One of the most well-known treks in Nepal is the Everest Base Camp Hike, no doubt about it!

And one of the most sought-after answers is also surely how much the whole trek might costs!

Long story short: the price of your journey will depend on many factors such the lenght of the trek and the kind of lodging you select to name a few.

In this article, we will give you realistic numbers to estimate your total cost and plan ahead your fantastic journey in the heart of the Himalaya!

Let’s dive climb right in! 😉

ALL COSTS FOR THE EBC TREK!

1. Transportation

Many trekkers have the misunderstanding that trekking will be cheaper due to remoteness which is actually not true.

The Base camp lies in the Everest region of Nepal and in the Himalayan region as well.

That’s why a proper research and a proper planning for your budget are necessary.

The transportation cost for the EBC Trek depends on the starting point as well as the mode of transportation chosen.

If you are starting from Kathmandu, then you may need to fly to Lukla or take a direct helicopter ride to the Everest base camp.

The flight from Kathmandu to Lukla costs around $185-$200 per person, and the helicopter ride on sharing to Lukla cost around $500-$600 per person.

Another transportation options include taking a public bus or jeep from Kathmandu to Jiri and then trekking to EBC.

And the bus or jeep fare from Kathmandu to Jiri is between USD 15 to 30 per person.

However, if you take this option, you should walk about 2-4 days to reach Lukla.

Therefore, 90% trekkers start their Everest base camp journey from Lukla airport after the flight from Kathmandu or Ramechap.

Last but not least, for cost conscious travelers, trekking in the off season can be a great option, but be prepared for colder temperatures and potentially limited services and accommodations.

COST OF TRANSPORTATION TO LUKLA, WHERE THE TREK STARTS!

2. Accommodations

March and September are the beginning seasons for trek, and all hotels, teahouses and lodges get overcrowded.

During the off season (December, January, February and July, August), the trail is less crowded and you will have the option to select your lodges and a comfortable room facing the mountain views at way better prices.

Lodges can vary in price depending on location and amenities.

Camping is another budget friendly option, but also require more gears and logistics.

As a rule of thumb, you can expect accommodation on the base camp trail to be from “basic” to “standard” depending upon the altitude. There are few “luxury” rooms to stay in, but prices are extremely high.

At the high altitude above 3700 meters, normally all tea houses, lodges and hotels will have common sharing toilets and bathrooms.

While trekking, you can choose to stay in lodges/teahouses, which cost from $20 to $40 per night, or rent out the equipment and choose to camp, which will cost you between $10 and $20 per night.

COST OF ACCOMMODATION ON THE EBC TREK

3. Foods

As before, the cost of food for the EBC trek can vary greatly depending on the level of service you choose, the length of the trek, and other factors.

As all food offered on the trail is brought up on the shoulders by the “porters”, it is natural that the more you raise in altitude, the more expensive things get.

Said that, an average budget of $25-$40 per day should be more enough to cover the cost of food on an EBC trek.

The available foods on the trek you’ll encounter are usually porridge, omelets, boiled eggs, bread, noodles, momos, soups, vegetables, potatoes, and rice, among others. 

Toast, eggs, and tea or coffee are the typical breakfast staples.

Typically dal-bha (lentils, rice, and vegetables) spaghetti, Pasta, Pizza etc are available for the lunch and dinner.

Along the trek, you will also get to enjoy the traditional Sherpa dishes such as Thukpa (noodle soup) and Momos (dumplings).

Last but not least, few alcoholic beverages and beer are also available, but be careful drinking while in high altitude, as the body here absorbs alcohol much faster due to the reduced oxygen concentration and smaller air pressure. 

COST OF FOOD ON THE EBC TREK

4. Trekking Equipments

The cost of equipment will depend on the type of equipment you choose, and whether you prefer to rent or buy.

• Generally, you can rent basic equipment such as trekking poles, sleeping bags, and tents for around $2-$10 per day.

• You can also buy all the essential trekking equipment such as trekking poles, sleeping bags, hats, socks, pants and hiking boots. On average, the cost of all trekking gear is between $200-400.

COST OF THE EQUIPMENT

5. Guide and Porter Services:

The cost of guide and porter services will depend on the duration of the trip, the number of people in your group, and the type of services you require.

Generally, guides and porters will cost around $25-$40 per day.

Additionally, you may also need to pay for the guide’s accommodation and meals.

Guide and porter play a vital role in any of the high altitude treks in Nepal: their bodies are accustomed to altitude, and they can do physical deeds that a first timer cannot do because of lack of training.

They are the one who helps trekkers to acclimatize well, taking them to the nearby hill and helping them descending to a lower altitude without shocks in case of altitude sickness.

Most of them are extremely knowledgeable about the trekking trails and, as a result, they are usually able to take you to places that solo trekkers will never be able to go. Lastly, they usually love to narrate (in their own English) about local culture and traditions!

Local guides are familiar with the trail and are to the local tea houses and lodges as well. During the season, they help in arranging the best available lodges to stay in too 🙂

COST OF PORTER/GUIDE

6. Visas and Permits

To reach the Everest Base Camp, trekkers will need:

• Nepalese Visa (15 days –> 30$, 30 days –> 50$, 90 days –> 125$)
• Sagarmatha National Conservation Area Permit (3000IDR, 36$ ca),
• and Pasang Lhamu Rural Village Development Permit (2000IDR, 24$ ca)

The cost of visas and permits will depend on the length of your stay in Nepal, but in general most people can do the Trek within the 12-14 days, spending around 90$ for visas and permits.

Conclusion

And here we come at the conclusions of this article: time to make some math!

To recap, let’s say that the average costs for a complete Everest base camp trek is:

 

USD 1,200 – USD 1,500 per person.

This cost includes: transportation, permits, guides, porters, accommodation/camping gear, food and some other auxiliary services.

In addition to that, of course you should also account for the expenses to reach Nepal and Katmandu.

COSTS TO PLAN BEFORE TRAVELING TO THE EBC TREK

Here are some of the first considerations you need to take into account before planning to hike to the Everest Base Camp:

• Plan your Trek through an authorized local agency in Nepal.
• Use a licensed local guide to stay safe
• Pre-book your ticket sooner for better rates
• Book your KTM-LUKLA-KTM flight prior to your arrival (if you choose to fly!)
• Book your lodges and tea house before your trip.

To make a successful trek, planning is key!

After all, we are not talking about a normal 2-3 days trek, but a physically-demanding 12-14 days trek at the feet of the highest mountain on Earth up to 5364m above sea level!

Without a doubt, the EBC trek is a once-in-a-lifetime chance to test yourself while taking in some of the most beautiful sights of our planet.

If you’d like to be a part of this lifetime adventure journey, I suggest you to contact Glorious Himalaya Trekking Pvt. Ltd, a reputable and highly professional Himalayan local tour operator based in Kathmandu, Nepal.

GLOURIOUS HIMALAYA TREKKING – CONTACT

• Email: [email protected]
• WhatsApp: +977-9813637616

And here we are at the end.

I hope that this post helped you to get a better idea on the costs you should expect to incur to make this incredible trek! 

What do you think about the article? Has it been useful to you? Do you have any other tip you would like to leave for future readers?

Let us know in the comments below! (We always love to exchange couple of words with fellow travelers!)

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Thank you for reading, and see you in the next article! 🙂