Gokyo Ri Trek Cost- General Package Overview
The Gokyo Ri Trek generally lasts about 10 to 14 days, and the cost estimation for these packages is around US$ 1,200 to US$ 1,700. The overall package cost will depend on the duration of the trip, services and amenities, and activities to explore nearby highlights.
Marvel Adventure is offering a 10 Day Gokyo Ri Trek package at just US$ 1,199. This is a fully guided exploration, and we will take care of all the logistic details of your adventure so you can enjoy a stress-free and immersive experience.
This exciting Himalayan adventure will start after an exhilarating flight from Kathmandu to Lukla (2,850 meters). From this airstrip, the official starting point of the everest region, you will follow your trekking route to Phakding (2,650 meters) and move along with the ascending route to the popular landmarks.
You will gradually make your way across Namche Bazaar (3,440 meters), Dole (4,200 meters), Macchermo (4,470 meters), and Gokyo Lake (4,790 meters). Then, an early morning hike will lead you to the highest point of this exploration, Gokyo Ri (5,357 meters).
After concluding your adventure at the highest vantage point of Gokyo Valley, you will then retrace your steps back to Dole and continue descending to Namche and then to Lukla. Your flight back from Lukla to Kathmandu will then pull the curtains on your remarkable Himalayan journey, and we will drop you back at your hotel, concluding your itinerary plans.
Breakdown of Gokyo Ri Trek Cost
Although the package the trekking packages for the Gokyo Ri Trek can be pretty similar among the trekking agencies, you should check out what your package will include and exclude for a better understanding of the cost allocation.
Some of the packages may include some extra benefits while in some, you may have to take care of even accommodation and lodging facilities. So, before booking a package, you should consider the offered services and asses whether if it is a fair value package for you or not.
Let’s discuss the included and excluded sections of the general trekking packages to get a better grasp of the Gokyo Ri Trek Cost. Even if you are managing the trip on your own, this breakdown will assist you to properly allocate your budget efficiently.
Includes of Gokyo Ri Trek Cost
These expenses head are the standard inclusion of your trekking packages. Most of the Gokyo Ri Trekking packages will cover these basic services and amenities.
Protected Area Permit
Many sections of the Himalayan region are conserved to protect the culture, traditions, relics, flora, and fauna. Thus, during your high-altitude trekking adventures in Nepal, you will need to traverse across many protected areas.
For this specific Gokyo Ri Trek, you will need to get three permits:
- Sagarmatha National Park Permit
- Trekker’s Information Management System (TIMS) Card
- Pasang Lhamu Rural Municipality Entry Permit
All of these permits are absolutely mandatory for this high-altitude trekking adventure. As your journey takes to through the protected Sagarmatha National Park (est 1976), you will need to get the national park entry permit, which will cost approximately US$ 30.
Similarly, Pasang Lhamu Rural Municipality Entry Permit is another mandatory permit to enter the special restricted area of the Khumbu region. You will need to pay around US$ 20 to get this permit for your trek.
Similarly, the TIMS Card, which has been recently made compulsory for high-altitude treks to enhance the safety of trekkers, is another standard requirement for this trek. You can get the TIMS card at US$ 17 in every trekking season.
Normally, your trekking agencies will collect all these permits for you. In case, you are planning to manage the trek on your own, you can collect these permits at the Tourism Board Office in Kathmandu and at Monjo, the entry point of Sagarmatha National Park.
As for the Pasang Lhamu Rural Municipality Entry Permit, you can get it at Lukla and Mojo.
Food and Water
It is not possible to stay energized throughout this long exploration if you do not eat a balanced diet. Thus, this is one of the most standard expense heads in your Gokyo Ri Trek Cost.
In this exciting exploration, during your stay at Kathmandu, you will be able to relish a diverse set of top-tier delicacies. However, during this teahouse trekking expedition, the menus are not as extensive as the core city areas.
Still, you will get the opportunity to enjoy a diverse range of cultural dishes that represent different cultures and customs of this Himalayan country. What makes the food exploration prospects in this country even more exciting is that most of them are prepared with homegrown ingredients.
So, not only will you have the opportunity to explore a wide set of delicacies but they are also healthy and nutritious, perfect to refuel yourself for a long day of adventure. Besides the traditional dishes, continental dishes like Pizza, Spaghetti, Pasta, Sandwiches, Toast, Steak, etc, are also available at the teahouses.
