Everest Base Camp Trek Cost from Austria: Prices in EUR, Flights, Visa and Insurance

Last updated 4 October 2026. Trek prices are read from our own booking system. Euro figures use the European Central Bank reference rate of 2 October 2026 (the bank does not publish on weekends): 1 euro = 1.1225 US dollars, so 1 US dollar is about 0.89 euro. Austria uses the euro, so there is no third currency to juggle. Flight prices are snapshots from one day, and I say so wherever they appear.

Austrian trekkers who write to me tend to ask the same thing in the first line: what will Everest Base Camp really cost from Vienna, door to door? The honest answer has three parts. The trek price I can give you to the dollar. The flight I can only show you a snapshot of, and from Vienna that snapshot is a good deal kinder than you might fear, as long as you accept a long journey and a connection through the Gulf or Delhi. And dollars and euros are different currencies, so every euro figure below is a guide that will move a little.

This page is one trek, one budget and the arithmetic done in full: the fares I found, the visa, the permits, the health cards that will not cover you, Austrian leave law, and the Nepali public holidays that fall in the trekking season. If you would rather ask a person, you do not need to call Nepal. We have someone in Europe. If you want the same numbers worked out for another European country, we have written them for Germany, Sweden, Norway, Denmark and Finland too.

If you want me directly, my WhatsApp is +977 9810351300. I answer it myself.

Is there a direct flight from Vienna to Kathmandu?

Not that I could find. On 4 October 2026 I ran live searches from Vienna (VIE) to Kathmandu on Kiwi.com: leaving 19 October and returning 5 November, limited to a single change of plane in each direction, with a cabin bag and a checked bag, on a single ticket (no self-transfer). Every result needed one change. I have no source for a nonstop, so I will not tell you one exists.

What Vienna does have is a cheap first leg. Air Arabia flies from Vienna to Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates, leaving at 22:25 and landing at 06:05 the next morning, and flies on from Sharjah to Kathmandu. Kiwi.com labels Sharjah as Dubai, but it is a different airport, in a different emirate, so check which airport is on your ticket. Air India and Turkish Airlines show up on the way home, for a higher price, as the table below shows.

What did the flights actually cost on one day?

This is where travel pages invent numbers, so here is exactly what I saw on Kiwi.com on 4 October 2026, in euros, return, one adult, leaving Vienna on 19 October and coming back on 5 November, one change each way at most, a cabin bag and one checked bag included, no self-transfer. I ran the search three times that day, sorted by price and sorted by journey time, and each run returned the same 15 itineraries, with the lowest fare at EUR 933 every time, so it did not move within the day. The hours are the total of both directions, waiting time included. Every fare in the table is listed with a personal item, a cabin bag and one checked bag. The table shows eight of the 15, from the cheapest to a few of the faster ones.

Route and airlines	Return fare	Notes
Air Arabia both ways via Sharjah (late arrival, long waits)	EUR 933 (about US$1,047)	About 46 hours in total, the cheapest fare I found. Out 19 October at 22:25, Sharjah at 06:05, a wait of about 10 hours, on at 16:40, Kathmandu at 22:40 on 20 October. Home 5 November from Kathmandu at 14:30, Sharjah at 17:45, a wait of about 14 hours, then on at 07:55 on 6 November, Vienna at 11:20
Air Arabia both ways via Sharjah (morning connection out)	EUR 936 (about US$1,051)	About 38 hours in total. Out as above, but on from Sharjah at 08:30 and Kathmandu at 14:30 on 20 October. Home as in the EUR 933 row, Vienna at 11:20 on 6 November
Air Arabia both ways (late arrival, evening flight home)	EUR 1,035 (about US$1,162)	About 38 hours in total. Kathmandu at 22:40 on 20 October. Home 5 November from Kathmandu at 22:20, Sharjah at 01:35, then on at 07:55, Vienna at 11:20 on 6 November
Air Arabia both ways (morning connection out, evening flight home)	EUR 1,038 (about US$1,165)	About 30 hours in total. Kathmandu at 14:30 on 20 October. Home from Kathmandu at 22:20, Vienna at 11:20 on 6 November
Out with Air Arabia via Sharjah; back with Air India via Delhi (early flight)	EUR 1,062 (about US$1,192)	About 28 hours in total, the fare I use below. Out 19 October at 22:25, Kathmandu at 14:30 on 20 October, with a connection of about 2 hours 25 minutes in Sharjah. Home 5 November from Kathmandu at 07:35, Delhi at 09:20, on at 14:00, Vienna at 18:55 the same evening
Out with Air Arabia via Sharjah; back with Air India via Delhi (later morning flight)	EUR 1,144 (about US$1,284)	About 26 hours in total, the shortest trip I found. Kathmandu at 14:30 on 20 October. Home from Kathmandu at 10:05, Delhi at 11:50, on at 14:00, Vienna at 18:55 on 5 November
Out with Air Arabia via Sharjah; back with Turkish Airlines via Istanbul (overnight wait)	EUR 1,341 (about US$1,505)	About 37 hours in total. Home 5 November from Kathmandu at 12:45, Istanbul at 18:25, a wait of about 13 hours, then on at 08:00 on 6 November, Vienna at 08:20
Out with Air Arabia via Sharjah; back with Turkish Airlines via Istanbul (same-day connection)	EUR 1,416 (about US$1,589)	About 26 hours in total. Home 5 November from Kathmandu at 12:45, Istanbul at 18:25, on at 21:35, Vienna at 21:55 the same evening

The headline figure for a trekker with boots and a duffel is the fifth row, EUR 1,062, about US$1,192, and that is the fare I use for the budget below. I chose it over the cheapest row on purpose. EUR 933 saves EUR 129 (about US$145), but it takes about 18 hours longer, most of it waiting in Sharjah, and it lands in Kathmandu at 22:40, after the hotel pick-up has gone home. The shortest row, EUR 1,144, is EUR 82 dearer than my choice and about two and a half hours quicker, so it is a fair swap if your leave is tight. Baggage allowances are as Kiwi.com listed them, so confirm the weight on the airline's own page before you pay, and check the transit rules for the country where you change planes.

