Gokyo Trek Cost: What You Actually Pay
MountainKick’s 13-day Gokyo Valley Trek starts at $1,010 per person for groups of 4 to 9. It’s $1,130 for 2 to 3 trekkers and $1,415 for a solo trekker. The package covers Lukla flights, permits, a licensed guide, a porter and teahouse accommodation.
With food, personal spending, visa and tips, most trekkers should budget around $1,500 to $2,400 before international flights and insurance. Group size makes the biggest difference.
- Package price: $1,010 to $1,415 per person depending on group size
- Trip length: 13 days, Kathmandu to Kathmandu
- Max altitude: 5,357m (Gokyo Ri)
- Lukla flights: included both ways, often via Ramechhap (Manthali) in peak season
- Permits: Sagarmatha National Park and Khumbu Pasang Lhamu Rural Municipality, both included. No TIMS card in the Khumbu.
- Guide and porter: included, licensed guide throughout
- Food on the trail: $25 to $40 per person per day, not included
- Typical total: about $1,500 to $2,400 before flights and insurance
Last updated: October 2026
In This Guide
The Gokyo Valley Trek is often priced as an alternative to Everest Base Camp, and the costs are similar. The biggest variable for Gokyo isn’t the permits. It’s what “Lukla flight included” actually means in peak season, when you may be picked up from your hotel in the middle of the night. This guide covers MountainKick’s package, the transport factor and a realistic total budget.
MountainKick Package Price
MountainKick’s Gokyo Valley Trek is a 13-day package priced by group size, running Kathmandu to Kathmandu. See the Gokyo Valley Trek page for the current itinerary and departure dates.
| Group size | Price per person |
|---|---|
| 4 to 9 trekkers | $1,010 |
| 2 to 3 trekkers | $1,130 |
| Solo | $1,415 |
The package covers Lukla flights both ways, both permits, a licensed guide, a shared porter, teahouse accommodation on the trail, a 3-star hotel in Kathmandu and a farewell dinner.
Food and personal spending aren’t included. When you compare packages, check what each one covers. Some operators bundle meals into a higher price, so the headline numbers aren’t always comparing the same thing.
Lukla Flights and the Ramechhap Factor
In the main spring and autumn seasons, many Lukla flights run from Ramechhap’s Manthali Airport instead of Kathmandu. That usually means a very early hotel pickup, often between 1am and 2:30am, a 4 to 5 hour drive to Manthali, then a short flight to Lukla. Outside those seasons, it’s usually a direct flight from Kathmandu.
MountainKick’s package includes this transport either way, arranged from your hotel. It isn’t an extra charge, but it’s the biggest variable in how your trek days unfold.
Weather delays happen on both ends of this route, so build at least 2 buffer days into your schedule before any international flight. For more, see our guide to Lukla flights via Ramechhap.
Permits
Gokyo needs two permits: the Sagarmatha National Park permit (NPR 3,000) and the Khumbu Pasang Lhamu Rural Municipality permit (NPR 3,000). That’s NPR 6,000 in total for foreign trekkers. TIMS isn’t used in the Khumbu. Both permits are included in the MountainKick package.
Some older pages still quote NPR 2,000 for the municipality permit, so you may see different numbers elsewhere. Fees can change, so see our Nepal trekking permits guide for the latest.
A licensed guide is included throughout. For when a guide is required across Nepal, see our guide on whether you need a guide to trek in Nepal.
Food and Daily Spending on the Trail
Meals on the trail aren’t included, so you only pay for what you eat. Typical teahouse prices:
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| Breakfast | $5 to $8 |
| Lunch | $8 to $12 |
| Dinner | $8 to $15 |
| Hot drinks | $2 to $4 |
| Hot shower | $3 to $7 |
| Bottled water | $1 to $3 |
| Wi-Fi | $3 to $5 a day |
Food usually comes to around $25 to $40 a day, and personal extras like showers, charging and Wi-Fi add about $80 to $150 over the trek. Prices go up with altitude, because supplies have to be carried further. For more detail, see our Everest region food prices guide.
