Faqs Everest Base Camp Budget Trek 16 Days

Yes, a Budget Everest Base Camp Trek is available for USD 990 to 1198. This will include an experienced guide and porter, jeep to and from Thamdanda via Salleri, all necessary permits which include TIMS and Sagarmatha National Park entry, and bed-and-breakfast accommodation throughout the trek. Without taking expensive flights, the itinerary is planned in such a way that you will have an affordable adventure without compromising on either safety or the authenticity of the experience. The package includes the cost of basic services, making it a good option for trekkers on a tight budget for Everest Base Camp. Other meals, personal expenses, and travel insurance are excluded from the price.

The Everest Base Camp Budget Trek by jeep drive to Thamdanda is an affordable alternative to the expensive Lukla flights. This 15-16 day trek offers stunning Himalayan views, iconic trails, and an authentic trekking experience while trying to keep costs to a minimum. It starts with a jeep ride from Kathmandu to Thamdanda via Salleri, followed by a picturesque trek via villages like Phakding, Namche Bazaar, Tengboche, Dingboche, and Gorakshep, up to Everest Base Camp (5,364 meters). The interesting moments will be while crossing suspension bridges, visiting monasteries, and making an ascent over Kalapatthar at 5,545 meters for breathtaking sunrise views overlooking Everest.

It also follows the same trail downwards to Thamdanda, continuing with another jeep drive back to Kathmandu. This budget-friendly option means avoiding flight expenses, therefore being cheaper and lengthening the adventure. Ideal for trekkers who have 15-16 days to have a longer, immersive journey into Nepal's iconic Everest Region.

Yes, you can skip the Lukla flight and drive by jeep from Kathmandu to Thamdanda via Salleri. This is an ideal route for those who want to travel by road. It is about 265 km in distance from Kathmandu to Salleri and takes about 8-10 hours by jeep, whereas it is a further 35 km to reach Thamdanda and another 3-4 hours by jeep. After finishing the Everest Base Camp trek, you head downward to Thamdanda-Salleri and drive a jeep all the way back to Kathmandu. Besides that, it will allow a different experience of the lower part of the Solukhumbu region by road.

To make your Everest Base Camp trek budget-friendly, take a jeep in and out via Salleri instead of flying to Lukla; save money on expensive flights. Stay in basic lodges, also called teahouses, along the trail rather than in upscale accommodations. Carry your light backpack yourself to avoid hiring a porter, but pack efficiently. For economizing, bring along a refillable water bottle, water purification tablets, and basic snacks-energy bars, dried fruits. Eat dal bhat-very filling and often 'with free refills'. A group will also split the costs of transportation or guides hired to a fraction of what individual trekkers pay for.

The prices to Everest Base Camp normally vary between USD 1,250-1,550 per person. This involves round-trip Lukla flights (the price for which is currently in the range of USD 350-400), permits for the Sagarmatha National Park and TIMS card for trekking (around USD 50-60), guide fees (USD 30-40 per day), and the cost of a porter (USD 20-30 per day). Accommodation in teahouses along the route, together with food, ranges from USD 25-35 daily. Other costs might include gear rental, tips, and Wi-Fi/charging services. Prices will differ based on the size of the group, season, and inclusions included in a package booked through a trekking agency.

Everest Base Camp Trek Cost Breakdown For guides, porters, permits, food, accommodation, and transfers, the price breakdown for the basic requirements of the Everest Base Camp Trek ranges between USD 1250–1550. Cost Breakdown Guide and Porter: Guide: 25–30 USD/day Porter: 15–20 USD/day Total in a package (12–14 days): 500–700 usd Trekking Permits: Sagarmatha National Park Entry Permit: 30 usd + 13% VAT = ~34 usd; Khumbu Pasang Lhamu Rural Municipality Permit: 25 usd;

Total: USD 59

Meals and Accommodation:

Meals (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner): USD 25–35 per day

Teahouse accommodation: USD 5–10 per night

Total for 12–14 days: USD 400–550

Lukla Flights (Roundtrip):

From Ramechhap: USD 160–180 per way

Roundtrip: USD 320–360

Transportation to/from Ramechhap (if applicable):

Private vehicle: USD 100–120 one way (split the cost if shared)

Shared jeep or local bus: USD 10–20 one way

Total roundtrip: USD 20–120

Other Personal Expenses:

Hot showers: USD 2–6 per shower

Charging electronic devices: USD 2–5 per device

Wi-Fi access (if required): $2–5 per session

Snacks, drinks, tips, and souvenirs: $100–150

Total Cost Estimate:

Basic Range: $1294–1534

Includes everything mentioned above but excludes travel insurance and gear (if you don't already own trekking equipment).

Would you like some tips on how to save money or some recommendations on what to pack?

Trekking to Everest Base Camp is quite cheaper for Nepali citizens compared to international trekkers. Below is the estimated cost for Nepali:

Accommodation and Food

Accommodation: Tea houses on the way charge about NPR 500–1,000 per night for a room. The cost of one meal is about NPR 500–1,000. So, for 12 days, it would cost about NPR 15,000–20,000.

Guide and Porter:

Guides: NPR 2,000–3,000 per day, and porters: NPR 1,500–2,000 per day. Hiring one for 12 days will cost NPR 18,000–36,000.

Trekking Permits:

TIMS Card: NPR 300, Sagarmatha National Park Permit: NPR 1,500.

Transportation:

Roundway flight from Kathmandu to Lukla: Nepali NPR 17,000–20,000 or public buses to Jiri or Salleri: around NPR 1,500.

Miscellaneous Costs:

Include NPR 5,000–8,000 for tea, snacks, and small expenses.

Estimated Total Cost: NPR 45,000–70,000.

