The short answer
If you can choose any dates, start your trek between 1 October and 15 November. The monsoon has washed the dust out of the air, mornings are usually cloudless from Namche to Kala Patthar, and day temperatures at Namche reach 10–15 °C. The price for that weather is company: Lukla flights run full, and lodges at Lobuche and Gorak Shep need booking months ahead.
Spring, from mid March to late May, is a close second. It is warmer at altitude, rhododendrons flower on the lower trail and base camp has expedition tents in it, which many trekkers want to see. The trade-off is more haze and afternoon cloud, so the best views come early in the day.
Winter and the monsoon are not closed seasons, but they suit different travellers. Winter rewards people who handle cold well and want empty trails. The monsoon suits almost nobody on the base camp trek, except botanists and very flexible travellers.
Autumn: October and November
Autumn starts slowly in late September, as the last monsoon showers clear and the rice terraces below Lukla turn gold. By October the pattern is set: clear dawns, light cloud building around Ama Dablam after noon and clear again by evening. Nights at Gorak Shep fall to about −10 to −12 °C, which a good sleeping bag handles easily.
November is colder and slightly quieter, with the sharpest light of the year for photography from Kala Patthar and Gokyo Ri. By late November nights at Gorak Shep drop towards −15 °C and wind picks up on the passes. Mani Rimdu at Tengboche, three days of masked dances and blessings, falls in October or November depending on the Tibetan lunar calendar, and is worth planning around.
Spring: March to May
March is still cold above 4,500 m, with nights around −14 °C at Lobuche, but days lengthen quickly and the rhododendron forests between Phakding and Tengboche begin to flower. April is the busiest spring month, when expeditions set up at base camp and the trail carries yak trains loaded with climbing gear. It is also the month when trekkers can see the base camp at its fullest.
May is the warmest month on the high trail and the season of Everest summit attempts, usually in a weather window in the second half of the month. Haze and pre-monsoon cloud arrive earlier each day, and by the last week of May Lukla flights start to be cancelled more often. Plan May treks to finish by about the 25th.
Month-by-month conditions
Temperatures below are typical ranges, not forecasts. Namche figures are day highs and night lows; Gorak Shep figures are typical night lows. A cold snap or storm can bring snow to Dingboche in any month, so pack for the colder end of the range.
| Month | Namche day / night | Gorak Shep night | Our verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 7 / −8 °C | ≈ −20 °C | Good: clear, very cold, empty |
| February | 8 / −6 °C | ≈ −18 °C | Good: cold, Lhosar festivities |
| March | 12 / −3 °C | ≈ −15 °C | Best: spring opens, rhododendrons |
| April | 15 / 1 °C | ≈ −10 °C | Best: expeditions at base camp, busy |
| May | 17 / 4 °C | ≈ −6 °C | Best: warm, hazier late in month |
| June | 18 / 8 °C | ≈ −3 °C | Avoid: monsoon arrives |
| July | 18 / 9 °C | ≈ −2 °C | Avoid: wettest month |
| August | 17 / 8 °C | ≈ −3 °C | Avoid: rain, flight cancellations |
| September | 16 / 5 °C | ≈ −6 °C | Good: clearer from mid month |
| October | 14 / 2 °C | ≈ −12 °C | Best: clearest, busiest |
| November | 11 / −2 °C | ≈ −15 °C | Best: crisp, slightly quieter |
| December | 8 / −6 °C | ≈ −18 °C | Good: cold, clear, quiet |
Winter: December to February
Winter is the most underrated season in the Khumbu. The air is dry and often perfectly clear, flights are steadier than in the peaks of spring and autumn, and you may have Kala Patthar to yourself at sunrise. Lodges on the main trail mostly stay open, though some at Lobuche, Gorak Shep and on the Gokyo side close for a few weeks in January.
The cost is cold. Nights at Gorak Shep fall to about −20 °C, water bottles freeze inside the room and the dining-room stove, burning dried yak dung, is the only warm place after dark. Snow can block the Cho La and Renjo La, so the Three Passes route is not a winter trek. For base camp, bring a −20 °C sleeping bag, a heavy down jacket and microspikes.
Monsoon: June to August
The monsoon usually arrives in the Khumbu in early to mid June and retreats in mid to late September. Rain falls mainly in the afternoon and at night, heaviest below Namche, where the trail is muddy and leeches appear in the forest around Phakding. Higher up, around Dingboche and Lobuche, rain is lighter and the yak pastures fill with wildflowers.
