Nepal will ban solo trekking for foreigners from April 1, making it mandatory to take a guide along to ensure the safety and well-being of the visiting guests.

The new rules apply to international tourists of all experience levels on treks in Nepal’s national parks, such as the popular Annapurna Circuit, a 150-mile route that circles the Annapurna mountain range. Trekkers can still embark on solo hikes outside of national parks, such as around the city of Kathmandu.

Five years after banning solo adventurers from climbing Mount Everest, Nepal’s government has extended the restriction to the whole country.
While the trekking industry is one of the country’s biggest moneymakers, the cost of search and rescue missions for solo hikers who get lost is significant.

“When you are traveling solo, in case of emergencies there is no one to help you,” Mani R. Lamichhane, Director of the Nepal Tourism Board, tells CNN. “It is fine if they are traveling in the cities, but in the remote mountains, the infrastructure is not adequate.”

.I can understand the problem, but asking tourists to produce either a motorbike license from their own country or an international license before renting a motorbike should be enough to stop the stupidest of the stupids

Kung-fu Hillbilly wrote: ↑Wed Mar 15, 2023 1:44 am Indonesia also announced today tourists will be banned from renting motorbikes or scooters on Bali.

The Indonesian island of Bali plans to ban tourists from renting motorbikes after a series of incidents in which foreigners have violated traffic rules.

Bali’s governor, Wayan Koster, said that underchanges to be imposed this year, foreigners would only be allowed to drive cars rented from travel agents.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/ ... motorbikes

It kind of makes one grateful for having mostly lived and travelled in a time when natural selection determined who enjoyed adventure.

Generally, low-end guides price starts at around USD 25 to USD 30 per day. A good guide’s average cost is USD 30 to USD 35. A high-end guide will cost you about USD 50+ with additional language skills as per your preferences

Porters cost you between USD 18 to USD 20 a day. The porter will carry about 20 kg of the load.

When it does come into force, all independent foreign travellers — including those travelling solo or in groups — will have to book a licensed guide for any form of trekking activities.

Responses to the proposed rule change are varied, with some in the country's adventure tourism industry lamenting the loss of freedom to explore one of the world’s great wildernesses.

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In 2019, more than 50,000 tourists trekked in Nepal without a guide or porter according to data from the Nepal Tourism Board.

To trek independently in Nepal’s wilderness, tourists need an official route permit and a Trekkers Information Management System card. The cost of this permit is 2,000 Nepalese Rupees per person ($15) — which increased from 1,000 per person for those travelling in groups — and travellers will no longer be able to apply for the permit without booking a guide to accompany them.