Tips for Your Guide and Porter
Tips aren’t included and are up to you. For the 13-day trek, many trekkers budget around $150 to $300 for the guide and porter combined, depending on group size and service. See our guide to tipping guides and porters in Nepal.
How Much Cash to Carry
Take out your trekking cash in Kathmandu before you fly to Lukla. Lukla and Namche have ATMs, but they’re often unreliable, and there’s nothing dependable beyond Namche. For food and normal personal expenses, around $330 to $550 in cash is a reasonable starting budget, plus whatever you plan to give as tips. For ATM limits and fees, see our guide to money in Nepal for trekkers.
What’s Included and Excluded
Included
- Airport transfers in Kathmandu
- Kathmandu hotel, 3-star, twin sharing with breakfast
- Lukla flights both ways, including Ramechhap routing when needed
- Sagarmatha National Park permit
- Khumbu Pasang Lhamu Rural Municipality permit
- Licensed guide throughout
- Porter, shared between two trekkers
- Teahouse accommodation on the trek, twin sharing
- Farewell dinner in Kathmandu
- MountainKick duffel bag, yours to keep
- Government taxes and official charges
Excluded
- International flights
- Nepal visa
- Travel insurance
- Meals on the trek
- Lunch and dinner in Kathmandu, except the farewell dinner
- Personal trekking gear
- Drinks, hot showers and Wi-Fi
- Tips for guide and porter
- Personal expenses
Travel insurance should cover trekking and emergency helicopter evacuation at the maximum altitude on your itinerary. Gokyo Ri reaches 5,357m, so check your policy covers that height. See our travel insurance guide for trekking in Nepal.
Realistic Total Budget
For most trekkers, the total comes to around $1,500 to $2,400 per person before international flights and insurance. Group size, food, tips and personal spending make the biggest difference.
| Item | Approx. cost |
|---|---|
| MountainKick package | $1,010 to $1,415 |
| Food on the trail (about 10 days) | $250 to $400 |
| Personal spending (showers, charging, Wi-Fi, snacks) | $80 to $150 |
| Nepal visa | $30 to $50 |
| Tips for guide and porter | $150 to $300 |
| Gear rental | $0 to $100 |
| Travel insurance | Depends on your policy |
| Typical total before international flights and insurance | about $1,500 to $2,400 |
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does the Gokyo Valley Trek cost with a guide?
MountainKick’s 13-day package starts at $1,010 per person for groups of 4 to 9, rising to $1,130 for 2 to 3 and $1,415 solo. A licensed guide is included. With food, personal spending, visa and tips, most trekkers should budget about $1,500 to $2,400 before international flights and insurance.
Is Gokyo cheaper than Everest Base Camp?
The packages cost about the same. MountainKick’s Gokyo trek starts at $1,010 and the EBC trek at $1,020, since both use the same Lukla flights and permits. See our EBC cost guide and EBC vs Gokyo comparison.
Do Lukla flight delays add extra cost?
They can. A cancelled or delayed flight may mean an extra hotel night, extra meals or a rebooked flight. Budget one or two buffer days, especially in peak season when flights run from Ramechhap.
What permits do I need and how much do they cost?
Two permits: the Sagarmatha National Park permit and the Khumbu Pasang Lhamu Rural Municipality permit, NPR 3,000 each for foreign trekkers. Both are included in the MountainKick package. TIMS isn’t used in the Khumbu.
How much cash should I carry on the trek?
Around $330 to $550 for food and personal expenses, plus your tips. Withdraw it in Kathmandu before you fly. ATMs in Lukla and Namche are unreliable, and there’s nothing dependable beyond Namche.
Planning a Gokyo trek?
Talk directly with our Kathmandu team about dates, group size and flights. WhatsApp: +977 985 118 2718.
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