Is Luxury Everest Base Camp trek Worth it? 6 Things to Know

Is luxury Everest Base Camp trek worth it? This blog covers complete information about the comfort, premium lodges, and stunning Himalayan views on a luxury Everest Base Camp trek with expert guides and high-end services.

Everest Base Camp is a trip many travellers have on their bucket lists. While the standard trek is what most travellers pick, did you know that you can actually book a luxury package, and it makes your trek more comfortable?

When compared to a standard package, the Luxury Everest Base Camp Trek costs more, but is it worth it? This depends on if you want the same route and same views but with heated beds, private bathrooms, better food and a helicopter return that saves 2-3 days of climbing down. If you do, the Luxury Everest Base Camp Trek may be worth it for you.

In this guide, we cover everything you need to know about the Luxury Everest Base Camp Trek, from the differences between standard and luxury treks and a full 14-day itinerary to the exact costs. 

What is the Luxury Everest Base Camp Trek?

A luxury Everest base camp trek is on the same route as the standard EBC trek–you see the same mountains, experience the same base camp, and get to the same Kala Patthar viewpoint. The only thing is that you get all that, but now with better accommodation, better food, and better transportation options.

Luxury Everest Base Camp Trek is a package that is designed exclusively for those trekkers who want to reach the Everest Base Camp without compromising on their comfort.

This means you get 5-star hotels in Kathmandu, helicopter flights to and from Lukla and stays at Yeti Mountain Home lodges along the way to EBC instead of basic teahouses.

Please note that the word “luxury” may not mean 5-star resorts at 5,000 meters. That does not exist yet. Instead, it means the best available and most comfortable option at every stage of the trek.

But at locations like Namche Bazaar, Phakding, Lukla and Dingboche, where luxury lodges are available, this means you get en-suite bathrooms with hot water, soft linens, Tibetan rugs, spa access at Namche and fine dining using fresh produce from greenhouses.

This trek prioritises your physical comfort and safety, all while you are experiencing the other facets of a high-altitude trek as usual.

What makes this a luxury trek?

Let us be honest, standard treks also have a guide, a porter, food, and a place to sleep. So what makes this trek a luxury? The answer to that is not what is included here, but how good those things are at high altitude compared to the other options.

During the Luxury Everest Base Camp Trek, you spend two nights at a 5-star hotel in Kathmandu at either Marriott or Aloft. On the trek itself, too, you stay six nights at Yeti Mountain Home lodges i.e., overnight at Lukla, Phakding, Namche Bazaar for 3 nights, and finally at Deboche.

These lodges have en-suite bathrooms, heated beds, soft cotton sheets, and hot running water. For the other 5 nights at higher elevations in Dingboche, Lobuche, Gorak Shep, and Pheriche, you also stay in the best teahouses available there, which have hot blankets and attached toilets wherever it is possible.

You get good food. The food during the standard trek is already pretty nutritious and keeps you energised throughout your trip. But at these hotels, you get an extra choice on your menu. 

Access Nepal Tour’s Everest Base Camp Luxury Trek package has 14 breakfasts, 13 lunches, and 14 dinners on a full-board basis. So you get fresh seasonal fruits and 3 cups of tea or coffee every day.

Yeti Mountain Home lodges even grow produce in-house, which means they use fresh ingredients for your meals. Cuisine options here include Nepali (dal bhat), Tibetan (momo, noodles), and international/continental (pizza, pasta, porridge).

As for your transportation, you fly from Kathmandu to Lukla in a shared helicopter and return by helicopter to Kathmandu, too. This is great because you don’t need to face the usual delays of Lukla flights. It also gives you a bird’s-eye view of the Himalayas.

In terms of the staff and support with you, two of our guides lead your group if it is larger than 7 travellers. All guides speak English, are government licensed, and trained in first-aid. 

Similarly, the porter ratio for the trek is a porter for every 2 trekkers. Our staff also carries an oximeter to monitor your oxygen levels during the trip. 

Related Packages

Everest Base Camp Luxury Trek - 14 Days

5 / 5 based on 7 reviews

• 5,550m/18,209ft
• Easy
• All Inclusive Plan

Before US$4300 Now US$3890 10% Off

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Other complimentary items you get include a duffel bag, T-shirt, trekking map, chlorine tablets for water purification, and a sleeping bag (on request).

Extra Inclusions

We want you to have the best experience during this trip. So we do our best with a welcome dinner and farewell dinner at one of Kathmandu’s finest restaurants. You get a trek completion certificate at the end.

