Nepal Now / Treks / Everest Base Camp / Cost
Cost breakdown · Everest Base Camp
Everest Base Camp Trek Cost: Permits, Guides and Teahouses
What the trek costs on the ground, one line at a time, with the operator page and date behind every figure. Nothing is averaged. Where operators disagree, you see both numbers.
The cost of Everest Base Camp is five bills, not one. Permits are the smallest and the most fixed. The flights to Lukla are the largest line that does not change with how long you walk. Staff, meaning a guide and a porter, scale with days. Trail spend, meaning rooms, meals, water, showers, charging and wifi, scales with days and climbs with altitude. Then come the costs before and after: visa, insurance, nights in Kathmandu, gear and tips. The table on this page prices each line from six pages we read in 2026. This section is about why the totals on those pages sit so far apart.
The spread is wide. One Kathmandu operator puts the whole trip at "USD 950 to USD 5,000 per person" for 2026/2027 and splits it by style: independent USD 950–1,200, guided group USD 1,250–1,800, private USD 1,800–3,000, and USD 3,000–5,000 or more for luxury lodges or a helicopter out.
Quoted · Nepal Hiking Team · EBC cost page
A second operator's 2026 page says "$1,500 and $8,000 per person".
Quoted · Follow Alice · EBC cost page
A neutral guide updated in August 2026 gives "between USD $800 and $2,000+ per person" for a group tour on any Nepal trek.
Quoted · Horizon Guides · Nepal trekking guide
A marketplace article dated 8 July 2026 costs a do-it-yourself fortnight at "$733.35". None of these is wrong. They price different trips.
Quoted · 10Adventures · Nepal trekking guide
Four things move the number most.
Flights. The Kathmandu–Lukla leg is quoted at USD 238 one way, USD 188 from Ramechhap, and "approximately USD 476" return. The road transfer to Ramechhap is USD 150 alone, falling to USD 25 with six or seven sharing. Fly both ways from Kathmandu and the fares alone come to half of the lowest independent budget on the same page.
Quoted · Nepal Hiking Team · EBC cost page
Staff. One page quotes a licensed guide at USD 25–35 a day and a porter at USD 20–25.
Quoted · Nepal Hiking Team · EBC cost page
Another quotes "$30–$40 per day" for a guide and "$20–$30 per day" for a porter, and totals the two for 12–14 days at "$400–$800". That total is most of the gap between the independent and guided-group bands.
Quoted · Follow Alice · EBC cost page
Group size. Package prices step down as the group grows. One 14-day package is USD 1,550 for one person, USD 1,500 for two or three, USD 1,450 for four to nine and USD 1,380 for ten to fourteen.
Quoted 2026 · Ace the Himalaya · EBC trip page
A 16-day package runs from USD 1,595 alone to USD 1,350 in a group of eleven to fifteen.
Quoted · Nepal Hiking Team · EBC cost page
A 15-day trip with a large international operator starts at USD 1,610 for departures from January 2027.
Quoted 2026 · Intrepid Travel · EBC trip page
Altitude. Everything bought on the trail costs more the higher it is carried. Rooms are quoted at USD 7–12 below Namche and USD 20–25 at Lobuche and Gorak Shep; boiled water at NPR 150 a litre low down and NPR 450 at Gorak Shep; a device charge at USD 3–10 at altitude.
Quoted · Nepal Hiking Team · EBC cost page
The archive saw the same in September 2015. Namche was "atleast thrice as expensive as the capital city Kathmandu because of its remote location and inaccessibility to goods."
Recorded · Isha Balla · Everest - A Dream Come True
Reading a quote against the table. Start from the package price and ask which lines it swallows. Both Lukla flights? The Ramechhap transfer, which one operator provides "at no additional cost" and another prices separately?
Quoted 2026 · Intrepid Travel · EBC trip page
All meals, or some? The archive kept one operator's 2016 rule: "Meals eaten as a group are included; meals during free afternoons are at the guest's expense."
Recorded · Raj Thapa · Trekking in Nepal with Intrepid
Then add what no package includes: visa, insurance, tips, gear hire and Kathmandu nights. Those lines are in the table. A low quote that leaves them out is not low; a high one that includes a helicopter out is a different trip, not a worse deal.
Keep a margin for delay. In August 2015 "all flights were cancelled for the rest of the week".
Recorded · Nepal Hiking Team · Trekking to Everest Base Camp
In September 2016 a group "spent three days waiting in the Kathmandu airport for the weather to clear, but it never cleared, so we hired a helicopter."
Recorded · Isha Balla · Reaching the top of the world at 71
One operator budgets "an extra US$500 for emergencies".
