The Nepalese government recently announced that trekkers visiting the country will need to hire licensed guides, effective from 1 April. This decision was made with just two weeks’ notice, and some are finding it difficult to comply with the new rule as porters, yaks and zopkyo trains are in short supply. The Nepal Tourism Board and the Minister of Tourism, Culture and Civil Aviation have stated that the rule is necessary for safety reasons and to create jobs. However, many independent travellers and frequent visitors to Nepal have criticized the move, which they believe adds unnecessary bureaucracy and fees to trekking. Additionally, the Trekking Agencies Association of Nepal, which actively lobbied for the ‘one trekker one guide’ rule, will be responsible for managing the TIMS card and guides. The new rule, along with the recent ban on helicopter cargo flights to Everest Base Camp, has created negative publicity for Nepal as a tourist destination, which could be severely damaging for the industry that is already struggling to recover after the pandemic.