Last updated 10 October 2026. Rouble figures use the official Bank of Russia rate of 9 October 2026, US$1 = RUB 85.42, because the European Central Bank has not published a rouble rate since 2022; the rate moves daily. I could not show a flight fare: my search for Moscow to Kathmandu on 10 October returned no results.
Trekking in Nepal from Russia: the short answer
Twelve days to Everest Base Camp cost USD 1,399 on Budget, USD 2,499 on Standard and USD 4,999 on Luxury per person (one to four trekkers); in local money that is about RUB 119,000, RUB 213,000 and RUB 427,000. The same prices apply in 2027. Russian passport holders buy the visa on arrival. The hard part is paying: a card issued by a Russian bank will not work on our payment page, so read the payment section before you plan. Message me on WhatsApp, +977 9810351300, and I will go through the options with you.
If you have climbed Elbrus
Elbrus is 5,642 metres, higher than Kala Patthar at 5,545 and higher than Everest Base Camp at 5,364, so you know what thin air does to a headache and an appetite. The Everest trek is different from a summit push: it is 12 days of five to seven hours of walking, with two rest days, and the highest night at Gorak Shep is 5,164 metres. Experience helps you recognise symptoms early. It does not replace the schedule, and I tell Russian climbers the same as everyone else: keep to the days.
Treks for Russian travellers, with live prices
Per person. You pay in US dollars or euros; the rouble figures are a guide and move with the rate.
| Trek | Budget | Standard | Luxury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Everest Base Camp, 12 days | USD 1,399 about RUB 119,000 | USD 2,499 about RUB 213,000 | USD 4,999 about RUB 427,000 |
| Annapurna Base Camp, 9 days | USD 499 about RUB 43,000 | USD 799 about RUB 68,000 | USD 1,400 about RUB 120,000 |
| Manaslu Circuit, 12 days | USD 799 about RUB 68,000 | USD 1,599 about RUB 137,000 | USD 2,099 about RUB 179,000 |
| Langtang Valley, 8 days | USD 365 about RUB 31,000 | USD 650 about RUB 56,000 | USD 1,000 about RUB 85,000 |
| Ghorepani Poon Hill, 6 days | USD 499 about RUB 43,000 | USD 749 about RUB 64,000 | USD 1,235 about RUB 105,000 |
| Mardi Himal, 7 days | USD 454 about RUB 39,000 | USD 849 about RUB 73,000 | USD 1,111 about RUB 95,000 |
Notes on the prices: Langtang's row is the solo price, and two to four trekkers share it down to USD 320, 570 and 800; the Poon Hill row is the price for two to four trekkers, and for one person it becomes USD 960 on Standard and USD 1,930 on Luxury.
Everest Base Camp needs 12 days on the trail. Annapurna Base Camp reaches 4,130 metres without a mountain flight. Manaslu is a restricted-area circuit with a pass at 5,160 metres, so a licensed guide and an agency permit are compulsory. Langtang, Mardi Himal and Poon Hill are shorter and gentler.
Quick comparison. Budget: own pack, shared rooms, meals paid by you. Standard: meals paid by us, private rooms, one porter for two trekkers. Luxury: one porter for you, deluxe private rooms, helicopter flights to and from Lukla on Everest. A lone Standard trekker has no porter, and the guide takes up to 10 kg. Kathmandu accommodation is not included anywhere; our homestay is USD 15 per person a night. Down jacket, sleeping bag and duffel are provided free of charge on every tier.
What sits outside the trek price
There is no separate cost guide for Russia, so the sums are here. Flights are not in the table because I cannot show you a fare, and neither is insurance, which depends on your policy. The table adds the 30-day visa and trail spending to the trek price: on Budget, trail meals at USD 25 to USD 40 a day (USD 300 to USD 480 in all), and on Standard and Luxury 20,000 to 30,000 rupees (USD 130 to USD 195) for showers, charging and snacks, drawn in Kathmandu. Tips come on top: USD 15 to USD 20 a day for a guide and USD 10 to USD 15 for a porter. Kathmandu hotels are quoted separately in every tier.
| Tier | Trek, 12 days | Visa and trail spending | Total before flights, insurance and tips |
|---|---|---|---|
| Budget | USD 1,399 | USD 350 to 530 | USD 1,749 to 1,929 about RUB 149,000 to RUB 165,000 |
| Standard, travelling alone (no porter) | USD 2,499 | USD 180 to 245 | USD 2,679 to 2,744 about RUB 229,000 to RUB 234,000 |
| Luxury | USD 4,999 | USD 180 to 245 | USD 5,179 to 5,244 about RUB 442,000 to RUB 448,000 |
Getting to Kathmandu from Russia
Every journey needs at least one change of plane, and I cannot give you a dated fare or a confirmed routing from a Russian city. Check the airlines that currently fly from your city, price the tickets yourself, and land in Kathmandu at least a full day before any Lukla flight. Moscow is 2 hours 45 minutes behind Nepal all year, so jet lag is mild. We do not sell international tickets, only the trek.
Visa for a Russian passport
Russia is not one of the twelve nationalities that must apply before travelling, so you buy the visa on arrival at Tribhuvan Airport. The visa costs USD 30 for 15 days, USD 50 for 30 days (about RUB 4,000) or USD 125 for 90 days, paid in US dollars. Bring a passport valid for six months, one photo and the fee in US dollars in cash. You can fill in the arrival details online first to speed up the queue in busy months. See the visa on arrival guide.
