What our two ABC packages cost
We sell two versions of the Annapurna Base Camp (ABC) trek. The 11-day trek starts and ends in Kathmandu and costs from US$910 or ₹78,000 per person on twin sharing. It covers four city nights, the 25-minute Kathmandu–Pokhara flights both ways, a private jeep to Siwai and back, seven days on the trail with a licensed guide, one porter for every two trekkers, the ACAP permit and three meals a day in teahouses.
The heli-return version runs 8 days from Pokhara and costs from US$1,310 or ₹1,12,000. You walk up through Chhomrong, Bamboo and Deurali to base camp at 4,130 m, then fly back to Pokhara in about 25–30 minutes instead of spending three days walking down. The extra US$400 buys back those days and saves your knees on the 2,000-odd stone steps below Chhomrong.
Both prices assume two or more trekkers sharing a room. A solo trekker pays a single supplement, because the guide's daily fee and the jeep cost are not split.
- 11-day ABC trek ex Kathmandu: from US$910 / ₹78,000
- 8-day ABC trek with heli return ex Pokhara: from US$1,310 / ₹1,12,000
- 1-day ABC heli tour from Pokhara, for those who will not walk: from US$650 / ₹56,000
Daily costs on the trail, line by line
If you plan the trek yourself, these are the figures we work with for the 2025–26 seasons. Teahouse spending climbs as you go up because every kilo of rice, gas and beer above Chhomrong arrives on a porter's back or a mule's. A plate of dal bhat that costs NPR 600–700 near Siwai costs NPR 900–1,200 at base camp.
The guide fee usually includes the guide's own food and bed, which teahouses give at a reduced rate. Porters carry up to 20–25 kg if you hire one each, or about 10 kg per person when two trekkers share one, which is how our packages work.
| Item | Typical cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| ACAP entry permit | NPR 3,000 (≈ US$22) foreigners; NPR 1,000 (≈ ₹625) SAARC incl. Indians | One permit per trek; check current status before you travel |
| Licensed guide | ≈ US$25–35 per day | Includes guide's food and bed in most arrangements |
| Porter | ≈ US$20–25 per day | Shared between two trekkers on our packages |
| Teahouse room | NPR 500–1,000 per night | Often free or discounted if you eat dinner and breakfast there |
| Three meals and hot drinks | ≈ US$25–40 per day | Lower end at Jhinu and Chhomrong, upper end at MBC and ABC |
| Kathmandu–Pokhara | Tourist bus ≈ US$12–20; flight ≈ US$100–130 one way | Bus 6–8 h, flight 25 min |
| Pokhara–Siwai jeep | Shared seat ≈ NPR 800–1,200; private jeep ≈ NPR 8,000–10,000 one way | About 3 h each way |
| Tips | ≈ US$70–120 per trekker for a 7-day trek | Shared between guide and porter at the end |
Permit fees for Indian and foreign trekkers
The only permit needed for ABC is the Annapurna Conservation Area Project (ACAP) entry permit. As we understand the 2026 rates, it costs NPR 3,000 for foreign nationals and NPR 1,000 for SAARC nationals, which includes Indian passport holders. Children under 10 are generally free. Nepali citizens pay a nominal fee or none. Check current status before you travel, because ACAP fees and registration rules have changed several times since 2017.
That difference matters for Indian families. A group of four Indian adults pays NPR 4,000, about ₹2,500 in total, while four foreign trekkers pay NPR 12,000, about US$90. Indians also do not need a visa for Nepal, which saves another US$30–50 against a 15-day tourist visa. Our INR price reflects the SAARC permit rate and our USD price the foreign rate.
The TIMS card, once compulsory, has been dropped and reinstated for Annapurna more than once. When it applies, our packages include it. Independent trekkers should ask at the Nepal Tourism Board office in Pokhara on the day they buy the ACAP permit.
Independent trek versus agency package
Since 1 April 2023, Nepal's rules say foreign trekkers in conservation areas must walk with a licensed guide booked through a registered agency. Enforcement on the ABC trail has been uneven, and Indian nationals have usually been treated differently from other foreigners, but you should plan on hiring a guide either way. That removes most of the saving people expect from going alone.
Here is the arithmetic for one foreign trekker spending seven days on the trail and booking everything separately: teahouse food and rooms about US$245, guide about US$210, half a porter about US$80, permit US$22, shared jeep to Siwai and back about US$20, Kathmandu–Pokhara flights about US$230, four nights in mid-range city hotels about US$160 and tips about US$90. That adds up to roughly US$1,050, against our US$910 package price.
Travel by tourist bus instead of flying and stay in budget guesthouses, and the independent total falls to about US$750–800. So a careful independent trekker saves US$100–150 at most, and takes on the bookings, the guide vetting and the risk of a flight or jeep falling through. A group of four sharing one guide brings the per-head figure down further, whichever way you book.
The small costs nobody lists
These extras catch people out because they are paid in cash, in rupees, at every stop. ATMs are reliable in Pokhara but there is none on the trail above Siwai, so carry NPR 15,000–25,000 per person for a 7-day trek in small notes.
