Mt. Everest Base Camp Trek Price: A Comprehensive Guide

The Mt. Everest base camp trek is one of the most renowned high-altitude treks in the world. Many trekkers who love nature and trekking visit the Everest Base Camp annually to complete this fantastic adventure. The trip is in Solu Khumbu, Nepal and it takes you across breathtaking scenery and traditional Sherpa societies and breathtaking mountain scenery. The destination of the trip is Everest Base Camp, the base of Mount Everest, the highest mountain in the world.

Planning an Mt. Everest Base Camp Trek may be difficult, particularly when you begin to consider what it would cost. There are a lot of expenses to consider, such as permits, guides, accommodation, meals, and transportation. In this blog, we will give you clear explanations on how much the Mt. Everest Base Camp Trek will cost, so that you can easily and securely plan your trip.

Recommended Trip

Everest Base Camp Trek

14 Days

Moderate

View Detail

Introduction to Mt. Everest Base Camp Trek

We will tell you about the cost, but first, let’s understand what the Mt. Everest Base Camp Trek is. The Mt. Everest base camp Trek is a 12-14-day adventure inside the Everest Region, which is controlled by the Sagarmatha National Park. The total trail distance of the Mt. Everest base camp Trek is 130 km (80 miles) round trip from Lukla. The maximum altitude that you will reach on this trek is Kala Patthar (5,545m / 18,192ft). The journey of the Mt. Everest Base Camp trek starts from the Lukla flight, either from Tribhuvan International Airport(TIA) or Ramechhap Manthali Airport(4-5hour ride from Ktm).

The trek begins with the Lukla-Tenzing Hillary Airport, a small mountain town at 2,860 meters. From here, you will pass through some of the well-known Sherpa villages, including Namche Bazaar, Tengboche, and Gorak Shep, before eventually arriving at Everest Base Camp. Every day you will spend the night in the tea house(mountain lodge), therefore, this Mt. Everest Base Camp trek is also called a tea house trek in Nepal.

The EBC trail contains steep ascents, rocky tracks, and skim air at the higher levels. The Mt. Everest Base Camp trek is considered a moderate to challenging trek in terms of difficulty. Therefore, all the participants who want to join this trek must have good physical fitness and follow the acclimatisation plan. The main challenge that you will face on this Mt. Everest Base Camp trek is altitude sickness, unpredictable weather, long walking days on steep and rocky trails, cold temperatures, basic facilities, flight delays to Lukla, and limited medical support in remote areas.

Even though it sounds tough to do the Mt. Everest Base Camp trek, with enough planning and preparation and assistance from the tour operator, it is completely manageable.

Now, let’s understand the cost of the Mt. Everest Base Camp Trek and what expenses you should expect.

Mt. Everest Base Camp Trekking Permits Cost 

Anyone who wants to join, the first thing that you need to have with you is trekking permits. This permit is important as it will be checked on the trekking trail, and only those who have this permit are allowed to trek inside the Everest Region for the Mt. Everest Base Camp Trek.

You need to have two permits for the Mt. Everest Base Camp Trek

1. Sagarmatha National Park Entry Permit (around NPR 3,000 / $30 USD) per person
2. Khumbu Pasang Lhamu Rural Municipality Entrance Permit (around NPR 2,000 / $20 USD) per person.

Note: You can obtain these trekking permits on your own from the Nepal Tourism Board office in Kathmandu and in Lukla/Monjo. If you are doing the Mt. Everest Base Camp Trek by road from Jiri, you need an additional permit: Gaurishankar Conservation Area Permit.

Trekking Guide and Porter Hire Cost for Mt. Everest Base Camp Trek 

After the government of Nepal banned solo Mt. Everest Base Camp treks is now compulsory for all trekkers to hire a licence guide. This new rule is implemented to maintain the safety of the trekkers and their well-being. We suggest you hire local Sherpa guides and porters for your convenience. You can hire the guide and porter on your own or through the local tour operator as well.

• Sherpa trekking guide: Cost USD 30-35 per day
• Sherpa trekking porter: Cost USD 22-25 per day

Lukla Flight Cost for Mt. Everest Base Camp Trek 

After you obtain the permits now you need to take a flight to Lukla airport, which is the most convenient and fastest way to reach the Everest region from Kathmandu. You can buy the Lukla Flight ticket from the website of the airlines that operate the Lukla flight, such as Tara Air and Yeti Airlines. The cost of the Lukla flight depends on the nationality. 

