The Everest Base Camp Trek is world-renowned and is something that many people intend to conquer at least once in their lifetime. The Everest Base Camp Trek truly encapsulates the ethereal beauty of the mountains, landscapes, the mountain communities, and their culture in a single destination, along with the thrill of adventure.
And unless you are someone who has a lot of trekking experience and has a flexible budget as well as time, this trek is not something you can just decide today and get on a flight to Nepal the next day.
To trek to the base camp of the tallest peak, Mount Everest, you will need an extensive plan that stretches from a number of days to good health and, of course, money. And one good thing about trekking here is that you can customize your plan according to the time you have and your budget flexibility. Many people have no idea how much it actually costs to trek to the Everest Base Camp and assume it will be as expensive as the Everest expedition, which cannot be further from the truth.
Trekking to the Everest Base Camp and summiting Mount Everest are two very different things and are considerably cheaper in comparison. So on this blog, we will make it easier for you to learn how much it exactly requires for a standard Everest Base Camp, along with tips on how you can plan your trip according to your budget.
When you are traveling, you will need money to make things happen. There are different areas your costs get divided on for the Everest Base Camp Trek and those areas are as follows:
Being one of the most commercial trekking destinations in Nepal, there are many tea houses and lodges along the trail of the Everest Base Camp Trek. These tea houses come in different standards with different price ranges. You can find a cheap tea house that will only provide you with a basic dorm-style room and a common bathroom at the most affordable price. There are also tea houses that have a spacious room with an attached bathroom, which can be a bit costly in comparison. The price of a room per night can start from Rs. 1000, which is around 8 USD.
For food, there won’t really be such a difference as the price is set on the menu and they charge according to it. This will be the case from Lukla to Gorak Shep. The price will vary as it will increase with the increase in elevation but in general it can cost you $20-$30 per day, depending on how you spend your money. For food, you can find local meals, such as Dal Bhat, at an affordable price that is very filling and nutritious, appropriate for the trek. You can also find western food in many tea houses but with limited options. And it is also better to avoid meat to avoid digestion problems.
So, overall, in a single day, for food and accommodation, you will need $40-$50 per day, depending on how you spend the money.
Getting permits for the Everest Base Camp Trek is mandatory. Without the entrance permit, you will not be allowed inside of the Sagarmatha National Park. There are two major permits required for the Everest Base Camp Trek: the Sagarmatha National Park Permit and the Khumbu Pasang Lhamu Rural Municipality Permit. They are to ensure your safety as well as helping the development of the community of the Khumbu Region.
You can get the national park entry permit at the Nepal Tourism Board in Kathmandu as well as in Monjo and the municipality permit in Lukla. The cost of the permits is:
Hiring a trekking guide and porter is one of the best ways to ensure your safety and overall experience. The guides, with years of experience under their belt, will lead you smoothly by giving you the best services of guiding. The guides have deep information about the landscapes, mountains, and most of all the communities along the trail. The guide will be in charge of booking your accommodation, making sure you get your meals on time, and showing the proper trail, all while telling you all sorts of fun facts about the things related to the trek.
Porters are the backbone of trekking in Nepal. Not only do they carry heavy weights to some of the highest elevations of earth but they also keep the trekking and expedition industry running. While taking porters for your trek is not mandatory, they are a lot of help when carrying heavy backpacks.
Generally, the guide cost is $30-$40 per day and a porter around $25-$30 per day. The company usually covers the guide cost in the package but for Porter, it is an additional charge. You are also expected to tip at least 20% of the total cost of the package to your guide and porter to show appreciation for their hard work.
The different ways to get to the Everest Base Camp are by road and flight. By road, it takes two days to reach the point from where you begin the trek, while the flight to Lukla only takes 30 minutes. The flight to Lukla during spring and autumn operates from Manthali Airport, which is about 4 hours drive from Kathmandu, while in summer and winter it operates from Tribhuvan International Airport. You can also take a helicopter ride, which can be a bit more expensive. Different modes of transportation costs for the Everest Base Camp Trek are given below:
|
Mode of Transportation |
Route |
Price (US$) Per person |
|
Local Bus |
Kathmandu to Manthali |
$15 |
|
Private Jeep (one-way) |
Kathmandu to Manthali | $150 / Jeep |
| Domestic Flight (one-way) | Kathmandu to Lukla | $216 |
| Domestic Flight (one-way) | Manthali to Lukla | $180 |
| Helicopter Ride (one-way) | Kathmandu to Lukla (sharing) | $500-$700 |
| Helicopter Ride (one-way) | Manthali to Lukla (Sharing) | $400-$500 |
| Helicopter Ride (one-way) | Gorak Shep to Kathmandu (sharing) | $1,600 |
| Helicopter Ride (one-way) | Gorak Shep to Kathmandu (Private) | $ 5,500 |
For transportation, another service is also available and it is horseback riding on the trail. Those who have a hard time hiking for hours per day can hire a horse and ride from one camp location to another camp location. The horseback riding cost ranges from $200-$400 per camp.
