Helambu Trek Cost 2027: What 6 Days Really Costs by Tier and Group Size

Updated 28 October 2026.

Short answer: Our 6-day Helambu trek costs US$595 Budget, US$970 Standard and US$1,810 Luxury per person for two to four people. On your own it is US$1,015, US$1,350 and US$3,020. The price includes the guide, the Langtang National Park permit, the Shivapuri Nagarjun National Park fee, the TIMS card and the road transfers at both ends. Kathmandu hotels, flights, insurance, tips and (on Budget) food are extra.

I am Shreejan. Helambu is the cheapest trek we run that starts at your hotel door, with no flight and no long road journey, and people still ask me what the real total is. Below is what the price covers, what it does not, and what you will spend on top. Every price here is from our live Helambu Trek, 6 Days from Kathmandu page, read on 28 October 2026.

How much does the Helambu trek cost per person in 2027?

These are per-person prices. The "from" price on the page is the two to four people band. The discount depends only on the size of your own party, never on strangers joining you, because we do not add anyone to a private booking.

Group size	Budget	Standard	Luxury
1 person	US$1,015	US$1,350	US$3,020
2 to 4 people	US$595	US$970	US$1,810
5 to 8 people	US$555	US$905	US$1,685
9 to 12 people	US$525	US$855	US$1,595
13 to 20 people	US$500	US$815	US$1,545

Some totals, so you do not have to multiply. A couple on Standard pays 2 x 970 = US$1,940. Four friends on Budget pay 4 x 595 = US$2,380. One person on Budget pays US$1,015. That solo price is high because the guide, the permits and the vehicle cost the same for one person as for two.

The page shows one price per tier and group size. It does not list a different price for spring or autumn. If you want 2027 dates confirmed in writing, message me.

What do Budget, Standard and Luxury actually change?

The route is the same on all three. What changes is who carries your bag, what you eat, where you sleep and what you ride in.

	Budget	Standard	Luxury
Porter	None. You carry your own bag	One for every two trekkers. A solo guest has no porter and the guide carries up to 10 kg	One dedicated porter per trekker
Meals on the trek	Not included	All meals	All meals, fruit and nuts, unlimited soft drinks
Rooms	Simple lodges, shared rooms	Lodges, private room where the lodge has one	Best available rooms, private and ensuite where the lodge has them
Vehicle at both ends	Local shared vehicle	Shared tourist vehicle	Private luxury vehicle

Standard is US$375 more than Budget per person in the two to four band (970 minus 595). That buys you the meals, the shared porter, the private room and the better vehicle. Luxury is US$840 more than Standard (1,810 minus 970).

On porters, the legal limit is 20 kg per porter. On Standard one porter serves two people, so that is 10 kg each. On Luxury your porter carries your bag alone, so you can send up to 20 kg. On Budget there is no porter, so you carry everything, and on this short route a day pack and a small bag is all you need.

What is included in the price?

• A licensed, English-speaking trekking guide.
• The Langtang National Park permit, the Shivapuri Nagarjun National Park fee and the TIMS card.
• Road transport from Kathmandu to Sundarijal at the start and from Melamchi Pul Bazar back to Kathmandu at the end, in the vehicle type for your tier.
• Lodges for the trek nights, as in the table above.
• A first aid kit with a pulse oximeter, and arranging a rescue if you need one. The rescue itself is paid by your travel insurance.
• Government taxes and our service charge, and bottled water in the vehicle.

What is not included?

• Hotel nights in Kathmandu before and after. These are not in any trek price. We can book them, or you can.
• International and domestic flights.
• Travel insurance. Buy it at home. It should cover trekking to 4,000 m, including helicopter rescue.
• Tips for the guide and porters.
• Personal expenses, laundry and charging.
• Meals and drinks on Budget. On Standard, drinks and snacks outside the meal plan. On Luxury, alcohol.
• An extra porter if you want one.

What do the permits cost, and are they in the price?

All three are in your price on every tier. You do not queue for anything. The fees below are the Nepal Tourism Board figures, per person, for foreign visitors. SAARC nationals pay less.

Permit	Foreigner (NPR)	SAARC (NPR)
Langtang National Park entry	3,000	1,500
Shivapuri-Nagarjun National Park entry	1,000	600
TIMS card	2,000	1,000

That is NPR 6,000 for a foreign visitor. At a round NPR 150 to the dollar, which is a rough figure and not today's bank rate, it is about US$40. Why two parks? The route begins in Shivapuri Nagarjun, and once you go north of Chisapani you are in Langtang National Park. A trip that only walks Sundarijal to Chisapani to Nagarkot would need just Shivapuri and the TIMS card. Ours goes on to Tharepati, so it needs both. The fees come from ntb.gov.np/plan-your-trip/before-you-come/park-entry-fees and ntb.gov.np/plan-your-trip/before-you-come/tims-card. Our Nepal trekking permits guide covers the rest of the country.

What does the transport from Kathmandu cost?

Nothing extra. A vehicle from your Kathmandu hotel to Sundarijal takes about an hour. At the end you walk down from Sermathang to Melamchi Pul Bazar, and a vehicle takes you back to Kathmandu in 2 to 4 hours. Both legs are in your price. What changes with the tier is the vehicle: local shared on Budget, shared tourist on Standard, private luxury on Luxury.

