; the gate staff issue your ticket on the spot.
How much is the Shivapuri Nagarjun entry fee?+
Fees are tiered: highest for foreign visitors, a lower rate for citizens of SAARC countries, and the lowest for Nepalis, with reductions for children. Rates are set by the park authority and can change, so carry enough cash and treat any figure as approximate until you reach the gate.
Do you need a TIMS card for valley hikes?+
No. The TIMS card and conservation-area permits apply to multi-day Himalayan treks, not to Kathmandu Valley day hikes. For a valley walk you only need the Shivapuri Nagarjun park fee where the trail enters the park; everything else is free.