1. Kathmandu to Lukla Flight cost for Foreign citizens: Around USD $220 – $230 for a one-way ticket.
2. Kathmandu to Lukla Flight cost for Indian Citizens: Around INR 12,000 to NPR 17,000 for a one-way ticket.
3. Kathmandu to Lukla Flight cost for Nepali Citizens: Around NPR 8,000 to NPR 10,000 for a one-way ticket.

Note: During the peak trekking season( spring and autumn), due to huge crowds, you cannot find a direct Lukla flight from Kathmandu. Nepal Aviation transfer flight to Lukla from Ramechha Manthali airport. So first you need to reach the Rammechhap airport, which is around 131 km, which is a 4- 5 hour ride in a private vehicle.

Accommodation Cost for Mt. Everest Base Camp trek

The Mt. Everest Base Camp trek is world world-famous trek, so that you can find a variety of accommodation in the trekking trails, especially in the lower Everest region villages. You can choose the type of accommodation according to your budget and interests. Here are the options:

• Tea Houses: $5-$10 per night (basic accommodation and meals)
• Lodges: $20-$50 per night (mid-range accommodation and meals)
• Luxury Lodges: $100-$200 per night (Single room with attached bathroom and meals)

Extra Expense in the tea house:

• Hot Shower: USD 2-5
• Charging: USD 1-3 per hour
• WIFI: USD 2-3 per night.

Cost of Food and Drinks for Mt. Everest Base Camp trek

During the Mt. Everest Base Camp trek, you will enjoy your meals at local tea houses, which provide both lodging and food for trekkers along the trail. In the lower regions, tea houses offer a wide menu with many choices. As you go higher in altitude, the menu becomes more limited due to transportation challenges, but you will still find enough nutritious meals to keep you energised.

Tea houses serve both vegetarian and non-vegetarian food, so that you can choose according to your preference. For breakfast, you can expect items like porridge, muesli, pancakes, different egg dishes, and rice pudding. Lunch and dinner usually include popular meals such as Dal Bhat Tarkari, momo, noodles, steak, spaghetti, and fried rice.

You can also enjoy hot and cold drinks, including various types of tea, coffee, and soft drinks. For dessert, items like apple pie, mango slices, and other sweet treats are commonly available. Overall, tea house meals during the Everest Base Camp trek are simple, filling, and perfect for high-altitude trekking.

• Breakfast costs you: $6.90 – $7.05 
• Meal: $7-$9 per meal
• Hot water: $1-$3
• Cold Drinks: $1-$2
• Hot Drinks: $1-$3
• Snacks: $2-$3
• Desert: $2-$4

Cost of the Guided Mt. Everest Base Camp Trek

If you book the package from the Mt. Everest Base Camp trek, you will get all the major things included in the package, like trekking permits. Guide, porter, food, accommodation, transportation, etc. It is the easiest way to do the Mt. Everest base camp trek, as you don’t have to worry about anything, as your tour operator will take care of everything. Also, it is the safest way to reach the base camp as they are experienced in this field and they provide a trustworthy licence guide and porter for you.

Let’s see the types of packages you can book from the Mt. Everest Base Camp trek

• Budget Mt. Everest Base Camp trek: $800-$1,200 per person
• Mid-Range Mt. Everest Base Camp trek: $1,200-$2,000 per person
• Luxury Mt. Everest Base Camp trek: $2,500-$4,000 per person

Extra Expense That you need to Manage for the Mt. Everest Base Camp trek

International Flight Cost:

International flight fare to Nepal depends on the country of departure, the travel season and the type of airline you choose. The flight to Nepal is generally costly during the peak trekking season and during the festival month( Dashain and Tihar) due to high demand. To book the flight at an affordable cost, we suggest you book the ticket in advance at least 2-3 months.

Travel and Health Insurance Cost:

Mt. Everest Base Camp trek travel and health insurance is highly essential and compulsory. High altitude trekking, medical care, and emergency helicopter evacuation are high costs that your insurance should cover. The price varies with your age, the time you are spending travelling and even the coverage, yet it is a mandatory cost required in a secure route to the Everest Base Camp.

• Average Insurance policy cost: $100 to $250 USD

Equipment and Gear Cost:

The prices of the equipment and gear for the Mt. Everest Base Camp trek depend on what you already have. The clothes that are necessary are trekking boots, a down jacket, a sleeping bag, a backpack and warm clothing. Trekking gear can also be purchased or rented in Kathmandu, and it is used to balance the overall expenditure on the entire trek to the Everest Base Camp.

