New rules established by the Nepal Tourism Board (NTB) and trekking organizations, with the support of Nepal’s Ministry of Culture, Tourism, and Civil Aviation, will require solo or foreign independent trekkers (FITs) to use a local guide or porter while trekking in Nepal’s official national parks and protected areas from April 1, 2023. FITs are already required to obtain a trekkers information management system (TIMS) card before proceeding on treks in managed areas. Failure to comply with TIMS rules may result in fines or removal from protected areas, and similar consequences for non-compliance with new guide rules are expected. Some popular trekking regions of Nepal do not intend to comply with the new guidelines, and the US Embassy has long maintained a “Do Not Trek Alone” warning for American travelers to Nepal.