Notice what the numbers say about Vienna. Unlike a big hub, Vienna has no flight of its own to Kathmandu, but the fares I found were close to EUR 1,000, not several hundred euros higher. Look at the hours too: about 28 hours in total for the fare I would look at first, with a short wait in Sharjah on the way out and a longer one in Delhi on the way home. All 15 results needed one change, so a trip from Vienna is a long day each way whatever you choose, and that has to go into your leave calculation below.

How much does a trek package to Everest Base Camp cost?

A 12-day Everest Base Camp trek package with us costs US$1,399 on Budget, US$2,499 on Standard and US$4,999 on Luxury, per person, which is about 1,246, 2,226 and 4,453 euros. It includes a licensed guide, all permits, transport to and from Lukla and the teahouse nights. It does not include your flight to Nepal, the visa, insurance, tips or your Kathmandu hotel. These come straight out of our booking system. They are the same for 2026 and 2027 departures, and the same whether you go privately or in a group.

Everest Base Camp, 12 days	USD per person	EUR, approximate
Budget	US$1,399	about 1,246 euros
Standard	US$2,499	about 2,226 euros
Luxury	US$4,999	about 4,453 euros

The difference between the tiers is not marketing, and I want you to be able to check it. On Budget you carry your own bag, rooms are shared and meals are not included. On Standard you get a porter shared between two trekkers, all meals and a private room. On Luxury you get your own dedicated porter, a private deluxe ensuite room, all meals with fruit, nuts and unlimited soft drinks, and the Lukla legs by helicopter both ways instead of a fixed-wing flight.

What is inside every tier: a licensed guide, the permits, airport pickup and drop-off in Kathmandu, the flights to and from Lukla on the fixed-wing tiers, the teahouse nights, a first aid kit and pulse oximeter, and a farewell dinner. What is outside every tier: your flight to Nepal, the visa, travel insurance, tips, your Kathmandu hotel and anything you buy on the trail. Kathmandu hotels are quoted separately, though you can stay in our own family homestay at US$15 per person per night (about 13 euros), which helps fund the learning centre my family runs.

Our cost guide's rule of thumb is that a trek far below US$1,200 (about 1,070 euros) is paying its guide badly, skipping a permit or leaving out the flight, so ask any company what is in its price. The Lukla flights are a large part of a Budget price. A Kathmandu to Lukla ticket is about US$253 one way and about US$506 return, according to our own domestic flights guide, so a good part of US$1,399 is simply getting you to the trail and back. The full day-by-day route is on the Everest Base Camp Trek 12 Days page, and our Everest Base Camp cost guide has every line of the price.

If you want to skip the Lukla flight, or worry about it, there is one honest alternative. A shared helicopter seat from Kathmandu to Lukla is about US$640 per person (about 570 euros), and about US$710 from Lukla back to Kathmandu (about 633 euros), including government tax, bank charges and the fuel supplement. Luxury includes the helicopter both ways. Helicopter seats are shared and depend on availability and weather on the day, and the prices are a guide. The flights guide above has the full detail.

Kathmandu to Lukla and back	Price
Fixed-wing flight, one way (included on Budget and Standard)	about US$253, 225 euros
Fixed-wing flight, return (included on Budget and Standard)	about US$506, 451 euros
Shared helicopter seat, Kathmandu to Lukla	about US$640, 570 euros
Shared helicopter seat, Lukla to Kathmandu	about US$710, 633 euros
Both helicopter legs bought separately (my sum)	about US$1,350, 1,203 euros
Helicopter both ways (included on Luxury)	included

Do you need a guide, and what does a porter cost?

Every trek we run includes a licensed guide, and I would not walk this route without one. A guide is also your safety: ours carry a first aid kit and a pulse oximeter. The Austrian foreign ministry's travel information for Nepal says that every hiker must book a licensed trekking guide and walk with that guide. I have not found the Nepali regulation text myself, so I cannot tell you how that applies on each route, and I will not quote a rule or a date here. Our own guide to trekking without one explains the situation, and the Nepal Tourism Board is the place to confirm the current position before you plan anything alone.

The porter question is where the three tiers differ most. On Budget there is no porter and you carry your own bag. On Standard there is one porter for every two trekkers, carrying about 20 kg between you, so pack to about 10 kg in the duffel and keep a daypack. On Luxury you have a dedicated porter of your own. If you travel solo on Standard there is no porter, because porters are shared one to two, and your guide carries up to 10 kg of your gear instead. On Luxury a solo trekker still has a dedicated porter. If you want an extra porter on any tier, it is US$25 a day (about 22 euros), with 13 per cent VAT and a 3.5 per cent bank charge on top, so ask us for the exact figure for your dates. If you are travelling alone, our guide to the solo cost and the single supplement works through that case.

How much luggage can you take to Lukla?

Less than you think. On the mountain flights the allowance is about 10 kg checked plus 5 kg hand carry, and every airline sets its own limit, so your ticket is the final word. Excess is paid by the kilo at the airport, and our flights guide says no airline publishes a Lukla excess rate. If the aircraft is at its weight limit, the extra bag flies later, so pack as if your duffel might arrive a day behind you. Camera and drone batteries count towards your hand carry. Lukla sits at 2,860 metres, on a short mountain runway, and the plane is small. What you do not need on the trail stays at a Kathmandu hotel in Thamel, which we arrange. This matters because the large bag you check from Vienna is not the bag you take on the Lukla plane.

