Everest Three Passes Trek Cost

• 18 Apr 2026
• Milan Gurung

You don’t need a five-figure bank account to cross the highest passes in the world: Renjo La, Cho La, and Kongma La, and enjoy the ultimate adventure in the Everest region. The Everest Three Passes Trek cost is far more flexible than most people suggest. It all comes down to three things: your group size, how you get to the trailhead, and the small daily choices you make on the trail.

At Hillary Step Treks, the standard Everest Three Passes Trek package starts at USD 1,920 per person, with discounts for larger groups. Even bringing one friend drops the price noticeably. Take a look here:

Our package covers your guide, porter, permits, flights, accommodation, and meals on the trail. Everything else, such as flights to Nepal, gear, insurance, and daily extras, is what this guide helps you plan and budget for.

Everest Three Passes Trek Transportation Costs

Transport is the first major expense for the Everest Three Passes Trek in Nepal. It can be split into two parts: getting to Nepal and getting from Kathmandu to the trailhead. One is already handled for you; the other is entirely up to you.

 Cost of International Travel (Nepal Entry & Exit)

Your international flight is usually your highest single cost on the entire journey, and it varies a lot depending on where you’re flying from:

• South/Southeast Asia: USD 200-USD 500
• Europe: USD 700-USD 1,000
• North America: USD 900-USD 1,200
• Australia: USD 800-USD 1,100

Upon arrival in Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA), Nepal charges a tourist visa of USD 30 for 15 days and USD 50 for 30 days. Book the flight at least 3-4 months in advance and avoid non-refundable tickets until your Lukla flight is confirmed. Once you land in Kathmandu, there’s one more transport decision that catches most trekkers off guard.

Transportation Cost From Kathmandu To Trek Point

Most trekkers fly to Lukla, but it’s not as simple as one flight from Kathmandu. During peak season (March-May and September-November), the TIA is congested. Flights are rerouted to Manthali, Ramechhap, which takes a 5-6-hour jeep transfer first (USD 15-USD 25/person, shared) to reach. Outside peak season, flights depart directly from Kathmandu. This is included in the trekking package.

Note that cancellation of Lukla flights is often due to weather. Keep a USD 200-USD 300 buffer specifically for this. Extra nights in Kathmandu or Lukla cost USD 20-USD 80/night and are more common than most people expect.

Everest Three Passes Accommodation & Food Cost

Teahouses are your home for 16 nights on the trip to the Everest Three Passes. There are three tiers of teahouses along this route:

• Basic (Shared Bathroom): Available in villages like Phakding and Monjo for USD 3-USD 5 per night. These are wooden rooms with communal toilets.
• Standard (Attached Bathroom): Found in Namche and Dingboche for USD 8-USD 15 per night. These provide a private bathroom, though private usually just means a toilet and sink, not a hot shower.
• Premium Lodges: Found in Namche and Gokyo, ranging from USD 20-USD 40 per night. These offer better insulation, thicker blankets, and sometimes even electric mats.

Most of these lodges offer free or heavily discounted rooms if you eat your meals there, which you almost always will, especially beyond Namche, where options are limited. Note that food gets more expensive as you gain altitude. Everything above Namche is porter-carried. So, here, even a bowl of soup that costs USD 3 in Kathmandu costs USD 7 near the passes. Expect to pay the following for three solid meals a day, based on your altitude:

• Below 3,500m (Phakding, Namche): USD 15-USD 20/day
• 3,500m-4,500m (Pangboche, Dingboche): USD 20-USD 30/day
• Above 4,500m (Lobuche, Gorak Shep, Gokyo): USD 30-USD 40/day

Beyond food and a bed, small daily costs throughout the trek stack up faster than most people plan for. The main culprits are hot showers (USD 3-USD 8), WiFi (USD 5-USD 10/day), and phone charging (USD 2-USD 5). If you aren’t careful, these will add USD 15-USD 20 to your daily spend.

The easiest way to keep your budget under control is to manage your own water, especially at high altitudes like Gorakshep, where a single bottle of water can cost up to USD 4. Use water purification tablets or a filtered bottle (like a LifeStraw). This way, you can save roughly USD 100 during the trek. This simple habit often pays for your entire permit cost!

Everest Three Passes Trek Permit Cost

You need two main permits to access the Everest Three High Pass trek route. These total roughly USD 50 for international trekkers, but the cost varies by nationality.

