It is a most asked question amongst the thrill seekers who wanted to visit Everest Base camp once in a lifetime. Whether you hike to Everest Base Camp on your own or with a guide will affect how much it will cost. In addition, numerous other considerations, such as the route you take, your meals and lodging, come into play. An average classic Everest Base Camp trek, which most hikers complete and begins in Lukla, can cost roughly *USD 1,200. Luxury expeditions to Everest Base Camp might run you between $3,300 and $4,500 per person. The price of the Everest base camp trek also depends on the days you choose. There are 12 Days Everest Base Camp Trek and 14 Days Everest base camp trek itinerary.
How much does it cost to trek to Everest Base Camp? Here are the expected cost breakdowns for the Everest Base Camp trip, including guide, porter fees, travel expenses, permits, and the cost of trekking supplies and transportation.
The cost of lodging
During the trek, you will mostly stay in basic teahouses known as teahouses. However, if you’ve signed up for a luxury journey, you’ll stay in the well facilitated lodges at some places. Major trekking hubs like Lukla, Phakding, and Namche Bazaar provide a wider range of lodging options.
The cost of a twin-sharing room in a basic teahouse ranges from USD 5 to USD 10 per day. It means, for a 12-day hike, your total accommodation costs will around USD 200. Luxury lodging can cost more between $200-250 per night.
Permit expenses
Trekkers are required to obtain two permits for Everest base camp trek that are Sagarmatha National Park Permit and Khumbu Pasang Lhamu Rural Municipality Entrance Permit.
Permit cost for SAARC countries: $30 per person for both permits
Permit cost for other countries: $45/per person for both permits
Cost of trekking equipment
The costs of the trekking gears are depending on the quality you choose. You can easily get all the qualities trekking equipment in Thamel. In the Himalayas, weather and terrain conditions might be difficult, so it makes sense to take quality equipment.
Backpacks, trekking poles, polarized sunglasses, route maps, torches, extra batteries, and rain jackets are all included in the list of trekking necessities. Additionally, the tools can be rented. Your total trekking equipment should cost you between USD 300 to USD 500.
Lukla flights or ground transports expenses.
Normally, a starting point of this trek is Lukla, and is often reached by flight from Kathmandu or Ramechhap. The approximate cost of the round trip flight is USD 390 per person.
Alternatively, from Kathmandu, you can take a local bus or jeep drive to Jiri or Salleri. After reaching Salleri or Jiri, you need to trek about 2-4 days to get. It is a legendary foothill trail that was followed by Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgey Sherpa in their Everest Expedition in 1953. The cost of hiring a jeep is from $150-200 and $12-15 for local bus ticket.
Cost of independent trip versus a guided tour
Local trekking companies in Kathmandu operate guided group tours to Everest Base Camp. If you trek with an organized group all of your logistics, including accommodations, foods, transportations, guide, permits and porters are arranged by the agency.
A fully guided trek ought to cost between USD 1,300 and USD 1,500. You can trek with both guide and porter, or only with porter who serves as both a guide and a porter for independent treks.
The cost of the independent trek can be varying, depending on how much you eat food and the lodging you choose. Normally, it would cost between $ 1000-1200 including all your meals, Lukla flights, porter, accommodations and foods during the trek.
Note: Trek to Everest Base Camp with an organized group through local agency or with local guide and porter is much safer than the independent hike.
Porter wages
If you need porters for the Everest base camp trek, you can hire them from Lukla. A porter from Lukla typically charges USD 20-25 per day and can communicate in English. A porter is advised if you are a novice trekker. Hiring a porter can make your trekking in Nepal more comfort and pleasurable.
Food and drink expenses
The costs of food are variable depending on what you choose in your meal. Food and water prices may increase as you go higher. There are plenty additional choices for meal, including soups, momos, fried rice noodles, and spring rolls. Pasta, pizza, or chicken sizzlers are also available at a high cost. You should expect to pay between USD 5-7 for a basic breakfast and USD 6–12 for lunch or dinner. Bottled water might cost anywhere between USD 1.5 to USD 4. You can refill your bottled with boiled or filtered water as an alternatives of buying bottled water.
Travel insurance costs
Having a full coverage of travel insurance is beneficial for Everest base camp trek in case of any losses or emergencies. Altitude sickness, mishaps, and canceled flights are additional scenarios that could be difficult. Due to this reason, travel insurance is required to reduce all of these hazards. You can purchase full coverage of insurance around $150-200 dollar that covers all your medical, health and emergency rescue services. It is highly recommended for your financial security.