What permits do you need, and are they included?

The Khumbu is not a restricted area, so there is no special trekking permit. You need three things, and we arrange and pay for all of them in every tier:

• Sagarmatha National Park entry: NPR 3,000 for foreigners.
• Khumbu Pasang Lhamu Rural Municipality fee: NPR 3,000.
• TIMS card: NPR 2,000.

That is NPR 8,000 in total, about US$52, roughly 46 euros at the market rate on 3 October. None of it is added to your bill. I read the park and TIMS figures on the Nepal Tourism Board's own pages. The municipality fee was raised from NPR 2,000 to NPR 3,000 in September 2024, and I have no primary web page for it; it is collected on the trail, and our guides pay it for you.

You will see lower totals elsewhere. Some pages quote the permits at US$45 to US$60 and some say the TIMS card is no longer needed. We arrange TIMS for every trekker. It is run jointly by the Nepal Tourism Board and the Trekking Agencies' Association of Nepal, and its purpose is to record who is on the trail in case of an accident or a natural disaster. The Austrian foreign ministry's page also says hikers must carry a valid TIMS certificate, that it costs NPR 2,000 for foreigners and that it is sold through licensed trekking agencies, which matches the figure above. Our permits guide covers the rest, and our Everest permits and fees page is the one to read for this route.

Do Austrian citizens need a visa for Nepal?

Yes, but it is simple. Austria is not on the list of twelve countries whose citizens must apply at a Nepali embassy before travelling, so you can get a visa on arrival at Tribhuvan airport or apply online beforehand. The twelve are Afghanistan, Cameroon, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Ghana, Iraq, Liberia, Nigeria, Palestine, Somalia, Syria and Zimbabwe. The fees published by the Nepal Department of Immigration are US$30 for 15 days, US$50 for 30 days and US$125 for 90 days. That is about 27, 45 and 111 euros.

The Austrian foreign ministry (Bundesministerium für europäische und internationale Angelegenheiten, BMEIA) has a travel information page for Nepal, which I read on 4 October 2026. It showed no change since 29 September. On entry it says: "Mindestens 6 Monate bei der Einreise, 2 leere Seiten im Pass", which means your passport must be valid for at least six months on arrival and have two blank pages. On the visa, it says that a visa can be applied for at Nepal's representation in Vienna, and that tourist visas can also be issued on arrival at Kathmandu airport and at some other border points. The page lists no fees, so the fees above are from the Nepali immigration department. I would sort out the visa before you leave if you can, or at least carry the cash for it.

Almost every Everest trekker needs 30 days, so budget US$50 and carry it in US dollars cash. Look at the validity date in your passport today, because the six months is the one item on the list you cannot fix at the airport. If you apply online, the payment gateway adds a convenience fee, and the approved visa is emailed to you to print. Our e-visa guide and our visa on arrival guide walk through both routes.

What does the Austrian foreign ministry say about Nepal?

You should read the page yourself before you book, because it changes. These are the points that matter for a trekker, in the ministry's own wording where I quote it. Its page for Nepal was dated 4 October 2026.

• Security level. It gives "Hohes Sicherheitsrisiko (Sicherheitsstufe 3 von 4) im Terai-Gebiet" and advises against travel to that region that is not strictly necessary. The Terai is the southern lowland of Nepal. The Everest route is in the mountains, but I cannot read the whole page for you, so look at it.
• Strikes and protests. It says that demonstrations and bandhs (general strikes) can occur sporadically and often at short notice. A bandh can close roads and shops for a day, which is one more reason to keep a spare day in Kathmandu.
• Monsoon. It says the monsoon runs from June to October and that landslides are frequent, especially during the rains. That is why I will talk you out of June to mid-September.
• Hiking routes. It says that robberies and extortion with violence can occur on hiking routes. I have no source that puts that on the Everest trail, so I am passing on the ministry's wording and nothing more.
• Rescue. It says rescue flights cannot always be flown in time or in every part of the country.
• Who to call. There is no Austrian embassy in Nepal. The ministry says the embassy is in India (New Delhi), and lists an honorary consulate in Kathmandu. If you need help, it gives the ministry's Bürgerservice number, +43 1 90115 4411. Save it in your phone before you fly, and give it to the person at home who has your itinerary.

Does your e-card or the European health card cover you in Nepal?

This is where trekkers get caught, so I am going to be blunt.

The European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) gives you treatment on the same terms as the residents of the country you are visiting, but only in the EU member states, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland. That is what the European Union's Your Europe page says (page dated 16 September 2026). It also says the card does not cover private healthcare, planned treatment, or rescue and repatriation costs, which need separate travel insurance. Austrians carry the European card on the back of their e-card, I believe, but I could not open the Austrian health insurer's own page to cite that, so look at your own card. Nepal is not on the list, so the card gives you nothing there.

The Austrian foreign ministry says the same thing in its own way: "Es besteht kein Sozialversicherungsabkommen mit Österreich." There is no social insurance agreement between Nepal and Austria. It adds that hospital treatment can cost a great deal and that it strongly recommends a travel insurance that covers all risks before you leave. The card is free and worth having for Europe. It is just no use on this trip.

So you need a private policy, and you need to read it. A standard holiday policy is usually written for ordinary holidays, not for a 12-day trek to 5,000 metres, so do not assume it applies. I have not read any Austrian insurer's full policy terms, so I cannot tell you which policy is good. Ask.

What I would ask for in writing before you buy: cover for trekking to at least 6,000 metres, because Kala Patthar is over 5,500 metres, and helicopter evacuation for illness as well as accident. Altitude sickness is an illness, and a policy that pays only for accidents will not lift you off the mountain. Get the answer in an email from the insurer, and buy the policy at home before you fly. For scale, our cost guide puts a helicopter evacuation from Base Camp to Kathmandu at US$3,000 to US$5,000, about 2,670 to 4,450 euros. I have not priced Austrian insurers, so get a quote. Our insurance guide goes through what to look for.