Luxury Everest Base Camp Trek itinerary 

Total distance: about 130 km 

Highest altitude: 5,550m (Kala Patthar)

Note

• Day 4 has a short hike to Syangboche Airport and Hotel Everest View.
• Day 7 has another hike to Nangkartsang Peak, from where you see great views of Ama Dablam.

These stops are medically recommended for acclimatisation purposes and are usually missing from shorter 11-day versions of the same itinerary. 

Luxury Everest Base Camp Trek cost breakdown

How much does the Luxury Everest Base Camp Trek cost exactly?

The standard price for Access Nepal Tour’s Luxury Everest Base Camp Trek package costs USD $3,890 per person. We also give you a group discount for groups of 4 to 10 persons, and it will then cost USD $3,499 per person.

What is included in the Luxury Everest Base Camp Trek package

• Airport pick up and drop off on arrival and departure
• 2 nights in a 5-star hotel in Kathmandu (usually either Marriott or Aloft) with breakfast
• Helicopter flights from Kathmandu to Lukla and a return flight to Kathmandu. This is shared and includes airport transfers
• 6 nights at Yeti Mountain Home luxury lodges in Lukla, Phakding, Namche Bazaar, for 3 nights, and Deboche
• 5 nights at the best available teahouses on the way. Specifically at Dingboche, Lobuche, Gorak Shep, and Pheriche
• All meals during the trek–this includes 14 breakfasts, 13 lunches, and 14 dinners, as well as fresh seasonal fruits and 3 cups of tea or coffee daily
• Hot showers and attached bathrooms wherever it is available
• Two guides for groups larger than 7 travellers. All our guides speak English, are government-licensed, and well-trained in first aid
• A porter for two trekkers
• All permits needed for the trek, including Sagarmatha National Park Entry and Khumbu Pasang Lhamu Rural Municipality
• A first-aid kit with an oximeter
• A duffel bag, a T-shirt, and a trekking map are complimentary
• We also provide a sleeping bag and a down jacket on your request
• You get a welcome dinner  at a Nepali restaurant with a cultural program and a farewell dinner at the finest restaurant in Kathmandu
• A trek completion certificate at the end

What is not included in the package?

• Nepal tourist visa (USD $30 for 15 days, $50 for 30 days, $125 for 90 days)
• Tips for guides and porters
• Meals in Kathmandu (except for the welcome and farewell dinners)
• Charging cost during the trek for your electronics, internet, and travel insurance
• Any personal expenses
• Extra nights or additional stays you add in Nepal

Luxury Everest Base Camp Trek vs Standard Everest Base Camp Trek comparison

The Everest Base Camp Luxury Trek is slightly on the pricier side compared to the Standard Everest Base Camp Trek. However, with this cost, you get premium accommodation and meal options, fun helicopter rides and comfortable services throughout the trek.

Luxury Everest Base Camp Trek with helicopter return

Why the helicopter return is a big upgrade

The helicopter return that happens from Lukla to Kathmandu on day 13 of the luxury trek, replaces the standard 2-3 day downhill hike from Gorak Shep back to Lukla, which would also be followed by a plane flight to Kathmandu.

You save a lot of time with the 1-hour helicopter flight compared to 2-3 days of trekking downhill. The saved days are added in earlier to this 14-day itinerary as acclimatisation days (2 rest days at Namche and Dingboche) instead. And you avoid the return walk.

So, the flight is better for your physical condition. The downhill walk from Gorak Shep to Lukla is hard on your knees and quadriceps, too. 

Helicopter Return during Luxury Everest Base Camp Trek

As for the safety benefits, helicopters are the standard method for medical evacuation from the Khumbu region. So familiarity with helicopter procedures, which develops during this trip, can be useful in case of an emergency. Your travel insurance (minimum $100,000 coverage recommended) usually covers the helicopter rescue.

More on Accommodation

Yeti Mountain Home are six lodges across the Everest region that offers premium international hospitality. Their rooms are in traditional Khumbu style but with modern natural wood finishes. Some key features of them across all locations are the en-suite bathrooms, heated beds and blankets, soft cotton sheets, hot running water and the gorgeous mountain views seen from the windows.