Previously, TIMS cards were also required for the three passes route, but are no longer valid or checked in the Khumbu region as of 2026. The Municipality permit has officially fully replaced them. Both permits are included in your package and handled entirely by us. You just carry the documents for the trial: a passport and 2-4 passport-sized photos.

Everest Three Passes Trek Guide & Porter Cost

Human support is where costs vary most. It depends on your group size. A licensed guide generally costs USD 25-USD 35/day for 18 days, that’s USD 450-USD 630. Similarly, a porter costs USD 20-USD 25/day. At Hillary Step, we arrange for one porter to share between two trekkers. You each pay USD 10-USD 13/day, making it one of the easiest ways to trim the budget without affecting your trekking experience.

Tipping is expected and genuinely matters to both the guide and porter. It’s also a significant part of their income. You just pay in cash on the last day of the trek, as per the itinerary.

Gear & Equipment Costs of the Everest Three Passes Trek 

Unlike food and accomodations, gear costs are flexible and manageable. You have total control over the spending. Additionally, you don’t need to buy everything new. There are tons of rental shops in Kathmandu (mainly in Thamel), which are cheap and do the job well. 

Here’s how it would affect three high passes trek cost if you rent versus buy new.

Looking at the table, you can rent a full kit for 18 days for USD 100-USD 200.

Note: Crampons and UV400 sunglasses are non-negotiable. Cho La Pass is often icy and tricky, and solar radiation above 5,500m is brutal on unprotected eyes.

Challenging

18 Days

$1,920

Starting from

Everest Three Passes Trek

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Trip Link

Modarate – Challenging

14 Days

$1,550

Starting from

Everest Base Camp Trek

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Trip Link

Is Insurance Required for the Everest Three Passes Trek & How Much Does It Cost?

Yes, insurance is mandatory for the Everest Three Passes Trek, like in other Everest region treks, such as the Everest Base Camp trek. It usually costs around USD 50 to USD 150 for a 3-4 week trip. It may seem like an extra expense, but if you look at the costs of emergency helicopter evacuations from the high passes, i.e.,USD 3,000-USD 7,000, insurance is clearly a better option.

Before you sign, make sure your policies include:

• Helicopter evacuation (min. USD 100,000 coverage): Remote passes, such as Kongma La, have no road access. In case of serious altitude sickness or injury, a helicopter is the only way out.
• High-altitude trekking (up to 6,000m): Many standard policies stop at 4,000m. Since this trek crosses passes above 5,300m, you need coverage that remains valid at higher elevations.
• Medical treatment & hospitalization: Conditions like HAPE require urgent care in Kathmandu. Choose a policy with direct billing to avoid high upfront costs.
• Trip cancellation & delays: Lukla flights often face weather delays. Coverage helps if you need to rebook flights or extend your stay.

Everest Three Passes Trek Package Total Cost Breakdown

How to Save on the Everest Three Passes Trek Cost with the Hillary Step?

Most international agencies outsource their logistics to local companies like us, then add a 25-40% markup on top. Booking directly with Hillary Step cuts that out entirely. 

Here are a few things that keep our pricing honest:

• No middleman markup: you pay local rates for a local operation that knows this trail better than anyone
• Group discounts: Guide and porter costs are shared across your group, so the more people you bring, the less each person pays
• Gear rental access: We provide a sleeping bag (if needed), a duffel bag, a trekking map, and a first-aid kit before the trek, and honest advice on what you actually need versus what shops will try to sell you
• Optimized itineraries: Our trekking package has no unnecessary buffer days in Kathmandu hotels. Every day is planned around the best acclimatization-to-cost ratio.

We don’t cut corners on safety, gear, or food. We cut out the administrative waste that inflates prices without adding value.

Milan Gurung

MilanGurung@hillarysteptrek.com

Milan is a skilled and professional trek guide who has 5 years of experience in the travel industry. He was born in the lovely Ganga Jamuna village of Dhading. He knows about the region very well. Milan has participated in many pieces of training related to trekking under the Nepal Government, TAAN, KEEP, and Tourism Board. He specializes in various trekking regions of Nepal such as Everest, Annapurna, Manaslu, Ganesh, and Langtang including indigenous trails. He is fluent in English and Nepali. His five years of experience in this field have helped him to grow a lot as an individual. He feels happy and satisfied when he gets to interact with the trekkers and share different learnings. He finds solace when he is able to bring a smile to a face. Milan is a friendly, caring, and fun-loving person. He is very hard-working and determined to provide better services to the trekkers. He too believes in the company’s goal to create happiness.