Our cost guide gives three bands for two to three weeks: basic trekking cover up to 6,000 metres at US$50 to US$100, full travel plus trekking cover at US$100 to US$180, and premium cover with trip cancellation at US$150 to US$250. That is roughly 45 to 89, 89 to 160 and 134 to 223 euros. We check your policy before departure, and without one you cannot trek. Buy it at home, not in Nepal, and confirm in writing that it covers trekking above 5,000 metres and helicopter evacuation, because some ordinary travel policies exclude both. The question of what a policy pays for a helicopter is covered at more length in our guide to insurance with helicopter cover.

What will you spend on the trail?

On Budget, where meals are not included, our cost guide says to add roughly US$25 to US$40 a day for meals, so US$300 to US$480 across twelve days, or roughly 267 to 428 euros. That is before showers, charging and wifi. On Standard and Luxury every meal is already paid for, so the money you carry goes much further. Prices rise with altitude because everything is carried up on a porter's back or by yak. These are the ranges from our own price list for the Everest trail, in Nepali rupees with dollars in brackets:

Item	Lukla to Namche	Namche to Dingboche	Above Dingboche
Dal bhat (rice and lentils, refills)	NPR 500 to 600 (US$4 to 5)	NPR 600 to 800 (US$5 to 6)	NPR 800 to 1,000 (US$6 to 8)
Pizza or pasta	NPR 600 to 700 (US$5 to 6)	NPR 700 to 900 (US$6 to 7)	NPR 900 to 1,200 (US$7 to 10)
Fried rice or noodles	NPR 400 to 500 (US$3 to 4)	NPR 500 to 700 (US$4 to 6)	NPR 700 to 900 (US$6 to 7)
Tea or coffee	NPR 80 to 100 (US$0.60 to 0.80)	NPR 100 to 150 (US$0.80 to 1.20)	NPR 150 to 250 (US$1.20 to 2)
Bottled water, 1 litre	NPR 150 to 200 (US$1.20 to 1.50)	NPR 200 to 300 (US$1.50 to 2.50)	NPR 300 to 500 (US$2.50 to 4)
Chocolate bar	NPR 150 to 200 (US$1.20 to 1.50)	NPR 200 to 300 (US$1.50 to 2.50)	NPR 300 to 400 (US$2.50 to 3)

Then the extras that surprise people: wifi, charging, hot showers and laundry. These are charged per use, and they jump above Namche:

Item	Lukla to Namche	Above Namche
Wifi, per device	NPR 200 to 300 (US$1.50 to 2.50)	NPR 300 to 500 (US$2.50 to 4)
Phone charging	free to NPR 200	NPR 200 to 500 (US$1.50 to 4)
Hot shower	NPR 200 to 300 (US$1.50 to 2.50)	NPR 300 to 500 or more (US$2.50 to 4 or more)
Laundry, per kilo	NPR 300 to 500 (US$2.50 to 4)	not available

A tip from our cost guide: buy an Everest Link wifi card in Namche for NPR 500 to 1,000. It works at most teahouses from Namche to Gorak Shep and is faster than teahouse wifi. A 20,000 mAh power bank saves roughly US$20 to US$30 in charging fees over the trek. A day at the top of the route with a shower, one charge, a litre of water and one wifi session comes to NPR 1,100 to 2,000, about US$7 to US$13, or 6 to 12 euros. That is my own sum of the ranges above. Dal bhat is the best value on any teahouse menu, and our dal bhat guide explains why every guide in Nepal eats it twice a day.

Cash matters. Our cost guide says the only cash machines on the route are in Namche and they are often empty, so bring your trail money from Kathmandu. For Standard or Luxury, where meals are included, it suggests about NPR 20,000 to 30,000 (US$130 to US$195 at today's rate, or about 116 to 174 euros) for showers, charging, wifi, snacks and tips over the twelve days. On Budget, add the daily food money to that.

Tipping is customary and is not included in any price. Our cost guide's suggested figures are US$15 to US$20 a day for the lead guide, US$180 to US$240 over twelve days (about 160 to 214 euros), and US$10 to US$15 a day for a porter, US$120 to US$180 over twelve days (about 107 to 160 euros). Together that is US$300 to US$420, about 267 to 374 euros. Tips are usually given at the end of the trek in Kathmandu, in a sealed envelope, and a group pools them. Cash in rupees is preferred, but dollars are accepted. On Budget there is no porter, so a solo trekker is looking at the guide's share only.

What does gear cost, rent or buy?

Gear is smaller money than people fear. On every tier we provide a down jacket and a sleeping bag rated to minus 15 at no cost, and a duffel bag on Standard and Luxury, so the most expensive items on a kit list are covered. For everything else, here are the ranges from our cost guide. The "at home" prices are that guide's general figures, not Austrian shop prices, which I have not checked. Multiply the dollar figures by about 0.89 for euros.

Item	Rent in Kathmandu, per day	Buy in Kathmandu	Buy at home
Down jacket (we provide one free)	US$1 to 2	US$30 to 80	US$150 to 400
Sleeping bag, minus 15 (we provide one free)	US$1 to 2	US$40 to 100	US$200 to 500
Trekking poles, pair	US$1	US$10 to 25	US$50 to 150
Duffel bag, 65 litres	US$0.50 to 1	US$5 to 15	US$30 to 80
Fleece jacket	US$0.50 to 1	US$10 to 25	US$40 to 100
Waterproof jacket	US$1 to 2	US$25 to 60	US$100 to 300

Austrians who already own a good shell, poles and boots from years of walking in the mountains will find most of this table is a rental. The one item I would buy at home and break in before you fly is your boots. Our cost guide has the full kit list.