Nepal Visa Cost:

Another additional cost to consider when planning the trek to the Mt. Everest Base Camp is the Nepal visa cost. The majority of the travellers can obtain the on-arrival visa at Tribhuvan International Airport(TIA). The visa charges are based upon your duration of stay, and therefore ensure that you have a visa that will last the entire period of trekking, plus a week or so as a buffer.

• 15-day tourist visa Cost: 30 USD per person
• 30 Days Tourist visa Cost: 50 USD per person
• 90 Days tourist visa Cost: 125 USD per person

Tips For Guide And Porter:

Guides and porter tips are not obligatory but greatly welcomed on the Everest Base Camp trek. Tipping appreciates their efforts and encouragement during the process. It generally varies according to the size of the group and service quality, and therefore must be budgeted as part of your Mt. Everest Base Camp trek cost.

• Tips for Guide: USD 10/day
• Tips for Porter: USD 5/day

Hotel Room and Meal Cost at Kathmandu:

Most trek packages to the Everest Base Camp do not normally include the costs of hotel rooms and meals in Kathmandu. The cost varies depending on the type of hotel and the type of food. There are budget, mid-range, and luxury hotels, and you would easily control the cost of your trip to the Everest Base Camp.

• Budget room: USD 10-15/per day
• Midrange room: USD 20-30/per day
• Luxury room: USD 50-100 or higher per day

Miscellaneous Expense:

Other miscellaneous costs when the trek went to the Mt. Everest Base Camp are hot showers, charging electronic devices, Wi-Fi, bottled water, snacks, souvenirs, and personal items. Such little expenses may accumulate at the altitude, and it is a good idea to save some additional cash in case of unexpected Everest Base Camp trek costs.

Total Cost of the Mt. Everest Base Camp Trek

Based on the above estimates, the total cost of the Mt. Everest Base Camp Trek can range from:

• Budget Option: $1,500-$2,500 per person
• Mid-Range Option: $2,500-$4,000 per person
• Luxury Option: $4,000-$6,000 per person

Tips and Recommendations For Mt. Everest Base Camp Trek

• Book your flight and accommodation in advance to avoid high prices and availability, especially during peak trekking season( spring and autumn).
• If you are budget-friendly trekkers, try to trek during the off-season to save money and to avoid the crowds.
• Purchase travel insurance to cover unexpected medical or emergency expenses.
• Be prepared for altitude sickness(AMS) and take necessary precautions.
• Invest in high-quality trekking equipment and gear. If you want to save the cost, rent from the rental shop on Thamel Street.
• Don’t do a solo trek; try to make a group to get a special discount from the tour operators.
• Check the tour operator’s booking and cancellation policy, as well as check all the things that are included in the package, before making a booking.
• Lukla flight delay is common, so have a buffer day in your itinerary and check the weather forecast before heading for the Mt. Everest base camp trek.
• Your safety highly matters while trekking in the village area, so follow safety guidelines, walk carefully on local trails, respect local culture and listen to your guide.
• Please don’t take anything from Sagarmatha National Park, as it is strictly illegal to remove any natural items from the park, including stones, plants, or artefacts, and doing so may result in fines or legal action.

Conclusion

The Mt. Everest Base Camp Trek is a once-in-a-lifetime experience that needs careful planning and budgeting. We hope that by breaking down the costs of the trek, we have given you a complete guide to help you plan your trip. When choosing where to stay, eat, and get around, make sure to think about your own needs and budget. Also, make sure to do your research and book your trip with a trusted tour operator or guide to make sure it goes smoothly and safely. 

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: How difficult is the Mt. Everest Base Camp Trek? 

• A: The trek is moderately difficult, with steep inclines, rocky terrain, and high altitude.

Q: Do I need to hire a guide or porter for the Mt. Everest Base Camp Trek? 

• A: It is mandatory and hiring a licensed guide or porter can be beneficial for navigation, safety, and carrying gear.
  

Q: What is the best time to trek to Mt. Everest Base Camp? 

• A: The best time to trek is during the spring (March to May) and autumn (September to November) seasons.

Q: How long does the Mt. Everest Base Camp trek take? 

• A: The trek typically takes 12-14 days, depending on your itinerary and pace.

Q: What is the altitude of Mt. Everest Base Camp? 

• A: The altitude of Mt. Everest Base Camp is 5,364 meters (17,598 feet) above sea level.

We hope this comprehensive guide has provided you with the information you need to plan your Mt. Everest Base Camp Trek. Happy trekking!

To book the Mt. Everest Base Camp trek with Namaste Nepal Trekking:

Contact: +977 9843294000(WhatsApp, Viber & Line)

Mail: [email protected]

Location: Amrit Marg, Thamel, Kathmandu, Nepal