Are you planning to trek in the Annapurna circuit and researching the circuit trek cost? Well, we have an answer for you, as in this blog, we will be discussing every cost from minimum to maximum that you will need to bear during the Annapurna Circuit trek.
As you know, the Annapurna Circuit trek is one of the most famous trekking destinations after the Everest Base Camp, which increases the costs for the Annapurna Circuit as well. Annapurna Circuit is one of the developed trekking destinations, and the costs always vary for the trekkers depending on the season. If you are trekking during the peak seasons, then you might need to pay more than in the off-season. Let’s discuss in detail the transportation, accommodations, food, permits, gear rentals, insurance, guide and porter, misc., and the extra costs as well.
Table of Contents
Permit Cost for the Annapurna circuit
First and foremost cost you will be paying is for the permits. When you are doing the Annapurna circuit trek, you will need two permits, which are the Annapurna Conservation Area Permit (ACAP) and the Trekkers’ Information Management System Permit (TIMS). The Annapurna Conservation Area Permit costs you NPRS. 3000 for the foreign nationals and NPRS. 1000 if you are from the SAARC countries.
The Trekkers Information Management System Card costs NPRS 1000 for foreign nationals and NPRS 300 if you are from the SAARC countries. Both the ACAP and TIMS can be obtained from the Tourism Board Office in Kathmandu, in Bhirkuti Mandap.
Transportations
When you are planning to do the Annapurna circuit trek, you will be spending money is on transportation. You will have two options for reaching the starting point, which are by public vehicle and private vehicle, and while returning, you will have a variety of options, as you can take a private vehicle, public vehicle, or domestic flight as well from Jomsom to Pokhara.
In general, if you are using a public vehicle to reach Besisahar from Kathmandu, then it will cost you around NPR 2000. If you are using the private rented vehicle like Scorpio, then it would cost you around 180 USD per vehicle of people sitting capacity for one way.
After you complete your Annapurna circuit trek and end it in the Muktinath temple, then from Muktinath to Pokhara, the public bus costs around NPR 2500, and from Pokhara to Kathmandu, it costs NPR 1500. But if you are renting a private vehicle from Muktinath to Pokhara, then it would cost you around 250 USD to 300 USD per vehicle.
Accommodations
When you are trekking you will pay a good amount for the circuit trek, is for the accommodations. If you are getting accommodations in Kathmandu city, then the cost will be NPR 4000 to NPR 5000 for the standard accommodations. After you reach Besisahar, the guest house would cost you around NPR 1000 to NPR 1500 per person on a twin-sharing basis. If you are getting a personal room, you will need to pay more.
During the trek, simple math works, which means that if you are at a lower altitude, everything is affordable, and as you ascend to the higher altitudes, everything starts to increase. Same way. If you are staying at the higher altitudes like Manang or Thorong Phedi, you will need to pay around NPR 2000 to NPR 3000 per night.
Foods
Food is the most essential part of the Annapurna circuit trek; the better the food you have, the better you can trek. The food is very basic during the trek due to the higher altitudes. The food costs depend upon the location, altitude, and remoteness of the place. In general, the food costs are:
Low and Mid-Hill Villages (Besisahar → Jagat → Chame → Pisang)
- Dal Bhat (Rice & Lentil Meal): 250–350 NPR
- Momo (6–8 pieces): 150–250 NPR
- Thukpa (Noodle Soup): 200–300 NPR
- Pasta/Western Dishes: 300–500 NPR
- Tea/Coffee: 50–150 NPR
- Snacks (Chips, Cookies, Chocolate): 100–200 NPR
Upper Mid-Hills & Manang Region (High-Altitude Villages)
- Dal Bhat: 350–500 NPR
- Momo: 200–300 NPR
- Thukpa: 250–350 NPR
- Pasta/Pizza/Burger: 400–600 NPR
- Tea/Coffee: 100–200 NPR
- Energy Snacks (Bars, Nuts, Dried Fruit): 150–300 NPR
High-Altitude Villages (Thorong Phedi → Muktinath → Thorong La Pass)
- Dal Bhat: 400–600 NPR
- Momo: 250–350 NPR
- Thukpa: 300–400 NPR
- Tea/Coffee: 150–250 NPR
- Snacks / Energy Bars: 200–400 NPR
Guide and Porter for the Annapurna Circuit Trek
When you are doing the Annapurna circuit trek, it’s important for you to get a guide and porter so that the guide can navigate you through the trek and the porter can carry your weight so that you can trek freely. The guide will cost you around 30 USD per day if you are hiring a well-licensed guide who is experienced and fluent in English. If you are hiring a guide who can speak your language, you will need to pay 40 USD per day.