What is the full cost from Austria?

One person, Budget tier, twelve days, flying from Vienna at EUR 1,062 (Air Arabia out, Air India back), one change each way and a checked bag included. This table is the Budget column of the budget table further down, without tips, insurance and trail extras:

Item	USD	EUR, approximate
Trek, Budget tier (permits included)	US$1,399	1,246
Return flight, Vienna, EUR 1,062 snapshot, checked bag included	about US$1,192	1,062
Nepal visa, 30 days	US$50	45
Food on the trail, US$25 to US$40 a day for twelve days	US$300 to US$480	267 to 428
Total	about US$2,941 to US$3,121	about 2,620 to 2,780

If you take Standard or Luxury, the same flight, visa and trek arithmetic comes to this, before tips, insurance, Kathmandu hotels and your own spending money:

Tier	Trek + flight + visa, USD	EUR, approximate
Budget (plus US$300 to US$480 for meals on the trail)	about US$2,641	about 2,353
Standard (meals included)	about US$3,741	about 3,333
Luxury (meals and helicopter included)	about US$6,241	about 5,560

Three things sit outside those totals on purpose. Kathmandu hotels are quoted separately. Insurance is yours to buy, for the reasons above. And your spending money for the days either side of the trek is yours too.

How expensive is it to hike to Everest Base Camp?

From Vienna, a solo trekker on our Budget tier should plan on about US$3,171 to US$3,541 (roughly 2,830 to 3,160 euros) for the whole trip, before a Kathmandu hotel. Of that, the trek is US$1,399, the flight about US$1,192 on the autumn snapshot, and the rest is the visa, food on the trail, a tip for the guide and insurance. Standard comes to about US$3,971 to US$4,161 and Luxury about US$6,591 to US$6,841, and showers, charging and wifi can add up to about US$150 to any of them. The flight is the part that moves most. The table below shows every line.

What is the budget for a 12-day trek to Everest Base Camp?

The trek is twelve days, but you will be away from Austria for about eighteen. Here is the whole budget for one person travelling alone, with every line from a source above. Tips are the suggested figures from our cost guide, and insurance is the basic-to-full range from the same guide. Kathmandu hotels are not in it, because they are quoted separately.

Line	Budget	Standard	Luxury
Trek, 12 days, permits included	US$1,399	US$2,499	US$4,999
Return flight Vienna to Kathmandu, EUR 1,062 autumn snapshot	about US$1,192	about US$1,192	about US$1,192
Nepal visa, 30 days	US$50	US$50	US$50
Meals on the trail	US$300 to US$480	included	included
Tips, suggested figures	US$180 to US$240 (guide only)	US$180 to US$240 (guide only, solo)	US$300 to US$420 (guide and dedicated porter)
Travel insurance	US$50 to US$180	US$50 to US$180	US$50 to US$180
Total, USD	about 3,171 to 3,541	about 3,971 to 4,161	about 6,591 to 6,841
Total, EUR at 1.1225	about 2,825 to 3,155	about 3,538 to 3,707	about 5,872 to 6,094
Showers, charging, wifi (not in the totals)	up to about US$150 more	up to about US$150 more	up to about US$150 more

How the totals are built: Budget low is 1,399 + 1,192 + 50 + 300 + 180 + 50 = 3,171, and high is 1,399 + 1,192 + 50 + 480 + 240 + 180 = 3,541. Standard low is 2,499 + 1,192 + 50 + 180 + 50 = 3,971 and high 2,499 + 1,192 + 50 + 240 + 180 = 4,161. Luxury low is 4,999 + 1,192 + 50 + 300 + 50 = 6,591 and high 4,999 + 1,192 + 50 + 420 + 180 = 6,841. The extras line is my own sum: a shower, charging, a litre of water and wifi on a day at the top of the route cost NPR 1,100 to 2,000, about US$7 to 13, so US$150 is a safe ceiling for twelve days, and most days cost less. Solo Standard has no porter, so its tip is the guide's alone. Groups pay less per head than the table shows, because of the group prices below.

What can move the number. The flight can go either way by a few hundred euros. A cancelled Lukla flight adds Kathmandu nights or a helicopter seat. A card payment of the balance carries 3.5 per cent. None of those is in the totals, and the next section lists them.

What else costs money that no package price shows?

• Delays. A grounded Lukla flight means extra nights in Kathmandu, from US$15 a night at our family homestay, or a shared helicopter seat from Lukla to Kathmandu at about US$710 if you must be home on a date.
• Card charge and bank margin. Paying the balance by card carries 3.5 per cent. Your own bank may add a currency margin on top when it converts euros to dollars, so ask it.
• The online visa fee. If you apply online, the payment gateway adds a convenience fee to the US$50.
• Laundry. About NPR 300 to 500 a kilo, and not available above Namche.
• Charging and wifi. Free to NPR 500 per charge depending on altitude, and a wifi card in Namche for NPR 500 to 1,000. A 20,000 mAh power bank saves about US$20 to US$30 of charging fees, according to our cost guide.
• An extra porter. Explained in the porter section above, with the taxes on top.
• Excess baggage on the Lukla flight. Our flights guide says no airline publishes a Lukla excess rate, so ask us for the current figure before you fly. It is paid by the kilo at the airport.
• A hotel in Sharjah, Delhi or Istanbul. The cheapest fares wait many hours between flights, and the cheapest fare waits about 14 hours in Sharjah on the way home. If you will not sleep at the airport, add a night.
• Closures. Government offices and many shops close during Dashain and Tihar, so sort cash and paperwork before the holiday starts.

Does it get cheaper as a group?

Yes, and only by group size. Here is the whole table from the live trek page.

