Trekking is a wholesome experience. This experience gets even better if you are trekking to Everest Base Camp. But in order to complete the trek, you need to prepare in advance. One way of preparing is to determine the cost of trekking to Everest Base Camp.
Everest Base Camp is one of the iconic trekking destinations in the world. Places like Tengboche, Gorak Shep, and Kala Patthar are wonderful destinations where you can view the majesty of the Himalayas in the Everest Region.
But the temperature in these regions is quite low and you should pay special attention to the clothing. In addition, there will be costs related to trekking permits, accommodation, and food. Besides, there are miscellaneous expenses as well.
There are various types of the cost incurred for Everest base camp trekking, Different cost applies for different things and a different cost applies for the different duration of the trek. The Everest base camp trek cost per day would be 50 above USD and flight cost is 350USD per person
So let us look at all these factors that contribute to the Everest Base Camp trek cost in detail.
Length of the Everest Base Camp Trek
Everest Base Camp trek can be completed in the various number of days. The classic Everest Base Camp trek lasts around 2 weeks in length. However, the short Everest Base Camp trek takes less than 2 weeks.
Jiri to Everest Base Camp trek lasts for around 24 days. Similarly, there are other trekking options in the Everest region like Everest High Passes trekking or Gokyo Valley trek. All of these treks take a different number of days to complete. Everest panorama trekking 9 days, Everest base camp via Gokyo Cho-la past 15 days. Renjo-la passes with Gokyo trekking 13 days Everest Base camp short trek and many different others too.
With the increase in the number of days, there will be a proportionate increase in the cost of the accommodation as well as food. So the length of the Everest Base Camp trek determines the cost.
Cost of Food and Accommodation
There are various types of accommodation during the Everest Base Camp trek. You can stay in basic tea houses as well as luxury hotels during your stay. The quality of the places you stay in is also a detriment to the cost of the Everest Base Camp trek.
Besides, the cost of accommodation is also determined by what kind of rooms you choose for yourself. Single, double, or triple bedrooms cost higher than common rooms.
You can find accommodations and food for US$ 25 - US$ 35 per day. There is also the possibility of you having to share your rooms with other trekkers in peak seasons.
In offseasons, you won’t have problems finding accommodation. You can also ask for extra blankets as well as mattresses during off-seasons.
Food generally costs around US$ 10 - US$ 20 per meal. The price of the food will differ according to what you want to eat. Continental and American food generally cost higher than typical Nepalese food.
Cost of Permits and Entrance Fees
Various permits will be needed for you to trek to Everest Base Camp.
You must get a Sagarmatha National Park permit, which costs around the US $ 34. You also had to get a TIMS card to trek in the Everest Region in the past. But now you can get a local permit in Luka which costs the US $ 20.
Finally, you also need Gaurishankar Conservation Area Permit if you planning to trek to EBC from Jiri. This costs the US $ 20 in Kathmandu and US $ 40 in Shivalaya.
Cost Round Trip Flights from Kathmandu to Luka
You also have to purchase flight tickets to and from Lukla in order to complete the Everest Base Camp trek. The cost of a flight ticket from Kathmandu to Lukla is US $ 177. The cost of the flight back from Lukla to Kathmandu is the same.
Cost Guides and Porters
Guides and porters will be extremely handy while trekking to Everest Base Camp. Guides help you get close to the culture of the region and help you understand the cultural and historical significance of the various places along the way.
You must consult a trekking company to hire a guide as well as a porter. Trekking companies have registered guides. Guides will cost US $ 30 -US$ 40.
Similarly, don’t discount the importance of porters during your trek. Trekking for around 2 weeks can be quite tiresome, especially with your trekking bag. So you can hire a porter which will cost you US$ 20 - US$ 30 per day.
As all guides are capable of speaking English, you won’t have communication problems. Some of them are also proficient in speaking other European languages as well. So consult the trekking company which is arranging for your guides to know about their language skills.
Cost of Trekking Gear
You need to have proper trekking gear in order to complete the Everest Base Camp Trek. I have tried to enlist all the items you need for this trek below:
- Appropriate down jackets
- trekking boots
- winter hats and gloves
- Sunscreen
- sleeping bags
- trekking poles
- spacious backpacks
- Flash Dry Shirts
- Quick Dry Towel
- Polarized sunglasses with UV protection
- Toiletries
You can visit this page for a detailed guide to the packing list for the Everest Base Camp Trek
You can buy these items new. You can also rent these items in trekking stores. Renting these items will cost a lot lower than buying these items.
Cost of Travel Insurance
You never know what kind of things might go wrong while trekking to Everest Base Camp. There are possible threats of altitude sickness, muscle sprains, flight cancellations, etc. If things get really bad, you might also have to charter a helicopter that can cost thousands of dollars. So we advise you to get travel insurance before coming to Everest Base Camp.
Here is a list of some of the biggest names of companies that provide you travel insurance to Everest Base Camp.
- Travel Guard Insurance
- World Nomads
- Travelex Insurance Services
- Tugo Travel Insurance
- Atlas Travel Insurance
Travel insurance typically costs US$ 150 for 30 days. But you need to check what kind of things are covered in your travel insurance. Make sure that an evacuation of up to 6000 meters is included in your travel insurance.
Miscellaneous Expenses
There are a few miscellaneous expenses while trekking to Everest Base Camp. Let us take a look at some of them
Charging
Not all rooms are furnished with charging facilities during the Everest Base Camp trek. In order to charge your devices, you might have to pay around US $ 2 - US $ 5. And even then, you might have to wait for your turn for hours. It is better if you get yourself a backpack charger or a power bank.
Tips
You might want to tip your guide, porter, or waiters during your trek. There is no limit to how much you need to tip. It all depends upon your personal preference.
Donations
You might visit some schools or monasteries during your trip. You might be tempted to help in the renovation or construction of these projects by making some donations. You are more than welcome to do that. There is no upper or lower bound to the donations you can make.
Conclusion
In this article, I have comprehensively mentioned the various costs you have to bear while trekking to Everest Base Camp. Make sure that you asses all the options above in accordance with your budget. You can save some money by staying in teahouses and renting the necessary gear. But if you have a large budget, you can buy all the items. After all, you can use them in later treks as well. So prepare your trek according to the costs and enjoy trekking to Everest Base Camp.
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