Nar Phu Valley is located in the north-west part of Nepal. Nar Phu Valley is two ancient villages of the Annapurna Region with high-altitude Himalayan settlements, lush forests, diversified flora, fauna, snow-capped summits, and Buddhist monasteries. In this blog, you can learn about the cost of trekking Nar Phu Valley.

Nar and Phu are two distinct valleys situated on the east side of Manang District. The Annapurna Conservation Area surrounds this valley. The trek starts from Koto at 2600 m, passing one of the highest passes, Kangla Pass, at 5320 m, to reach Nar Phu Valley.

This trek lasts for 13 days. You can see many majestic mountains, such as Annapurna I, Annapurna II, PokarKhang, Kangaru, Himlung, Ganga Purna, Khangsar Kang, and many more.

It costs around $1799 to complete this trek. This budget includes accommodation, transportation, food, drinks, Permit, travel insurance, trekking gear, guide, and porter costs.

Accommodation Cost

Nar Phu Valley Trek is a tea house trek. The facilities and services of those tea houses are not grand and luxurious but very comfortable. A tea house for a night stay is around $ 5 to $10.

You can find cheaper tea houses in the lower regions of this valley. But the price increases once you ascend to the higher altitudes. The services and quality also decrease.

Transportation Cost

You can choose a bus or a jeep to reach the starting point of this trek. You can reach Besisahar from Kathmandu for $5 to $6 per person by a local bus. You can also directly travel to Koto from Kathmandu for around $25 to $30. But if you hire a Jeep, it costs around $400 to $450.

Choose the transportation that is suited for you and makes you feel comfortable throughout your travel journey.

Food Cost

The food cost varies from lower to higher altitudes. Food is cheaper in lower altitudes and expensive once you reach higher altitudes. This is due to the difficulty of transporting raw food materials to such high altitudes.

The cost of food ranges from $4 to $7 per meal, according to the altitude. A whole-day meal, including breakfast, lunch, and dinner, costs around $20 to $25 daily.

Permit Cost

You need three permits to complete this trek

  • A Special Restricted Area Permit.
  • An Annapurna Conservation Area Project (ACAP) Permit.
  • A Trekkers’ Information Management System (TIMS) Permit.

As Nar Phu Valley lies in a restricted area of Nepal, you need a special restricted area permit to trek this valley. This money will be used to protect the restricted area.

This Permit costs 100 USD per person per week. You can get a permit for a restricted area only through Nepal’s authorized government-registered travel agency. You can not get this Permit individually.

Nar Phu Valley lies in the conservation area, so you need an Annapurna Conservation Area Project Permit to trek this region. This money will be used to maintain the conservation area.

The cost of the Annapurna Conservation Area Project ( ACAP) Permit depends on your nationality.

If you are from a SAARC country, then it costs NRP 2000.
If you are from other foreign countries, then it costs NRP 200.

TIMS card is for the trekkers’ safety reasons, reporting each trekker’s details during the journey. This Permit is optional if you want to trek Nar Phu Valley only. But this Permit is mandatory to merge this trek with the Annapurna Circuit Trek.

The cost of a TIMS card varies in the following conditions:

It costs USD 20 for individual trekkers.
If you apply through the registered Trekking Agency, it costs only USD 10.
If you are a SAARC country resident, then it costs USD 6.

Travel Insurance Cost

Travel Insurance is mandatory for trekking in Nepal. Trekking in this region is quite risky due to remoteness. That’s why you need insurance that covers all your costs during any emergency in the journey.

It is best to get from your country before your Nepal flight. While booking a package, you need to provide your insurance details to the travel agencies in Nepal so that they can get you permits. Insurance generally costs $150 for 30 days.

Equipment Cost

Trekking gear is mandatory for any trekking. You can either buy it or rent it to save your money. If you want to buy your trekking gear, it costs around $500 to $1000. Buying all the equipment for just one trek is not budget-friendly. So, it is best to rent it.

You can rent high-quality trekking gear from a reputable rental shop in Kathmandu. Equipment such as poles, crampons, weatherproof coats, tents, backpacks, and sleeping bags are available in rental shops. Renting these trekking gear costs USD 1 to USD 10 per day.

You better check the quality and condition of all those gears before renting. Renting can save your budget in high dimensions. So, you can save money by making wise decisions for your trek.

Guide and Porter Cost

A professional guide is mandatory for your trekking if you are a foreigner. You can hire them from Travel agencies while booking a package and hiring a professional licensed guide costs around $20 to $30 daily. If your backpacks are heavy, we suggest hiring a porter as well. They can carry your backpacks of 20 to 25 kg.

Hiring a porter costs $18 to $20 per day. A guide helps you to navigate the routes and socialize with local people. They also help you to pre-book your homestays. Your journey will be very merrier if you take a guide with you.

Conclusion

Therefore, Nar Phu Valley is a hidden gem of the Annapurna Region. This trek provides the most memorable journey that stays forever in your heart. Get ready to trek Nar Phu Valley with your friends and family.

The total cost required to trek this valley is around $1179. The budget distribution is mentioned clearly in this blog. Enjoy your trek!