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Everest Base Camp Trek with Helicopter Return - 11 Days

5 / 5 based on 4 reviews

• 5,550m/18,209ft
• Moderate
• All Inclusive Plan

Before US$3690 Now US$3490 5% Off

• Enquire Now
• Book Now
• Coupon Code

Lodge locations and stays

The spa at the Namche Lodge is a peaceful retreat with Himalayan views. Rooms here are warm, dry, spacious, with hot running water in bathrooms, which is a big plus, as a hot shower after a day of climbing can help you recharge. You also find great comfort in the heated blankets after returning from higher, colder altitudes.

Quality time at Yeti Food Lodges

The rooms here have en-suite bathrooms with western toilets. They also have heated beds with full bedding (not just thin blankets) with soft, clean sheets that are changed between guests.

At higher altitudes beyond Deboche (Dingboche, Lobuche, Gorak Shep, Pheriche), the accommodation you now get is the best available teahouses. They also give you hot blankets and have attached bathrooms where possible.

Food and dining on the Luxury EBC Trek

During the trip, we take care of 14 breakfasts, 13 lunches, and 14 dinners on a full-board basis. You also get fresh seasonal fruits daily, as well as 3 cups of tea or coffee per day. The welcome dinner in Kathmandu is at an authentic Nepalese restaurant with a cultural program. Similarly, the farewell dinner is at the finest restaurant in Kathmandu.

The cuisine options you get on the trek include the following

• Nepali cuisine, like dal Bhat (lentil soup, rice), seasonal vegetables, pickles, and meat
• Tibetan cuisine, i.e., momo (dumplings), noodle dishes (chow mein)
• International cuisine, which includes a variety of dishes like pizza, pasta, sandwiches, porridge, fried rice, bakery items, and sweets

Food quality at Yeti Mountain Home lodges

The lodges grow their own produce in the greenhouses and get the rest, fresh from the market. The meals use fresh ingredients that are not preserved or rehydrated foods, which can be common in the area. The lodges take pride in serving freshly prepared food made with fresh ingredients.

Nutritional consideration for high altitude

To fuel yourself with energy for all the climbing and walking you have to do, you need foods rich in carbohydrates and protein. Food in the luxury package is of higher quality and has more variety, which helps you during the trek.

In case of special diets, please pre-inform the agency for your specific dietary preferences or food allergies. Our team will manage things accordingly.

Acclimatisation and Altitude Sickness Management

Acclimatisation stops built into the 14-day itinerary

Why are two acclimatisation days essential

These stops let your body adjust to the altitude before you go any higher. Skipping them (like in the shorter 11-day versions) increases the risk of AMS.

The Namche stop preps you for the climb to Deboche and Dingboche, and the Dingboche stop is the final preparation you get before pushing to Lobuche, EBC (5,364m), and Kala Patthar (5,550m).

AMS symptoms to recognise

Do not ignore any mild headaches, nausea, dizziness, difficulty breathing, or hallucinations you may feel. They may seem small, but can develop into something dangerous if ignored.

If you experience any of these symptoms, inform your guide immediately.

Our emergency protocol:

• If you get any AMS symptoms, an assistant guide will take you to a lower altitude
• If health improves here, you can rejoin the trek
• If it doesn’t improve, then you are escorted back to Kathmandu for medical treatment

All our guides are well trained in first-aid and experienced in recognising and helping climbers with altitude sickness. So you have nothing to worry about. Additionally, they also carry an oximeter in first-aid kit to measure your blood oxygen levels and detect AMS before symptoms become severe.

Travel insurance requirement

You need a travel insurance with a minimum $100,000 coverage for helicopter rescue from the Everest region. Helicopter evacuation is the only option in cases of emergencies to rescue you from high altitudes. Standard travel insurance may not cover this, so you need to figure this out in detail before your trek.

Other general tips of prevention from AMS are:

• Never skip acclimatisation rest days and make full use of them to get used to the height
• Drink enough water throughout the trek as proper hydration is essential
• Maintain proper diet, again throughout the trek, with meals containing enough carbohydrates and protein
• Listen to your body well and do not ignore any discomfort that you feel. We are not competing with anyone here and can trek at your own pace.

Guide, porter and staff details

Guides

For groups larger than 7 travellers, you get 2 guides in our Luxury Everest Base Camp Trek package. All our guides are fluent in English, Government-licensed, well-trained in first-aid and experienced in the Everest region.

They will handle everything from navigation, permit handling and accommodation check-in to emergency response and altitude monitoring (including using the oximeter) to make sure you have an easier time during the trek. All guide expenses (including the salary, food, accommodation, insurance) are also covered by us.

