Many trekkers get scared after hearing about Everest Base Camp Trek Costs. But they must realize that benefiting from the modern amenities at the most remote place on earth is expensive. Also, trekking for 12 days of standard itinerary, three meals a day, extra accommodation services, the trek guides, trek porters, transportation, permit cost and more. Added all these at once, the price of over USD 1490 is minimal, given the quality of service and lifelong adventure you'll enjoy.
The average cost of an Everest Base Camp Trek is $1050,$1150,$1250,$1350 USD 1490. This price is for the standard EBC Trek Itinerary. However, added services like helicopter return or first hike, take a helicopter, and return ads up the cost.
Let's break down how much it costs to trek Everest Base Camp in 2023.
Currently, Everest region trekkers take flights from Ramechhpa to Lukla instead of Kathmandu. Hence, you need to take a drive to Ramechhap airport. The cost of Kathmandu to Ramechhap on a tourist bus is USD 30; both ways, it costs you USD 60.
The Ramechhap to Lukla flight is USD 160 one ways. And if you wish to take a helicopter from Kathmandu to Lukla, it costs you USD 500.
Three decent meals a day, breakfast, lunch, and dinner, in the Everest region cost USD 30 for an individual each day. While trekking for 12 days, you may spend around USD 360 on meals. Plus, this expense increases if you stop at Namche or Dingboche for multiple days for acclimatization.
As you hike closer to Everest Base Camp, the cost of meals also increases. As everything here is transported by carrying, it's expensive. However, you'll still get plenty of meal options, even at Gorak Shep and Lobuche.
If there's one thing cheaper about tea houses in the Everest region, it's undoubtedly the accommodation cost. While trekking here for 12 days, you'll pay somewhere between $80 to $100 for accommodation.
Only a few tea houses offer free overnight accommodation if you eat breakfast and dinner at the same tea house.
Most of the tea houses offer twin-sharing rooms. But, for the individual trekker, they also provide private rooms, which will be expensive. Many standard tea houses starting from Lukla to Dingboche, offer attached bathrooms. However, you will only get heated rooms anywhere except a few luxurious tea houses in Lukla and Namche Bazaar.
The cost of a hot water shower varies at different places while trekking to Everest Base Camp. However, on average, the hot water shower costs USD 5-7 or NPR 500-700.
Charging your mobile devices and power banks costs you USD 5-10. If you're charging your phone and camera batteries, it'll cost you NPR 500. However, a power bank to 100% recharge costs you USD 100. It's better to carry a powerful power bank and recharge it once instead of charging it daily.
Everest Link WiFi cards only offer internet access past Namche Bazaar. Until Namche, you'll benefit from using WiFi at a significantly low cost, around NPR 200. But, from Tengboche to Gorakshep, Everest Link is the only option for the internet, and it is expensive.
The 600 MB Everest link WiFi data costs NPR 500, whereas 1 GB data card costs you NPR 2000. We recommend you purchase the 600 MB data card because the internet doesn't work perfectly at high altitudes. Plus, the weather conditions dramatically impact the internet speed and performance.
The Three essential Everest Base Camp Trek Permits cost foreign nationals USD 70 or NPR 7000. For Indian Nationals, the two EBC Trek Permits can cost around NR 3000-4000. And for Nepali, only the Sagarmatha Conservation Area Permit is required, and expenses are NPR 100.
To avoid flights to Lukla and trek via Jiri/Salleri, you must access the Gaurishankar Conservation Area Project Permit. It costs USD 30 or NPR 3000.
You can get the Sagarmatha Conservation Area Project to permit at Monjo or Nepal Tourism Board. However, the Khumbu Pasang Lhamu Rural Municipality permit is only available at Lukla.
As there's no hard and fast rule for Nepali trekkers to hire a trekking guide, still, while trekking to Everest Base Camp, please hike with a trekking guide. And for foreigners, the Nepal government has mandated the compulsion of trekking guides for any trekking in Nepal.
On Everest Base Camp Hike, a trekking guide charges USD 30 or NPR 300 daily. With hiring a guide, you don't have to compensate for the accommodation and meals of the guide. The insurance of a trekking guide is also a must if you want to hire one. Hence, the insurance costs USD 30 or NPR 3000. And at the end of the trek, you must tip the trek guide at least 10% of the total expense.
Similarly, if you want to hire a trekking porter to carry your backpacks, you must pay USD 24 or NPR 2800 daily. It doesn't include the accommodation and meals of the porter. Porter manages his housing and dinners for the trek. It would help if you insured your trek porter also.
It's always best to plan your Everest Base Camp Hike in 2023 with a local travel agency in Nepal. An agency like Adventure Nepal Eco Treks has over a decade of experience guiding trekkers in the Everest region.
With our highly experienced trek guides, you'll have a wonderful Everest experience. Our trek guide will take good care of you throughout the trek.
What's the benefit, then? Well, a local agency plans the trek for you. The agency and trek guide makes the best itinerary, manages trek permits, gives you a trekking guide and porter for free, takes you to the best available tea house, feeds you healthy meals, and more. Also, you'll get helicopters and rescue on time if you're on EBC Trek with an agency like us.
Furthermore, the money you pay for the agency covers your transportation, flight tickets, airport pickup/drop services, includes a day of sightseeing tour in Kathmandu, and more.