The Nepal government has imposed a ban on solo trekking throughout the country, effective from 1 April 2020. Travelers who hope to trek in remote regions must hire a government-licensed guide or join a group. Nepal is home to eight of the world’s tallest mountains and is popular with mountain-loving travelers who hike on the Himalayan peaks. However, the cost of search and rescue missions that the country ensues every time for solo hikers who get lost account for a bigger monetary share. The decision was taken by the Nepal Tourism Board (NTB) which increased the price of the TIMS permit to INR 2,000 per person and banned the TIMS permit without a guide. The board has also put a ban on unlicensed tour guides and companies who do not register with the government, do not pay taxes and take jobs away from Nepalis. Travelers who trek without a guide or porter in Nepal have to obtain a route permit and a Trekkers Information Management System (TIMS) card. Around 50,000 tourists trekked without a guide or a porter in Nepal in 2019, according to the NTB. Tourism and especially trekking form Nepal’s biggest revenue earner.