Annapurna Base Camp Trek Cost: Full Budget Breakdown

What ABC Costs in One Glance

The Annapurna Base Camp (ABC) trek is one of Nepal's best-value Himalayan walks: it needs no expensive domestic flight, sits at a manageable 4,130 m, and runs entirely on a chain of teahouses, so you carry no camping or food costs. Most trekkers spend between USD 600 and USD 1,200 per person for a 7–10 day trip, depending on style.

The figures above are the on-the-ground trek cost. They exclude your international flights to Kathmandu, your Nepal visa, and travel insurance, budget those separately (see below).

Line-by-Line Cost Breakdown

Here is where every rupee goes on a standard guided ABC trek, using 2026 estimates. Trek prices in Nepal are usually quoted in US dollars but paid in a mix of dollars and Nepali rupees (NPR).

Permits: about NPR 5,000 (~USD 38)

• ACAP (Annapurna Conservation Area Permit): ~NPR 3,000 for foreign nationals.
• TIMS card: ~NPR 2,000 for foreign nationals.

SAARC nationals (including Indians) pay substantially less. See our ABC permits guide for the full detail.

Guide and porter: USD 25–35 per day

Since 2023 a licensed guide is effectively required in the Annapurna region. Expect USD 25–30/day for a guide and USD 18–25/day for a porter (who carries up to ~20–25 kg, often shared between two trekkers). A combined "porter-guide" runs around USD 20–28/day. These rates usually include the guide's own food, lodging and insurance, but tips are extra.

Teahouse rooms: NPR 500–1,500 per night

A twin room in a teahouse is cheap, often NPR 500–800 (USD 4–6) low down, rising toward NPR 1,000–1,500 at higher villages like Deurali and MBC, where everything is portered or mule-hauled in. Many lodges keep rooms cheap on the understanding that you eat dinner and breakfast there.

Food and drink: USD 20–30 per day

This is the part most people underestimate, because prices climb with altitude. A plate of dal bhat costs ~NPR 400 in Pokhara but ~NPR 700–900 at Deurali. Budget USD 20–25/day low on the trail and USD 25–35/day high up. Hot drinks, bottled/boiled water, charging, Wi-Fi and hot showers are all paid extras that add up.

Transport: USD 10–60

Pokhara to the trailhead (Siwai/Jhinu) and back is a 2–3 hour drive. A shared local jeep is ~NPR 700–1,000 each way; a private jeep for the group is NPR 8,000–12,000 round trip. Add the Kathmandu–Pokhara leg if relevant: tourist bus ~USD 10–15, or a 25-minute flight ~USD 100–120.

A Real Sample Budget (7-Day Trek)

Here is a realistic itemised budget for one person on a 7-day guided ABC trek from Pokhara, mid-range style, two trekkers sharing a porter:

Booking the same trip as an all-inclusive package through an agency usually lands at USD 700–1,000, the premium buys you fixed logistics, airport transfers, a pre-trek briefing and a single point of accountability if anything goes wrong.

Hidden Costs People Forget

• Travel insurance with helicopter evacuation cover, non-negotiable for any Himalayan trek; USD 60–150 for the trip. Confirm it covers trekking to 4,500 m.
• Tips. Customary and genuinely expected: roughly USD 8–12/day total for a guide and USD 6–9/day for a porter, pooled and given at the end.
• Gear you don't own. Renting a down jacket and sleeping bag in Pokhara is ~NPR 100–200/day each, see the packing list.
• Bottled vs treated water. Bottled water climbs to NPR 100–300 a litre high up. A USD 20 filter or purification tablets pays for itself and cuts plastic.
• Charging and Wi-Fi. NPR 100–300 per device/session above Chhomrong. A power bank saves a surprising amount.
• Nepal visa, USD 30 (15 days) / USD 50 (30 days) on arrival, separate from the trek.

How to Trek ABC for Less

• Eat dal bhat. It is the best value on any menu, a huge, refillable plate of rice, lentils, vegetables and pickle that fuels a full trekking day for one fixed price.
• Share a porter and guide. Splitting between two or three trekkers roughly halves the biggest line item.
• Trek in the shoulder season. Early March or late November still deliver fine weather with fewer crowds and softer lodge prices, see best time to trek ABC.
• Treat your own water instead of buying bottled, and carry a power bank.
• Take the local jeep, not a private one, to and from the trailhead.
• Book in Pokhara, not abroad. Local agencies in Pokhara are markedly cheaper than international operators selling the identical trek.

Don't economise on a licensed guide, insurance, or acclimatisation. Cutting those to save a few dollars is where cheap trips become expensive ones.