Annapurna Base Camp Trek Cost: How to Plan Your Budget!

Overall, a 7-day Annapurna Base Camp trek is between USD 150-1,000 depending on whether you trek solo, hire a guide or porter, or if you book it as part of an organized group tour.

It is the most expensive if you go as part of an organized tour. If you only hire a guide and pay for all other costs yourself, the price is lower.

The accommodation cost is between Rs 500-2,000 (USD 4-15) per night, while you should budget around Rs. 2,000 (USD 15) for 3 meals per day. Plus, you should budget extra for the transport, permit, and amenities like wifi, charging, hot drinking water and hot shower.

Annapurna Base Camp Trek Cost Per Day

I spent around Rs. 3,000 (USD 22) per day while trekking the Annapurna Base Camp. In lower altitudes, I spent a little bit less, and in higher altitudes I spent a little bit more.

It included the transport, permit, room, Nepali food, and costs for wifi, charging, hot shower and hot water for drinking. For anything else like snacks or beer, you’d have to budget extra.

The prices were similar like the costs on other trekking routes in Nepal, and it starts cheaper in lower altitudes and gets more expensive the higher you get.

Annapurna Base Camp Trek Cost

When planning your ABC trek costs, the most important costs to budget for is accommodation, food, transport, permit, insurance and extra costs like wifi, charging, and hot showers.

Accommodation Costs

The accommodation costs are between Rs. 500-2,000 (USD 4-15) per night along the Annapurna Base Camp Trek.

In lower altitudes, the room is Rs. 500 (USD 4) per night, or Rs. 250 (USD 2) for a dormitory type room. In higher altitudes, the room rates can be up to Rs. 2,000 (USD 15) per night.

The higher prices for rooms are due to fewer number of teahouses, and lack of available rooms due to pre-bookings made for trekking groups.

As I trekked solo, I experienced that sometimes it is more difficult to find accommodation as a solo trekker as teahouse owners prefer to give the rooms to groups of people who are likely to spend more on food than just 1 person.

The only place along the Annapurna Base Camp Trek where it is really difficult to find accommodation is in Deurali. I met with other solo trekkers as well and they told me they also struggled to find accommodation in Deurali and were quoted massive prices for a room.

So, if you are trekking without a guide, I advise to pre-book the accommodation for Deurali one day before getting there. The phone number of teahouses along the ABC trek is available in every guest house on the trail.

Food Costs

The food prices tend to be cheaper at lower altitudes on the trek and then, the prices gradually increase as you go higher up on the trek.

The increased prices are due to that the teahouses have to pay more for getting the ingredients delivered. So, the further up the items have to be carried, the more they cost.

I found the food prices were more or less the same as on other treks in Nepal, maybe even slightly cheaper than for example on the Langtang Trek. (You can find the cheapest prices on less touristy treks, like Pikey Peak or Panchase)

Food Prices on the Annapurna Base Camp Trek

• Omlette: Rs. 300-450 (USD 2-3)
• Boiled egg: Rs. 300-450 (USD 2-3)
• Tibetan bread: Rs. 400-500 (USD 3-3.50)
• Set breakfast: Rs. 800-1,000 (USD 6-7)
• Pancake: Rs. 400-600 (USD 3-4.50)
• Dal bhat (veg): Rs. 600-900 (USD 4.50-6.50)
• Fried rice: Rs. 500-800 (USD 3.50-6)
• Momos: Rs. 700-800 (USD 5-6)
• Pizza: Rs. 700-900 (USD 5-6.50)
• Thupka: Rs. 500-900 (USD 3.50-6.50)
• Chowmein: Rs. 500-800 (USD 3.50-6)

There are more food and drinks available, it is just a quick list for some of the most popular food.

Drink Prices on the Annapurna Base Camp Trek

• Black Tea (1 cup): Rs. 120-170 (USD 1), Black Tea (Thermos): Rs. 1,100-1,300 (USD 8-10)
• Black Coffee (1 cup): Rs. 160-200 (USD 1-2)
• Coke/Fanta/Sprite: Rs. 350-450 (USD 2.50-3)
• Beer: Rs. 750-900 (USD 5.50-6.50)
• Rum: Rs. 900-1,100 (USD 6.50-8)

Permit Cost

For the Annapurna Base Camp Trek, foreigners have to get the Annapurna Conservation Area Permit (ACAP) which costs Rs. 3,000 (USD 22). This is the only permit you need.

