The tour price is only part of what Everest Base Camp costs you. On top of it you pay for the flight, the visa, insurance, tips for the local crew and everything you buy on the trail. Below are the amounts from the April 2026 tour, so you can plan a realistic budget.
In short
| Cost | What it was in 2026 |
|---|---|
| The Everest Base Camp 2027 tour | €2,400 |
| Return flight Bucharest-Kathmandu | about €1,100 |
| Nepal visa, on arrival | USD 50 |
| Insurance, covering up to 6,000 m | €110 |
| Tips for the guide and porters | €150 |
| Spending on the trail, gear, souvenirs | up to you |
A realistic total, from leaving home to coming back, starts at about €4,600. How far above that you go depends on how much you like to spend and how many souvenirs you buy.
The flight
In 2026 I flew with Fly Dubai, changing in Dubai, and paid about €1,100 return. The price depends a lot on how early you buy. For the 2027 tour, the group flight is on 11 April.
The visa
The tourist visa for Nepal is issued on arrival at Kathmandu airport and costs USD 50 for 30 days. Take the dollars in cash, so you do not depend on cash machines.
Insurance
I took my insurance through the Austrian Alpine Club (Österreichischer Alpenverein), covering up to 6,000 m, and it cost €110. Whatever insurance you choose, check two things: that it covers trekking at the altitude you are going to, and helicopter evacuation. If you also climb Island Peak, at 6,189 m, a policy like mine is not enough: you need mountaineering insurance covering at least 6,200 m.
Gear
This is where costs vary most, because it depends on what you already have. A few ways to save:
- You can rent a sleeping bag at the destination. I recommend bringing your own liner, the thin inner bag, for hygiene.
- In the Kathmandu bazaar you can buy the pieces of gear you are missing at a decent price.
- Do not buy everything new. Borrow what you can from friends who go to the mountains.
On the trail
On the way to base camp almost everything is paid for separately, and prices rise with altitude, because everything is carried up by porters or animals. A few examples from 2026, at the highest altitudes:
| What | How much, in Nepalese rupees |
|---|---|
| Hot shower | up to 1,500 |
| Wi-Fi | 1,500-2,000 |
| Water | 800-900 |
| Sweets and soft drinks | around 1,000 |
| Charging your phone | 1,000 |
| Charging a power bank | 2,000 |
What you spend here depends only on your own needs. Some people shower every few days and go without internet, others want to be online every day.
Tips
For the guide and porters, the tip is €150 per person. We collect it as a group at the end and share it among the crew. It is given in euros or dollars.
What money to take
Take euros or dollars. Once there, you change some into Nepalese rupees for spending on the trail, and keep the tips in foreign currency.
Costs that can surprise you
The most common surprise is excess baggage on the flight to Lukla, where the weight limit is strict. If your bag is over the limit, you pay the difference. Weigh your bag at home before you leave.
The bottom line
For Everest Base Camp, start from a budget of about €4,600 for everything, with the flight, visa, insurance and tips included, and add what you expect to spend on the trail and on souvenirs.
