Everest Base Camp Trek Cost

You might have heard about Mount Everest before you even heard of Nepal. This is quite common. Yes, the highest mountain in the world stands proud and elegant in Nepal. It is indeed a major aspect that puts Nepal on the global map.

But if you are a proficient trekker, Nepal is not a new place for you.

No trekker can miss out on trekking the trails of the Everest Base Camp or even the Annapurna Circuit Trekking. These two are amongst the most popular trekking destinations in Nepal.

Well, if you are among those people who love trekking and have been eying this enchanting trek to the base of the Everest. There should be a lot of things that have been bothering you. The safety, the price, accommodations, visa issues and a lot more.

Let us take care of you.

Yes, trekking isn’t a piece of cake. It does take a lot of endurance, stamina, will and a sturdy budget. And it is quite same when Everest is concerned too. The only difference is the cost of international transportation in compared to trekking in your home country.

When preparing for any kind of trekking journey, it is best to check out the daily living expenses of that place. Afterall you will be on for a minimum 15 days trip. So the daily expenses will affect the total expenses of your trip.

Lucky, the Everest Base Camp Trek cost isn’t that affected here in Nepal because the daily living cost is relatively low here. Noted you choose to remain low-key and do not indulge in fancy restaurants and lavish treatments.

Most of the cost that you will be paying for is for the permits, visa and international transportation. The cost of accommodation, meals local transportation is minimum. But there are a couple of charges that could be applied when on the trail. Like you will be asked to pay for internet usage, for a bucket of hot water to shower with or a flask of hot drinking water. A rather new experience isn’t it?

At Eagle Eye Trek, we try our best to provide enough information before you leave for Nepal. And we make sure you are looked after well, here with us. You will be given a proper break down of the cost so that you know what you are actually paying for. Also, you can choose to talk to us for further queries and details.

When you know what and how much you are paying for, it helps you in proper planning and preparation. There could be a lot going on in your mind right now, a lot of questions regarding the trip costs and why it appears to be expensive.

Major Expenses for Everest Base Camp Trek

Listed below is a breakdown of the travel expenses to the Everest Base Camp.

Permits

The permits refer to the certain amount of fees that the government of Nepal charges you in order to maintain and improve the places you visit.

You will need to get two kinds of trekking permits. Trekkers Information Management System (TIMS card) and the Sagarmatha National Park Entry Permit. The latter permit will allow you to enter the Khumbu National park.

Three types of Trekkers Information Management System cards are available. The cost varies as per the type of card you might be needing.

• Organized TIMS card – Blue colored card, which costs around $10.
• Individual TIMS card – Green colored card, which costs around $20.
• SAARC Country TIMS card – Red colored card, which costs around $3

Other Permits

The permit cost to enter the Sagarmatha National Park is around $32.09.

Visa

You will need a visa to enter Nepal. If you have an Indian passport you do not need a visa. You do not need to apply or get a visa before you fly to Nepal, you can get in at the international airport here.

The price of visa is $25 to Nepal. This is a multiple entry 15-day visa. For a month, its cost $40 and $100 for three months visa. Depending on your package and interest you can choose your visa type. You will be guided by a representative at the airport.

For Everest Base Camp trek you will need a 15-day visa but you are suggested to get a 30-day visa, keeping spare some days for flight cancellation at Lukla. And who knows you might as well want to explore some other trekking destinations in Nepal.

Professional Trekking Guide

You will need to book your trip from a registered travel company to trek to Nepal, especially if this is your first time here. You will also need to hire a professional trekking guide.

For your further trips, you can try solo trekking if it is your thing. It is also a great way to explore too.

Hiring a professional trekking guide is necessary. They make sure you are safe and on track. They motivate you and acts as a catalyst when communicating with the locals. You could be sure to enjoy your trips when you can keep worries at bay.

Professional guides know the nooks and corners of the trails and if you are trekking in off-seasons, you will be amazed to see their trekking skills. Short-cuts, accommodation discounts and a lot more. It is best to hire a guide who is fluent in English as well as the local language.

Porter

If you are thinking of carrying your own luggage, think again. You are looking for a great adventure and an amazing trekking paradise. Leave other hassles at bay, hire a good porter who will make your trip a lot easier.

The porters are professionals and are habitual to the job they do. They are also good with the altitude and the strenuous task of carrying goods. Hiring one will allow you to enjoy your trek a lot more. They will help you carry your 20-25 kg backpack.

The standard rate is $20-$30 per day.

Transportation

You start paying right from home as you leave for trekking to the Everest Base Camp. We will try to give you a tentative amount of how much you will be paying for transportation after that. Starting with the international flight.

International

For international tourists, the most expensive part should be the airfare that you will be paying to be in Nepal and back. The price definitely depends on the airline and the class you choose to travel. In average it could range from $500 to $1500. Direct flights and transits also add into making it expensive or cheaper.

If you choose to trek in Nepal during the peak seasons, be sure that you pre-book your flight. This way you could expect to find cheap flights. Because if you book spontaneously, you will end up paying a lot more than the normal price.

Spring and Autumn are the peak trekking months.

National

There are two ways you can trek to the Everest region, by road or by air. This is another aspect that will influence your cost.

You can take the domestic flight from Kathmandu to Tenzing-Hillary Airport at Lukla. You will then trek thereon. The cost for your one-way ticket could amount to $160 or a little more. After a 30-minute mountain flight, you will be all pumped up for the trek because the flight will give you a hint of the spectacular mountains.

This mountain flight is spectacular.

As an alternative, you can opt to take a bus ride. You could either hire a small vehicle for your group for about $150-$300. Or take the local bus for $10to $12 each, each way. It will take about 6-9 hours from Kathmandu to Lukla.

