The Annapurna Circuit costs USD 720 per person on our 12-day Budget tier, USD 999 on Standard and USD 1,499 on Luxury, for a group of one to four. Those prices cover your licensed guide, your ACAP and TIMS permits, the drive in and out and the Pokhara hotel night. They do not cover your flight to Nepal, your visa, your insurance, tips, your Kathmandu hotel or your spending on the trail. This guide adds every one of those up, using our own package prices and official fees, so you can see the real total before you book.
I am Shreejan, and I run this trek every season with my team. Below I show where each rupee goes, what changes by lodge and by airline, and a worked budget for a couple and for a solo trekker.
How much does the Annapurna Circuit cost in 2027?
For a group of one to four, the 12-day Annapurna Circuit is USD 720 Budget, USD 999 Standard and USD 1,499 Luxury per person. The 16-day version, which adds Tilicho Lake, is USD 799 Budget, USD 1,499 Standard and USD 2,099 Luxury for two to four people. A solo Luxury trekker pays USD 2,749 on the 16-day route. The tiers differ in who carries your bag, what you eat, where you sleep and how you travel on the roads.
| Tier | Porters | Meals on the trek | Rooms | 12 days, per person | 16 days with Tilicho, per person |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Budget | None, you carry your own bag | Not included | Shared | USD 720 | USD 799 |
| Standard | One porter for every two trekkers | All meals | Private | USD 999 | USD 1,499 |
| Luxury | One porter for every trekker | All meals, fruit and nuts, unlimited soft drinks | Private deluxe, ensuite | USD 1,499 | USD 2,099 (USD 2,749 solo) |
Pricing is the same whether the trek is private or part of a fixed departure. We discount only by group size, and we never merge two separate private bookings. Kathmandu hotels are not in any trek tier, so they are quoted separately. You can see the full day-by-day plans on our Annapurna Circuit Trek (12 days) and Annapurna Circuit with Tilicho Lake (16 days) pages.
Does the price fall if you trek in a group?
Yes. The price per person drops as the group grows, and it is the only discount we apply. Here is the 12-day trek by group size.
| Group size | Budget | Standard | Luxury |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 to 4 | USD 720 | USD 999 | USD 1,499 |
| 5 to 8 | USD 669 | USD 949 | USD 1,449 |
| 9 to 12 | USD 619 | USD 899 | USD 1,399 |
| 13 or more | USD 569 | USD 849 | USD 1,349 |
The 16-day trek with Tilicho Lake follows the same pattern.
| Group size | Budget | Standard | Luxury |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | USD 799 | USD 1,499 | USD 2,749 |
| 2 to 4 | USD 799 | USD 1,499 | USD 2,099 |
| 5 to 8 | USD 749 | USD 1,449 | USD 2,049 |
| 9 to 12 | USD 699 | USD 1,399 | USD 1,999 |
| 13 or more | USD 649 | USD 1,349 | USD 1,949 |
If you are travelling alone on Standard, there is no porter for you, because porters are shared one between two. Your guide carries part of your load instead. If you want a porter of your own, it is USD 25 a day, and 13 per cent VAT and a 3.5 per cent bank charge go on top of that figure. On Luxury, a solo trekker still has a dedicated porter.
What is included in the price and what is not?
Every tier includes airport pick-up and drop-off, the transport from Kathmandu to the start of the trek and from Muktinath to Pokhara, one hotel night in Pokhara with breakfast, an English-speaking guide, the ACAP permit and the TIMS card, all government taxes, a first-aid kit and an oximeter, and a farewell meal. The transport is by local vehicle on Budget, a shared tourist vehicle on Standard and a private vehicle on Luxury. You get a company T-shirt and cap, a SIM card, and free storage for the luggage you leave in Kathmandu. If you do not own a sleeping bag or a down jacket, tell us at your briefing and we lend you ours.
The following are never in the price, on any tier:
- Your international flights.
- Your Nepal visa.
- Travel insurance, which must cover helicopter rescue.
- Your Kathmandu hotel, before and after the trek.
- Tips for your guide and porter.
- Meals on the long drive days, which are day 1 and days 11 and 12 on the 12-day trek.
- Alcohol on every tier. On Budget, all meals and drinks on the trail. On Standard, drinks outside mealtimes, although a cup of tea or coffee comes with each meal and two litres of warm water a day is included.
- Extra costs when something outside our control forces a change, such as a landslide, bad weather, illness or a strike.
What permits does the Annapurna Circuit need and what do they cost?
You need an Annapurna Conservation Area permit (ACAP) and a TIMS card. The Nepal Tourism Board lists the ACAP at NPR 3,000 per person for foreigners and NPR 1,000 for SAARC nationals, with children under ten free. The TIMS card is NPR 2,000 for foreigners and NPR 1,000 for SAARC citizens. Together that is NPR 5,000 for most visitors. We buy both for you, so on our trek they are already inside the USD price. Fees can change, so our guide to Nepal trekking permits is the place to check before you rely on a figure.
The ACAP fee is not a tax that disappears. The Annapurna Conservation Area is run by the National Trust for Nature Conservation, which says it gets no regular government funding for it and is allowed to collect entry fees, which it puts back into the area, its resources and its community. TIMS cards can only be bought by registered trekking agencies. Under the rule that took effect on 31 March 2023, the Nepal Tourism Board says a trekker on the listed routes, which include the Annapurna Circuit, must be accompanied by a licensed guide and carry an agency-issued card. We trek with a licensed guide on every departure.
How much is a Nepal visa for the Annapurna Circuit?
