How to book a Nepal trek, step by step

To book a Nepal trek, pick a route and a month, decide whether you want a guide and porter, request written quotes from three registered agencies, check each agency's registration, compare what is included, then pay a deposit by a traceable method and arrange insurance. The process takes a few days of emails for a short route and a few weeks for Everest Base Camp in October. This guide walks through the eight steps in order and shows what to look for at each, so that you end up with a clear written agreement and no surprises.

Step 1: pick a route and a month

Start with how many days you have and how fit you are. A realistic first-trek choice is the four-day Poon Hill trek, the eight-day Langtang Valley or the 12-day Everest Base Camp, and our decision guide and guide to days needed help you choose. Then pick the season: spring (March to May) and autumn (October to November) are the main windows, and the best time to trek in Nepal explains the trade-offs.

The month matters for booking as well as for weather. October is the busiest, so flights, lodges and good guides disappear early. If you have a flexible date, a week in early November or late March is quieter.

Step 2: decide on a guide, a porter or both

The guide question is partly legal and partly practical. A licensed guide through a registered agency is required in restricted areas (Department of Immigration) and, under the Nepal Tourism Board rule of April 2023, in national parks and conservation areas, where 2026 operator reports say checkpoints enforce it in Annapurna and Langtang but not in Khumbu (checked 19 October 2026). For a first trek a guide is a sensible choice anyway. A porter lets you carry only a daypack. Our guide to guide and porter roles explains what each does and does not do.

Day rates in the pack, from operator guides (as of October 2026), are NPR 2,700 to 4,000 for a guide and NPR 2,100 to 3,400 for a porter in Annapurna and Langtang, and NPR 3,400 to 4,700 for a guide in Khumbu. These are market ranges, not official rates, and they are the figures you can use to judge a quote.

Step 3: request written quotes from three agencies

Email or message three registered agencies with the same details: route, dates, number of people, whether you want a guide and porter, whether you want hotels in Kathmandu or Pokhara included and any flights. Ask for a written itinerary and a price in writing, and ask for the same inclusions from each so you can compare like with like. Be wary of an agency that will not put a price in writing, or that offers a price far below the others without explaining how.

Be specific about how many people will share the guide. A quote for one person is very different from a quote for three sharing a guide and porter. If you are travelling alone and want to share costs, our partner finding guide shows how to find someone first, and then ask each agency for a quote for the group. FindTrekkingPartner is not a trekking agency: it does not sell treks, employ guides or handle money, so the booking itself is always with a registered agency.

Step 4: check that the agency is real

Check three things before you pay anything.

1. Registration and licence. Ask for the company's registration and licence numbers, and check that it is registered with the government. Membership of the Trekking Agencies' Association of Nepal (TAAN) is a useful sign, though not a guarantee.
2. The guide's licence. Ask for the guide's name and licence number, and for their experience on your route. For a first trek, ask whether they have first-aid training.
3. Independent reviews and a real address. Look for recent reviews on independent sites, a physical office in Kathmandu or Pokhara and consistent contact details. Treat a company with only a social media account with caution.

Our checklist for choosing a trekking agency gives the full list of questions to ask.

Step 5: read the inclusions and exclusions

A good quote lists exactly what you are paying for. Look for:

• Permits: which entry permits and trek cards are included. For example, the Annapurna Conservation Area permit is NPR 3,000 for foreigners, the Langtang National Park permit is NPR 3,000, and on the Everest route you need the Sagarmatha National Park permit of NPR 3,000 and the Khumbu trek card of NPR 3,000 (all as of October 2026). Our permits explainer lists them.
• Transport: the road or flight legs. A Kathmandu to Lukla flight is about USD 190 to 240 each way for foreigners, a Pokhara to Jomsom flight about USD 120 to 200, a Kathmandu to Pokhara tourist bus NPR 800 to 2,500, and a Kathmandu to Syabrubesi local bus about NPR 800 to 1,500 (as of October 2026).
• Guide and porter: the number of days, their meals and lodging, insurance and equipment.
• Your food and lodging: whether meals and rooms on the trail are included or paid by you as you go.
• Hotels and sightseeing: any nights in Kathmandu or Pokhara.
• Exclusions: tips, insurance, personal gear, drinks, showers and charging, and spare days.

Agencies differ in how they package things. A "cheap" quote that excludes permits, meals and lodging may cost more than a higher one that includes them. Compare the total, not the headline number.

Step 6: agree payment and cancellation terms

Most agencies ask for a deposit to confirm, with the balance paid on arrival in Kathmandu before you leave for the trail, or in some cases in instalments. Ask for the schedule in writing. Pay by a traceable method, such as bank transfer to the company's account or a card payment through a secure link, rather than cash to an individual. Keep receipts and screenshots of messages. Ask for the cancellation and change terms, including what happens if flights are cancelled, the weather closes a pass or you fall ill. Our buffer days and itinerary flexibility guide explains why you should leave spare days in Kathmandu or Pokhara.

Do not wire the full amount months ahead to a stranger, and do not pay a large cash sum without a receipt. If an agency pressures you to pay quickly, treat that as a warning.

Step 7: arrange insurance, flights and spare days

Buy travel insurance that covers trekking to the highest altitude of your route, plus helicopter evacuation. The Everest route notes list travel insurance covering helicopter evacuation to about 6,000 m. Read the policy for altitude limits and exclusions, and carry the policy number and the insurer's emergency number. Book your international flights with flexibility for delays, and leave at least one spare day at the end of a Lukla or Jomsom trek.

Ask your agency to confirm the first-night hotel in Kathmandu, the airport pickup and the briefing time, and ask for the guide's phone number before you arrive.

Step 8: confirm before you leave

A day or two before the trek, meet your guide, check the route and the daily plan, confirm the permits have been obtained, check your gear (rent or buy what you are missing in Thamel) and pay the balance. Photograph your passport, permits and insurance, and share the itinerary with someone at home. If you are trekking with partners, agree on the shared guide and cost split in writing. Our guide to what to agree with trekking partners before you book covers it.

Common booking mistakes

• Paying a full amount to a personal account.
• Comparing quotes with different inclusions.
• Booking a high-altitude route with no spare days.
• Forgetting insurance that covers helicopter evacuation.
• Assuming permits are included without checking.
• Leaving booking until the last week for October.

For more context, read our first-time trekking guide and ten mistakes first-time trekkers make, and browse the first-timers hub. If you want to share a guide and costs, use the Poon Hill partner page or the trekking partner hub.