As for water, you can drink the provided water at the teahouse or buy mineral water bottles. There are also clean water stations along the trekking route where you can refill your bottles.
Cost of food in Kathmandu: US$ 10 to US$ 20
Cost of food at the teahouses in Gokyo Ri Trek: US$ 10 to US$ 15
Cost of Water: US$ 1 to US$ 4 (depending on the altitude)
Accommodation
In the standard 10 Day Gokyo Ri Trek, you will spend your 9 nights in the teahouses along the route. However, if your trekking package includes arrival and departure, you will spend another 3-4 nights at the hotels in Kathmandu.
You will be able to enjoy luxurious accommodation facilities with all kinds of amenities during your stay in the capital. However, in the trekking trails, the services are not on par with the urban cities. Still, you will be able to rest properly in warm and cozy stopp points in this alpine adventure.
The rooms are clean and fresh at the teahouses; they are also well maintained to keep the guests warm even at the alpine altitudes. In a standard package, you will stay in a shared room with 2-3 adjacent beds.
Some of the guesthouses at the lower trails have attached bathroom facilities; meanwhile, the higher altitudes are more adaptive to the traditional pit latrine style. You can also enjoy hot showers during your stay, but you will have to pay extra for it.
Cost of accommodation in Kathmandu: Starting price at US$ 20-50
Cost of accommodation facility at teahouses in Gokyo Ri Trek: US$ 8 to US$ 12
Transportation
Transportation is another basic expenditure element in your Gokyo Ri Trek Cost. Your trekking agency will take care of all the land transport and flight reservations for this trip. But you are overseeing the activities on your own; you will have to consider the flight costs and all land transports between the transit points.
To start this Gokyo Ri Trek, you will need to take a flight from Kathmandu to Lukla, which will last approximately around 35 to 40 minutes. If your package includes the sightseeing tour, then you will also use a comfortable and convenient vehicle.
As there are no other modes of transportation for the mainstream Gokyo Ri Trek, the flight is the only option. There is a road transport mode available for the traditional Everest Base Camp Trekking route, which starts after an 8-9 hour drive from Kathmandu to Jiri. But this is a longer route, which takes approximately an additional 6 days trek to just reach Phakding.
Cost of Kathmandu to Lukla Flight:Starts at US$ 200 (for one-way)
Cost of cab/taxi in Kathmandu: Starts at US$ 5-6
Guides and Porters
Guides and porters are a crucial part of your Himalayan journey; not only will they make your journey more comfortable and informative. But they will also add value to your overall experience.
Your trekking agency will manage the required number of guides and porters depending on the group size. If you are planning the trip on your own, you can take the recommendations from the agencies to get the right guide and porters for your excursion.
It is not possible to do high-altitude treks in Nepal without government-licensed guides, so you should allocate enough budget to hire these travel companions for your journey. You can get specific language-proficient guides for your trek in Nepal and also specialized guides who excel in particular areas.
Meanwhile, the trekkers are the natives of the Himalayan region, and they serve as the assistance guide for your adventure. The weight limit for the porters during high-altitude treks in Nepal is around 15 kg (33 lbs) per trekker, with the maximum weight limit being 20 kg (44 lbs).
So, a single porter will carry the luggage of 2 trekkers with a weight limit of 15 kg each. If your group size is larger, you will need to get a relative number of porters to support the team.
Cost of guide for Gokyo Ri Trek: US$ 30- US$ 35
Cost of porters for Gokyo Ri Trek:US$ 20- US$ 25
First Aid
If you are doing the Gokyo Ri Trek with a trekking agency, then your excursion crew will be provided with a government-licensed guide who will oversee your health conditions. As this adventure takes place in the remote and high-elevation points of the Himalayas, there are risks of altitude sickness and other general illnesses if you are not careful.
Thus, you should be prepared for such circumstances and carry basic medications and care kits for first-aid treatment. You should also include an oximeter in your kit to check how well you are adapting to the new altitudes.
Normally, these things are taken care of by your trekking guides as they are exceptional at the first response, and they also have received high-altitude training. So, you should have at least a basic understanding of the high altitude risk assessment and first aid care if you are managing the trek by yourself.
Cost of first aid box:US$ 25
Government and Service Cost
Even after exploring the packages at different cost ranges, you might have doubts about the hidden expenses head of your Gokyo Ri Trek Cost. As it is normal when buying services and products, the government expenses and service charges are often tagged behind the presented initial price.
