How much does it cost to climb Lobuche Peak?

UPDATED ON 19 December, 2023
How much does it cost to climb Lobuche Peak?

In the Khumbu region of Nepal, Lobuche is a straightforward and reachable trekking peak. The peak is a great investment for a journey through Nepal’s inaccessible Mountains. The cost to climb the Lobuche Peak ranges from USD 1,500 to USD 2,500. The price varies according to various variables and your travel preferences.

Your expenses for climbing the Lobuche Peak include purchasing various equipment required for your journey. You need to account for things like transportation, licenses, lodging, meals, porters and guides, equipment for trekking, tips, etc.

It is a major bother to conceal all of these Lobuche peak characteristics. Also, when conducting business in a foreign nation, local assistance is always needed. Many trekking organizations, therefore, assist with the cost of ascending the Lobuche summit.

We at Himalaya Guide Nepal provide a package deal that includes everything you’ll need for your vacation to Lobuche. You paid USD 2,200 for our Lobuche peak climbing package. The following will be covered in this package:

  • Your pickup and drop-off at Kathmandu’s international airport for travel to and from Nepal.
  • lodging at Nepal’s many hotels, lodges, and teahouses. At lower altitude places and in Kathmandu, you can find cozy hotels. You will, however, stay in teahouses in isolated, high-altitude locations.
  • The cost of your transportation during the entire journey. Road travel and domestic airplane tickets are included.
  • Together with NMA approvals, permits for the Khumbu municipality and Sagarmatha National Park are also required.
  • Meals when traveling.

Lobuche Peak Permit cost

For your visit to Nepal and transit in protected regions, you will need to pay extra entry fees. As a foreigner entering Nepal, you will initially need a visa. If you are an Indian national, you won’t need to do anything. But, every other foreign national needs a visa from the embassy of Nepal.

To obtain a Nepal arrival visa, you must fill out an online application. The cost of your visa is determined by how long you plan to stay in Nepal. The following fees apply to the on-arrival visa:

  • A 15-day arrival visa costs $30.
  • A 30-day entry visa costs $50.
  • 90-day entry visa costs $125.
  • Our trip to Lobuche will take about 18 days. Thus, you must select the “30-day” staying option. That will set you back USD 50.

Together with a visa, specific area permits are required to climb the Lobuche mountain. For the Lobuche expedition, three permissions are required. The Sagarmatha National Park permit is the first one. You must pay USD 30 for this license. If you are a citizen of the SAARC, you might be able to purchase the permit for USD 15.

The rural municipality permission for Pasanga Lhamu is the second license you’ll need. The local area permit is another name for it. Similarly, it costs around 20 USD. 

You will also require a Lobuche expedition permit in addition to these two permits for protected areas. The Nepal Mountaineering Association issued this permit (NMA). Depending on the time of year you climb the Lobuche Peak, the price varies. You will pay NMA the following:

  • Spring climbing of Lobuche Peak costs USD 250
  • Fall climbing of Lobuche Peak: USD 125
  • Summer climbing of Lobuche Peak: USD 70
  • Winter climbing of Lobuche Peak: USD 70

Lobuche Peak Accommodation Cost

Your daily locations will determine the cost of your lodging during your distant alpine route journeys. There is a broad variety of hotels in urban places like Kathmandu. Hotels can be found for between $20 and $250 per night.

In isolated locations, you won’t have the same selection, though. Options including lodges, tea shops, and even hotels are available along the Khumbu routes. Lodges in Lukla provide rooms between USD 2 and USD 6 per night. In Lukla, you can also book opulent hotels if you so choose. Yet it will run you about USD 15.

In other remote trails of Khumbu, the prime modes of accommodation are tea houses. These tea houses provide you with private rooms along with shared bathrooms. You will get good beds, blankets, and pillows. The tea houses will have a communal dining room.

These rooms consist of firewood to keep you warm in the remote icy trails. The facilities in these tea houses will be very minimal. The chances of getting good electricity, hot water, and wifi facilities are very rare.

The average cost of such tea houses ranges from USD 6 to USD 9 per head. Although the facilities here are minimal, the prices are a little higher. This is because the remote trails have very scarce resources. People need to travel long distances on foot to get their amenities.

So naturally, their cost ends up piling up and getting very high. Naturally, as a result, their cost increases dramatically.

Guides and porters

Foreign nationals are required to go with guides on the majority of mountain trail hikes and expeditions. The Lobuche expedition is in a similar situation. You must secure a certified guide for your Lobuche trek.

The cost of guides varies and they come in a variety. You should expect to pay a guide anything between $30 and $40 per day. The guides can serve as navigators, interpreters, and educators. The more knowledgeable, more skilled guides will have more information regarding your journey.

Amateurs will also offer you the most basic advice they can. They will satisfy your need for a guide for the Lobuche expedition in either case.

You could also require porters in addition to your guides. It will take a lot of effort to make the Lobuche trip. Porters must therefore be included in your Lobuche peak climbing budget.

Throughout your journey, you might come across some guides who double as porters and assist you with your bags. On the other hand, depending on how big your luggage is, you might need independent porters.

Porters typically cost between $20 and $30 per day, per person. A porter may carry bags weighing between 20 and 25 kilograms.

Food and drinks cost – To climb Lobuche Peak

In a city like Kathmandu, a wide variety of cuisines and beverages are available. But, in high-altitude areas, there aren’t many options. In Nepali houses, you can find staple foods including rice, lentils, and vegetable curries. You can find a large variety of international food in less isolated locations. Likewise, you will need to adapt, though, when you hike distant trails.

You may probably get lunch in the lowlands for less than USD 5 per person. On the other hand, costs go up as altitude does on the Himalayan paths. Freight costs increase with daily destination elevation.

The tea establishments must therefore spend a lot of money to acquire the materials needed to accommodate you. Thus, the increased cost of the meals. You could expect to pay between USD 8 and USD 12 for one dinner. You should set aside between USD 20 and USD 25 for each person’s daily meals.

The remote Himalayan trails also have drinks that cost you a little more. A cup of tea will cost you around USD 2 to USD 4. This would’ve cost you just USD 0.2 to USD 0.5 if you were in low lands. Similarly, a cup of coffee will cost around USD 3 to USD 5.

You will likely only get the instant coffee mix, so do not expect freshly brewed coffee. Further, you might get a few options for alcohol, like beer, which will cost around USD 5 to USD 10 per bottle. You can also get sodas like Coke, Fanta, Dew, etc., that cost USD 2 to USD 5.

Similarly, you can have access to drinking water in the majority of tea establishments. You can spend between $2 and $5 on bottled water to bring on your hikes. There are numerous water sources with fresh, drinkable water along the paths. To be safe, you may also pack water purification tablets.

Final Say

It takes a lot of planning to keep your Lobuche peak climbing expenses under control. Teamwork is required to prepare so many tools for the excursion to be successful. To complete the Lobuche trip, keep the Tour in Nepal in mind.

Himalaya Guide Nepal is here to make sure you have a wonderful trip to Lobuche by taking care of the majority of your costs. The essential expenses of your vacation will be included in the package pricing.