Permits Required for Kanchenjunga Base Camp Treks

The Kanchenjunga Base Camp, which is at the border of Nepal, Tibet, and India, is gaining popularity among adventure seekers from all over the world. The Kanchenjunga circuit trek explores Kanchenjunga North Base Camp and Kanchenjunga South Base Camp with the rewarding experience offering a unique opportunity to explore the magnificence and culture of the Himalayas. The necessary information regarding the permits, costs, and paperwork has been compiled in this blog.

The Permits Required for Kanchenjunga Trek

For the trekkers to wander around the Kanchenjunga Base Camp, you require a Special restricted area permit (SRAP) and the Kanchenjunga Conservation Area Project permit (KCAP). 

Special restricted area permit (SRAP):

Thapethok and Yamphuding are the VDCs that are restricted zones and require the SRAP to enter and start Kanchenjunga trekking.

This permission must be applied for and obtained on your behalf by a Nepali trekking company that is legally registered and licensed by the government.  

The Kanchenjunga Conservation Area Project permit (KCAP):

The KCAP permit is required to enter the Kanchenjunga Conservation Area, and you can get it at the National Park checkpost during Kanchenjunga Trekking. You can receive the permit without the validation date.

Kanchenjunga Trek Permit Cost:

Permit for Restricted Areas :

• For the initial 4 weeks, the cost is US$20 per person per week.
• Afterward, each additional week: costs US $25 per person per week.

KCAP Permit Cost: 

• Nepali citizens have to pay NPR 100 per person.
• The cost for SAARC citizens is NPR 500 per person (about $5).
• The cost for foreign nationals is NPR 2000 per person (about $20).

The needed documents to prepare the permit for Kanchenjunga Trekking:

The following documents are required for the permit:

• 2 photographs the size of a passport (for KCAP)
• a copy of your current passport along with the Original Passport
• The passport must be valid for at least three months.
• Having a Nepal tourist visa that is valid after the RAP's expiration date
• The trekking company must present further documentation to apply for the Kanchenjunga RAP (details of trekkers and guide group, Verified itinerary, tax clearance certificate, license to operate )

Kanchenjunga Trek Permit Consideration

The following are some factors to take into consideration while applying for Kanchenjunga Trekking permits:

• Children under the age of ten are eligible for free permits, so there is no cost to you.
• The permit is only applicable for a single journey and individual trekkers; it is neither transferable nor refundable.
• When accessing the Kanchenjunga Conservation Area, you must follow the rules of the National Park and Wildlife Conservation Act, 2029 B.S. (1973).
• The two permits must be carried with you at all times during the hike, and you must provide them whenever and anywhere trail officials request them.
• VAT, TAX, and other government fees are included in the permit costs listed above.
• You are only permitted to enter the areas marked on the permit within the preservation and restricted region.
• You must have a legitimate local trekking agency process the SRAP on your behalf; you cannot obtain the SRAP on your own or with a trekking guide only.

Where and How to Obtain the Kanchenjunga Trekking Permits

Permit for the Kanchenjunga Conservation Area

This permission can be obtained by trekkers. If interested, you can submit an application in person at the Bhrikutimandap Tourism Service Center in Kathmandu, which is open every Saturday and Sunday from 9 am to 5 pm, barring public holidays. You'll need around an hour to obtain the permit. You can even get the KCAP permit at the checkpost during the trek.

Permit for Kanchenjunga Restricted Area

This permit cannot be acquired by trekkers themselves instead, a legitimate Nepali trekking agency must do so. After you arrive in Kathmandu, they will submit an online application for this permit with all the paperwork you provided and any additional paperwork they created. They will next pick up the permission from the Maitighar, Kathmandu-based office of Nepal Immigration's Trekking Department. Neither the Nepal Tourism Board nor TAAN has issued this permit. It will just take them around 2 hours to acquire it.

If you have any queries regarding the Kanchenjunga trek itinerary, cost, and permits, you can directly contact us for a booking at info@nepalnirvanatrails.com or via WhatsApp at +977 9841380469.