The road at either end can be hit by heavy rain. We check 48 hours before you leave, and if it is not open we move your dates at no charge.

What will you spend on the trail on top?

Our package page tells you to allow about US$20 a day for personal expenses. Over six days that is up to US$120, my multiplication. It covers drinks, snacks, showers, charging and the odd treat. On Luxury you will spend less, because more is covered.

On Budget, food is the big extra. I do not have a sourced Helambu teahouse menu price to quote, so I will not give you a number. What I can say is that lodge prices here are lower than on the Everest and Annapurna trails. Lodges set their own prices, so ask your guide on day 1 what a meal costs.

Carry some Nepali rupees in small notes for tea, showers and charging. Change them in Kathmandu before you leave.

How much should you tip?

Tips are not in the price. Our tipping guide suggests US$15 to 20 a day for the guide and US$10 to 15 a day for your own porter. On a six-day trek that is US$90 to 120 for the guide and US$60 to 90 for a Luxury porter. On Standard you share a porter with another trekker, so your half is US$30 to 45. Budget has no porter to tip. It is a guideline, never an obligation, and you give it together at the end.

What if you travel alone, or want an extra porter?

Solo prices are in the table: US$1,015, US$1,350 and US$3,020. On Budget you carry your own bag, as always. On Standard a solo guest has no porter, because porters are shared one to two, so the guide carries up to 10 kg of your gear instead. Keep your bag light. On Luxury you still get your own porter.

You can add a porter on Budget or Standard. It is US$25 a day, plus 13% VAT and a 3.5% bank charge on top, so I never quote the US$25 alone. 25 plus 13% is 28.25, and 3.5% on that makes about US$29.24 a day. For six days that is about US$175. Confirm the exact figure with me when you book.

What else costs money before and after?

A Nepal visa is US$30 for 15 days, US$50 for 30 days or US$125 for 90 days, paid in cash in US dollars at Kathmandu airport, as listed on our Poon Hill package page. A Kathmandu hotel is quoted separately. Our family homestay is US$15 per person per night, and part of what you pay supports our learning centre. Insurance you buy at home. The Helambu high point is Tharepati at about 3,650 m, and I round that up to the next 500 m, so I want your cover to reach 4,000 m, including helicopter rescue. Our insurance guide explains what to look for.

How do you pay?

The deposit is 10%, which is US$97 per person on Standard for two to four people. The balance is paid in Kathmandu in US dollars or euros, in cash or by card. Card carries a 3.5% charge and cash in Kathmandu carries none. We do not take Nepali rupees from foreign clients. If you cancel, the deposit is not refunded, but you can reschedule free of charge to any date within one year with at least 72 hours' notice.

When is Helambu worth the money?

The figures for the seasons are in my month by month guide. In short:

Months	What to expect
March, April	Warmer. Rhododendrons flower on the forest slopes between Chisapani and Tharepati. Views are softer
May	Warmer and hazier before the monsoon
June to mid-September	Monsoon. Wet, slippery, little view. I would skip it
October, November	Clear air and settled weather. The months I book first. Colder nights in November
December to February	Cold at night, often clear, very quiet. Snow is possible near Magen Goth and Tharepati

Our page says to get in touch 6 to 8 weeks ahead for September to November.

The questions people ask me

How much does the Helambu trek cost?

For two to four people it is US$595 per person on Budget, US$970 on Standard and US$1,810 on Luxury. Groups of 13 to 20 pay US$500, US$815 and US$1,545. A solo trekker pays US$1,015, US$1,350 or US$3,020.

Are permits included in the Helambu trek price?

Yes, on every tier. The Langtang National Park permit, the Shivapuri Nagarjun National Park fee and the TIMS card are all in the price. For a foreign visitor they add up to NPR 6,000 on the Nepal Tourism Board figures.

Is food included on the Helambu trek?

On Standard and Luxury, yes, all meals on the trek. On Budget it is not, so you pay for your own meals and drinks at the lodges. Luxury adds fruit and nuts and unlimited soft drinks.

Do I need a guide for the Helambu trek?

The Nepal Tourism Board lists Helambu among the routes where a guide and a TIMS card are required, and our price includes a licensed guide. I would take one anyway. Day 4 over Tharepati is long, and the trail needs someone who knows it.

Can I do the Helambu trek without a porter?

Yes. That is Budget. Pack a day pack and a small bag. If your back is the worry, you can add a porter for about US$29.24 a day, or choose Standard.

Is Helambu cheaper than Everest or Annapurna?

Lodges here cost less than on the Everest and Annapurna trails. I have no Helambu price list to put a number on that, so I will only say it plainly. You also save a flight, which Everest needs.

How much do I tip on the Helambu trek?

About US$90 to 120 for the guide over six days, and US$60 to 90 for a Luxury porter, or US$30 to 45 as your half of a shared Standard porter. Read the tipping guide for how to hand it over.

Can I make it longer?

Yes. Our Ama Yangri trek guide covers the hills above Tarkeghyang. Tell me and I will build a longer plan and price it before you commit.

If this is your first trek, I wrote about whether Helambu suits beginners and about the altitude on day 3 and 4.

If you want a price for your dates and your group, message me on WhatsApp at +977 9810351300 and I will send you the price.