Trekking to Everest Base Camp (EBC) is considered the most courageous and arresting adventure activity in the world. One of the journeys, specifically the EBC Trek, is a once-in-a-lifetime experience, but the other half of it can cost you a pretty penny. With all your travel expenses and permits, it would already be far more expensive a trek than what this one ever is. With some foresight and a bit of clever planning, however, it is entirely possible to save money whilst out on the raddest of adventures without having to leave all sense of personal comfort or safety at home. This blog mainly focuses on the ways through which you can cut down and save money in your Everest base camp trek together while serving a good quality of experience. Whether you are looking to reserve an Everest Base Camp tour package or hoping to walk independently, below are front-line budget hacks that will assist you in dropping this yearning hike into a far lower bracket on the pricing scale.
Stay out of Season
Entering at a cheap time, your way is probably the best thing you will find to save money on your EBC trek. There are two Everest Base Camp trekking season uplifts in the year: Spring (March-May), Autumn (September-November). Peak season for crowds, flights, accommodation, and tours hits in these months too, as traffic to many cities skyrockets.
Off-peak season. For those economies that are looking for a further pinch of their pennies, the low season in Nepal falls between summer and winter: apart from trekking in the winter season (December- February) or spring pre-monsoon period of June – August, it gives us breaks. While it can be much colder in the winter, there are also virtually no people on the trails, and prices for lodges, flights to get here, as well as permits, might be cheaper than at any other time. Real, sunlight hours could be restricted, and you could expect snow on the better elevations, but carry the right apparel, and it’s all moot.
Moral of the story? Book flights in advance
Before you even tackle any trek, flights are generally one of the biggest costs, and flying into Kathmandu to commence your EBC trek is likely going to cost quite a bit. The key is to book your flights as early as possible. The more you purchase your tickets at an early date, the more preferences you get, as we have seen that last-minute airfares have a tendency to increase in cost.
And then look at the airlines (and stopovers). Book your legs separately for cheaper airfares. For example, you could book a flight to India, then book another one from this nearby country to Kathmandu and save money.
Well, if time is not the issue with you, then look for low-cost airlines, and sometimes you can fly in Nepal at very low rates. Another tip for travelers is that, like generally flights at nights and evenings are costlier, flying on weekdays instead of weekends can also help in budgeting. It also helps that you remain flexible with your flight timings; flying at the oddest hours often turns out to be cheaper as well.
Avoiding Luxury Lodges and Staying in Tea Houses
Accommodation during your time in the Everest region can easily become one of the largest expenses of your EBC trek; however, there is an easy little money-saving hack to get around it: tea houses are cheaper than some other lodges or hotels. Tea Houses are more of a family-run guesthouses and are somewhat similar to camping as far as the nature of facilities go, that is, beds, food, and hot drinks, etc.
The accommodation in the tea house ranges from basic to reasonably comfortable and is spread along the trekking route, with rates lower but affordable than those of deluxe lodges. Most tea houses provide a cot, restaurant, and warm meals to recuperate on the trek, so you do not have to go days without food or spend extra money along the way.
Never Book Accommodation Every Time You Need to Make a Booking. While you are on the trekking trails in all the villages, there are a lot of tea houses. And sometimes booking ahead only increases your costs, which is why having a variety of onsite rooms in different price points around the island makes it easier to choose by location at first, then price.
Travel by yourself, for not expensive tour guides.
A guide/ porter for your trek to the Everest Base Camp is an extra convenience that comes with a cost assigned, if you feel that we did so this way might save all of those bucks mentioned above. EBC, you can hike without a guide (it is the most popular trek in Nepal, and about 99% of trekkers are doing this). Anyway,y you follow an effortless trail, signs everywhere.
If you prefer to fish on your own, you will save money fishing without a guide ( $25 — 50 a day). Cheaper not only than the tour, but also if you were to book them a la carte (Trekking Permit – $30, Sagarmatha National Park fee – $30, and TIMS card ~$10), you will save that plus whatever your trek costs.
Bring Snacks and Water While You Can
As food is expensive on the EBC trek–especially as you move into higher regions where everything (that is not Yak- or Sherpa-tea) needs to be flown in, bring snacks like granola bars, nuts, and dried fruit to be helpful for saving some dough. This kind of snacking is light, portable, and perfect for having on hand so you can eat cheaper food in the field.
Water is also expensive above 3000ft; purchase a water purification system (eg, HedMister, Steripen, or HydroTab) and therefore refill from streams and taps en route. Bottled water is anywhere from $1-3 per liter, so investing in a purification system means you are able to have clean water for FREE!
Bring Your Gear
While you can rent trekking gear in Kathmandu or even along the trail itself, many of these items are far more expensive than they would be back home, so it may make more sense to purchase your traveling gear before heading off. In Kathmandu, there is no lack of trekking shops designed to fleece tourists by renting them overpriced gear. Purchasing or renting the equipment within a city like Kathmandu might cost you more than if you were to buy it in your home country or online before getting on the trek.
Having good gear is important for sure, have the best that you can afford, a reliable backpack, a warm sleeping bag, and warm clothes. They are a bit more expensive to begin with, but investing in both allows you to use them for other trekking adventures down the line and can save you money in the end.
Surprisingly, you will cover more of the area with your pack travel. There is nothing better than being part of a group tour when you have little time on hand and you are wondering how to visit Amsterdam.
Hire Local Guides and Porters, Direct to Source
And that´s a good thing because if you do want some guiding and/or carrying assistance, you don’t want to pay the fees that go through trekking agencies.. The discussions in this group around pricing are usually on the NORMAL way, like capping things in a lot where no middleman costs or everyone should be able to afford anything. Guides and porters can be found in Kathmandu or at the beginning of a trek in Lukla – bargain the price as well conditions before you set out on your trip.
Conclusion
Cheapskating out on your Trek to Everest Base Camp Should Not Mean Cutting Costs In The quality, experience, AND Safety. You can vastly reduce your total cost with preplanning, going at the right time, and spending less. Be it anything from tea house accommodations to your food plan or just an independent trek deserving the title of being on a budget, these hacks are sure to help you control the financial waves and make sure that not a dime flows down the financial stream right there at the bottom of the Earth, holding up the world’s highest mountain. Enjoy the thrill of the EBC trek at a budgeted price with a workout to it.