Annapurna Base Camp vs Everest Base Camp: Which trek should you choose in 2026?

You can choose the Annapurna Base Camp (ABC) trek if you have 7–11 days, a budget of about US$1,400, and little high-altitude experience. Choose the Everest Base Camp (EBC) trek if you have 14–16 days, can handle nights above 5,000 m, and want to stand beneath the world’s highest mountain. These are Nepal’s two most popular teahouse treks, and both end in a ring of giant Himalayan peaks. Beyond that, they differ in almost everything that affects planning: how you get to the trailhead, how many days you need, how high you sleep, what permits you buy, and what the trip costs.

Annapurna Base Camp surrounded by Annapurna I, Annapurna South and Machapuchare.

Every trekking season, the same question comes up in Thamel cafes, on travel forums like Reddit and in our inboxes: Everest Base Camp or Annapurna Base Camp? Both are teahouse treks, so you sleep in lodges, eat hot meals and walk with a light pack. Both finish in a sanctuary of snow peaks that most people only ever see in photographs. And both are possible for an ordinary, reasonably fit person with no climbing experience.

Yet they are very different journeys. The Everest trail is a high, stark, two-week climb through Sherpa villages to the foot of the Khumbu Icefall, reached by one of the world’s most dramatic mountain flights. The Annapurna trail is a shorter, greener walk from rice terraces and rhododendron forest into a glacial amphitheatre ringed by Annapurna I and the fish-tail peak of Machapuchare, reached by road from Pokhara.

Trekkers walking toward Ama Dablam on the Everest Base Camp trail in the Khumbu.

In this guide, we compare the two treks on every factor that matters when you plan: cost, number of days, altitude and difficulty, permits, transport, guide and porter fees, and conditions month by month. We also explain how ABC differs from the Annapurna Circuit, how to prepare, and which trek suits which kind of traveller. All fees and rules reflect the 2026 trekking seasons.

Everest Base Camp Trek vs Annapurna Base Camp Trek in Short

Infographic comparing Everest Base Camp and Annapurna Base Camp treks by altitude, days, distance, difficulty, permits, cost, and best season.

Is ABC the same as the Annapurna Circuit?

No. They share a region and the same permits, but they are two different treks. ABC goes into the Annapurna massif to the foot of Annapurna I; the Annapurna Circuit goes around it and crosses the 5,416 m Thorong La pass.

Map showing the Annapurna Base Camp route into the Sanctuary compared with the Annapurna Circuit loop over Thorong La.

The Circuit’s high point is crossed in one long push from Thorong Phedi, and snow can close the pass in winter. Roads now cover much of the Circuit’s lower valleys, which is why many itineraries have shrunk to 12–14 days. With about 20–24 days, you can combine both, crossing Thorong La and then walking via Ghorepani into the Sanctuary.

Everest Base Camp vs Annapurna Base Camp based on trekking days

A standard EBC trek needs 12 walking days from Lukla and back, or 14–16 days door to door from Kathmandu. A standard ABC trek needs 6–9 walking days, or 8–12 days from Kathmandu.

Everest Base Camp: classic 12-day trek (Lukla to Lukla)

Route map of the 12-day Everest Base Camp trek from Lukla to Kala Patthar with overnight stops and altitudes.

Add a day in Kathmandu before (permits, briefing) and 1–2 buffer days after for Lukla flight delays. A helicopter return from Gorak Shep shortens the trek by 3 days but costs extra.

Annapurna Base Camp: classic 7-day trek (trailhead to trailhead)

Route map of the 7-day Annapurna Base Camp trek from Pokhara through Chhomrong and MBC, with the optional Poon Hill detour.

Adding Ghorepani and Poon Hill (sunrise over Dhaulagiri and Annapurna South) makes it a 9–10 day trek. Including travel between Kathmandu and Pokhara, plan 9–12 days in total. Because there is no flight bottleneck, a buffer day is optional.

