“How much does it cost?” is the first question people ask us, and the honest answer is: it depends. On the trek, the season, the number of people and how you get to the starting point. This page details each item of expenditure, with the official 2026 rates for the visa and permits, and a calculator to estimate your budget excluding the agency’s services.
The budget for a trek in Nepal, item by item
1. The international flight
This is often the biggest item. From London or elsewhere in Europe, a return flight to Kathmandu usually costs between €700 and €1,200 with one stopover (Doha, Istanbul, Delhi, Abu Dhabi). From the US, allow roughly €1,000 to €1,800, often with two stopovers. From Australia, allow roughly €800 to €1,500, with a stopover in South-East Asia or the Gulf. Prices rise in October-November, the high season, and around the holidays. Booking 3 to 5 months ahead often saves €200 to €300.
2. The visa
Visa on arrival: $30 for 15 days, $50 for 30 days, $125 for 90 days. Free for children under 10. All the details are in our visa guide.
3. Trekking permits
From €20 for a national park to $500 for ten days in Upper Mustang or Upper Dolpo. The calculator below adds them automatically according to the region. The agency obtains them and they are included in the quote: they appear here so that you understand why prices differ between two regions. See the permits guide.
4. Insurance
Compulsory to travel with us: it must cover trekking up to the altitude of your trek and helicopter evacuation, which costs $3,000 to $5,000 without insurance. Allow €60 to €150 for two to three weeks, depending on the insurer and the altitude covered. Bank card cover and standard travel insurance often stop at 3,000 m: check.
5. Gear
If you are starting from scratch, good boots, a down jacket and a sleeping bag with a comfort rating of -10 °C come to €400 to €700. If you already walk in the mountains, you probably need very little. In Kathmandu, the Thamel district sells decent down jackets and sleeping bags for €30 or €40; you can also rent them. Our gear list tells you what to buy and what to leave behind.
6. Spending in Nepal
During the trek, meals and nights are included. That leaves the small extras in the lodges, which cost more the higher you go: a hot shower €3 to €6, a phone charge €2 to €5, wifi €3 to €6, a beer €5 to €8, a chocolate bar €2 to €4. Allow €10 to €15 per trekking day. In town, a meal costs between €3 (dal bhat in a local restaurant) and €12 (a restaurant for travellers in Thamel), a taxi in town €3 to €6, and entry to the sites of the valley €8 to €12.
7. Tips
They are not compulsory, but they are expected, and they matter to the porters. The custom is €8 to €12 a day for the guide and €5 to €8 a day for a porter, shared between the members of the group. On a 12-day trek for two, that comes to around €100 to €150 per person.
8. The agency’s services
French- or English-speaking guide, porters, permits, transport in Nepal, lodge nights and meals during the trek: this is what the agency’s price covers. It ranges from €250 per person for the Kathmandu Valley (5 days) to €1,650 for Everest Base Camp, flights to Lukla included, and €3,850 for Upper Dolpo as a camping trek. The starting price of each trek is shown on its page, with the list of what is included. The price per person drops sharply from two people, because the guide is shared. It also varies with transport: a private jeep or a domestic flight (Lukla, Jomsom, Juphal) costs more than a bus. Describe your plans to us and we will send you a price within a few days.
Calculate your total budget
Estimate the total budget of your trek
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The agency price is the starting price per person shown on each trek page: it includes the guide, porters, permits, lodge nights, meals during the trek and the transport in the itinerary. The visa is calculated at the official 2026 rate. The rest is an average estimate that you can adjust. The exact price is confirmed in a free quote.
The cost of living in Nepal in 2026, as a guide
| Expense | In Kathmandu or Pokhara | In the mountains (lodge) |
|---|---|---|
| Dal bhat (full Nepali meal) | €2–4 | €5–9 |
| Meal in a restaurant for travellers | €6–12 | — |
| 1 L bottle of water | €0.20–0.40 | €1–4 (purifying your water is better) |
| Milk tea / coffee | €0.50–2 | €1.50–4 |
| Night in a double room | €15–40 (simple to comfortable hotel) | €3–10, often included if you eat dinner there |
| Hot shower | included | €3–6 |
| Battery charging | included | €2–5 |
| Wifi | included | €3–6 per day |
| Taxi in town | €3–6 | — |
| SIM card with data (30 days) | €5–10 | partial coverage |
These ranges are what our clients see in 2026. They vary with the exchange rate and the season. The currency is the Nepalese rupee (NPR); ATMs in Kathmandu and Pokhara accept international cards, with a limit of about NPR 35,000 per withdrawal and fees. There are no ATMs in the mountains: get your cash before you set off.
Frequently asked questions
Should I pay in dollars or euros?
The visa and restricted area permits are charged in dollars. In Nepal, everything is paid in rupees. The agency draws up its quotes in dollars, its reference currency, and accepts payment in euros at the day’s rate.
Is a trek in Nepal cheaper through a local agency?
Yes, usually by a wide margin. A tour operator in your own country resells a Nepali agency’s trek with its own margin and costs on top. By dealing directly with the agency in Kathmandu, you pay the guide, the porters and the lodges at local rates, and you talk to the person who will walk with you.
How much cash should I take on a trek?
Count your personal spending (€10 to €15 a day), the tips, and a reserve of €100 to €150 for the unexpected. Withdraw cash in Kathmandu in several goes, in small notes.