However, our 10 Day Gokyo Ri Trek cost covers all the expenses head, including VAT, tax, and our service charge. You won’t be liable for any kind of hidden expenses after booking the package from us. We also provide post-trek assistance if you require any kind of help with your visa extension, documentation, or even itinerary designs for your trip inside the valley.
Excludes of Gokyo Ri Trek Cost
Generally, this section includes the expenses that are not covered by your standard Gokyo Ri Trek cost.
International Airfare and Tax
If you are booking the services of a trekking agency based in Nepal, your package will not cover the expenses of your international airfare and airport tax. The coverage will begin after your arrival in Nepal if your package includes guest receiving at the airport and hotel transfer.
This expense head of your Gokyo Ri Trek cost will depend on the flight operator you choose and the service class. Thus, the travel agencies do not generally cover the expenses for the international flights.
Visa Fee and Insurance
You will need a valid visa and insurance for this exciting Himalayan exploration. After arriving at the Tribhuvan International Airport, you can get your visa at the terminal or fill up an online form providing the necessary details.
The Nepali visa fee costs US$ 30 for the 15 Day period, US$ 50 for the 30 Day period, and US$ 125 for 90 Day staying period. If you plan to stay longer than the initially issued duration, you will have to pay US$ 45 to get a minimum of 15 Day visa extension.
Similarly, getting insurance is mandatory for the high altitude treks in Nepal. You will be able to get several varieties of insurance plans with different coverage for your Himalayan trek. You will be able to get a basic level of insurance that covers treks upto 3,000 meters at around US$ 30 to US$ 50.
However, more extensive insurance plans with coverage upto 6,000 meters cost about US$ 100 to US$ 150. We recommend that you should get at least 6,000 meters of coverage as this is a high-altitude adventure, and you should also get the plan with helicopter rescue operations.
Drinks, Desserts and Snacks
Although your trekking package will cover the standard meals during your adventure (i.e., breakfast, lunch, and dinner), you will have to take care of the drinks, dessert, and snacks on your own.
The meal plan in your trekking package will not include anything beyond your standard meal plans. You will be able to enjoy a wide range of dessert options at the teahouses during your trek, and they cost around US$ 2 to US$ 5 per serving.
It is the same for the snacks, but the cost can be slightly expensive as you reach the higher elevation points. You will also get the opportunity to enjoy alcoholic beverages of different calibers, from local beverages like Chhyang, Tongba, and Aila to international brands.
The cost of alcohol at the teahouses is around US$ 5 to US$ 10; the international brands can cost slightly more. As drinking alcoholic drinks during high-altitude treks can be risky, and it is even known to affect acclimatization, we don’t recommend it during your trek.
Personal Expenses
Your standard Gokyo Ri Trek cost package doesn’t cover any sort of personal expenses incurred during the journey. This includes the cost of the gear, equipment required for the trek, entry fees at the cultural sites, use of additional amenities at the teahouse lodges, expenses of internet, charging, laundry services, communication mediums, etc.
So, you will have to consider all the personal nature expenses during your trip and allocate the budget accordingly. The general estimation for the personal expenses in the Gokyo Ri Trek is around US$ 30 to US$ 50 per day.
Tips for Guides and Porters
Tipping isn’t mandatory during trekking adventures in Nepal; however, like any other services-oriented industry, it is expected. There is no specific set of tipping amounts allocated for the guides and porters during your high-altitude treks in Nepal.
So you can give an amount depending on the contentment of the journey and the assistance of your travel companions. But remember to put the cash in an envelope before handing it to your guides and porters; this is a respectful way to show gratitude for their services.
The standard tipping practice during the high altitude treks in Nepal is about US$ 5 to US$ 10 for the porter per day and around US$ 10 to US$ 15 for the guides per day.
Some Helpful Tips for Efficient Management of Gokyo Ri Trek Cost
- Consider all the expenses ahead of your trip and allocate the budget effectively
- Research accommodation options and stay flexible
- Locally available food menus are cheaper, as well as nutritious and healthy
- Obtain all the necessary permits in advance to avoid last-minute rush and paying extra charges
- Renting trekking equipment is the best cost-efficient of doing high-altitude treks
- Pack your luggage efficiently so you don’t need to hire additional porters for extra cost
- Be careful about spending money on souvenirs and luxury items
