Nepal Trekking from UAE: AED Prices, Halal & Luxury Guide

Last updated 10 October 2026. Dirham figures use the fixed peg of the Central Bank of the UAE, US$1 = AED 3.6725. The flight fares are from the Dubai search I ran on 7 October 2026 for a late-October trip.

Trekking in Nepal from the UAE: the short answer

Entering Nepal, passport by passport

Indian passport: no visa. Over the age of 10, arriving by air from the UAE, you carry a valid Indian passport, a voter ID card issued by the Government of India or an emergency certificate from the Embassy of India in Kathmandu, according to the visa page of Nepal's embassy in India.
SAARC passports other than Indian: a free visa for up to 30 days, once a year, according to the same page. That covers Bangladesh, Bhutan, the Maldives, Pakistan and Sri Lanka, and excludes Afghanistan.
Everyone else, Emirati passports and most other nationalities living in the UAE, buys the visa at Kathmandu airport. Immigration charges USD 30, USD 50 or USD 125 for 15, 30 or 90 days (USD 50 is about AED 180), in US dollars. It is multiple entry; bring a photo and six months of passport validity. Twelve countries must apply in advance: Nigeria, Ghana, Zimbabwe, Eswatini, Cameroon, Somalia, Liberia, Ethiopia, Iraq, Palestine, Afghanistan and Syria. The Nepal embassy's list also names Iran, so Iranian passport holders should ask a Nepali embassy before booking. See the visa on arrival guide and the e-visa guide.

Treks for travellers in the UAE, with live prices

Per person. You pay in US dollars or euros, and the dirham figures use the peg, so they will not move.

Group size changes a few of them. Poon Hill's 6-day prices cover two to four people; solo, Standard is USD 960 and Luxury is USD 1,930; on the 4-day Poon Hill, two to four trekkers pay the table price and a solo trekker pays USD 770, 980 or 2,020; the 8-day Langtang price is for one, dropping to USD 320, 570 and 800 for two to four.

With nonstop flights of four hours, a UAE resident can fit a short trek into a long weekend. Poon Hill, and the four-day version from Pokhara in particular, suits that. Annapurna Base Camp takes nine days. Everest Base Camp fills 12 days on the trail. Langtang and Mardi Himal are quieter, and Manaslu is a restricted-area circuit with a pass at 5,160 metres.

Choosing between tiers is a choice about comfort. Budget means shared rooms, your own pack and your own meals. Standard means all meals, a private room, and a porter between two. Luxury means a personal porter, deluxe rooms with bathrooms, and on Everest a helicopter to and from Lukla. Solo on Standard, no porter is available, so the guide carries up to 10 kg. Kathmandu hotels are quoted apart in all tiers, and the homestay is USD 15 per person per night. You borrow a down jacket, sleeping bag and duffel from us for nothing.

Flights from Dubai

The Dubai search covered one adult in economy with a checked bag, leaving on Sunday 25 October 2026 and returning on Wednesday 11 November, on one ticket with up to one change each way. There were 15 itineraries from AED 2,013 to AED 2,485. The cheapest, AED 2,013, was Air India both ways through Delhi. The only nonstop flights were Air Arabia's from Sharjah, about four hours, which land and take off at Sharjah, a different emirate from Dubai, so work out the ride to the airport. Air Arabia both ways was AED 2,485. I did not see Emirates or flydubai in those results, so look at their own sites for Dubai nonstops. Spring 2027 fares will be different. The sums are in the Everest Base Camp cost guide for the UAE.

Leave, holidays and clocks for 2027

UAE labour law gives 30 days of annual leave per year of service, so the 14 days you need for the trek and travel fit inside it. Eid al-Fitr is expected on 9 to 11 March 2027 and Eid al-Adha on 16 to 18 May, both subject to moon sighting, so check before you book. National Day is on 2 and 3 December. Nepal is 1 hour 45 minutes ahead of the UAE all year, because neither changes its clocks. Dashain (expected around 6 to 10 October 2027) and Tihar (expected around 29 to 31 October 2027) close government offices in Nepal, and a permit needs 48 hours of working days, so I do not start a trek on those days. See the festival calendar.

Training in a flat country

Jebel Jais in Ras Al Khaimah, at 1,934 metres, is the highest point in the UAE, lower than Lukla at 2,860, where the walk starts. Gorak Shep is 5,164. Stairs, a loaded pack and long back-to-back days in the cooler months are the practical preparation; see altitude sickness: prevention.