Group size	Budget	Standard	Luxury
1 to 4 people	US$1,399	US$2,499	US$4,999
5 to 8 people	US$1,299	US$2,449	US$4,949
9 to 12 people	US$1,199	US$2,399	US$4,899
13 to 20 people	US$999	US$2,349	US$4,849

The price is the same whether you book privately or as a group, and we never add strangers to a private booking. Six friends from the same Alpine club pay less each than six separate travellers would, simply because you are six. Solo trekkers are welcome, and there is no single supplement on Everest Base Camp because your guide joins you from Lukla.

How many days off do you need, and what does Austrian law say?

Ask for about eighteen days away from Austria. The fare I would look at first takes about 28 hours of travel in total, counting both directions and the waits, so more than a day of your leave goes on the journey alone, and the trek itself is twelve days, which leaves a few spare days in Kathmandu. Those spare days are not a luxury. The Lukla flight is weather dependent and delays are routine, and a trekker with no buffer is a trekker who misses the flight home. In the busy windows, roughly 15 March to 15 May and 25 September to 30 November by our working dates, fixed-wing flights to Lukla leave from Manthali rather than Kathmandu, which means a drive of four to five hours with a hotel pick-up between midnight and 2 am. Our Manthali guide has the detail. We tell every client this before they book. We confirm the road is open 48 hours before departure, and if it is not, we find an alternative. Helicopters are not affected.

Now the Austrian side. I read the Urlaubsgesetz (UrlG) on the Rechtsinformationssystem des Bundes (RIS), the federal legal database, in the consolidated version of 4 October 2026. Section 2 says that with fewer than 25 years of service the leave is 30 Werktage, and that after the 25th year it rises to 36 Werktage. It also says that in the first six months of the first working year the entitlement builds up in proportion to the time served, and that after six months it is due in full. Section 4 says that leave may be taken in two parts, and that one part must be at least six Werktage, and, as I read it, that the timing is agreed between you and your employer.

Here is what I could not confirm. The Act counts in Werktage, and the text I read does not define the word. As I understand Austrian practice, Werktage run from Monday to Saturday, which would make 30 Werktage the same as five weeks, or 25 working days if you work Monday to Friday. Treat that as my reading, not legal advice, and ask your employer how it converts your leave. On that reading, my autumn example is this. Leave Vienna on the evening of Monday 19 October after work, and fly home on Thursday 5 November. The weekdays you must cover are Tuesday 20 October to Thursday 5 November, which is 13 weekdays, one of them Monday 26 October, the Nationalfeiertag. That is 13 of your 25 working days, or 12 if the public holiday is not charged to your leave. I have not read the rule on public holidays that fall inside leave, so I give you both numbers. Either way, you can take it in one block, which meets the rule of one part of at least six Werktage.

The calendar is on your side in autumn. I read the public holidays in section 7 of the Arbeitsruhegesetz (ARG), on RIS, consolidated version of 4 October 2026. It lists 13 days, and two of them are near the trek: 26 October (Nationalfeiertag) and 1 November (Allerheiligen). In 2026 the first is a Monday and the second a Sunday, so only 26 October costs you a working day, and I have counted it above. The list does not include Good Friday. The catch is timing. Give your employer the dates as early as you can, because our flights, permits and Lukla seats are booked on the same calendar. I am not a lawyer, and several things I have not read: your contract or collective agreement may give you more than the statute, and how leave carries over from one year to the next is a separate question. Check the current text and your own contract.

A spring trek works too, with a different public holiday. I worked out Easter 2027 with the standard church calendar rules: Easter Sunday is 28 March and Easter Monday, which is on the ARG list, is 29 March. A trek from Monday 22 March to Friday 9 April 2027 is 19 calendar days and 15 weekdays, one of which is Easter Monday, so it uses 14 or 15 of your working days depending on how your employer treats the holiday. Ascension Day is Thursday 6 May 2027 and 1 May 2027 falls on a Saturday. I worked these out from the usual rules and have not checked them against an official 2027 calendar.

One more small thing: time. Nepal is on UTC+5:45 all year. Austria moves its clocks back on the last Sunday of October, which in 2026 is 25 October, so Nepal is 3 hours 45 minutes ahead of Vienna until then and 4 hours 45 minutes ahead afterwards. That matters when you ring home from the trail.

Does Nepal close for Dashain and Tihar?

For government offices, yes, and trekkers rarely hear about it until they land. Nepal's government publishes its public holidays each year in the Nepal Gazette (Nepal Rajpatra). The Ministry of Home Affairs notice for the year 2083, dated 18 Falgun 2082, says:

• Ghatasthapana, the first day of Dashain, is on Asoj 25, a Sunday, which is 11 October 2026.
• The Dashain holiday runs from Asoj 31 (Saturday) to Kartik 6 (Friday), which is 17 to 23 October 2026.
• The Tihar holiday runs from Kartik 22 (Sunday) to Kartik 26 (Thursday), which is 8 to 12 November 2026.
• Chhath is on Kartik 29, a Sunday, which is 15 November 2026.

The notice gives the dates in the Nepali calendar. I converted them to the Western calendar myself, using the Saturdays the same notice lists (Asoj 31 is a Saturday, and 17 October 2026 is a Saturday), so the match is consistent. The example flights above, leaving Vienna on 19 October, land in Kathmandu on 20 October, inside the Dashain holiday. Government offices and many shops are closed. This is not a reason to avoid October, which is the best month for views, but it is a reason to tell us your dates early so permits and paperwork are sorted before the closures. The 2027 dates will be in the notice for the year 2084, which has not been published yet.

When should you go, autumn or spring?

October is the most reliable month and the busiest. Mid-November into early December is cold at night, very clear and much quieter. March and April are warmer, with the rhododendrons in flower, and are the second busiest season. June to mid-September is the monsoon and I will talk you out of it. Late October can bring the tail of a Bay of Bengal cyclone, so build a spare day into your flights home. Our month-by-month guide goes deeper.

