What Is The Cost Of Everest Base Camp Trek?
There are different types of packages available for Everest Base Camp trek in Nepal. The standard base camp trek or base camp trek with helicopter return, luxury EBC trek. The cost of standard EBC trek is USD$ 1385 per person at Base Camp Trip which is a trip of total 14 days. It includes cost of travel permits, TIMS cards, guide, potter, accommodation, meals, drinks, Lukla flights, airport pick up/ drop off, and the company's service charge.
The average cost of standard package of Everest Base camp trek is usually around USD $1200-$2000, whereas the luxury package ranges from USD $3000-$8000 which has higher quality lodges and meals, private guides and porter, extra acclimatization and helicopter transfers, Hotels in Kathmandu before/after trek.
Trekking Guide and Porter Cost:
Travelling without a trekking guide is very challenging. If you trek alone without any trekking guide or porter it will be very harsh on you and your health because of the hard terrains and altitude you may also be unaware of the route to EBC which will be a huge problem, without the local porters the trek will be challenging rather than enjoyment for you because of the load you will have to carry. Many problems may arise when you are trekking like altitude sickness or any other obstacles, in the case when you are travelling alone it will be harsh on you, when hiring local trekking guide and porter you will be taken care by them in such situations. So, hiring a trekking guide and porter will make your journey to the EBC more enjoyable and trouble free for you. They will accompany you making your journey more refreshing and fun.
The standard cost for a license trekking guide ranges from USD $30-$45 per day
The hard working porters who wil carry your heavy loads on their back to make your journey hassle free and more easy is around USD $20-$30 per day. Usually the weight carried by porter is limited to 25kg.
Accommodation Cost:
It is very essential to rest properly and sleep well. So, for that purpose you can book teahouses which are quite common among trekkers or Lodges as per your budget and comfort. In trekking seasons it is best for you to book them in advance because they usually remain packed and immediate booking is usually not available.
The standard tea houses rate changes upon the place you are in; stay in lower altitude villages are cheaper and the price increases as you go into the higher altitude regions. Tea houses in lower altitude villages charge about USD $5-$10 per night, mid altitude villages like; Namche bazaar will cost you about USD $10-$20 per night, in higher elevations expect to pay around USD $15-$30 per night, if you wish to choose rooms with private toilets or slightly better lodges you will have to pay a bit more than the average pricing.
If you prioritize comfort over budget then luxury lodges are also available which will be the best option if you seek comfort. Its price ranges from USD $60-$150+ depending upon villages and the season.
Trekking Permit Cost:
In order to go to Everest Base Camp you will need two types of permit;Sagarmatha National Park Entry Permit, Khumbu Pasang Lhamu Rural Municipality Permit which will can be obtained through registered trekking agencies or directly at the check posts in the region (Monjo/Lukla).
1.Sagarmatha National Park Entry Permit:
This permit will let you enter Sagarmatha National Park;
Cost per person of this permit s different according to the nationality;Foreign nationals are required to pay USD $25-$30, If you belong from SAARC nations you're required to pay USD $12-$15 and if you are Nepali citizen you are required to pay USD $1,
these mentioned prices aslo include 13% VAT .
2 .Khumbu Pasang Lhamu Rural Municipality Permit:
This local permit is mandatory for entering the Khumbu region (trail area from lukla onwards)
Foreign nationals are required to pay USD $15-$20, If you belong from SAARC nations you're required to pay USD $15-$20 and if you are Nepali citizen you are required to pay USD $1.
If you are travelling from Jiri to EBC you are required to pay Gaurishankar conservation area project entry permit which costs around USD $15-$20.
Cost of Meals and Drinks:
It is necessary for you to eat nutritious food to make yourself energetic and active which will make your trek more delightful and pleasant. While moving forwards towards our journey we will feel excited and our minds will get lost enjoying the beautiful sceneries from our eye due to which we may often forget to rest and have a proper meal which will affect our health, in such high altitude consumption of proper food is very necessary for our bodies to be healthy.
The most common food that trekkers eat is Khana Set ( serving of steamed rice and lentils along with green vegetables and pickle, you can also choose non vegetarian option where you can get chicken or goat as per your wish), it is nutritious and will give necessary vitamins, proteins to your body. The cost of food will vary upon where you are eating and what you are eating but on average a food will cost you about USD $20-$35 per day.
Also having a hot beverage at that high temperature will sooth your brain and give you energy. As we progress from lower to higher altitude the cost of foods and drink will gradually increase because of the cost of transportation of items. The prices will increase but they will be affordable. The cost for food and drinks vary upon what you consume and how much you consume, if you are open to drinking water from local taps then that is usually free but if you want to drink bottled mineral water it will cost you about USD $2-$4. If you want to have boiled water then there is usually extra charge of USD $1-2.
Flight for Lukla & Return cost:
Lukla airport is the main gateway for Everest Base Camp. There are a lot of flights for Lukla from Kathmandu on daily basis you can find. The flights only operate early in morning and are highly weather dependent. You can get flight from Tribhuwan International Airport for Lukla airport, usually priced at USD $215-$230(ONE-WAY) and USD $430-$460(ROUND TRIP) for foreigners. For Indian citizens it costs around USD $150–$230(ONE-WAY) and USD $300–$450(ROUND TRIP), For Nepali citizens it costs roughly USD $65 – $85(ONE-WAY) and USD $130 – $160(ROUND TRIP). In order to save money on flight it is highly recommended that you book your flights weeks ahead which will give you better price.
Miscellaneous Cost:
There are many extra costs in Himalaya region due to hard availability of various things which you usually would not expect;
- Boiled water; As above mentioned you are required to pay extra of USD $1-$2 for boiled water
- Internet; Many Tea houses and lodges will provide internet but not free of cost. You usually need to buy WIFI cards or vouchers to get access network. Prices will increase the higher you go up in altitude the WIFI cost ranges from USD $2-$8 per hour which varies on location. It is suggested to share WIFI or buy local SIM and use DATA instead in lower altitude villages to save your cost.
- Charging Expense; Like WIFI charging is available in Tea houses and lodges but cost extra money to do so, usually charging one device costs around USD $1-$4 depending upon the location
Equipment Cost:
While trekking to Everest Base Camp it is important that you have proper equipments for your own safety and ease. The cost of Equipment varies on what you plan to buy and take together with you. Even the minimal or budget setup will cost you around USD $400-$700 , if you want your trip to be more comfortable and want to buy better gears it will cost you roughly about USD $700-$1200, if you want to go all out with High End cameras, Premium clothes and Items, satellite/GPS phone, Carbon trekking poles, it will cost you USD $1500+. If you don’t trek very often and want to minimize the cost renting equipments like sleeping bag trekking poles and jackets will cut off big amount which will be saved.
Conclusion:
The cost of EBC trek varies on how many days you are going to spend in trek or by which local agency you choose to go, the guide and porter charges may also vary due to that. Other than this all other expenses are pretty much same no matter how many days you choose to spend in the trek.
Hope this information provided will be helpful for you to plan your trip to Everest Base Camp trek independently or with friends.
Base Camp Trip Pvt.ltd provides all these above mentioned facilities at affordable prices. You can visit the website and check out the prices and description of day to day break down of your EBC trek. If you have yet to book your EBC trek you can check it in the website with various packages for EBC trek