When you travel by road, you should make sure to consult with your agency and add 2-4 days to your trip.

Above all, you can also choose to take a luxury trek and charter a helicopter to Lukla.

Accommodation

Depending on the packages you choose to take, we will arrange your accommodation. For luxury packages, we will place you in Luxury 3 to 5 starred hotels or tea houses. But in general, there are a lot of tea houses and hotels that you will be comfortably placed in.

The tea houses/lodges along the route are quite affordable and you will be happy to enjoy your sleep. You will be spending about $1 to $3 per day.

These Tea houses offer basic living essentials, two single beds with pillows and some warm blankets. Your room will have the basics like hooks on the wall, a small bedside table.

You are suggested to carry your sleeping bag or an extra sheet in case you do not like to use the available sheets. In case of winters, the sleeping bag will be of great help. You can also ask for spare blankets if you need them.

The toilets are usually outside and are for common use. These are squat toilets and please be sure to carry your own toilet paper. You will only have access to bucket water in the lavatory.

In winters, the kitchens are the best part of the tea houses, these have firewood and you can see a lot of other trekkers around this common cozy place.

Food

When staying at tea houses you will be served with Dal Bhat, the normal staple food of the Nepali people. This set includes Hot rice, lentil soup, pickles, and seasonal vegetables. You will be pampered with freshly picked organic vegetables.

You can also choose to order some locally made food like noodles, pizza, pasta or french fries. You cannot compare it to the respective countries it came from but these are pretty good for a change.

The price of western food can start at $5. And you can also find some amazing pastries and cakes at Namche Bazaar.

A budget of about $20-$30 per day on meals summing up to a minimum of $250-$300 for a 10- day trip should be expected.

Drinking alcohol or smoking is not recommended in higher altitude. This can be problematic health wise. You could be suffering from severe altitude sickness.

Travel Insurance

Travel Insurance for Everest Base Camp is not covered by tour operators in Nepal. You will have to come prepared starting from home.

Look for travel agencies that not only offers basic travel insurance but for medical emergency and evacuation insurances too. Further, you are suggested to check in for baggage coverage and trip cancellation insurance.

Everest Base Camp is situated at 5335 m. So, do pay close attention to the altitude stated in your papers, insurance coverage up to 6000 meters above the sea level is suggested.

It should cost you around $120 per person.

Equipment

The equipment is one of the most basic things that you will be taking with you on any trekking trips. And, these are those essentials that do not look expensive initially but you will end up spending a lot on these.

On a brighter side, you can choose to hire the equipment in Kathmandu. There are a lot of places that offer good quality trekking gear that will do your deed. The price starts at $6 a day and varies on the equipment and quality you choose.

Mostly because you will need to invest in the best equipment, for obvious reasons. As a result, these tend to be priecy and also end up taking a lot of space in your backpack. Be sure to pack wise. Check the packing checklist to tally with your own.

Trekking poles, crampons for winter, waterproof jackets, tents, backpacks, sleeping bags are some of the few things that you could hire.

Miscellaneous Expenses

Apart from all the basic expenses there could be some miscellaneous expenses, these will add to your finances.

Tips

Tipping your guide or the porter who carried your luggage is common and customary in Nepal. The amount you tip is up to you but we suggest about $15 for guides and $8 for porters, per day.

Extra services

It is rather common if you are asked to pay for using the local wifi. But there are places where you will be offered free wifi services. The charges for using the internet could be about $2 an hour.

You can also choose to buy a SIM card in after you land in Nepal. You will get a 100MB data pack priced at $3. You can use the sim in your cell phones. This is quite essential to keep you connected with your group.

You will be asked to pay around $1.5-$3 for a small flask of boiled water. A bottle of mineral water costs from $1 in the lower regions and will increase as you ascend. It is quite logical if you carry your reusable bottle and ask for a refill. This is lighter on the environment and your wallet too.

If you are used to getting warm/ hot showers, you will be paying about $2 to $3. Some lodges offer hot showers and at places that do not will provide you with hot water in buckets. You will be paying for the hot water.

There are a lot of gadgets that you will be carrying with you, cameras, phones, rechargeable lights. Don’t be surprised if you are charged around $2-$5 per hour for charging your phones or other gadgets. This is applicable as you reach remote areas. Normally in the lower regions this isn’t the case.

Lastly, there are some expenses that you might bump into, like souvenirs, food cravings, spa treatments. When you return back to the capital you are most likely to indulge in the latter.

Total Cost

Like mentioned, trekking in Nepal is affordable in compared to a lot of trekking destinations in the world. Uninfluenced by it, it is also one of the most sought destinations.

The overall Everest Base Camp trek cost should sum up to a minimum of $2500 per person. It is an average cost for a 12-15 day pack.

Conclusion

Nothing can beat the feeling of being prepared. Any activity that is planned begets better results than spontaneous ones. Yes, you definitely need a zing of spontaneity in your life but not for this. The Everest Base Camp is one of the most adventurous journeys after the summit itself. It takes a great deal of physical and mental preparation.

This is a trek of a lifetime.

Indeed, it is not like a normal vacation or a holiday. It demands preparation and you can start by planning your finances. It is definitely not a cheap one but yet affordable.

The expenditure break-down will explain why it appears to be expensive in the beginning. There are a lot of factors that influence the cost of this trip.

Half the problem is solved in the planning phase.

Note: This is a tentative budget, you can further discuss it with us about the changes. The prices vary as per the season you choose to trek. You can grab a pretty awesome deal when you choose off-seasons.

Bus fare, accommodation, and food prices are also subject to vary slightly with the season you choose.