You are suggested to read the following blog posts before you confirm your time schedule and book Everest base camp Trek ,

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If you do go through these blogs posts, you will have more authentic information and your Everest base camp trek will be successful and more memorable.

On the budget EBC trek, accommodation, food, guides/ports, and permits cost approximately $900. Budget for transportation to and from Surke at around $200-$250 each way. The teahouses charge about $5 to $10 per night, while meals range from about $5 to $15 per meal, depending on your elevation. Permits, including the Sagarmatha National Park Entry Permit ($30) and Khumbu Pasang Lhamu Rural Municipality Permit ($20), are mandatory. Hiring a guide costs $25–$35 per day, and a porter costs $15–$25 per day. Independent trekkers can lower costs by avoiding luxury lodges and minimizing personal expenses.

So the total cost of EBC Budget trek ranges between USD 1050-1250 per person.

The Budget Everest Base Camp trek takes 14-16 days round trip. The standard itinerary constituent of 8 days of ascension and 3 to 4 days of descending. The Budget EBC Trek route goes via Surke, Phakding-2,610 meters, Namche Bazaar-3,440 meters, Tengboche-3,860 meters, Dingboche-4,410 meters, Lobuche-4,940 meters, Gorak Shep-5,164 meters, to finally reach Everest Base Camp-5,364 meters starting from Surke. The descent is through the same route but faster. Acclimatization is usually in Namche Bazaar and Dingboche to avoid altitude sickness. Time: Weather, physical condition, and acclimatization determine how long it will take.

The major two permits that one needs for the Everest Base Camp trek are:

Sagarmatha National Park Entry Permit: It costs NPR 3,000 (~$30) per head and is issued in Kathmandu or Monjo.

The permit of Khumbu Pasang Lhamu Rural Municipality : It charges 2,000 NPR ( approx $20 ) per person. It's obtainable from Lukla to Monjo

A TIMS card is not necessary for a trek to the EBC trail any longer; These permits may be checked everywhere throughout the treking route via checkpoints at such areas as: Monjo - Namche Bazar. Ensure having copies with yourself of Passport and permits copies while on track always.

The Everest Base Camp Trek is moderate to challenging with its high altitude, steep ascents, and long trekking days. In total, this is a 130 km round trip with daily hikes from 5 to 8 hours. The highest point in the Kala Patthar viewpoint at 5,545 meters is one of the most popular viewpoints for Everest. The oxygen levels highly decrease here, increasing the possibility of getting altitude sickness. Although no technical climbing skills are necessary, one needs to be pretty fit. It is advisable to train cardio, strength, and endurance exercises for at least 2–3 months in advance of the trek.

Budget trekkers stay in teahouses, which are basic lodges offering beds, blankets, and sometimes some communal dinning. Prices range from $5 to $10 per night in the lower altitudes but can increase to $15 or $20 at higher elevation stops like Gorak Shep. The price of showers is around $3-5, and electronic devices can be charged for $2 to $5 hourly. Rooms are usually shared with shared bathrooms. Bring a warm sleeping bag rated to -10°C or -20°C as it gets very cold at night.

As in any remote destination, as with altitude gain so does transportation costs increase with an increase in altitudes; as such a meal costing US $5-$8 in lowlands like Lukla and Namche will start becoming US$10-$15 at places that fall in high altitudes, for example, in Dingboche, Lobuche, or Gorak Shep.DAL BHAT(with an option for re-fills) NOODLES PASTA SOUPS MOMOS FRIED RICE EGGS. As meat is very expensive and not recommended too because of a lack of refrigeration, it's better to carry energy bars, nuts, and chocolates to reduce costs and extra energetic feelings.

The best times for the trek are pre-monsoon-the months of March to May-and post-monsoon-the months of September to November-when the weather remains clear and the visibility is incredibly good. As a budget traveler, one finds better prices for the off-season- winter months: Dec. Jan and Feb, but extreme cold or excessive rain/snow makes trekking difficult.  Ideally, spring and autumn are, but the rates are a tad higher due to demand.

Altitude sickness is a huge concern as the high elevations the trek deals with. The symptoms such as headaches, dizziness, nausea, and fatigue may appear above 3,000m. To prevent, one should:

Do a gradual ascent with acclimatization days-usually at Namche Bazaar and Dingboche.

Hydrate properly-3-4 liters per day.

Avoid alcohol and smoking.

Consider taking Diamox/Acetazolamide-after doctor consultation.

Immediately descend to a lower altitude if the symptoms worsen.

Emergency evacuation by helicopter from Gorak Shep or Pheriche costs $2,500–$5,000, hence insurance that covers high-altitude evacuation is needed.

• Do the trek independently with no agencies.
• Stay in basic teahouses and eat local food like Dal Bhat, which is all you can eat.
• Instead of buying bottled water, bring a water filter or purification tablets: $2-5 per liter.
• Divide into rooms and group together to save money on guide/porter costs.
• Book Lukla flights in advance to avoid peak season prices/you can go with jeep ride or bus ride to Salleri and Surke from Kathmandu.
• Rent or buy your gear in Kathmandu at the Thamel area instead of bringing everything from your home.
• With decent budgeting, it is possible for trekkers to go on a trek for $900-$1,200.

Key budget Everest trekking gear includes:

• Hiking boots: waterproof, ankle support
• Warm sleeping bag: -10°C to -20°C rated
• Clothing: layered, base, fleece, insulated, and waterproof outer layers
• Gloves, beanie, sunglasses
• Trekking poles: helpful for descents
• Headlamp: extra batteries
• Water bottle: filter/purification tablets
• Basic first aid kit: altitude sickness meds, bandages, etc.
• Renting gear in Kathmandu costs $1–$5 per item per day, significantly reducing expenses compared to buying new equipment.