Holidays and seasons for 2027
Russia's holiday calendar for 2027 has the New Year break from 1 to 10 January, then 22 and 23 February, 7 and 8 March, 1 to 3 May, 9 and 10 May, 12 to 14 June and 4 and 5 November. The May breaks fall in Nepal's spring season, with rhododendrons on the lower slopes, so they suit a trek well. January is deep winter at altitude, so use the New Year break for a lower trek such as Poon Hill. Russian employees are usually entitled to 28 calendar days of leave a year; confirm yours. Keep two Nepali holidays in mind: Dashain, expected around 6 to 10 October 2027, and Tihar, expected around 29 to 31 October. Permit offices close for both, and a permit takes 48 hours of working days. See the festival calendar.
Insurance
Insurance that covers trekking at altitude and helicopter evacuation is required, and I ask to see the wording before you leave. Your policy needs a trekking limit of 6,000 metres or more, a helicopter evacuation benefit and illness cover. Without the helicopter benefit you would pay USD 3,000 to USD 5,000 yourself, roughly RUB 256,000 to RUB 427,000. Buy it at home. I would not buy a Nepal-issued policy. Send me the wording and I will tell you if it has a gap. See helicopter cover to 6,000 metres.
Language, phone and who to call
Our guides work in English. Russian-speaking guides are rare in Nepal, so if your English is limited, tell me when you book and I will pick a guide who speaks slowly and clearly. A Russian SIM will probably not roam cheaply, so buy an Ncell or Nepal Telecom SIM at the airport; it works to Namche and patchily above. The Embassy of Russia is in Kathmandu, and I suggest you keep its contact details with your passport. A licensed guide is with you on every trek; the law asks for one on most routes.
Paying us from Russia
Since 2022, Visa and Mastercard cards issued by Russian banks do not work for international payments, and Mir cards are not accepted in Nepal, so a Russian-issued card will not go through our payment page or work in Nepali cash machines. Two things do work. A card issued by a bank outside Russia pays the deposit through the gateway as normal, with a 3.5 per cent fee on card payments. Otherwise, write to me first, and bring US dollars in cash for the Kathmandu payment, which has no fee and is what most of our Russian clients do. We do not take Nepali rupees or roubles.
Payment runs in two steps: 10 per cent now, 90 per cent in Kathmandu. The currencies are US dollars and euros, and the method is your choice, cash at no cost or card at 3.5 per cent extra. Roubles or Nepali rupees will not be accepted. The trek can be moved free of charge to any date within a year if you tell us 72 hours before (seven days for restricted areas). On a client cancellation there is no refund and the deposit is kept. If the trip is cancelled by us, we return your money less taxes, bank and card charges and costs already paid out.
Check us before you pay
Anyone can verify us: registrar, TAAN (1586), tourism licence, forex certificate. I would still ask you to call me before paying, since licensed operators have been involved in scams and paperwork cannot show how a company treats its clients. For that, read the 300-plus reviews on TripAdvisor, Google and Trustpilot. Part of every booking supports the Nagarjun Learning Center.
Frequently asked questions
Do Russian citizens need a visa for Nepal?
Yes, issued at Kathmandu airport when you arrive. The fee depends on the stay: USD 30, 50 or 125.
How much does Everest Base Camp cost from Russia?
The trek is USD 1,399, 2,499 or 4,999 per person by tier, about RUB 119,000, RUB 213,000 and RUB 427,000. Flights, insurance, tips and Kathmandu hotels come on top, and the table above shows the visa and trail spending.
Can I pay with a Russian bank card?
No. Visa and Mastercard cards from Russian banks do not work abroad, and Mir is not accepted in Nepal. A card issued outside Russia works, or you can bring US dollars in cash.
How do I get from Russia to Kathmandu?
With at least one change of plane. I cannot give you a verified fare or route from a Russian city, so check the airlines that fly from yours.
Is Elbrus good training for Everest Base Camp?
It shows how you handle high altitude, but the trek is 12 days of slow walking, so back-to-back long days with a pack are the better test.
When is the best time to go from Russia?
March to May and October to November. The May holidays fall in spring. In 2027 Dashain is expected around 6 to 10 October and Tihar around 29 to 31 October.
Can I pay in roubles?
Dollars or euros, yes; roubles, no. Pay the balance in Kathmandu, in cash at no cost or by card at 3.5 per cent extra.
Do your guides speak Russian?
Rarely. Our guides work in English, and I will choose one who speaks slowly and clearly if your English is limited.
What insurance do I need?
Get a policy that covers altitude trekking to 6,000 metres and a helicopter out, whether the cause is accident or illness.
Can I trek alone?
Yes. Solo is routine for us; the guide walks with you, and we never add strangers to a private booking.
Read next
- The Everest Base Camp price, itemised
- Altitude on the Everest trail
- When the Everest trail is clear
- Solo Base Camp costs
- Everest permit costs
Your next step
Questions are welcome at +977 9810351300 on WhatsApp and at [email protected]. Tell me the trek and the time of year, and I will reply with the price for your group and my view of the plan. Tell me how you plan to pay and I will tell you what works.
Shreejan Simkhada, CEO, The Everest Holiday, TAAN 1586. Registered in Kathmandu in 2016, with three generations of family guiding.
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