It can sometimes be hard to believe that even remote mountains can provide you with different amenities and services. These services will get limited as you ascend higher. But in the lower regions, you can find pretty much the same amenities you find in the cities. But for these amenities, there will be extra charges.
WiFi and hot water for drinking or showering will cost you extra money on the trail. These will cost $5-$10. You can also get laundry services and they charge per garment, as some tea houses have a set price for each piece of clothing.
You will definitely carry extra money for your personal expenses apart from what you pay for the package. And how much you spend is totally up to you. But in general, $20-$25 per day will be more than enough to spend on the trek.
Trekking to the Himalayas does require a bit of preparation and the right gear and equipment to make your experience smooth and minimize the chances of problems arising. From trekking poles to down jackets to sleeping bags, these are very essential items for trekking to the Everest Base Camp. You can do shopping for the clothes back in your country or you can do it once you arrive in Nepal. There isn’t an exact amount labeled out, as shopping for your personal clothes is totally up to you. However, for bigger gear, you can rent it out in local gear shops in Thamel, Kathmandu. For a rental sleeping bag, you can get it for around $2 per day. Or if you want to buy it, it will cost around $100.
Many trekking agencies do lend equipment like sleeping bags, down jackets, crampons, and trekking poles for the trek, which you have to return after your journey has ended. This can be a lot of help for people who are traveling on a tight budget.
There are different options available if you want to do this trek or any trek in Nepal. There are people who want to do a solo trek, while there are some who want to do it with their family or friends in a small group or a big one. But no matter how you want to do the trek, you have to plan it out thoroughly and have a proper budget plan.
There are a wide range of packages offered by different trekking agencies that can surely fit up to your price range if you do enough research. The Everest Base Camp Trek can cost from anywhere around 1000 USD to 5000 USD. It just means the more you pay, the more services you get. It can go from a basic service price to a luxury experience, and everything in between. The cost covers the guide fee, permit costs, accommodation, and three meals a day.
The average trekking days are 14–15 days for the standard EBC Trek and the cost depends on the number of people and the type of services you use. Traveling solo will cost more compared to if you travel in a big group. The bigger the group, the lesser the individual cost.
There are multitudes of ways to do the Everest Base Camp Trek with different itineraries that go from standard 14 days to as short as 7 days and as long as 21 days. All these packages come in a different price range and you can choose whichever fits your time and budget. Here are some of the different packages of the Everest Base Camp Trek with cost information.
The standard package of the Everest Base Camp Trek is about 14–15 days, which is what most people choose as their itinerary. Different companies will have their own price range and charge according to the services they give out. However, an average pricing range would be $1000 to $1500 per person.
As the name suggests, the luxury experience of the Everest Base Camp Trek can be quite expensive. But with the expense, you will also get top-tier services the entire trek. The luxury trek offers stays at the best hotels, porters to carry your belongings and the best and most experienced guides to lead you through the journey. For this, the cost begins at $2000-$3000 and can go up to $5000 per person.
This is another route for the Everest Base Camp Trek; instead of following the main traditional route, you will divert after Namche Bazaar and move to Gokyo, where you can view Gokyo Lakes and Gokyo Ri and cross one of the three passes in the Everest region, Cho La. For this trek, the cost is around the range of $1500 to $1800 per person.
The traditional Everest Base Camp Trek follows the oldest route that was initially done by the mountaineers from the beginning. The route passes through a small town called Jiri, which earned the nickname “Switzerland of Nepal” for being similar to the country. The official traditional trek takes around 18–21 days. On average, it can cost in the range of $1600 to $2000 per person.
For people who do not have flexible time and can only spare a week for the trek, the Everest Base Camp Trek with Helicopter Return is one of the most efficient ways to successfully conquer this trek. Returning from the helicopter will save you at least 4-5 days of trekking. This package cost ranges from $1800 to $3000 per person. And for helicopter cost, it will be on a sharing basis in the range of $700 to $900 per person.
The Everest Base Camp Trek can be quite affordable if you go about it the right way and make good financial decisions. Doing some research can lead you to finding the right itinerary that will come with what you are willing to spend. And for those who have both adequate time and money at their disposal, you can do the luxury Everest Base Camp Trek while enjoying the top-tier services provided by the companies.
This trek is an opportunity to expand your horizons that leads you to see some of nature’s most beautiful creations and a spiritual awakening. The standard itinerary is most preferred among the majority of the trekkers, which can be done at an affordable price. If you wish to do this trek, then you can, and we can take you at the most affordable price. Contact us via WhatsApp or email at +977 9851175531 or info@alpineramble.com.