A 30-day visa costs USD 50, and that is the one most trekkers need. It covers the 12-day trek or the 16-day trek, plus days in Kathmandu before and after. A 15-day visa is USD 30 and a 90-day visa is USD 125. At Kathmandu airport you pay in US dollars, so carry cash in that currency. Children under ten get a free visa, with the exception of United States citizens. Our visa on arrival guide walks through the airport steps, and the e-visa guide explains the online route.
How much cash do you need for tips and trail extras?
Plan on NPR 1,500 to 2,500 a day, roughly USD 12 to 20, for hot showers, wifi, phone charging, drinks and snacks. Those are the figures we give guests for a twelve-day trek. Showers are about NPR 150 to 500 and wifi about NPR 200 to 500. For twelve days, that is about USD 145 to 240 a person. Our currency guide explains why you should carry cash from Kathmandu rather than count on a machine in the mountains.
Tips are not on any bill, but they matter to the people who carry and guide you. Our tipping guide suggests USD 15 to 20 a day for your guide and USD 10 to 15 a day for a porter. Over twelve days that is USD 180 to 240 for the guide and USD 120 to 180 for a porter. If you are on Budget you have no porter, so your tip is the guide's alone. Hand it over in cash, in a sealed envelope, at the farewell dinner or on your last morning.
Do you need travel insurance, and what should it cover?
Yes, and you buy it at home before you fly, not in Nepal. Our package says rescue is arranged by us and paid for by your insurance, so the policy has to cover helicopter evacuation at altitude. Thorong La is 5,416 metres, so a cap of 4,000 metres would leave you uncovered on the hardest day. Our insurance guide sets out what to check, including evacuation up to 6,000 metres and at least USD 100,000 of medical cover. I give no premium here, because it depends on your age, your country and your insurer. Get a quote that names Nepal and the altitude before you pay.
What does a whole Annapurna Circuit trip really cost?
A couple on our 12-day Standard tier spends about USD 1,343 to 1,499 each on the ground, before their flight to Nepal, insurance and Kathmandu hotel. A solo trekker on the 12-day Budget tier spends about USD 1,094 to 1,250, plus every meal and drink on the trail. Here is how those totals are built, per person, from the figures above.
| Item | Couple, Standard | Solo, Budget |
|---|---|---|
| Trek package | USD 999 | USD 720 |
| 30-day visa | USD 50 | USD 50 |
| Tips | USD 150 to 210 (guide and the shared porter, split between two) | USD 180 to 240 (guide only) |
| Trail extras, 12 days | USD 145 to 240 | USD 145 to 240 |
| Total per person | USD 1,343 to 1,499 | USD 1,094 to 1,250 |
Three costs sit on top of both columns, and I don't fix a number for them. Your flight to Nepal depends on where you fly from and when you book, so price it yourself on the day. Your insurance depends on your age and your insurer. Your Kathmandu hotel depends on the standard you choose, and we quote it separately. On Budget you also pay for every meal and drink on the trail. Teahouse menu prices differ by lodge and season, so ask me for your dates and I will tell you what our guests have actually spent. Kathmandu spending on meals, transport and souvenirs, before and after the trek, is NPR 2,000 to 4,000 a day in our currency guide.
Why is the Annapurna Circuit cheaper than Everest Base Camp?
On our own prices, the 12-day Annapurna Circuit is cheaper than our 12-day Everest Base Camp trek at every tier. EBC is USD 1,399, 2,499 and 4,999, against USD 720, 999 and 1,499 for the Circuit. The main reason is the way in and out. The Circuit goes by road, with no mountain flight, while Everest means a Lukla flight, and our Luxury EBC uses a helicopter. If you are weighing the two, our Everest Base Camp cost guide has the same breakdown.
How have the new roads changed the cost of the Annapurna Circuit?
Roads have shortened the walking and changed where it starts. Our 12-day trek drives from Kathmandu to Bhulbhule and walks from there. The 16-day route drives on to Jagat. Day 11 is a drive from Muktinath through Jomsom to Pokhara, and day 12 is the drive back to Kathmandu. The road has reached Manang on one side and Muktinath on the other, and only two stretches of the old route are still without a road, Thorong La and the Ghorepani and Poon Hill section.
What has not changed is the crossing itself. Thorong La, at 5,416 metres, links Manang to Muktinath and has no road. Our blog on the road construction explains which sections are still pure trail. For the live position on closures, read is the Annapurna Circuit open, because a road landslide can raise the cost of a drive without closing the trail. If the Jomsom road is closed you can fly Pokhara to Jomsom on request. Our domestic flights guide shows about USD 179 for that flight, about 20 minutes, in the morning only. That is not in the package price.
How do the deposit, balance and refund work?
You pay a 10 per cent deposit to hold your dates and the balance in Kathmandu. We take US dollars or card, and a card payment of the balance carries a 3.5 per cent charge, so cash in Kathmandu costs nothing extra. We do not take Nepali rupees from foreign clients. The deposit is non-refundable. If you need to move, you can reschedule for free with at least 72 hours' notice, to any date within one year. If we cannot run the trip, we refund what you paid less taxes, bank and card charges and any money already spent on permits or flights.
Do the prices change for 2027?
No. The prices on this page hold for 2027 departures. The things that move are the fees set by others and the roads, so I check both before I confirm your dates. The best months are covered in our guides to the Annapurna Circuit in autumn, in spring, in October and in November. If you are choosing a start date right now, read Thorong La timing for October 2026.
Where should you read next?
Where you sleep each night is in best teahouses on the Annapurna Circuit. The pass itself is in Thorong La Pass, and the stops that shape the route are Chame, Pisang and Ngawal.
If you want a price for your own dates and group size, message me on WhatsApp and I will answer myself.
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Email: [email protected]
Written by Shreejan Simkhada, CEO of The Everest Holiday, from a family of three generations of guides. TAAN Member #1586.
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