Nepal Trekking Costs by Route in 2026: What EBC, Poon Hill and Manaslu Actually Cost

Ask 'how much does trekking in Nepal cost' and most answers give you one number for the whole country. That number is close to meaningless — a short Poon Hill trek and a restricted-area route like Manaslu can differ by hundreds of dollars in permits alone, before a single night's teahouse stay. Here is what the main routes actually cost, broken down by the fees that change route to route.

Why the same country has such different price tags

Nepal's trekking fees are not one national price list — they are set per protected area, and some areas cost dramatically more to enter than others. Two forces drive the spread: whether the trail sits inside a conservation area versus a genuinely restricted area, and how many days you spend inside the expensive zone.

Manaslu figure = Restricted Area Permit ($100 first 7 days + $15/extra day in autumn) plus the Manaslu Conservation Area Permit (~$23) and the Annapurna Conservation Area Permit (~$23), since the standard route exits through Annapurna's conservation area.

Permits are the part everyone budgets for; they are also the smallest line item once the rest of the trip is added. A guide's day-rate, set as a minimum benchmark by the Trekking Agencies' Association of Nepal (TAAN), runs roughly $25-50/day depending on how technical or high-altitude the route is, and that figure covers wages only — the trekker is also expected to cover the guide's food (~$10-20/day) and lodging (~$5-15/night) on the trail, plus a customary tip at the end. A porter, carrying up to 15-20kg, typically runs $15-25/day on the same basis. Teahouse lodging itself is close to free at low, competitive villages like Lukla or Namche (often $2-10/night when you eat your meals there) and rises the higher and more remote you go, since every plank and sack of rice is carried or flown in.

What this means for trekkers

None of these figures include flights, gear or travel insurance, and permit prices are set by the Nepali government and conservation authorities, not by any operator — they are identical whichever registered agency you book with. What differs between operators is what they bundle around that fixed cost. Our own Everest Base Camp permit guide and Annapurna ACAP + TIMS guide break down exactly where and how each fee is paid on the trail. For route options across this budget range, see the 4-day Poon Hill trek, the classic 14-day Everest Base Camp trek, or the restricted-area 14-day Manaslu Circuit.

Source: Nepal trekking permits and fees, Follow Alice.

Cover photo: Sijal Rana via Pexels (Pexels License).