Comparative analysis of ABC vs EBC on Difficulty and altitude

EBC is harder because of altitude; ABC is harder on the knees. Both are non-technical trails that a reasonably fit beginner can complete.

EBC spends about five nights above 4,000 m and two near or above 5,000 m. Gradients are mostly steady, but above Dingboche (4,410 m) every step slows down, and nights at Gorak Shep are cold and sleepless for many. Acute mountain sickness (AMS) is the main reason people turn back, which is why itineraries build in two rest days.

ABC sleeps only one night at 4,130 m. It gains height quickly between Bamboo and ABC, but serious altitude illness is less common. The real effort is the stone staircases, especially in and out of Chhomrong, which you climb on the way up and again on the way back.

Trekkers climbing the stone steps near Chhomrong on the Annapurna Base Camp trek.

Altitude safety on both treks: above 3,000 m, raise your sleeping altitude by no more than 300–500 m a day, drink 3–4 litres of water, avoid alcohol, ask a doctor about acetazolamide before you travel, and descend if headache, nausea or breathlessness get worse. Train with 4–6 weeks of hiking, stair climbing, or cardio before you go.

The stretch between Deurali and MBC on the ABC route crosses avalanche-prone slopes; after heavy snow, local checkpoints may close it.

Permit guide and cost for EBC and ABC

Each trek needs two permits. For non-SAARC foreigners, EBC permits total about NPR 6,400 (~US$45–50) and ABC permits about NPR 5,000 (~US$37).

Permit cost card for 2026 showing EBC permits at about NPR 6,400 and ABC permits at NPR 5,000.

EBC Permits

The municipality raised its fee for non-SAARC visitors from NPR 2,000 to NPR 3,000 from fiscal year 2024/25; SAARC and Chinese visitors still pay NPR 2,000, and children under 10 and diplomats are exempt. In the Khumbu, this local permit takes the place of the TIMS card.

ABC Permits

ACAP bought at a trail checkpoint costs double, so get it in advance. Children under 10 do not pay ACAP.

How to get your permits?

1. Book with a government-registered trekking agency (required for ABC; recommended for EBC).
2. Provide a passport copy with a valid Nepal visa, 2 passport-size photos, travel insurance details, and your itinerary.
3. Pay in Nepali rupees; most agencies arrange permits the day before you start.
4. Carry the originals the whole way: they are checked at Monjo and Namche on EBC, and at Ghandruk/Chhomrong checkpoints on ABC.

The guide rule. Since 1 April 2023, the Nepal Tourism Board has required foreign trekkers in national parks and conservation areas to hire a licensed guide through a registered agency, and stopped issuing TIMS to solo trekkers. It is enforced on ABC. The Khumbu municipality has not applied it, so independent trekkers still walk to EBC. Policies can change at short notice, so confirm with your agency before booking.

Transport: Lukla flights vs the road to Pokhara

Small aircraft on the sloping runway at Tenzing-Hillary Airport in Lukla.

Transport is the biggest cost gap between the two treks: EBC needs a US$400–460 round-trip mountain flight, while ABC can be reached by road for under US$50.

Everest Base Camp: In spring and autumn, most Lukla flights depart from Manthali Airport in Ramechhap rather than Kathmandu, to ease congestion at Tribhuvan International Airport. Expect a pre-dawn drive and a 15–20 minute flight. For autumn 2026, Manthali–Lukla flights picked up from late September, with nine flights on one day in early October. Airlines revised fares from 1 March 2026; round trips run about US$400–460. Baggage is capped at about 15 kg including hand luggage, and weather delays are common.

Annapurna Base Camp: Tourist buses leave Kathmandu around 7 a.m.; the bus costs a fraction of the 25-minute flight. From Pokhara, jeeps run to the trailheads year-round, and road access has shortened the walk considerably.

Annapurna Base Camp vs Everest Base Camp Trek Cost on Guide and porter costs

A trekking guide and porter walking with trekkers on a Himalayan trail.