Is Everest Base Camp hard, and how do you prepare?

We grade Everest Base Camp Strenuous. If you can walk five to seven hours a day on consecutive days, you have the fitness for it. Austria gives you a head start that most European trekkers do not have: you can train on real hills, with a loaded pack, on back-to-back days, and many Austrians already walk in the Alps most weekends. What the Alps cannot give you is the air. According to Wikipedia, the Grossglockner is the highest mountain in Austria, at 3,798 metres above the Adriatic. Base Camp is 5,364 metres, about 1,566 metres higher than the Grossglockner's summit and about 1.4 times its height, and Everest itself is 8,848.86 metres, about 2.3 times higher. So you will spend days sleeping higher than you have ever been. That is a reason to walk slowly and take the acclimatisation days seriously, not a reason to stay home.

Our guides carry an oximeter, not bottled oxygen. If you want a canister available we can arrange it at cost, and I will tell you honestly that most trekkers who walk slowly and listen to their guide never need it. Our fitness guide shows what the days really demand.

Can a beginner do the Everest Base Camp trek?

Yes, if you are healthy and can walk five to seven hours a day on consecutive days. The route needs no ropes, crampons or climbing skill. What stops people is altitude, not technique, and fitness does not protect you from it: a very fit trekker can get altitude sickness while a slower walker does not. That is why the itinerary has acclimatisation days and why I tell beginners to walk slowly, drink water and tell the guide about every headache. Our guides carry an oximeter, so they can check you instead of guessing.

For a first big trek, my suggestion is to spend the two months before you fly on long walks with a loaded pack, on back-to-back days, and on stairs or hill paths. See your doctor first if you have a heart, lung or blood-pressure condition. Insurance matters more for a beginner, not less, for the reasons in the health card section above.

How does Everest compare with the highest point in Austria?

The only Austrian connection to Everest that I can source is a measuring one, so I will not dress it up as more. Wikipedia gives the Grossglockner as the highest mountain in Austria at 3,798 metres above the Adriatic, and gives Everest as 8,848.86 metres after the 2020 survey by Nepali and Chinese authorities. A Base Camp trek is a different undertaking from climbing Everest, and I will not pretend it is the same. You can fly, and we will carry your bag if you pay for a porter. But it walks into the shadow of a mountain more than twice as high as anything in your home country, and for many Austrian trekkers that is reason enough.

From our guides: what a price list will not tell you

A price list is the easy part. Here is what this page adds for an Austrian trekker, and what we know first-hand.

• The cheapest fare is not the one to book. With a checked bag, one change each way and a single ticket, the lowest return I found on 4 October was EUR 933, and the one I would look at first was EUR 1,062, because the cheaper one takes about 18 hours longer and lands in Kathmandu at 22:40.
• Two bag limits, not one. You can check a full bag from Vienna, but the mountain flights allow about 10 kg checked plus 5 kg hand carry, and the extra goes on a later flight if the aircraft is full. Pack for the small plane, not the big one, and leave the rest at a Thamel hotel, which we arrange.
• The real journey time. The fare I would look at first takes about 28 hours in total, with a connection of about 2 hours 25 minutes in Sharjah on the way out and about 4 hours 40 minutes in Delhi on the way home. The cheapest fare takes about 46. That changes how many days off you ask for.
• The arrival hour. The faster fares land in Kathmandu at 14:30, early enough for a hotel pick-up, but the cheapest fare lands at 22:40. Tell your hotel or us in advance so someone is waiting.
• Sharjah, not Dubai. Booking sites label the airport as Dubai. If you plan to leave the airport during a long wait, check the transit rules for that country first.
• The road to Manthali. In the busy windows, fixed-wing Lukla flights leave from Manthali, a four to five hour drive with a hotel pick-up between midnight and 2 am. We tell every client before they book and confirm the road is open 48 hours before departure.
• Trail costs by altitude, summed. A day at the top of the route with a shower, charging, a litre of water and wifi costs NPR 1,100 to 2,000 (US$7 to 13) from the ranges in our price list, and the total is in the budget table. Few pages add it up.
• Austrian leave, counted carefully. The Urlaubsgesetz gives 30 Werktage, and an eighteen-day trip from Monday 19 October uses 13 of your 25 working days on my reading, or 12 if you are not charged for the 26 October holiday. Check how your employer counts.
• Dates, from the Gazette. A 19 October departure lands inside the Dashain holiday, which runs 17 to 23 October 2026. Guides rarely mention it.
• Permits from the official figures. NPR 8,000 in total, and TIMS is still part of it.
• Insurance questions in writing. Altitude limit, helicopter evacuation for illness, and whether the insurer pays the helicopter directly or reimburses you afterwards. A helicopter from Base Camp to Kathmandu costs US$3,000 to US$5,000.
• Our refund terms in plain words. They are in the payment section below, so you can read them before you pay.

How do you pay from Austria?

A 10 per cent deposit confirms your booking, and the balance is due when you reach Kathmandu. We bill in US dollars only, by card or cash. Card payments carry a 3.5 per cent bank charge, and cash in Kathmandu carries none. We cannot take Nepali rupees from foreign clients. Your own bank may add a currency margin when it converts from euros, so ask it before you pay.

Please be clear on the terms before you pay. The deposit is non-refundable, and if you cancel there is no refund. What we do offer is free rescheduling, with at least 72 hours' notice, to any date within one year. For restricted areas and Tibet the notice is seven days. If we are the ones who cannot run your trip, we refund what you paid, less taxes, bank and card charges and any money already spent on permits and flights.