You can get the ACAP in Kathmandu or Pokhara. Recently, they have also introduced an online system for getting permits for the Annapurna region.

However, when I tried getting the permit through the online system, it didn’t accept my cards for payment (I tried both Nepali and foreign cards. Still, it is worth a try as it could be fixed by now.  

Transport Cost

The transport costs are around Rs. 2,000 (USD 14) in total.

You should budget around Rs. 1,000 (USD 7) for a ticket in a sharing jeep to get to the starting point of the ABC trek (Ghandruk), and similarly Rs. 1,000 for sharing jeep to come back from the end point of ABC (Jhinu Danda) to Pokhara.

Cost of Getting from Pokhara to Ghandruk (ABC Start Point)

Most people start the Annapurna Base Camp Trek from Ghandruk. There are jeeps and buses from Pokhara to Ghandruk. The sharing jeep costs Rs. 5,000 (USD 37) and the price is split between passengers. We were 8 people sharing the jeep, so the price came down to Rs. 625 each.

There are also buses from the Baglung Bus Park in Pokhara to Ghandruk. The bus ticket costs Rs. 450 (USD 3). The goes frequently, once every 1.5 hours, however, it is generally recommended to take the sharing jeeps as the bus goes a lot slower.

Getting Back to Pokhara from Jhinu Danda (ABC End Point)

Most people finish the ABC trek in Jhinu Danda from where you can get the jeeps back to Pokhara. The sharing jeep from Jhinu Danda to Pokhara costs Rs. 7,000 and same goes that the price is split between passengers.

Other Amenities

In addition to the cost of necessities (food, accommodation, permit and transport), you should also budget for extra costs.

You have to pay extra for hot drinking water, hot shower, wi-fi, or charging your phone. Plus, if want to buy toilet paper or like to have a beer in the evenings, then you should budget extra for those.

Typically, you find the following prices for amenities along the Annapurna Base Camp trek:

• Wi-fi: Rs. 300 (USD 2)
• Charging: Rs. 200 (USD 1.5)
• Hot shower: Rs. 300 (USD 2)
• Hot drinking water (refill for 1 litre water bottle): Rs. 200 (USD 1.5)
• Toilet paper (1 roll): Rs. 300 (USD 2)
• Beer: Rs. 800 per can (USD 6)
• Rum: Rs. 900 per bottle (USD 6.5)

✅ Check out my Annapurna Base Camp Itineraries for 6, 7 and 8 days here!

ABC Prices for Solo, Guided & Group Package Treks

The total cost of a 7-day Annapurna Base Camp trek is anywhere between USD 150-1,000 depending on whether you trek solo, hire a guide or porter, or if you book it as part of an organized group tour.

If you trek solo, the cost can be as low as Rs. 3,000 (USD 22) per day for trekking ABC.

If you hire a guide or porter, you have to budget an additional USD 30 per day for a guide, and USD 20 per day for a porter. The payment for guides and porters are shared within a group, so if you go with your friends, this cost can be split.

In case you book your ABC trek through an organized group tour, then the prices are around USD 400-1,000 (or more!) – depending on how many people you share the group tour with.

Cost for Solo Trekking ABC

The total cost of solo trekking the Annapurna Base Camp Trek for 7 days is Rs. 21,000 (USD 150).

As a solo trekker, I spent Rs. 3,000 (USD 22) per day on average. It included room, food, transport, permit and amenities like wifi, charging, hot shower and hot drinking water.

I was trying to keep my costs to a minimum and I think this is really the minimum amount you need to budget for ABC. If you want to spend on beer or desserts, than make sure to budget more.

Cost for Hiring a Guide (+ Optional Porter)

The total cost for 1 person trekking ABC with a guide and porter for 7 days is around USD 500.

This includes:

• Room, food, transport, permit, extra (wifi, charging, hot water): USD 150
• Guide fees: USD 210 for 7 days (USD 30 per day)
• Porter fees: USD 140 for 7 days (USD 20 per day) – optional

If you are in a group, then you can split the cost for the guide and porter within the group. Depending on how many friends you are trekking with, the price then becomes lower for each person.

I recommend packing light for ABC (in a 28-litre backpack), carry your own backpack, and then you can even save on hiring a porter.

If you only want to hire a guide, you can just ask around the trekking agencies in Pokhara and see the prices they offer and can even meet the guide beforehand.

Meeting your trekking guide beforehand is great as you can get a feel of each other’s personality, and their level of trekking experience and knowledge of English.