Insurance: your UAE medical card is for the UAE

A medical card issued through a UAE employer is built for treatment in the UAE, so check with the insurer before relying on it in Nepal, and buy a separate travel policy before you fly. Look for three things in the wording: trekking to 6,000 metres, evacuation by helicopter, and cover for being ill. An unprotected rescue flight costs USD 3,000 to USD 5,000 (about AED 11,020 to AED 18,360). Send me a policy and I will read it. See helicopter cover to 6,000 metres.

Who to call

The UAE Embassy in Kathmandu is at Panipokhari, Lazimpat, and the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs has a travel registration service for Emiratis called Twajudi. Indian nationals can use the Embassy of India in Kathmandu, which issues emergency certificates. Keep the numbers with your documents.

Language, food and the guide

Treks run in English, and I cannot promise an Arabic-speaking guide, so ask and I will answer honestly for your dates. Dal bhat, noodles, rice and soup are the staples; vegetarian is easy, and any dietary need should be sent to me in writing before you fly. Every group has a licensed guide, which Nepal requires on most routes.

Paying us from the UAE

To confirm a trek you pay 10 per cent. On arrival in Kathmandu you pay the balance in dollars or euros: no fee in cash, 3.5 per cent by card. Please do not plan on dirhams or Nepali rupees, which we cannot take. Rescheduling is free to any date within a year with 72 hours' notice, or seven days for restricted areas. If you cancel instead, the deposit and anything else you have paid are not refunded. And if we are the party that cancels, you receive what you paid back, less taxes, bank and card charges and anything already spent.

Check us before you pay

Trust, but verify. We are on the company registrar, in TAAN as member 1586, licensed by the tourism authorities and certified for foreign exchange, and you can confirm each one yourself. A licence alone does not settle it, because licensed operators have been involved in scams; talk to me on video before paying. We have more than 300 reviews on TripAdvisor, Google and Trustpilot, and the Nagarjun Learning Center gets part of every booking.

Frequently asked questions

Do UAE residents need a visa for Nepal?

It depends on the passport. Indians need no visa, other SAARC passports get a free 30-day visa, and most others buy the visa on arrival for USD 30, USD 50 or USD 125. Twelve nationalities must apply in advance.

How much does Everest Base Camp cost from the UAE?

The trek is USD 1,399, 2,499 or 4,999 per person by tier, about AED 5,140, AED 9,180 and AED 18,360. In my October 2026 search a Dubai return was AED 2,013 to AED 2,485, and insurance, tips and Kathmandu hotels come on top.

Is there a direct flight from Dubai to Kathmandu?

The only nonstop flights in my search were Air Arabia's from Sharjah, about four hours. Other results connected through Delhi.

Is the UAE time difference a problem?

No. Nepal is 1 hour 45 minutes ahead all year, so jet lag is minimal.

When is the best time to go from the UAE?

March to May and October to November. In 2027 Dashain is expected around 6 to 10 October and Tihar around 29 to 31 October,, and the Eid holidays fall on 9 to 11 March and 16 to 18 May.

Can I pay in dirhams?

No. Only dollars and euros work, in cash or by card, and the card fee is 3.5 per cent.

Does my UAE health card cover me in Nepal?

Check with the insurer. It is built for treatment in the UAE, so buy a separate travel policy that names trekking to 6,000 metres and helicopter evacuation.

How do I train in the UAE?

Stairs, a loaded pack and long walks in the cooler months. Jebel Jais is the highest point at 1,934 metres, lower than Lukla.

Is there a UAE embassy in Kathmandu?

Yes, at Panipokhari, Lazimpat. Emiratis can also register through the Twajudi service.

Can I trek alone?

Yes, with a licensed guide. A private departure for one is normal for us, and a fixed group departure is also an option.

Read next

• Everest Base Camp trek cost from the UAE
• Everest park fees and the TIMS card
• Poon Hill costs explained
• Everest Base Camp in each month
• Walking Everest solo

Your next step

You can reach me directly on WhatsApp at +977 9810351300, or by email at [email protected]. A trek, a month and a number of people is all I need to give you a price. Tell me your passport and your dates so I can give you the right visa advice.

Shreejan Simkhada, CEO of The Everest Holiday. Our company dates from 2016; guiding goes back three generations in my family. TAAN member 1586.