Check us before you pay

You are sending money to a company in another country, so verify us rather than trusting a nicely written page. We are The Everest Holiday Pvt. Ltd., registered in Nepal on 8 April 2016, TAAN member number 1586. You can check any Nepali operator through the Office of the Company Registrar, TAAN, the Department of Tourism licence register and the Nepal Rastra Bank forex certification. Ask any operator for those numbers and check them yourself. You can also read our over 300 reviews on TripAdvisor, Google and Trustpilot. Our Europe representative is reachable on the Finnish number above.

I will also say what most operators leave out. Even fully licensed companies have been involved in scams. A licence is a floor, not a guarantee. Talk to us, ask hard questions, and see whether the answers are specific.

The questions Austrian clients ask me

Is there a direct flight from Vienna? Not in my search, and I have no source for one. Every fare I found needed one change, usually in Sharjah, Delhi or Istanbul.

Does my e-card work in Nepal? No. The European health card is valid in the EU, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland, and does not cover rescue or repatriation anywhere. The Austrian foreign ministry says there is no social insurance agreement between Nepal and Austria. You need a private policy that covers trekking to altitude and helicopter rescue, in writing.

How many days of leave will the trip use? The Urlaubsgesetz gives 30 Werktage. On my reading, the 19 October to 5 November example uses 13 of your 25 working days, or 12 if the 26 October public holiday is not charged. Agree the dates with your employer well ahead.

Do I need a guide? Every trek we run includes a licensed guide, and the Austrian foreign ministry says every hiker must book one. I have not found the regulation text myself, so confirm the current rule with the Nepal Tourism Board if you are thinking of going alone.

Can I bring a full suitcase to Lukla? No. Mountain flights allow about 10 kg checked plus 5 kg hand carry, and our flights guide says no airline publishes a Lukla excess rate. Leave the rest at your Kathmandu hotel.

How much cash do I need on the trail? The only cash machines are in Namche and are often empty, so bring your trail money from Kathmandu. On Budget, plan US$25 to US$40 a day for food; on Standard and Luxury meals are included.

Are permits included? Yes, in every tier. Sagarmatha National Park, the Khumbu municipality fee and the TIMS card, NPR 8,000 in total.

What if the Lukla flight is cancelled? That is what your spare days in Kathmandu are for. We rebook you, and on Luxury you are on a helicopter anyway.

Is autumn or spring better? Autumn for clear weather and atmosphere, spring for warmer days and flowers. Both are good.

Can I talk to someone in Europe? Yes. Shradha Simkhada is our Europe representative, based in Espoo, Finland. Phone and WhatsApp: +358 45 353 8606.

If you want the numbers run for your dates and your group size, message me or Shradha on WhatsApp, or email [email protected]. I will give you the real figure, including the parts that are not in our favour. You may also want our country guides for other European markets, from Germany, from Sweden, from Norway, from Denmark, from Finland, from Poland and from the UK.

Kurz auf Deutsch

Das Trekking zum Everest Base Camp dauert 12 Tage und kostet 1.399, 2.499 oder 4.999 US-Dollar pro Person (rund 1.246, 2.226 oder 4.453 Euro, berechnet mit dem Referenzkurs der Europäischen Zentralbank vom 2. Oktober 2026). Im Preis sind ein lizenzierter Guide, alle Genehmigungen und die Übernachtungen in Teehäusern enthalten. Nicht enthalten sind der Flug nach Nepal, das Visum, die Reiseversicherung, das Hotel in Kathmandu und das Trinkgeld.

Einen Direktflug von Wien nach Kathmandu habe ich nicht gefunden. Bei meiner Suche am 4. Oktober 2026 (Hinflug 19. Oktober, Rückflug 5. November 2026, höchstens ein Umstieg pro Richtung, ein Ticket, aufgegebenes Gepäck inklusive) kostete der Flug rund 1.062 Euro, mit Air Arabia über Sharjah hin und mit Air India über Delhi zurück, zusammen etwa 28 Stunden Reisezeit. Das ist die Momentaufnahme eines einzigen Tages und ändert sich. Weder die e-card noch die Europäische Krankenversicherungskarte gelten in Nepal. Das Außenministerium schreibt, dass kein Sozialversicherungsabkommen mit Österreich besteht, und empfiehlt dringend eine Reiseversicherung, die alle Risiken abdeckt. Sie sollte Trekking bis mindestens 6.000 Meter und die Rettung per Hubschrauber abdecken, auch bei Krankheit.

Das Urlaubsgesetz sieht 30 Werktage Urlaub vor, nach 25 Dienstjahren 36. Meine Beispielreise von Montag, 19. Oktober, bis Donnerstag, 5. November 2026, braucht bei einer Fünf-Tage-Woche 13 Arbeitstage, oder 12, wenn dir der Nationalfeiertag am 26. Oktober nicht als Urlaub angerechnet wird (das habe ich nicht geprüft). Den Zeitpunkt vereinbarst du mit deinem Arbeitgeber, frag also früh. Das Gesamtbudget für die Budget-Variante ab Wien liegt bei rund 2.825 bis 3.155 Euro, ohne Hotel in Kathmandu. Fragen beantwortet unsere Europa-Vertreterin Shradha Simkhada in Espoo: +358 45 353 8606 (Telefon und WhatsApp, auf Englisch).

About The Everest Holiday

We are a family company in Kathmandu, three generations of family guides, registered in 2016 and a member of the Trekking Agencies' Association of Nepal, number 1586. When you book with us you deal with the family, not a call centre, and the guide who meets you at the airport works for the same people who answered your first message.

Every booking helps fund our Nagarjun Learning Center. We fully run the centre at Saldum, where 70 children learn with a teacher I pay for personally, and we have helped build and still support other community learning centres. It is where a real part of what you pay ends up.

Written by Shreejan Simkhada, CEO of The Everest Holiday and third-generation family guide. TAAN Member #1586.