Last updated October 5, 2026
Annapurna I Permits & Fees: 2026/27 Nepal Expedition Rules
For foreign climbers, Nepal’s current Annapurna I royalty is US$3,000 in spring, US$1,500 in autumn and US$750 in winter/summer. That is only the mountaineering royalty. An expedition also has to account for the Annapurna Conservation Area entry permit, a US$3,000 team garbage-management deposit, Nepal immigration, expedition-company administration and other team-level compliance.
Complete Guide to Annapurna I Base Camp Setup
Annapurna I falls into Nepal’s official category for mountains above 8,000 metres other than Everest and Manaslu. The foreign-climber royalty schedule effective September 1, 2025 is US$3,000 in spring, US$1,500 in autumn and US$750 in winter or summer.
The expedition team also posts a US$3,000 garbage-management deposit. That is a team-level deposit rather than another US$3,000 charge per climber.
Most foreign expeditions also need the Annapurna Conservation Area entry permit, currently NPR 3,000 for foreign visitors. Your Nepal expedition agency should reconcile these layers before you pay the final invoice.
Annapurna I Permit Fees for Foreign Climbers
These are Department of Tourism mountaineering royalties, effective September 1, 2025.
| Season | Foreign climber royalty | Commercial relevance | Planning note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | US$3,000 per climber | Primary Annapurna I expedition season | Most modern commercial expeditions operate in spring. |
| Autumn | US$1,500 per climber | Much less common | Lower royalty does not mean lower overall risk or an equally active operator season. |
| Winter | US$750 per climber | Specialist / exceptional | Winter Annapurna is not a normal commercial bargain season. |
| Summer / monsoon | US$750 per climber | Exceptional | The low government fee does not offset monsoon snow and avalanche concerns. |
Official source: Nepal Department of Tourism Mountaineering Fee Schedule .
The Hard Part Is Understanding Which Fees Belong to the Individual and Which Belong to the Expedition Team.
The US$3,000 spring royalty is per foreign climber. The US$3,000 waste deposit is per expedition team. Conservation-area entry and immigration are separate again.
Why Older Annapurna Permit Guides Are Wrong
Nepal’s revised royalty schedule took effect on September 1, 2025. Any page still quoting older pre-change rates should be treated cautiously.
US$1,800
This was the previous spring royalty commonly cited for other Nepal peaks above 8,000 metres.
US$3,000
This is the official current spring foreign-climber royalty for Annapurna I.
Manaslu is separate
Manaslu now has its own seasonal pricing. Annapurna I remains in the “other mountains above 8,000 m” category with Makalu, Lhotse, Dhaulagiri and Kangchenjunga.
The US$3,000 Waste Deposit Is Per Expedition Team
This is one of the easiest Annapurna costs to misstate as a per-person fee.
US$3,000 per team
Nepal’s schedule places Annapurna-range mountains above 8,001 metres in the US$3,000 expedition-team garbage-management deposit category.
Compliance matters
Nepal’s mountaineering framework allows the deposit to be returned after the expedition satisfies the prescribed waste-management and clearance requirements.
The Government Royalty Is a Small Fraction of a Full Annapurna Expedition Budget.
Oxygen, climbing staff, Base Camp infrastructure, route fixing, weather forecasting, transport, insurance, bonuses, hotels and flights sit outside the headline mountaineering royalty.
ACAP Is Separate From the Annapurna I Climbing Permit
The National Trust for Nature Conservation manages the Annapurna Conservation Area entry-permit system.
| Visitor category | Current ACAP entry fee | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Foreign visitor | NPR 3,000 | Tax included |
| SAARC national | NPR 1,000 | Tax included |
| Child under 10 | No permit fee | Per current NTNC ePermit guidance |
NTNC’s current online permit system says the conservation-area entry permit is single-entry and must be carried during the trip. Online payment currently carries an additional payment-gateway charge.
Official NTNC ePermit portal →
Make Sure Every Document Says Annapurna I—not Simply “Annapurna.”
Annapurna I, Annapurna South, Annapurna II, III and IV are different peaks. An expedition contract, route declaration and government permit should identify the intended mountain and route correctly.
How Annapurna I Permit Paperwork Actually Fits Together
Do not plan around an old blog promise that a permit will simply be issued in two to five business days after you arrive in Kathmandu.
Confirm operator, route, season, member roster and planned support model.
The Nepal expedition company coordinates the Department of Tourism submission and current team-level documents.
Government royalty, waste-management deposit and associated expedition administration are reconciled before the expedition begins.