Quoted 2026 · Intrepid Travel · EBC trip page
For what the diaries said about the companies they walked with, see Everest Base Camp operators. For how these lines compare across routes, see Nepal trek cost.
The cost of Everest Base Camp is five bills, not one. Permits are the smallest and the most fixed. The flights to Lukla are the largest line that does not change with how long you walk. Staff, meaning a guide and a porter, scale with days. Trail spend, meaning rooms, meals, water, showers, charging and wifi, scales with days and climbs with altitude. Then come the costs before and after: visa, insurance, nights in Kathmandu, gear and tips. The table on this page prices each line from six pages we read in 2026. This section is about why the totals on those pages sit so far apart.
The spread is wide. One Kathmandu operator puts the whole trip at "USD 950 to USD 5,000 per person" for 2026/2027 and splits it by style: independent USD 950–1,200, guided group USD 1,250–1,800, private USD 1,800–3,000, and USD 3,000–5,000 or more for luxury lodges or a helicopter out.
Quoted · Nepal Hiking Team · EBC cost page
A second operator's 2026 page says "$1,500 and $8,000 per person".
Quoted · Follow Alice · EBC cost page
A neutral guide updated in August 2026 gives "between USD $800 and $2,000+ per person" for a group tour on any Nepal trek.
Quoted · Horizon Guides · Nepal trekking guide
A marketplace article dated 8 July 2026 costs a do-it-yourself fortnight at "$733.35". None of these is wrong. They price different trips.
Quoted · 10Adventures · Nepal trekking guide
Four things move the number most.
Flights. The Kathmandu–Lukla leg is quoted at USD 238 one way, USD 188 from Ramechhap, and "approximately USD 476" return. The road transfer to Ramechhap is USD 150 alone, falling to USD 25 with six or seven sharing. Fly both ways from Kathmandu and the fares alone come to half of the lowest independent budget on the same page.
Quoted · Nepal Hiking Team · EBC cost page
Staff. One page quotes a licensed guide at USD 25–35 a day and a porter at USD 20–25.
Quoted · Nepal Hiking Team · EBC cost page
Another quotes "$30–$40 per day" for a guide and "$20–$30 per day" for a porter, and totals the two for 12–14 days at "$400–$800". That total is most of the gap between the independent and guided-group bands.
Quoted · Follow Alice · EBC cost page
Group size. Package prices step down as the group grows. One 14-day package is USD 1,550 for one person, USD 1,500 for two or three, USD 1,450 for four to nine and USD 1,380 for ten to fourteen.
Quoted 2026 · Ace the Himalaya · EBC trip page
A 16-day package runs from USD 1,595 alone to USD 1,350 in a group of eleven to fifteen.
Quoted · Nepal Hiking Team · EBC cost page
A 15-day trip with a large international operator starts at USD 1,610 for departures from January 2027.
Quoted 2026 · Intrepid Travel · EBC trip page
Altitude. Everything bought on the trail costs more the higher it is carried. Rooms are quoted at USD 7–12 below Namche and USD 20–25 at Lobuche and Gorak Shep; boiled water at NPR 150 a litre low down and NPR 450 at Gorak Shep; a device charge at USD 3–10 at altitude.
Quoted · Nepal Hiking Team · EBC cost page
The archive saw the same in September 2015. Namche was "atleast thrice as expensive as the capital city Kathmandu because of its remote location and inaccessibility to goods."
Recorded · Isha Balla · Everest - A Dream Come True
Reading a quote against the table. Start from the package price and ask which lines it swallows. Both Lukla flights? The Ramechhap transfer, which one operator provides "at no additional cost" and another prices separately?
Quoted 2026 · Intrepid Travel · EBC trip page
All meals, or some? The archive kept one operator's 2016 rule: "Meals eaten as a group are included; meals during free afternoons are at the guest's expense."
Recorded · Raj Thapa · Trekking in Nepal with Intrepid
Then add what no package includes: visa, insurance, tips, gear hire and Kathmandu nights. Those lines are in the table. A low quote that leaves them out is not low; a high one that includes a helicopter out is a different trip, not a worse deal.
Keep a margin for delay. In August 2015 "all flights were cancelled for the rest of the week".
Recorded · Nepal Hiking Team · Trekking to Everest Base Camp
In September 2016 a group "spent three days waiting in the Kathmandu airport for the weather to clear, but it never cleared, so we hired a helicopter."
Recorded · Isha Balla · Reaching the top of the world at 71
One operator budgets "an extra US$500 for emergencies".
Quoted 2026 · Intrepid Travel · EBC trip page
For what the diaries said about the companies they walked with, see Everest Base Camp operators. For how these lines compare across routes, see Nepal trek cost.
