The Nepal Tourism Board has announced that starting from 1 April, visitors will no longer be permitted to engage in solo treks. The decision was made to ensure guest safety when visiting the country. According to Maniraj Lamichhane, Director of the Board, “Going on solo treks, tourists often get lost and might face insecurities. In order to mitigate that we have come to the decision to put a ban on solo treks.” Visitors planning on trekking in Nepal will need to book their journey with a guide, and the Trekkers Information Management System (TIMS) card is a required permit for all travelers entering the country. The cost of the permit has also increased from around $7.50 to approximately $15. TIMS cards will not be issued to travelers who do not have guides. The decision was made in light of the fact that before the pandemic, at least 400 people went missing yearly while trekking in Nepal. In 2017, the nation banned visitors from making climbs up Mount Everest alone.