Last updated 9 October 2026. Yen figures use the European Central Bank reference rate of 8 October 2026, US$1 = JPY 158.3, and shift daily. Tokyo (Haneda and Narita) return fares are as seen on 7 October 2026.
Trekking in Nepal from Japan: the short answer
The 12-day Everest Base Camp trek is USD 1,399 on Budget, USD 2,499 on Standard and USD 4,999 on Luxury per person for one to four trekkers, about JPY 221,000, JPY 396,000 and JPY 791,000. Japanese passport holders buy the visa on arrival. No flight from Tokyo is nonstop; return fares on 7 October 2026 ran from JPY 173,080 to JPY 254,545 with one change each way. The best window against the Japanese calendar is Golden Week, which in 2027 can be joined into one stretch from 29 April to 5 May. Message me on WhatsApp, +977 9810351300, and I will price it.
Planning a trek from Japan: leave first, mountain second
The hard part for most Japanese trekkers is not the mountain. It is finding two weeks. The 12 days on the trail, travel in and out, and one spare day add up to about 14 days, and the Labour Standards Act gives an employee 10 days of paid leave after six months, rising to 20 with long service. That is why Golden Week, Obon and the New Year break come up in almost every conversation.
Obon in mid-August is monsoon in Nepal, so it is the wrong week for the big treks. The New Year break, roughly 29 December to 3 January, falls in deep winter in the Khumbu, so I would send you to a lower trek like Poon Hill rather than Everest. Golden Week is the one that works: in 2027, 29 April (Thursday) and 3 to 5 May are holidays, so taking 30 April off gives you 29 April to 5 May as one block, with spring conditions at the end of the season. Autumn is Nepal's other clear season, but Dashain (17 to 23 October) and Tihar (8 to 12 November) 2026 close the permit offices, so allow 48 working hours. Nepal is 3 hours 15 minutes behind Japan all year, and neither country changes its clocks. The 2027 dates are set by the lunar calendar, so ask me before you fix flights for an autumn 2027 trip.
Treks that suit Japanese travellers
Live prices per person. You pay in dollars; the yen figures are a guide.
| Trek | Budget | Standard | Luxury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Everest Base Camp, 12 days | USD 1,399 about JPY 221,000 | USD 2,499 about JPY 396,000 | USD 4,999 about JPY 791,000 |
| Annapurna Base Camp, 9 days | USD 499 about JPY 79,000 | USD 799 about JPY 126,000 | USD 1,400 about JPY 222,000 |
| Ghorepani Poon Hill, 6 days | USD 499 about JPY 79,000 | USD 749 about JPY 119,000 | USD 1,235 about JPY 195,000 |
| Mardi Himal, 7 days | USD 454 about JPY 72,000 | USD 849 about JPY 134,000 | USD 1,111 about JPY 176,000 |
| Langtang Valley, 8 days | USD 365 about JPY 58,000 | USD 650 about JPY 103,000 | USD 1,000 about JPY 158,000 |
| Manaslu Circuit, 12 days | USD 799 about JPY 126,000 | USD 1,599 about JPY 253,000 | USD 2,099 about JPY 332,000 |
Price notes, per person: Ghorepani Poon Hill, 6 days: two to four trekkers; solo Standard is USD 960 and solo Luxury USD 1,930; Langtang Valley, 8 days: one trekker; two to four pay less (USD 320, 570 and 800).
Everest Base Camp is the trek most people ask for, and Mount Fuji is the fair comparison: at 3,776 metres it sits a little above Namche Bazaar (3,440 metres) and far below Gorak Shep, the highest night at 5,164 metres. Annapurna Base Camp climbs through forest and terraced villages and is the one I would suggest if two weeks is too much; it takes nine days. Poon Hill and Mardi Himal fit a long weekend added to a week of leave. Langtang is the quiet valley close to Kathmandu, and Manaslu is a restricted-area circuit with a pass at 5,160 metres, for people who have trekked at height before.
The tiers differ in comfort and support, not in the mountain. On Budget, carry your own bag, share rooms and cover your own meals. On Standard, meals are included, rooms are private and one porter looks after two trekkers' bags. On Luxury, a porter is yours alone, rooms are deluxe and private, and on Everest a helicopter replaces the fixed-wing flight to Lukla. Solo on Standard, there is no porter, so the guide carries up to 10 kg. Kathmandu hotels are extra; the family homestay is USD 15 per person per night.
Visa, and what Japan's foreign ministry offers
Japanese citizens do not apply in advance. Three lengths are on offer: 15 days for USD 30, 30 days for USD 50 (about JPY 8,000) and 90 days for USD 125. Pay in dollars. The online form can be done before you fly. Bring a passport valid for six months and one photo. The steps are in the visa on arrival guide. Japan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs runs the Overseas Safety website and the Tabi-Regi registration service, which sends alerts to your email while you are away, and the Embassy of Japan is at Panipokhari, on Narayan Gopal Sadak in Kathmandu.