Four ways to do it
| Trek style | Per person, USD | Best for | What it covers | Sources |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Independent, no guide or porter | 950–1,200 | Experienced trekkers who carry their own bag and book lodges on arrival | Permits, flights, lodging, food. No staff, no safety net. | Nepal Hiking Team |
| Guided group, teahouse | 1,250–1,800 | Most first-time EBC trekkers | Licensed guide, porter shared between two, permits, flights, lodges, meals. Group sizes 2–12. | Nepal Hiking Team · Ace the Himalaya · Intrepid Travel |
| Private guided | 1,800–3,000 | Couples, families, anyone who wants their own pace | Own guide and porter, itinerary can flex around weather and acclimatisation. | Nepal Hiking Team |
| Luxury lodges or helicopter return | 3,000–5,000 | Short on time; comfort matters more than budget | Heated lodges where they exist, helicopter out from Gorak Shep or Kala Patthar. | Nepal Hiking Team · Ace the Himalaya · Follow Alice |
Line by line
1 USD ≈ NPR 133 used for display only; operators quote in USD or NPR as shown in the source column.
| Item | As quoted | Unit | Sources |
|---|---|---|---|
| Permits | |||
| Sagarmatha National Park entryNPR 1,500 for SAARC nationals. Bought at Monjo or in Kathmandu. | NPR 3,000 | per person | Nepal Hiking Team Updated 24 Jul 2026 · Ace the Himalaya Cost for 2026 and 2027 · Follow Alice 30 Jun 2026 |
| Khumbu Pasang Lhamu Rural Municipality permitIssued in Lukla (or Monjo). Replaced TIMS in the Khumbu in 2018. | NPR 3,000 | per person | Nepal Hiking Team Updated 24 Jul 2026 · Ace the Himalaya Cost for 2026 and 2027 · Follow Alice 30 Jun 2026 |
| TIMS cardOperators disagree: Nepal Hiking Team says not required for Lukla–EBC; Ace the Himalaya lists NRS 2,000. Budget for it, expect not to need it. | NPR 0–2,000 | per person | Nepal Hiking Team Updated 24 Jul 2026 · Ace the Himalaya Cost for 2026 and 2027 |
| Getting there | |||
| Kathmandu–Lukla flight, one wayUSD 238 from Kathmandu, USD 188 from Ramechhap. Most peak-season flights use Ramechhap (4–5 h by road from Kathmandu). | USD 188–238 | per person per leg | Nepal Hiking Team Updated 24 Jul 2026 · Follow Alice 30 Jun 2026 |
| Kathmandu–Ramechhap road transferUSD 150 alone falling to USD 25 with six or seven sharing. | USD 25–150 | per person, shared | Nepal Hiking Team Updated 24 Jul 2026 |
| Staff | |||
| Licensed guideIncludes the guide's own food, lodging and insurance when hired through an agency. Ask. | USD 25–40 | per day | Nepal Hiking Team Updated 24 Jul 2026 · Follow Alice 30 Jun 2026 · 10Adventures 8 Jul 2026 |
| PorterCarries up to about 20–25 kg, usually two trekkers' bags. Check the weight limit in writing. | USD 20–30 | per day | Nepal Hiking Team Updated 24 Jul 2026 · Follow Alice 30 Jun 2026 |
| On the trail | |||
| Teahouse roomUSD 7–12 below Namche, 10–15 in Namche, 15–20 from Dingboche, 20–25 at Lobuche and Gorak Shep. Rooms are often near-free if you eat in. | USD 7–25 | per night | Nepal Hiking Team Updated 24 Jul 2026 |
| MealsPrices climb with altitude. Dal bhat NPR 600–1,000; porridge NPR 500. | USD 25–50 | per day | Nepal Hiking Team Updated 24 Jul 2026 · Follow Alice 30 Jun 2026 · Intrepid Travel departures from Jan 2027 · 10Adventures 8 Jul 2026 |
| Drinking waterBoiled water NPR 150–450 a litre; bottled up to USD 6 high up. Purification tablets cost less than one day of bottles. | USD 1–6 | per litre | Nepal Hiking Team Updated 24 Jul 2026 · Follow Alice 30 Jun 2026 · Ace the Himalaya Cost for 2026 and 2027 |
| Hot shower | USD 2–15 | each | Follow Alice 30 Jun 2026 · Ace the Himalaya Cost for 2026 and 2027 · Nepal Hiking Team Updated 24 Jul 2026 · Intrepid Travel departures from Jan 2027 |
| Charging a deviceNPR 250 per charge quoted by Intrepid; more above Dingboche. | USD 1–10 | per charge | Follow Alice 30 Jun 2026 · Ace the Himalaya Cost for 2026 and 2027 · Nepal Hiking Team Updated 24 Jul 2026 · Intrepid Travel departures from Jan 2027 |