The real problem is Lukla. Cloud fills the Dudh Koshi gorge for days, and flights can stop for three or four days at a time. If you trek in these months, keep at least three spare days, carry insurance that covers delays and be ready to pay for a helicopter. Most of our travellers who want summer in Nepal choose Mustang or upper Manang instead.
Best time for Gokyo, the passes and heli tours
The Gokyo valley follows the same seasons as base camp, but it sits slightly further west and gets a little more snow in winter. October and November are the best months for Gokyo Ri, when the lakes are clear turquoise and Cho Oyu stands sharp above the Ngozumpa Glacier. In January and February the lakes freeze solid and a few Gokyo lodges close, so check which are open before you go.
The Three Passes route is a narrower window. Kongma La, Cho La and Renjo La are all above 5,300 m, and snow or ice on their steep sides makes them dangerous outside the best weeks. We run it from mid April to late May and from early October to mid November only, and we carry microspikes even then.
Helicopter tours have a wider season than treks, because they need only a clear morning, not a clear week. December is a good heli month, with settled weather and few tourists, and January and February work well for people who do not mind the cold on the landing ridge. The monsoon months are the weakest for every option.
Crowds, festivals and flight delays
Crowds follow the weather. October and April are the busiest months, with full lodges at Lobuche and Gorak Shep and queues of trekkers on the climb to Namche in the morning. The first half of November, late September and March give nearly the same conditions with noticeably fewer people.
Nepal's own festivals add pressure on transport. Dashain falls in late September or October and Tihar a few weeks later, when domestic flights and roads fill with Nepalis heading home. In the busy months, scheduled Lukla flights have been routed through Ramechhap (Manthali), which means a 1–2 am departure from Kathmandu by road. Check current status before you travel, and book October and April departures four to six months ahead.
Places in this guide
Questions travellers ask
What is the best month for the Everest Base Camp trek?
October is the best single month, with the clearest skies, dry trails and comfortable days. Early November is almost as good and slightly quieter. In spring, April gives the best mix of weather and expedition atmosphere at base camp, though with more afternoon cloud. All three months are busy, so book flights and lodges early.
Can I trek to Everest Base Camp in December or January?
Yes. Most lodges on the main trail stay open, the skies are usually very clear and the trails are quiet. Nights at Gorak Shep drop to about −20 °C, so you need a sleeping bag rated to that, a heavy down jacket and microspikes for icy patches. The high passes on the Gokyo and Three Passes routes may be closed by snow.
Is it possible to trek to Everest Base Camp in the monsoon?
It is possible but we do not recommend it. From mid June to mid September, cloud hides the peaks most days, the lower trail is muddy and Lukla flights are often cancelled for several days in a row. If monsoon dates are your only option, keep three spare days, buy delay cover and consider a different region.
When are expedition tents at Everest Base Camp?
Expedition camps are set up from late March or early April and stay until late May or early June, after the summit season. April and early May are the best times for trekkers to see base camp full of tents. In autumn, base camp is mostly empty apart from the occasional small expedition and trekkers' prayer flags.
How cold is Everest Base Camp in October?
In October, days at base camp and Gorak Shep are around 5–10 °C in sunshine but feel much colder in wind or shade, and nights drop to about −10 to −12 °C. Namche is milder, around 14 °C by day and 2 °C at night. A four-season sleeping bag and a down jacket are enough.
When are Lukla flights least likely to be delayed?
October, November, December and the first half of spring usually have the steadiest flying weather, though no month is free of delays. Late May and the monsoon months see the most cancellations. Whatever the month, book the first flights of the morning and keep at least one spare day before your international departure.
When is Mani Rimdu at Tengboche?
Mani Rimdu is held at Tengboche Monastery in October or November each year, on dates set by the Tibetan lunar calendar. The three public days include a blessing ceremony and a full day of masked dances. Dates are confirmed by the monastery several months ahead, so check current status before you travel and plan your arrival at Tengboche around them.
Is spring or autumn better for Everest Base Camp?
Autumn gives clearer, more stable views, especially from Kala Patthar. Spring is warmer at altitude, has rhododendrons on the lower trail and puts expedition tents at base camp. Photographers usually prefer October and November; trekkers who feel the cold or want to see the climbing season prefer April and early May.
What is the cheapest time to trek to Everest Base Camp?
Package prices change little through the year, because lodge, permit and flight prices are mostly fixed. Winter and late September can be slightly cheaper for Kathmandu hotels and helicopters, and lodges sometimes give rooms free if you eat with them. The bigger saving in quiet months is easier availability, not lower prices.
