In my opinion, the biggest challenge to climb Mount Everest is the cost. It costs anywhere between US$30,000 to US$100,000 to climb the mountain. I am going to be paying US$55,000 as expedition cost alone. In addition to that, will be the costs related to personal gear, flights, visas, sherpa tips which can add up to $10,000. On top of that is the modern day requirements like using Cameras, Laptops, Satellite phones which can drive the cost even further up. Last but not least, the opportunity cost of not working for over 2 months can be expensive for some. A mountain by itself uh!!
Was it any different 10 years ago? No, the expeditions still cost about the same, so taking inflation into account, it has only gotten cheaper over the years.
So, why is it so expensive?
The two biggest components are the Nepal permit fee to climb Mount Everest and the Gear provided by the expedition organizers.
Nepal Permit Fee – $10,000 – I have always wondered why they charge so much. As far as I know, we get a certificate if we summit and the permission to be rescued if you get stuck at a lower altitude (without the permit, you are not supposed to be on the mountain and hence cannot be rescued) Expedition gear – This includes Oxygen tanks, Personal tents at Base camp and shared tents at camps 1-4, Lunch/Group tents, Kitchen tents, Fixed ropes, Extensive medical kits High altitude Sherpas – Nepalese who live on the mountain and have extensive climbing experience. Without their support, it is impossible to climb Everest. Even Edmund Hillary had Tenzing Norgay to support him. They help put up the fixed ropes on dangerous sections, put up tents at high-altitudes and accompany you to the summit. Guides/Team leaders – Usually western guides who have years of guiding experience. They usually make the decisions on when and how to climb. Their value is often seen only when things go wrong on the mountain and trust me, things often go wrong on the mountain. Doctors – Support is available only on Everest as many climbers often get altitude related sickness. Transportation – The only way to reach base camp is by hiking. For a team of 6, we carried over 140 sacs on Cho Oyu. Most of it is carried by the Yaks and some by the porters. The gear often comes by helicopter to the starting points (Lukla / Namche Bazaar) Food – Supporting food requirements at an altitude of 18,000 feet for 65 days is a logistical nightmare. Having sufficient food is crucial to maintain the energy required to summit Everest. Each team usually has a cook and a cooking assistant as well. Weather support – This is a very important factor as you get one chance at summiting. Choose the wrong day and you have wasted all that time and resources. Of course, we can never get 100% accurate weather reports, but you pay to get the best available info.
Why pay more when you can pay less?
Everest takes many lives every year but you can minimize the risk by taking the right precautions and some of that costs money.
The difference comes down to the:
Quality of Sherpas and Guides (more experienced they are, more they cost)
Quality of Gear (heavier gear means you climb slower and have a lesser chance of summiting)
Quality of food (you can save a lot by bringing less food but you may not end up having the energy to summit)
Sherpa/Guide ratio (Without a climbing partner at all times, you run high risks, in case any accidents happen. An ideal ratio is 1 guide per 6-8 climbers and 1 Sherpa per climber for the summit attempt)
Quality of weather info (a lot of money is spent to have the best weather reports. Companies analyze reports from thousands of weather companies every single day before a final report is received for the day)
Bottom line: The more experienced you are, the cheaper you can climb.