| Wi-FiEverest Link cards NPR 600–800 for 6 GB. | USD 5–15 | per day or card | Follow Alice 30 Jun 2026 · Ace the Himalaya Cost for 2026 and 2027 · Nepal Hiking Team Updated 24 Jul 2026 · Intrepid Travel departures from Jan 2027 |
| Before and after | |||
| Travel insurance with helicopter evacuation to 6,000 mWithout it a rescue flight is USD 4,000–6,000, paid up front. | USD 100–250 | per trip | Follow Alice 30 Jun 2026 · Nepal Hiking Team Updated 24 Jul 2026 |
| Nepal visa on arrivalUSD 30 for 15 days, USD 50 for 30 days, USD 125 for 90 days. Take 30 days. | USD 30–125 | per person | 10Adventures 8 Jul 2026 · Ace the Himalaya Cost for 2026 and 2027 · Nepal Hiking Team Updated 24 Jul 2026 |
| Kathmandu hotel, three-starTwo nights before, one or two after. | USD 40–70 | per night | Nepal Hiking Team Updated 24 Jul 2026 |
| Gear rental in ThamelSleeping bag USD 35, down jacket USD 35 for the trek. | USD 30–100 | per trip | Ace the Himalaya Cost for 2026 and 2027 · Nepal Hiking Team Updated 24 Jul 2026 |
| Tips for guide and porterGuide USD 8–15 a day, porter USD 5–10 a day; Ace suggests 10% of the trip price. | USD 100–200 | per trekker | Nepal Hiking Team Updated 24 Jul 2026 · Ace the Himalaya Cost for 2026 and 2027 |
Your estimate
What operators charge
Published package prices, as printed, for comparison with the estimate above. Not recommendations.
Ace the Himalaya · 14 days
1 person USD 1,550; 2–3 USD 1,500; 4–9 USD 1,450; 10–14 USD 1,380
Quoted· Cost for 2026 and 2027
Nepal Hiking Team · 16 days
1 person USD 1,595; 2–6 USD 1,525; 7–10 USD 1,450; 11–15 USD 1,350
Quoted· Updated 24 Jul 2026
Intrepid Travel · 15 days
From USD 1,610
Quoted· departures from Jan 2027
What it cost before
Prices recorded in this archive between 2015 and 2023, as written then.
Prices the archive recorded on the Everest trail, newest first. None is current. They show what each line cost when the site was writing, and how far it has moved.
-
“If the thought of flying on a small plane into a short airstrip and the cost of the flight (about US$330 or RM1,340) are concerns, ABC could be the better option…”
Recorded · Isha Balla
-
Daily trail spend, 2015 season
“Pretty much the only thing you will spend money on is food, room charges, and the occasional beer. Prices tend to vary from $15-25 a day.”
Recorded · Isha Balla
-
Basic lodges, October–November 2015
“Their journey took them through a number of tiny settlements where they stayed at basic lodges for $2 a night and home cooked meal.”
Recorded · Supriya Rai
-
“Apparently, this place is the most expensive place in Nepal, atleast thrice as expensive as the capital city Kathmandu because of its remote location and inaccessibility to goods.”
Recorded · Isha Balla
-
Wifi card, Machhermo, November 2015
“Upon reaching Machhermo, Anto bought a card from Everest Link for 800 rupees. 800 rupees was worth 500 MB internet.”
Recorded · Isha Balla
-
“Everest Base Camp Trek is a 15-day journey through the Himalayas, and includes return flights from Kathmandu to Lukla as well as guesthouse accommodation, some meals, and local guides. Prices start from $1296 (excluding international flights).”
Recorded undated · an unnamed contributor
-
“20 US $ equivalent Nepalese Rupees must be paid to obtain TIMS Card from NTB offices or TAAN offices which issue TIMS card only for Free Individual Trekkers (FIT)”
Recorded undated · an unnamed contributor
-
“DoT charges each foreign climber of US$ 11,000 to issue a climbing permit for Mt Everest in the spring season while permit fee varies for other mountains according to their height and location.”
Recorded undated · an unnamed contributor
Questions people ask
How much does the Everest Base Camp trek cost in total?
Between USD 950 and USD 5,000 per person on the widest 2026 operator range, which splits as USD 950–1,200 independent, USD 1,250–1,800 in a guided group, USD 1,800–3,000 private and USD 3,000–5,000 with luxury lodges or a helicopter out. Another 2026 page says "$1,500 and $8,000 per person". Package prices from three operators, and every line behind them, are in the table on this page.