A licensed guide costs about US$25–40 a day and a porter about US$18–25 a day on either trek. Over a full trek, that adds roughly US$480–800 for a guide on EBC and US$200–350 on ABC.

The daily rate normally covers the guide’s food, lodging, and insurance. On EBC, you also pay the guide’s Lukla flights, which is why EBC guide costs run higher. One porter is usually shared between two trekkers. Hire through a registered agency so your guide is licensed and insured, and so ACAP and TIMS can be issued for ABC.

Total cost comparison: Annapurna Base Camp vs Everest Base Camp

Stacked bar chart showing EBC costs about twice as much as ABC, mainly due to Lukla flights and extra days.

Expect to spend roughly US$1,300–2,500 on EBC and US$700–1,400 on ABC for a standard guided trek, excluding international flights.

Prices rise as you climb on both treks, because everything above the road or airstrip is carried up by porters or yaks; a dal bhat that costs NPR 600 low down can cost NPR 1,200 or more near base camp. Budget for travel insurance that covers helicopter evacuation to 6,000 m (EBC) or 4,500 m (ABC).

Month-wise comparison of EBC and ABC

Calendar heatmap showing October, November, and April as the best months for both EBC and ABC, and June to August as monsoon months to avoid.

The best months for both treks are October–November and March–May. In winter, ABC is the easier of the two; in the monsoon, both are wet, but ABC avoids the risk of Lukla flight cancellations.

The main festivals, Dashain and Tihar, fall in October–November; Kathmandu transport and lodges are busier then, so book flights and guides early.

Scenery, culture and teahouses

EBC offers the world’s most famous peaks and Sherpa culture; ABC offers more variety per day and a 360° mountain amphitheatre at the finish.

Everest.

Sunrise over Mount Everest, Lhotse and Nuptse from Kala Patthar.

The trail climbs from pine forest to bare glacial moraine within a week. Highlights include the first glimpse of Everest above Namche, Tengboche Monastery framed by Ama Dablam, and the sunrise view of Everest, Lhotse and Nuptse from Kala Patthar. Base camp itself is a rocky plateau that is busy only in the spring climbing season. Namche Bazaar has bakeries, ATMs, gear shops and lodges with attached bathrooms; higher up, rooms are basic twin beds with shared toilets. Everest Link Wi-Fi works across most of the valley.

Annapurna.

You walk through Gurung villages such as Ghandruk and Chhomrong, terraced fields, bamboo and rhododendron forest, and waterfalls before reaching the alpine zone. At ABC, Annapurna I (8,091 m), Annapurna South, Hiunchuli, Gangapurna and Machapuchare surround you on all sides. The hot springs at Jhinu Danda make a good reward on the way down. Lodges are simple and family-run; in peak season the few lodges at MBC and ABC fill up, so trekkers sometimes sleep in dining halls. Paid Wi-Fi reaches most villages up to MBC, and charging costs around US$2-3.

Ghandruk village with terraced fields and Annapurna South in the background.

On both treks, dal bhat with free refills is the best-value meal, and a water filter or purification tablets saves money and plastic.

Best suited for: Which trek should you choose?

Flowchart helping trekkers choose between ABC and EBC based on time, goals, budget, and altitude experience.

The verdict for 2026. For most first-time trekkers, ABC is the smarter choice: shorter, cheaper, lower and easier to reach, yet its final view is every bit as dramatic. EBC is the bigger adventure and the right choice if Everest is the dream and you have the time to acclimatize. Many trekkers do ABC first, then return for EBC or the Everest Three Passes once they know how their body handles altitude.

Dal bhat served in a Himalayan teahouse.

How to prepare: training, packing and insurance

Start training 6–8 weeks before departure, pack for freezing nights, and buy insurance that covers helicopter rescue to the right altitude.