Passport, Nepal visa, insurance evidence and applicable conservation-area documentation travel with the climber.
Annapurna I Is Not a “Walk Into an Office and Buy a Permit” Mountain
Even highly experienced independent climbers rely on substantial Nepal-side expedition administration for an 8,091-metre objective.
Department of Tourism filing
Expedition roster, declared peak and route, royalty and other current government requirements are coordinated through the expedition structure.
Nepal team documentation
High-altitude workers, guides, Base Camp staff and required employment / insurance records are team-level administrative responsibilities.
Waste & conservation compliance
The operator should explain how the waste deposit, Base Camp waste plan and ACAP requirements are handled.
Compare current providers in Annapurna I Expedition Companies .
Use the Expedition Operator Finder to compare the support structure behind the permit—not just the advertised trip price.
The Famous Trekking “Annapurna Base Camp” Is Not the Same Thing as a Modern North-Side Annapurna I Expedition Base.
The popular Sanctuary trek approaches the south side. Modern commercial Annapurna I expeditions normally operate from the north-side expedition system. Do not plan expedition transport from trekking-ABC itineraries.
Your Tourist Visa Is Separate From the Mountaineering Permit
Annapurna expeditions commonly last long enough that visa duration deserves attention before arrival.
| Tourist visa | Current fee | Expedition relevance |
|---|---|---|
| 15 days | US$30 | Too short for a normal Annapurna I expedition |
| 30 days | US$50 | Still short for many full expedition schedules |
| 90 days | US$125 | Often the cleaner starting choice for a 5–7 week expedition |
Nepal’s Department of Immigration currently allows tourist-visa extensions within the annual maximum allowed under its published rules. Verify your nationality’s current entry eligibility before travel.
“Trekking Insurance” Is Not an Annapurna I Policy
The insurance problem is not merely getting a certificate. The wording needs to match technical mountaineering to 8,091 metres.
Check the ceiling
Many ordinary adventure policies stop below the altitude required for an 8,000-metre expedition.
Mountaineering must be covered
A policy that covers trekking to Base Camp does not automatically cover climbing Annapurna I.
Read the rescue wording
Helicopter availability depends on altitude, weather, visibility, patient location and operational limits.
Global Summit Guide is a Global Rescue Safe Travel Partner. The commercial relationship does not determine our editorial conclusions. Verify that any membership or insurance product fits your specific expedition, altitude and rescue requirements.
The Permit Is One Document in a Much Larger Expedition System.
Kathmandu administration, conservation access, transport, expedition staff, cargo, oxygen and high-camp supply planning all need to be aligned before the team commits to the mountain.
Ask Exactly How Your Operator Reaches the Expedition Base
Modern Annapurna I logistics vary more than a simple Everest-style “fly to Lukla and trek to Base Camp” model.
International arrival, expedition administration, team briefings and major cargo organization normally begin here.
Western-Nepal transport frequently becomes part of the approach chain, depending on the operator’s road, trekking and helicopter plan.
Modern commercial Annapurna I teams generally operate from a north-side expedition system rather than the trekking destination commonly called Annapurna Base Camp in the Sanctuary.
Helicopters may be used for cargo, access or evacuation depending on the expedition, but should not be presented as a guaranteed transport or rescue system.
See the Annapurna I Routes Guide for the north-side climbing system.
US$3,000 Is Not the Cost to Climb Annapurna I
The government royalty should never be confused with an operator quote or total expedition budget.
International travel
Flights to Nepal, hotels outside package dates, excess baggage and personal changes.
Oxygen & high-altitude support
Bottles, masks, regulators, climbing Sherpa support, camps and summit staffing depend on the commercial package.
Insurance & equipment
Expedition insurance, personal climbing gear, medical preparation and some rescue-related costs may sit outside the base price.
Route-fixing contributions
Operators should disclose how rope-fixing and shared mountain services are handled in the contract.
Transport & cargo
Road transfers, helicopter movements and freight vary substantially by expedition model.
Bonuses & gratuities
Summit bonuses and staff gratuity expectations should be made explicit before departure.
Normalize the complete trip with the Expedition Budget Calculator rather than comparing only the government royalty or headline operator price.
Annapurna I Permitting Exists Inside a Team Operation—not as a Standalone Ticket.
Staff, camps, oxygen, communications, transport and mountain decisions matter far more to the outcome than the ability to quote the permit fee from memory.
Ask the Operator to Itemize These Permit & Logistics Questions
A strong contract makes the government layer boring. A weak contract leaves important charges buried in assumptions.
Is the current Department of Tourism climbing royalty included in the package?
