Everest Base Camp Trek Cost, Services and Difficulties

Mar, 26 2020 Extollo Adventures

Everest Base Camp trek is one of the world’s most sought after experiences. Also one of the more popular treks among world’s top most renowned  trekking trails Nepal. If you’re considering an Everest Base Camp trek, you might be confused about the trek cost, services and difficulties surrounding the trail and your options of operators.

When it comes to deciding on a trekking operator, there are Everest Base Camp trek cost variations from low to higher budget trips. The type of service you receive tends to depend heavily on how much you decide to invest in your trek, how much time you have and what level of comfort and safety you desire. Here are what services you can expect from the Everest Base Camp trek and what kind of difficulties you might face.

3 Different cost and price ranges for Everest Base Camp trek services

1. Low budget treks

There are low budget treks available for Everest Base Camp; however, this can heavily influence what kind of service and experience you receive. For those with budget and cheaper treks in mind, it often means having to compromise on the experiential side of the trip and sometimes your safety.

The Himalayas are a challenging and unpredictable landscape, and although stunningly beautiful, the mountains can be a dangerous place if you aren’t prepared or aren’t with a high-quality trekking operator. For people with plenty of experience, a low budget trek might be feasible with no doubt. Still the case will be; if you want to get the most out of your Everest Base Camp trek and be confident in your own safety, it’s best to consider midrange or upper midrange trips.

   2. Midrange budget treks

Midrange budget trips are a good logical option and are suitable for trekkers with a decent time frame and who don’t want to compromise on the quality of services, whilst remaining affordable. Middle ranged treks are usually more personalized and allow for contingency days in case of weather changes or logistical problems, like flights from Lukla changing at the last minute. An example of this kind of trek would be the Extollo Everest Base Camp and Kalapathar Trek 15 Days, which is a truly classic trek option.

If you are slightly more limited with your time, then there are options with tighter timeframes, which are more upper-midrange priced trips. These kinds of treks usually offer helicopter connections such as the Short Everest Trek 11 Days with Extollo, which saves on time and provides an incredible experience of seeing Everest from the air.

    3. Highest budget range treks

The highest budget range Everest Base Camp treks are logically proven to be for those who are short on time or seeking a more luxurious Himalayan experience. These treks offer some of the best services during Everest Base Camp in terms of cost variation. You’re more likely getting the quality of service that you pay for and require. A higher range trip like Extollo’s Everest Luxury Trek 8 Days includes a helicopter tour and avoids long strenuous days of trekking.

Services to expect in terms of cost variations

Cost differences of Everest Base Camp treks and the varied service levels for clients during the trek are as follows:

Low budget packages

• Prices range from $800 – 1800
• These trips are usually organized by small, local companies in Nepal or operators who are more concerned about budget than experience
• They do not always include contingency days or allow changes in weather or cancellations of Lukla flights
• Low budget trips might be good for anyone with a lot of experience and who are comfortable with compromising on safety and experience

Midrange budget packages

• Prices range from $1800 – 2500
• These trips are usually organized by high quality and personalized operators who don’t compromise on quality
• These Everest Base Camp treks are perfect for trekkers who have ample time for contingency days and who want a worthwhile experience with little risks to their own health
• They are also accompanied by well-trained teams of guides and porters who understand the challenges of trekking in the Himalayas

Upper midrange budget trips

• Prices range from $2500 – 3500
• These trips are designed by high quality operators who care about their client’s safety and requirements
• An Everest Base Camp trek in this budget range is for people with limited time or desires for an added experience like a helicopter flight
• They also include well-trained teams of guides and porters who understand the challenges of the Himalayas

Highest range and luxury trips

• Prices ranges from $3500 – 6000
• These trips offer the best services in Everest Base Camp trek with added luxuries or high-quality experiences like helicopter tours
• They usually offer personalized options and can cater for people with limited timeframes
• They also include well-trained teams of guides and porters who understand the challenges in the Himalayas

Everest Base Camp Trek Difficulty : 3 Challenges You Might Encounter

The Everest Base Camp trek should not be underestimated, and most trekkers will experience some level of challenges and difficulty whilst trekking in the Himalayas. The challenges and trekking difficulties of Everest Base Camp trek largely depend on which route you take, the time frame you have and your health condition.

1. Route Challenge while reaching Everest Base Camp

There are different ways of getting to Everest Base Camp and this might impact the challenges you face. If you take the classic 15 day trek from Lukla through Namche, Dingboche and Gorakshep, you will have ample time to acclimatize with contingency days built into the itinerary. However, long days of trekking may be exhausting and if you aren’t in good fitness prior to trekking, this might be difficult for you.

On a shorter and higher range budget trip, there might be a helicopter tour to Everest Base Camp. This may provide greater risks of altitude sickness as you have less time to acclimatize and are reaching higher elevation levels in a shorter time frame. However, it also means you are descending at a quicker pace and you spend limited time at altitude, meaning symptoms should alleviate quickly.

Another major challenge of any trek to Everest Base Camp is the weather and timing of flights from Lukla. The weather is notoriously unpredictable in the Himalayas and this can mean flights can be cancelled or postponed due to bad weather conditions. Plane and helicopter flights might then have to be rearranged, which proves the importance of contingency days when organizing your trek.

     2. Time Challenge to reach Everest Base camp

If you have limited time to reach Everest Base Camp, then this can pose potential challenges in terms of logistics and risks of altitude sickness. If you have a shorter time frame, you might opt for a higher budget range trek option which includes a helicopter ride or tour. However, this means you are ascending at a rapid pace which might increase your chances of feeling the effects of altitude.

With short time frame this might also compromise the ability to have contingency days in your trek which allow for changes in weather and potential delays in flights. It’s quite common for plane and helicopter flights to be grounded in Lukla due to bad weather. So to ensure your trip is successful; it’s less risky if you allow ample time to overcome potential challenges.

     3. Challenges brought by health condition of travelers

The Himalayas provide a lot of challenges to travelers, especially with higher elevations and lack of oxygen. Acute Mountain Sickness (AMS) is a real risk for trekkers and its symptoms can make it extremely difficult to complete or continue a trek. You might feel difficulty to walk during Everest Base Camp trek with a lack of oxygen in the air. Health symptoms that might appear include headaches, nausea, rapid or difficulty breathing, sleep difficulty and faster heart rate.

It’s important to be as fit and healthy as possible before undertaking the trek to Everest Base Camp to minimize your risk or challenges along the way. However, with a midrange or higher range budget trip, your team of guides and porters will be experienced and well trained and able to help if you suffer any health challenges along the way.