Annapurna Base Camp Trek Group Package Cost

Trekking agencies also organize group packages for treks. In the group package, you could be in a group with 10-15 other trekkers – I have even heard of tours of 80 people in one group which honestly doesn’t sound too appealing.

So usually, the group tours are sold in a way that the more people are in a group, the less you have to pay. Nevertheless, I am not sure if it is enjoyable to share a trek with so many people.

The group tours are usually between USD 400-1,000, however, the final price depends on the number of people in the group. If you don’t mind going with a lot of people, then the price can be more affordable.

How to Save on the Annapurna Base Camp Cost

When I started my trek in Ghandruk, I came to find out that the guest houses do “package deals” that include room, breakfast and dinner (Nepali food), wi-fi, charging, hot drinking water, and hot shower.

I have heard from Nepali friends that on treks they can negotiate better rates as they are Nepali, but for the first time I ever, I came across the package deal.

Nepali “Package Deals”

The “package deal” is a good option if you are trekking solo or with a small group of friends and you want to keep the costs to a minimum. This option won’t be available to you if you are trekking with a guide as teahouses already have pre-arrangements with guides.

The food included in the package deal is Nepali food (dal bhat for dinner, and Tibetan bread, eggs and curry for breakfast), so you don’t have a choice on that. You have to pay for lunch separately – usually you’d have lunch before getting to the village where you spend the night anyway.

With the package deal, you can save a little bit as you don’t have to pay extra for everything, like charging phones, wi-fi, hot shower or hot drinking water.

The package deal rates were not official, so the guest house owner would decide on the rate. If you are Nepali, I believe the rates are even lower. I heard the package deals being offered to Nepali and Indian travellers, but not to other foreigners.

The package deal rates started from Rs. 1,300 (USD 10) in Ghandruk, then slightly increased on the way up, and was at Rs. 2,500 (USD 18) up at Annapurna Base Camp.

How to get the package deal? As you pass by the teahouses, try to see which teahouse has less guests (one that you don’t see it being booked out by big trekking groups), and negotiate with the teahouse owner.

Once you get to the teahouse, ask the owner about the room prices and if they can give you a package deal. It takes some negotiation, but the teahouse owners are totally okay to agree on a package.

Nepal Trekking Itineraries

Looking for some inspiration? Check out my itineraries and posts about trekking in Nepal:

• Annapurna Base Camp Trek
• Mardi Himal Trek
• Langtang Valley Trek
• Pikey Peak Trek
• Australian Camp Trek
• Panchase Trek
• The Best Short Treks in Nepal
• Solo Trekking in Nepal
• Teahouses in Nepal: What Accommodation is Like on Treks
• Trekking in Nepal Costs: How to Plan Your Budget
• The Best Time to Trek in Nepal

FAQs: Annapurna Base Camp Trek Cost

How much does a guide cost for the ABC trek?

The cost for a trekking guide is around USD 30 per day for the ABC trek in Nepal. The USD 30 per day for a guide is generally true for all other treks in Nepal.

How much is the Annapurna Base Camp Trek for Nepalese?

Nepalese nationals generally pay less for the ABC trek than foreigners. Nepali people don’t have to pay for the ACAP permit, and can negotiate better rates at the teahouses along the trail.

My Nepali friends can usually get deals at the teahouses that include free room, plus a reduced rate for food (dal bhat). The food served is usually dal bhat for breakfast and dinner, occasionally breakfast is like Tibetan bread, eggs and curry.

So, overall, the cost for trekking ABC for Nepalese nationals could be around Rs. 15,000-20,000, depending on your negotiating skills and if you want to get extra things like rum.

How much does Annapurna Base Camp cost per day?

The Annapurna Base Camp trek costs minimum Rs. 3,000 (USD 22) per day on average that includes accommodation, food, transport, permit, and amenities like wifi, charging, hot water and hot shower.

If you want to hire a guide or porter, you have to budget an extra USD 30 per day for a guide, and USD 20 per day for a porter.

How much does a 7-day Annapurna Base Camp trek cost?

A 7-day Annapurna Base Camp trek cost a minimum of Rs. 21,000 (USD 150) if you trek without a guide or porter. It is the minimum amount for accommodation, food, transport, permit, and amenities (wifi, charging, hot water and hot shower).

For any additional costs, like beer or snacks, you should budget more. There are no ATMs in the villages along the ABC trek, so it is better to carry more cash than you budget, then having to worry that you didn’t bring enough cash.