The porter costs you around 20 to 25 USD per day. The 20 USD covers all the costs for the accommodations and food of the porter. It’s suggested to hire a guide and porter from us, as we are an agency, we have the guides and porters available at affordable prices.
Gear rental costs for the Annapurna Circuit
The gear rental cost for the Annapurna circuit depends on many things, like the places you are taking the rental, the days you are taking the rental, and the items you are renting for your trek. Generally the:
- Sleeping bags cost 1 USD per day.
- Down jackets cost 2.00 USD per day.
Duffle bags cost 1 USD per day. - Trekking poles cost 1 USD per day.
- Crampons cost 1 USD per day.
- Duffle bags cost 1 USD per day.
- Headlamps cost 1 USD per day.
- Trekking shoes cost 1 USD per day.
Except for these items, other items you will need to buy by yourself, as those are for one-time or personal use, like t-shirts, pants, and so on. You can check our packing list for the Annapurna Circuit Trek blog for the details.
Insurance for the Annapurna Circuit Trek
When you are trekking to the Annapurna circuit or any other trekking regions like the Tilicho Lake Trek, Manaslu Circuit Trek, Annapurna circuit with tilicho lake trek or any other treks, you need to get insurance, as it is one of the main things of your trek, and without the insurance, you will not be given permits. When you are getting insurance, it’s important for you to have insurance that covers all theft bags, rescue, and health.
Also, ensure that you have taken the insurance that covers the high-altitude rescue above 5000 meters. The insurance will cost you around 100 USD to 200 USD for the trek. You can get the insurance from your home country for faster rescues and better health conditions.
Miscellaneous
Except for the above-mentioned costs, there are some miscellaneous costs as well for the Annapurna Circuit trek, which should be mentioned in your costs so that you can carry enough cash during the trek, as there is no availability of the swipe machines or ATMs.
The misc. costs are
- Wifi, which will cost you around NPR 200 to NPR 500 per day
- Electricity for phone charging, which will cost you around NPR 100 to NPR 200 per charge
- Water bottles and drinks, which will cost you around NPR. 500 to NPRs. 1000
- Hot water showers, which will cost you around NPRs. 200 to NPRs. 500 per shower
- Tips, which are totally up to you, for the guide and porter, drivers, waiters, and all. You can tip any amount you want.
Annapurna Circuit Trek Cost Breakdown Table
| S.No | Category | Estimated Min Cost | Estimated Max Cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Permits | NPR 1,300 | NPR 4,000 | ACAP + TIMS for foreign/Saarc nationals |
| 2 | Transportation | NPR 3,500 / USD 180 | NPR 7,500 / USD 480 | Kathmandu → Besisahar + Muktinath → Pokhara/Kathmandu |
| 3 | Accommodation | NPR 12,000 | NPR 25,000 | Kathmandu + trekking guesthouses, higher altitude rooms cost more |
| 4 | Food | NPR 15,000 | NPR 30,000 | Low, mid, and high altitude meals for the trek duration |
| 5 | Guide & Porter | USD 500 | USD 850 | 10–12 days trek, guide & porter daily fees |
| 6 | Gear Rentals | USD 10 | USD 15 | Sleeping bag, jackets, shoes, trekking poles, etc. |
| 7 | Insurance | USD 100 | USD 200 | Health & high-altitude rescue coverage |
| 8 | Miscellaneous | NPR 3,000 | NPR 7,000 | Wifi, charging, water, hot shower, tips |
| 9 | Total Estimated Cost | USD 870 | USD 1,250 | Sum of all categories for full trek |
Some Related Topics
- What permits are required for the Annapurna Circuit Trek?
- How to reach the Starting Point of the Annapurna Circuit Trek?
- Top 8 things to know before trekking in Annapurna Circuit
- Best time for Annapurna Circuit Trek