Porters

The ratio for porters during the EBC trek is a porter for every 2 travellers. Porters carry your main heavy luggage (duffel bag provided by the company) so that it is easier for you to climb. Their expenses and insurance is already covered by the Access Nepal team.

Guide and Porter

Packing List and Gear

We give you a standard packing list to follow for your trip. It can be customised according to your specific needs.

What you need to bring

Rental options

Many shops in Kathmandu sell trekking gear, and it is a good investment if you are someone who loves trekking and does it on a regular basis. However, if you only trek every once in a while, renting gear might be the more practical option for you.

Related Packages

Classic Everest Base Camp Trek - 15 Days

5 / 5 based on 6 reviews

• 5,550m/18,209ft
• Moderate
• All Inclusive Plan

Before US$3420 Now US$2890 15% Off

• Enquire Now
• Book Now
• Coupon Code

Access Nepal can provide this trekking equipment to you on a rental basis if you need it. We generally advise you to bring your own clothing and gear from home as much as possible.

Luxury Everest Base Camp Trek costs more, but is it worth it?

To answer this, let’s look at what you get in a Standard Everest Base Camp Trek compared to a Luxury Everest Base Camp Trek.

Keeping all of this in mind, we would say the Luxury Everest Base Camp Trek, which costs more, is worth it in the following cases.

1. If you value comfort while trekking at high altitude, because heated beds and hot showers are not available above a certain altitude on standard treks.
2. For all your special occasions, the Luxury Everest Base Camp Trek might be the way to go, as we can arrange for cake and celebrations for events like birthdays, anniversaries or honeymoons.
3. It is also great if you are time-constrained, as the helicopter return saves 2-3 days of downhill hiking.
4. If you are over 50 or a first-time high-altitude trekker, then the luxury trip is for you, as it is generally easier on your body and more comfortable than the standard trek.
5. If you wish to avoid the Lukla flight uncertainty, the helicopter ride in the luxury trek bypasses the flight delays and transfer to the Ramechhap airport. 

Why Book Your Luxury Everest Base Camp Trek with Access Nepal Tour

Access Nepal Tour and Treks has been operating tours and treks in the Everest region for over 15 years. All our staff and guides have the needed licenses and the experience to handle all situations that may arise during the trip.

Over the years, we have also tried out all facilities in the Everest region to bring you the best of the best in our Luxury Everest Base Camp Trek package.

Additionally, we can customise the standard itinerary for your special occasions, like birthdays or anniversaries, as per your requirements.

Conclusion

In case you are still wondering about how the luxury Everest Base Camp Trek costs more, but is it worth it? Here is our honest answer. If you can afford the $2,000–$2,700 premium for the Luxury Everest Base Camp Trek over a standard trek, then we would say you book the luxury version.

Most trekkers only visit Everest Base Camp once in their entire lives. So, you need to enjoy your experience to the fullest. The luxury trek does not eliminate all the challenging aspects that make the Everest Base Camp Trek worth it. You still trek approximately 130 km and reach up to the height of 5,550m above sea level. It just removes the extra hardship so you can focus on the experience in a more comfortable manner.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the route of the Luxury Everest Base Camp Trek the same as the standard?

Yes, the route of the Luxury Everest Base Camp Trek is the same as a standard EBC trek. Only the accommodation and way to travel are on the more comfortable side.

Are there luxury tours to Everest available in Nepal?

Yes, many travel and trekking agencies in Nepal offer a luxury Everest Base Camp package. While some aspects of these packages are similar, your overall experience here will be way more comfortable in a luxury tour.

What kinds of accommodation will I get?

You get to spend 6 nights at luxury lodges during the Luxury Everest Base Camp trek. You also spend your days in Kathmandu during the arrival and return at a five-star hotel here. The rest of the way during the trek, we will be sure to book you the best available tea houses and lodges.

What is the best time for a luxury EBC tour?

The best time for the Luxury Everest Base Camp Trek is in autumn and spring, which is the peak trekking season for the Everest region.

Is hot water available for showers throughout the trek?

Running hot water is available for showers at locations with the luxury lodges i.e. Namche Bazaar, Phakding, Lukla, and Dingboche. It might not be available at all other locations, although most tea houses can heat up water and give it to you in a bucket for a shower on request.

Is Luxury Everest Base Camp trek Worth it?

If you are still confused about this, we would say it is usually worth the cost. You get to stay at the best lodges and teahouses and skip part of the return trek, which is usually more difficult, for an added charge. So yes, we say that even when the Luxury Everest Base Camp Trek costs more, it is worth the extra charge.