- Hot shower: NPR 200–500, more at Deurali and base camp, where gas-heated water is scarce
- Phone and battery charging: NPR 200–500 per device per charge above Bamboo; bring a 20,000 mAh power bank
- Wi-Fi: free in some lower lodges, NPR 300–500 per day higher up, or prepaid Wi-Fi cards sold along the trail; Nepal Telecom and Ncell data works in patches as far as Chhomrong
- Boiled or filtered water: NPR 100–300 per litre, cheaper than bottled and with no plastic left behind
- Hot lemon, tea, coffee and a slice of apple pie add NPR 800–1,500 a day if you like a break at every lodge
- Jhinu Danda hot springs entry: about NPR 150–200
- Toilet paper, snacks and sun cream bought on the trail cost two to three times Pokhara prices
Insurance with helicopter evacuation cover
A rescue helicopter from base camp to Pokhara costs roughly US$2,500–4,000 if chartered for one patient, and hospitals expect payment or an insurer's guarantee before treatment. Your policy must cover trekking to at least 4,500 m and include helicopter evacuation, not just medical expenses. Read the altitude clause carefully: many standard travel policies stop at 3,000 m or 4,000 m.
For foreign trekkers, specialist policies for a 2-week trek to 4,500 m usually cost US$80–200 depending on age and country. Indian trekkers can buy overseas travel policies that include Nepal, but many exclude adventure activities by default, so add the trekking or adventure cover and confirm the altitude limit in writing. We ask for policy details before departure and keep them with the guide.
Where to spend and where to save
We would not cut the guide, the insurance or the second night between Deurali and base camp if anyone in the group feels the altitude. Those three decide whether the trek ends well. We would happily cut the hot showers above Bamboo, the bottled drinks and the extra Wi-Fi, which together can add US$15–20 a day.
The cheapest season is not much cheaper. Teahouse prices stay the same all year, and only flights and city hotels drop a little in June to August and January to February. October and April cost the same but sell out early, so book three to four months ahead for those months.
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Questions travellers ask
How much does the Annapurna Base Camp trek cost?
Our 11-day Annapurna Base Camp trek from Kathmandu costs from US$910 or ₹78,000 per person on twin sharing, including Kathmandu–Pokhara flights, four city hotel nights, permit, guide, porter and all trail meals. Planning it yourself with a hired guide costs about US$75–100 a day on the trail, so the total lands between US$750 and US$1,050 depending on transport and hotels.
What is the ABC trek cost from India?
From Kathmandu, our 11-day trek costs from ₹78,000 per person, twin sharing, and the 8-day heli-return version from Pokhara costs from ₹1,12,000. Add your train or flight to the border or to Kathmandu. Indian trekkers pay the SAARC permit rate of NPR 1,000, about ₹625, and need no visa, which keeps costs lower than for other foreigners.
How much is the ACAP permit for Indian citizens?
As we understand the current rates, Indian citizens pay NPR 1,000 for the ACAP permit, the same as other SAARC nationals, against NPR 3,000 for other foreigners. Children under 10 are generally free. You can buy it at the Nepal Tourism Board offices in Kathmandu or Pokhara with a passport or voter ID copy and photos. Check current status before you travel.
How much does a guide cost for Annapurna Base Camp?
A licensed trekking guide costs about US$25–35 per day in 2026, which normally covers the guide's own meals and bed. For a 7-day ABC trek that is about US$175–245, split between everyone in your group. Add a tip of roughly US$10–15 per day of trekking at the end, shared by the group. All our packages include a licensed guide.
How much money should I carry on the ABC trek?
On a package where meals are included, carry about NPR 15,000–25,000 per person for showers, charging, Wi-Fi, drinks, snacks and tips. Trekking independently, add NPR 4,000–6,000 per day for rooms and food. There are no ATMs above Siwai, cards are rarely accepted on the trail, and small notes are easier for lodges to change.
Is the ABC trek cheaper without an agency?
Only slightly. Once you pay a licensed guide, which the 2023 rule requires of foreign trekkers in conservation areas, the saving for one person is usually US$100–150 if you travel by bus and stay in budget hotels. With flights and mid-range hotels the independent cost can match or exceed a package. Groups of three or four save more by sharing one guide.
How much is the Annapurna Base Camp helicopter return?
Our 8-day trek with a helicopter return from base camp costs from US$1,310 or ₹1,12,000 per person from Pokhara. Added to our 11-day trek, a shared-seat flight from ABC to Pokhara costs about US$500–650. Flights take 25–30 minutes, leave in the morning, and depend on clear weather, so a day's delay is possible.
Do I need travel insurance for Annapurna Base Camp?
Yes. Your policy must cover trekking to at least 4,500 m and include helicopter evacuation, because a rescue flight from base camp costs roughly US$2,500–4,000. Many standard policies stop at 3,000 or 4,000 m or exclude trekking, so check the altitude clause. We ask every trekker for policy details before departure and the guide carries a copy.
Are tips included in the ABC trek price?
No. Tips for the guide and porter are not included in our package prices and are given at the end of the trek. A common total for a 7-day trek is about US$70–120 per trekker, or 10–15 percent of the trek cost, shared between the guide and porter. Tip in Nepali rupees, in an envelope, at the last dinner.
