The short answer
- Typical guided tour
- About US$1,300 to US$2,500
- Length
- 12 to 14 days from Kathmandu
- Biggest single cost
- Return flights to Lukla
- Not usually included
- Visa, insurance, tips, drinks
The Everest Base Camp trek is one of the best value big adventures in the world, but the price varies a lot depending on how you go. A standard guided trek from Kathmandu, with flights to Lukla, permits, a guide, a porter and teahouse lodges, usually costs between about US$1,300 and US$2,500 per person.
Below is a breakdown of each cost so you can compare tours properly, plus the extras that are easy to forget. Prices are in US dollars and change from season to season, so treat them as a guide.
Cost breakdown
| Item | Typical cost (US$) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Sagarmatha National Park permit | About 25 | NPR 3,000 plus VAT |
| Khumbu municipality fee | About 15 to 25 | Paid at Lukla or Monjo |
| Return flights Kathmandu or Ramechhap to Lukla | About 380 to 460 | Foreigner fares, roughly 190 to 230 each way |
| Licensed guide | About 25 to 35 per day | Includes the guide's food and lodging on most tours |
| Porter (optional) | About 15 to 25 per day | Carries up to about 20 to 25 kg, often shared by two trekkers |
| Teahouse rooms | About 5 to 20 per night | Cheaper lower down, often free if you eat at the lodge |
| Meals | About 20 to 40 per day | Prices rise with altitude |
| Extras | About 5 to 15 per day | Hot showers, charging, wifi, snacks, boiled water |
| Tips for guide and porter | About 150 to 300 in total | Customary at the end of the trek |
Approximate prices per person for a 12 to 14 day trek, checked October 2026.
Add your Nepal tourist visa (US$50 for 30 days on arrival), travel insurance that covers helicopter rescue up to 6,000 metres, and a night or two in a Kathmandu hotel.
What a guided tour includes
Most multi-day Everest Base Camp tours bundle the big costs into one price: Lukla flights, permits, a licensed guide, lodges on the trail and airport transfers, and often porters and all meals on the trek. That makes the headline price look higher than doing it yourself, but you avoid paying each cost separately in cash.
When you compare tours, check four things: whether Lukla flights are included, whether meals on the trek are included, the number of acclimatisation days, and the size of the group. These explain most of the difference in price between tours.
Why prices vary
- Lukla flights. Some tours include them, some do not. In the busiest months many flights leave from Ramechhap, a four to five hour drive from Kathmandu, and tours usually include that transfer.
- Meals on the trek. Three meals a day can add US$300 to US$500 over two weeks if they are not included.
- Group size and private guides. Small group departures are cheaper per person. A private guide for one or two people costs more but lets you set the pace.
- Lodges. Standard teahouses are simple and shared bathrooms are common. Some tours use upgraded lodges with private bathrooms in Lukla, Phakding and Namche Bazaar.
- Helicopter return. Flying back from Gorak Shep or base camp by helicopter saves three days of walking but adds hundreds of dollars per person.
How to save money
- Trek in late November, early December or March, when some tours offer lower prices.
- Share a porter with a friend rather than hiring one each.
- Bring a water filter or purification tablets instead of buying bottled water, which gets expensive higher up.
- Carry a power bank. Charging phones and cameras costs extra in most lodges.
- Compare tours by what is included, not by the headline price alone.
Tip: Carry enough Nepali rupees in cash for the whole trek. There are ATMs in Lukla and Namche Bazaar but none higher up, and they do not always work.
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Frequently asked questions
How much does the Everest Base Camp trek cost?
A guided 12 to 14 day trek from Kathmandu usually costs between about US$1,300 and US$2,500 per person, including Lukla flights, permits, a guide and lodges. Budget extra for your visa, insurance, tips and drinks.
Do I need a guide for Everest Base Camp?
Since 2023 Nepal's rules require most foreign trekkers in national parks to walk with a licensed guide, although enforcement has varied in the Everest region. Almost every multi-day tour includes a guide, which also makes the trek safer at altitude.
How much should I tip my guide and porter?
There is no fixed rule, but many trekkers give around 10 to 15 percent of the trek cost, shared between the guide and porters, at the end of the trek. Your tour operator can suggest an amount.
Is the Lukla flight included in tour prices?
Usually, but not always. It is one of the biggest costs of the trek, so check the inclusions of every tour you compare.
About the author
Ananda Dhital
Ananda Dhital is the CEO and Managing Director of Travel Gateway Pvt Ltd, a travel company based in Kathmandu that organises treks, tours, rafting, peak climbing and day trips across Nepal, Tibet, Bhutan and the wider Himalaya.
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