Flights from Haneda and Narita
The fares are for economy with one checked bag, out on Sunday 25 October 2026 and back on Wednesday 11 November, with at most one change each way. There were 15 itineraries. The cheapest was Air India from Haneda via Delhi at JPY 173,080, reaching Kathmandu after about 13 hours 25 minutes, and Batik Air Malaysia from Narita via Kuala Lumpur was JPY 174,128. Both flew home on China Southern via Guangzhou. A quicker way home on China Southern added about JPY 3,400. Cathay Pacific via Hong Kong started at JPY 196,942, and SriLankan via Colombo at JPY 251,169. Fares move, so look again on your dates. The full table and the total for one traveller are in the Everest Base Camp cost guide for Japan.
Insurance, public and private
Japan's public health insurance can repay part of the cost of treatment abroad if you claim afterwards, worked out on what the same care would cost in Japan. It does not pay for a helicopter or a flight home, so you need a private policy bought before you leave. Check that the altitude ceiling is 6,000 metres or higher, since Kala Patthar is 5,545 metres and many holiday policies stop at 3,000 or 4,000. Check for helicopter evacuation and for illness cover as well as accident cover. If you rely on a credit card's automatic travel insurance, read what it says about trekking at altitude. I will read your policy wording if you send it. See helicopter cover to 6,000 metres.
Language and the trail
Treks run in English, and our guides speak English. I cannot promise a Japanese-speaking guide, so ask and I will answer plainly for your dates. Teahouse food is mostly dal bhat, noodles, rice and soup, with eggs and bread in the larger villages. Rice is on every menu, which many Japanese trekkers find a comfort. Nepal requires a licensed guide on most routes and we send one on every trek.
Paying us from Japan
Our terms are short. A deposit of 10 per cent reserves your dates. You settle the remainder in Kathmandu, in dollars or euros, paying cash with no surcharge or card with 3.5 per cent added; yen or Nepali rupees cannot be used. Cancel and we refund neither the deposit nor the trek. You may reschedule for free to any date within a year, with 72 hours of warning (a week for restricted areas). If we cannot run the trip, you receive your money back minus taxes, bank and card charges and sums already spent on permits and flights.
Check us before you book
Please check who you are paying. Our registration, TAAN number 1586, tourism licence and forex certificate are public, and licensed operators have still been involved in scams, so I would not rely on paperwork alone. Ask for a call. More than 300 people have reviewed us on TripAdvisor, Google and Trustpilot. Part of every booking supports the Nagarjun Learning Center.
Frequently asked questions
Do Japanese citizens need a visa for Nepal?
Yes, but you buy it on arrival at Kathmandu airport. It is USD 30 for 15 days, USD 50 for 30 days or USD 125 for 90 days, paid in dollars. You do not need to apply in advance.
How much does the Everest Base Camp trek cost from Japan?
The trek is USD 1,399, 2,499 or 4,999 per person by tier, about JPY 221,000, JPY 396,000 and JPY 791,000. Flights, insurance, tips and hotels are extra, and the cost guide for Japan adds them up.
Is there a direct flight from Tokyo to Kathmandu?
Not on 7 October 2026. The cheapest tickets changed in Delhi or Kuala Lumpur on the way out and in Guangzhou on the way back.
Can I do a Nepal trek in Golden Week?
Yes, and 2027 is a good year for it: 29 April and 3 to 5 May are holidays, so one day of leave links them. It is the end of the spring season, so book early.
Is Mount Fuji enough training for Everest Base Camp?
Fuji at 3,776 metres is a fair test of how you handle height. Gorak Shep is 1,400 metres higher, so the real training is long days with a pack on consecutive weekends.
Does Japanese health insurance cover a Nepal trek?
Public insurance can repay part of your treatment costs afterwards. It does not pay for helicopter rescue or repatriation, so buy a private policy to 6,000 metres.
What is the best time of year to trek from Japan?
Late April to early May and October to mid-November. Mid-August is monsoon and late December is very cold at altitude.
Where is the Japanese embassy in Kathmandu?
Yes, at Panipokhari on Narayan Gopal Sadak. Register with Tabi-Regi before you leave.
Do I need a guide, and can I travel alone?
A licensed guide is required on most routes and we send one on every trek. A solo traveller can book a private departure or join a fixed group departure.
Read next
- Everest Base Camp trek cost from Japan
- Everest Base Camp in spring
- Poon Hill trek cost for 2027
- Altitude sickness: prevention
- Nepal festival calendar 2027
Your next step
My WhatsApp is +977 9810351300. Send the trek, the dates and the people, and I will reply with the cost and what to watch out for. If you prefer email, use [email protected]. Tell me how many days of leave you can take and I will tell you which trek fits.
Shreejan Simkhada, CEO, The Everest Holiday (TAAN 1586). A Kathmandu company since 2016, built on three generations of family guiding.
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