Training. Aim for three or four sessions a week: long hikes with a 6–8 kg pack, stair or hill repeats for the ABC staircases, and steady cardio (running, cycling, swimming) to build endurance for EBC. In the last month, do at least two back-to-back long hiking days. Strong legs and good aerobic fitness make the trek more enjoyable, but they do not protect you from altitude sickness; only gradual ascent does.

Packing essentials (both treks)

Flat lay of trekking gear for Everest and Annapurna Base Camp, including boots, down jacket, sleeping bag and poles.

• Broken-in waterproof trekking boots and two pairs of camp shoes or sandals
• Layering system: thermal base layers, fleece, insulated down jacket, waterproof shell jacket and trousers
• Sleeping bag rated to −10 °C for ABC and −15 °C or lower for EBC (lodge blankets are not always enough)
• Warm hat, sun hat, buff, liner gloves and insulated gloves
• Trekking poles (especially for ABC’s steps), headlamp, sunglasses (category 3–4), high-SPF sunscreen and lip balm
• Water bottles or bladder plus a filter or purification tablets
• First-aid kit with blister care, rehydration salts, painkillers and any altitude medicine your doctor prescribes
• Power bank, cash in Nepali rupees, copies of passport, permits and insurance
• Porters usually carry up to 20–25 kg shared between two trekkers, and Lukla flights cap baggage at about 15 kg, so keep EBC kit light.

Travel insurance for both trekkers

Nepal has no blanket law requiring every trekker to hold insurance, but reputable agencies ask for proof before they confirm a trek (Access Nepal). Many standard policies stop covering you somewhere between 2,500 and 4,000 m, so check the altitude limit in writing. Choose a policy that names trekking in Nepal, covers emergency helicopter evacuation, and reaches at least 6,000 m for EBC (5,545 m Kala Patthar) or 4,500 m for ABC. A helicopter rescue without cover typically costs US$3,000–10,000 or more.

Safety and responsible trekking

Most trekking emergencies in Nepal come from altitude, weather or tiredness, and almost all can be avoided by walking slowly, listening to your guide, and turning back when your body tells you to.

Know the signs of altitude sickness. Mild AMS feels like a hangover: headache, nausea, poor sleep, and loss of appetite. Rest at the same altitude until it passes. Confusion, loss of coordination, breathlessness at rest, or a wet cough are signs of HACE or HAPE, which are life-threatening; descend immediately, even at night, and call for evacuation.

Infographic of altitude sickness warning signs, from mild AMS to emergency HACE and HAPE, with the action to take at each stage.

On EBC, Pheriche has a Himalayan Rescue Association aid post staffed in the main seasons. Respect the weather. Start early, as clouds usually build after midday. On ABC, do not cross the Deurali–MBC stretch after heavy snow or when locals advise against it.

On EBC, carry enough cash and time to wait out Lukla flight delays rather than taking risks to make an international flight.

Trek responsibly.

1. Refill bottles with treated water instead of buying plastic; both regions now struggle with waste.
2. Carry out batteries, wrappers, and any rubbish you bring in.
3. Walk clockwise around stupas and mani walls, ask before photographing people, and dress modestly in villages.
4. Give way to yaks and mules on the mountainside of the trail, never the drop side.
5. Tip your guide and porter fairly at the end of the trek; it is a meaningful part of their income.
6. Book through a registered local agency that pays fair wages and insures its staff.

Conclusion

There is no wrong answer between Everest Base Camp and Annapurna Base Camp, only a better fit for your time, budget, and experience.

If you have two weeks or more, are curious about Sherpa culture and want to say you stood at the foot of Everest, the Khumbu is worth every early start and cold night. If you have ten days, want greater variety for less money, or are trekking at altitude for the first time, the Annapurna Sanctuary gives you one of the finest mountain panoramas in Nepal with far simpler logistics.

Whichever you choose, plan for the season, give your body time to acclimatize, travel with a licensed guide, and leave the trail better than you found it. Then come back for the other one: plenty of trekkers find that Annapurna is the perfect warm-up for Everest.