Who advances the US$3,000 team deposit, and how is any refund handled?
Is the conservation-area permit arranged and included?
Which current Department of Tourism team documents and liaison/admin requirements are included in the expedition fee?
Are all climbing staff and high-altitude workers properly documented and insured?
Which north-side route or variation is being declared and planned?
Exactly which road, trekking, cargo and helicopter movements are included?
What altitude/activity wording must your personal policy contain?
What happens to permit, deposit and operator payments if the expedition is cancelled before or after government filing?
Before turning paperwork into a booking, verify that the mountain itself fits your résumé with the Mountain Readiness Assessment .
Conservation Area, Expedition Mountain & Tourist Base Camp Are Different Concepts
The Annapurna massif is large enough that vague place names create real logistics mistakes.
Correct Fees Matter—but Annapurna I Is Still Primarily a Mountain-Risk Decision.
A perfectly processed permit says nothing about avalanche exposure, route conditions, experience, operator quality or whether the climber should be on Annapurna I in the first place.
Annapurna I Permits FAQ
Current permit answers for the 2026/27 planning cycle.
How much is an Annapurna I climbing permit?
Nepal’s current foreign-climber royalty for Annapurna I is US$3,000 in spring, US$1,500 in autumn and US$750 in winter or summer.
Did the Annapurna I permit fee increase?
Yes. Nepal’s revised royalty schedule took effect on September 1, 2025. The current spring foreign-climber royalty is US$3,000.
Is there a garbage deposit for Annapurna I?
Yes. Nepal’s current schedule lists a US$3,000 garbage-management deposit for the expedition team on Annapurna-range mountains above 8,001 metres.
Is the US$3,000 garbage deposit per climber?
No. The government schedule describes it as an expedition-team deposit, unlike the climbing royalty, which is charged per foreign climber.
Do I need an Annapurna Conservation Area permit?
Annapurna expedition logistics normally involve the Annapurna Conservation Area. NTNC currently charges NPR 3,000 for foreign visitors and NPR 1,000 for SAARC nationals. Your operator should confirm the exact permit handling for your expedition itinerary.
Does ACAP replace the climbing permit?
No. ACAP is a conservation-area entry permit. The Annapurna I mountaineering royalty is administered separately through Nepal’s Department of Tourism.
Can I simply buy an Annapurna I permit after arriving in Kathmandu?
Do not plan an 8,000-metre expedition that way. Annapurna I permit and team administration is normally coordinated through the Nepal expedition company before the mountain phase begins.
How long does an Annapurna I permit take to process?
There is no processing-time guarantee on this page. Government procedures and operator filing deadlines can change, so use the timeline supplied by your Nepal expedition company.
How much is a Nepal tourist visa?
Nepal currently charges US$30 for 15 days, US$50 for 30 days and US$125 for 90 days for standard paid tourist visas.
Is a US$3,000 permit the main cost of climbing Annapurna I?
No. The royalty is only one line item. Commercial expedition support, oxygen, high-altitude staff, logistics, insurance, travel, equipment and bonuses create the much larger total budget.
Is spring the main Annapurna I season?
Yes. Spring is the primary modern commercial expedition season. Lower government royalties in autumn, winter or summer do not make those seasons equivalent choices.
Verify Government Numbers at the Government Source
Permit pages age quickly. These are the primary portals worth checking again before the next expedition filing.
Nepal Department of Tourism
Current mountaineering royalty and garbage-management deposit schedule.
Department of Tourism →NTNC ePermit
Current Annapurna Conservation Area entry fees and online permit process.
NTNC ePermit →Nepal Department of Immigration
Current tourist-visa fees, entry process and extension rules.
Nepal Immigration →Continue Through the Annapurna I Cluster
Now Compare the Expedition Behind the Paperwork.
The permit should be the simple part. The harder questions are route strategy, avalanche exposure, high-altitude support, oxygen, forecasting, rescue planning and whether the team has the experience to make conservative decisions on Annapurna I.
Open the Annapurna I Guide Compare Annapurna OperatorsAnnapurna: Permits & the Full 8000er Picture
Permits are one piece of Annapurna, the deadliest 8000er. See the full guide and the wider set below.
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Global Summit Guide is an independent mountaineering resource founded in 2026. The team combines first-hand trekking and climbing experience with in-depth research and professional health and nutrition review to help climbers choose objectives, prepare properly, and stay safe.
Health, altitude, and nutrition content is reviewed by Taylor Ludlow (Registered Nurse) and Brigg Hoopes (Nutritionist).
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