Everest Base Camp Trek Cost from South Africa: Rand Prices, Flights, Visa and Insurance

Last updated 9 October 2026. Trek prices are read from our own booking system. Rand figures use the European Central Bank reference rate of 8 October 2026: 1 euro = 1.1186 US dollars = 18.63 South African rand, so 1 US dollar is about 16.65 rand. Flight prices are a snapshot from one day, so check the fare before you book.

Short answer: the 12-day Everest Base Camp trek costs US$1,399 on Budget, US$2,499 on Standard and US$4,999 on Luxury per person, which is about 23,290, 41,610 and 83,230 rand. Add a return flight from Cape Town or Johannesburg, which I found between about EUR 1,766 and EUR 1,996 on the day I looked, a US$50 visa and your insurance. For one person on Budget, with the cheapest Johannesburg fare, that comes to about US$3,780 or 62,900 rand.

South Africans who write to me ask the same thing in the first line: what will Everest Base Camp really cost from Johannesburg or Cape Town, in rand, door to door? The trek price I can give you to the dollar. The flight I can only show you as a snapshot. And you pay us in US dollars or euros, so every rand figure below is a guide that will move a little with the exchange rate.

The full route is on our Everest Base Camp Trek, 12 Days page. If you would rather talk to me, my WhatsApp is +977 9810351300 and I answer it myself.

Is there a direct flight from South Africa to Kathmandu?

Not that we know of. Every result I found needed one change of plane in the Gulf, in each direction. From Cape Town, Qatar Airways flies both ways through Doha. From Johannesburg the fares I found went through Abu Dhabi or Dubai. Nepal is 3 hours 45 minutes ahead of South Africa, so you lose most of a day on the way out and gain it back on the way home.

What did the flights cost on one day?

These are fares searched on 9 October 2026, in euros, return, one adult, leaving on 19 October and coming back on 5 November, with one change each way. The hours are the total of both directions, waiting time included.

A trekker needs boots and a duffel, so the checked bag matters. A Johannesburg search that asked for a checked bag on one ticket gave me nothing that day, so the Johannesburg fares above come without a bag and you would add the bag fee from each airline's own page. If you can reach Cape Town, the Qatar fare above is the one with a bag included. Separate bookings also mean a missed connection is your problem, not the second airline's, so leave a long gap between them.

Look at the dates too. Dashain runs from 17 to 23 October 2026 and Tihar from 8 to 12 November, and flights in and out of Kathmandu fill up around them. Our festival calendar has the dates for 2027.

What does the trek cost in rand?

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, for one to four people.

The tiers are not marketing, and you can check them. On Budget you carry your own bag, rooms are shared and trek meals are not included. On Standard one porter carries for two trekkers, rooms are private and all meals are included. On Luxury you have your own porter, a private deluxe room with an ensuite bathroom, all meals with fruit, nuts and unlimited soft drinks, and a helicopter to and from Lukla instead of the small plane.

Every tier includes a licensed guide, the permits, airport pick-up and drop-off in Kathmandu, the teahouse nights, and a first aid kit with a pulse oximeter. Budget and Standard also include the Lukla flights. Outside every tier: your flight to Nepal, the visa, insurance, tips and your Kathmandu hotel. We quote Kathmandu hotels separately, though you can stay in our family homestay at US$15 per person per night, which helps pay for the learning centre my family runs. Our Everest Base Camp cost guide has every line of the price.

The permits are about NPR 8,000 in total, roughly US$52: Sagarmatha National Park NPR 3,000, the Khumbu local fee NPR 3,000 and the TIMS card NPR 2,000. We arrange and pay for them, and none of it is added to your bill.

What is the full cost for one person on Budget?

One person, Budget tier, twelve days, flying from Johannesburg at EUR 1,869, the cheapest fare I found, with no checked bag:

With the Cape Town fare of EUR 1,766 and a checked bag included, the total is about US$3,660 or 61,000 rand. Three things sit outside it on purpose: Kathmandu hotels, insurance, and tips. Tipping is customary and is not in any price. Plan roughly US$10 to US$15 a day for your guide and US$8 to US$10 a day for a porter, shared by the group.

Do South Africans need a visa for Nepal?

Yes, but it is simple. South Africa is not one of the twelve countries whose citizens must apply before travelling, so you can get the visa on arrival at Kathmandu airport. Your passport needs to be valid for at least six months. The fees are US$30 for 15 days, US$50 for 30 days and US$125 for 90 days. Almost every Everest trekker needs 30 days, so budget US$50 and carry it in US dollar cash.

You can fill in the online arrival form before you fly, which saves queue time. Since 17 August 2026 you can also apply for an e-Visa and pay by card, and our e-Visa guide explains who can use it.

What insurance do you need?

Buy it at home, before you fly. Do not buy cover in Nepal. Ask for trekking cover to at least 6,000 metres, because Kala Patthar is 5,545 metres, and for 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 from the insurer in writing. Our insurance guide goes through what to look for.

Before you travel, check with your own foreign ministry which of its missions covers Nepal, and register your trip with them. Keep your insurer's 24-hour number and our WhatsApp with you on the trail.

How much leave do you need?

The trek is 12 days. From South Africa you also spend about two days getting there and two getting home, plus a night or two in Kathmandu either side. In practice that is about 18 days door to door, with a buffer in case the Lukla flight is delayed by weather. Most South African employees are entitled to 21 consecutive days of annual leave a year, so one block of leave covers it. South African public holidays on 27 April, 1 May and 24 September can stretch it if you trek in those months.

Questions people ask

Can I pay in rand? No. We take US dollars or euros, cash or by card, not rand and not Nepali rupees. Card payments carry 3.5 per cent and cash in Kathmandu carries none.

How do I book? The deposit is 10 per cent. It is non-refundable, and there is no refund if you cancel. You can reschedule free of charge with at least 72 hours notice, to any date within one year. The balance is paid on arrival in Kathmandu.

When is the best time to go? October to November and March to May are the main windows.

Is it cheaper in a group? Yes, by group size only. The price falls as the group grows, and the live trek page has the table.

Written by Shreejan Simkhada, CEO of The Everest Holiday, from a family of three generations of family guides. TAAN Member #1586. WhatsApp +977 9810351300.