Quoted · Nepal Hiking Team · EBC cost page
Quoted · Follow Alice · EBC cost page
The archive's only package figure is from 2015: "Prices start from $1296 (excluding international flights)" for a 15-day trip with Lukla flights, guesthouses, some meals and local guides.
Recorded undated · an unnamed contributor · Recalling my trip to Nepal
Is Everest Base Camp cheaper without a guide?
On paper, yes. The 2026 independent band is USD 950–1,200 against USD 1,250–1,800 for a guided group, and the difference is staff: a guide at USD 25–35 a day and a porter at USD 20–25.
Quoted · Nepal Hiking Team · EBC cost page
The archive holds both choices. A pair spent "22 days on the Everest Base Camp Trek" in 2015 "all completely independently".
Recorded · Isha Balla · Memories of Everest Base Camp Trek
A Three Passes trekker who hired neither wrote that "the people who did were happy campers" and that "If you can afford it, it is always a good idea to hire a guide or porter."
Recorded · Isha Balla · 10 reasons to hike in Nepal
The archive holds no record of the current rules on trekking without a guide; see solo trekking rules and check with your operator. The case for each is set out in guide vs porter.
How much cash should I carry, and in what currency?
One operator says to carry "USD 200 to USD 300 equivalent in Nepali rupees" for extras on the trail.
Quoted · Nepal Hiking Team · EBC cost page
Another budgets "an extra US$500 for emergencies" and prices the trail in rupees: dal bhat NPR 600–1,000, a charge NPR 250, unlimited wifi NPR 500 for 12 hours.
Quoted 2026 · Intrepid Travel · EBC trip page
The archive priced the trail in rupees too, with wifi at "500 rupees" in Lukla and Namche in November 2015.
Recorded · Isha Balla · Is there WiFi on Everest Base Camp Trek?
On cash machines, the archive holds one line, from an app listing: it "notifies you about the ATM booth and lodges in a particular area". Nothing else on ATMs along the trail at any date.
Recorded undated · an unnamed contributor · Honey Guide App - A Complete Trekking Guide in Nepal
What does a flight to Lukla cost?
USD 238 one way from Kathmandu, USD 188 from Ramechhap, "approximately USD 476" return, plus USD 25–150 for the Kathmandu–Ramechhap road transfer depending on how many share. Excess baggage is NPR 150 per kilogram over 10 kg checked and 5 kg hand.
Quoted · Nepal Hiking Team · EBC cost page
Another page gives "$360–$450 USD" return.
Quoted · Follow Alice · EBC cost page
A shared helicopter seat is USD 450 each way.
Quoted 2026 · Ace the Himalaya · EBC trip page
The archive's one fare is from March 2016: "about US$330 or RM1,340". Ramechhap does not appear in the archive as a departure point at any date.
Recorded · Isha Balla · Should you do ABC or EBC?
The baggage allowance has not moved: a March 2014 diary recorded that "only 15 kg (5kg hand carry and 10 kg luggage) was allowed in domestic flight".
Recorded · Te Awhi · My Everest Base Camp Trek Diary with Icicles Adventure Treks
How much do guides and porters cost per day?
A guide at USD 25–35 and a porter at USD 20–25 a day on one 2026 page, which also prices an extra personal porter for the whole trek at USD 220.
Quoted · Nepal Hiking Team · EBC cost page
"$30–$40 per day" and "$20–$30 per day" on another, which totals guide plus porter for 12–14 days at "$400–$800".
Quoted · Follow Alice · EBC cost page
The archive holds no guide or porter day rate at any date. Its one wage figure is from Kanchenjunga, not Khumbu: porters "paid only approximately $50 for a total of 5 day walk" while carrying almost 50 kg each, in October 2015.
Recorded · Isha Balla · Trek to Kanchanjunga
How much should I tip a guide and porter?
One operator suggests "USD 8 to USD 15 per day" for a guide and "USD 5 to USD 10 per day" for a porter, or "USD 100 to USD 180" per trekker over 12 days.
Quoted · Nepal Hiking Team · EBC cost page
Another asks a "minimum of 10% of the total trip cost", which on a USD 1,500 trip is USD 150.
Quoted 2026 · Ace the Himalaya · EBC trip page
The archive holds no tipping guidance of any kind. What it holds is a 2020 essay on porters' pay, whose "fortunes depend solely upon the generosity of the trekkers they serve."
Recorded · an unnamed contributor · Another American Works as a Porter