How Much Does it Cost To Trek To Nepal?

How Much Does it Cost To Trek To Nepal?

Heaven is a myth, Nepal is real. This line would be justified when you peek into this beautiful country of Himalayas. The country of Himalayas has other attractions than the mountains. If you are a trekking or traveling person, Nepal is one of the best countries you can travel to. The trekking conditions can range from easy to strenuous choosing according to your fortitude, stamina, and experience. 

The fast flowing rivers will be giving you company to almost every trail and trekking destination. So this experience should be a beautiful one. Adding to the fast-flowing river, you will be followed by verdant forests and by the end of forests, you will find villages consisting of people from different ethnic groups and their indifferent cultures. 

Walking through the forests and to the rugged tracks, trekking is a wonderful experience in Nepal. The flora bloom following different seasons. The scattered leaves and eye-catching rhododendron with several others blossoming flora sure make your experience joyous one. Walking through these beautiful trails, you will reach beautiful villages and get warm greetings from local people. Trekking is an almost all-season activity in Nepal. 

But top of all comes the cost in this beautiful as you will find this country rather cheap when compared to other countries. But the cost can be confusing in this country. The confusing costs might give your wallet a hard time. You will find it hard to trust companies as they offer different price ranges. 

While trekking in Nepal, you will have to pay for the permits, TIM cards, porters and guides and food, and accommodation. Apart from this, you will have to pay for transportation, personal shopping or any sort of charity. Here are general cost ideas for trekking in Nepal: 

1.Transportation: 

To commence any trek, you need to travel to the beginning point of the trek. The majority of the transportation expenses are shared by the expense during this travel. There are cars and jeeps services to some rural places before starting the trek. The means of transportation can be either by air or by roads. Traveling by bus is by far the cheapest means of transportation you will find in Nepal. 

While seeking for roadways, you will find cars and jeeps as well which are relatively cheaper compared to the fare of the bus. To reach the trailhead, there are several places where you can’t travel by bus. So you have to opt for air transportation. The airway is the most expensive means of transportation in Nepal.

The cost to reach the trailhead depends on the distance and time taken to reach the trailhead. Jeeps will cost you around $50-60 per person while traveling by bus costs you merely $30-35. While doing the Annapurna circuit, it will cost you $60-70 including transport leg from Muktinath to Pokhara which is expensive.

The cost of flights can range from $240-250 and depends on the destination. It will cost you about $160-190 to reach Lukla from where you commence your trek to Everest Base Camp. you can travel by bus to Jiri and start the trek to Everest. This would save you money but your trek days will increase by almost a week. The price of transportation is different as per the destinations.

2.Trekking permit charge:

You will need permits to visit different places if you are a foreigner. So before you start your trek, you make sure you gather information about every type of permit you will need during the trek. The number of permits might be up to two or three depending on your destination. 

You will have to pay for Trekkers Information Management Systems (TIMS) as well. Entry permits while entering any restricted area is the last permit you will have to pay for. It will require you $20-40 for every entry while trekking in Annapurna, Khumbu and Langtang region along with a TIMS card.

TIMS cards are blue or green depending upon the type of trekkers, green for independent trekkers and blue for trekkers who are part of a group. The insurance documents and passport-size photographs are required to apply for these permits. TIMS cards are available in Kathmandu and Pokhara. Several areas are restricted and they require special trekking permits.

The places like Dolpo, Upper Mustang, Manaslu, Tsum Valley, Nar Phu, and Kanchenjunga require this special permit. Your travel agency will get your trekking permits ready. TIMS is not necessary here but while trekking in rural areas, it will be very hard for you to trek alone. A porter or guide is a must. 

If you are making plans to climb mountain peaks, you will need to acquire climbing permits as ell. It is a must if you climb the peaks between 5650-6500 meters altitude. It will cost $350 for one to four members and the cost increases $40 for the next four members.   

3. Cost of guides and porters: 

With a large backpack, it will be hard for you to climb places whilst carrying the backpack. So it will be easier for you if you have a porter by your side. While having guides and porters will increase your cost, it is recommended to have them if you are trekking to some difficult destinations. 

Generally, the traveling agencies have experienced guides and they will manage porters as well. But when it comes to independent trekkers, make sure you enquire about the services before hiring them. Also, you must make sure that the guide has correct information about places before plunging into the trek.

To guarantee yourself a proper guide, make sure the guide is associated with TAAN. Guides will share knowledge about the places you are about to visit and crack jokes at times. You will enjoy their company and it will cost you $20-25 to hire them for a day. Meanwhile, potters charge you based on the weight of your load.

You might have to spend almost $15-20 per day to carry a maximum of 10 kg load. But the cost might depend on the trekking routes. 

4. Accommodation: 

The price of accommodation varies greatly. The cost of accommodation with an increase in elevation. So it will cost you more while trekking in the Himalayas. The accommodation is cheaper during the start of the trek and the prices vary according to the season. The price is higher in the peak season when compared to the off-season. The prices vary according to the comfort and facilities in the guest houses as well. This is a place where you can tweak your costs. 

There are several types of accommodations like tea houses, camps, and homestays. Tea houses are located in the hills and mountains and can cost up to $5-10. But there are budget tea houses as well which ranges from $2-5 as well. Camps can be done at any place. 

But while trekking, you might have to stay at places where there are no hotels at all. At places like these, you will need camps. Homestays offer you cultural insight as well. These are constructed in local villages. 

5.Food and drinks cost: 

The cost of food and drinks vary in the same way as accommodation. Higher the altitude, the higher will be the cost of food and drinks. This is because of the cost of transportation to bring food to a higher altitude.

Selling food and drinks on daily price would not buy the vendors any profit. But be it anyplace, spending $15-20 will buy you three hot meals. The price is cheaper at the beginning of the trek. The price of food and drinks also depends upon the hotels. The cost also depends on your appetite and the number of meals and beverages you prefer. 

To cost the price of food and drinks, you can carry chocolates and energy drinks in your backpack.

 6.Miscellaneous:

There are other things as well that you need to carry that will enhance your cost while trekking in Nepal. The cost of your gadgets is not to be included. But for these gadgets, you will need extra batteries. 

A portable solar power bank is suggested while trekking in the Himalayas. It will be hard to find hot-shower in higher elevation and it will cost you extra bucks even if you find one. So it is better to pack some wipes or a small towel to freshen up yourself. Similarly, it will cost you an extra charge to use the Wi-Fi up in the Himalayas.

 Adding to these miscellaneous charges, you might get charged to charge your gadgets as well depending on the place you stay. If you willingly donate some money in monasteries and stupas, it is going to count as your expense as well. Tips to the porters and guides are not compulsory but their inevitable presence makes you feel like giving them some. Tipping them some money reflects satisfaction with the journey with them. 

But an easy approach to trekking in Nepal is contacting travel agencies before unraveling yourself into the trails. This might be more expensive than an independent approach but this approach is simple when it comes to managing your cost. International travel companies charge you more so it is better to go with reliable local travel agencies in Nepal.         

Comments