October and April are the best months for the Everest Base Camp trek. Both are usually dry, and planning temperatures on the lower trail run from about 1 to 14°C. May and November are close behind. They are also the busiest times: about 12,000 people entered the national park in one spring month of 2025. June to August brings the summer rain, and January and February bring hard cold.
How does the season change an Everest Base Camp trek?
The Everest Base Camp trek climbs from Lukla at 2,860 metres to 5,364 metres, so one departure date passes through several climates. Season decides four things: how cold your nights are, whether the Lukla flight runs, how full the lodges are, and whether medical help is staffed on the trail.
Most guides talk only about the first one. The other three often change your trip more. If you are still comparing regions, our best time to trek in Nepal guide covers the whole country.
Which month should you choose?
These ratings and temperatures come from the planning table for our Everest Base Camp trek. Treat them as rough guides for the lower and middle trail. They are not station records.
| Month | Rating | Low to high | What to expect |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | Avoid | -10 to 4°C | Few people, deep cold, aid post not in season |
| February | Avoid | -8 to 6°C | Still very cold, few people |
| March | Good | -3 to 11°C | Crowds build from mid-month |
| April | Best | 1 to 14°C | Peak spring crowds, climbers at Base Camp |
| May | Best | 4 to 17°C | Warmest good month, more cloud later |
| June | Fair | 7 to 18°C | Rain starts, flights less reliable |
| July | Avoid | 9 to 19°C | Very few trekkers, wet and cloudy |
| August | Avoid | 9 to 19°C | Wet, with landslide and flood risk |
| September | Good | 5 to 17°C | Better late in the month, storms still possible |
| October | Best | 1 to 14°C | Peak autumn crowds, no climbing season |
| November | Best | -4 to 10°C | Colder, with fewer people than October |
| December | Fair | -9 to 5°C | Cold, quiet and often dry |
Expect much colder conditions higher up. Our planning table for the high trail gives -10 to 6°C in April, -12 to 5°C in October and -15 to 2°C in November. Pack for those numbers, not the mild ones.
How crowded is each season?
Sagarmatha National Park counts everyone who enters, and its figures show how sharp the peaks are. The park office has also said about 1,000 tourists a day enter in peak season.
| Period | People entering the park |
|---|---|
| Mid-July to mid-August 2024 | 125 |
| Mid-August to mid-September 2024 | 1,331 |
| Mid-September to mid-October 2024 | 8,902 |
| Mid-March to mid-April 2025 | 12,003 |
That is a huge swing. One July to August month saw 125 trekkers, while one spring month saw about 96 times as many. Lodges fill up in the same weeks, so a bed you want in a small village is less certain in April or October.
Planes add to the pressure. On one Tuesday in October 2024, Republica reported 1,539 tourists arriving in the Khumbu, with 62 plane flights and 139 helicopter flights. The report's own breakdown of arrivals does not quite add up to that total, so read it as a rough size.
Is spring or autumn better?
Neither wins on every point, so choose by what matters to you.
- Choose April or May for Base Camp life. Everest climbers are there in spring. Nepal issued a record 492 Everest permits in spring 2026, with the first main summit window expected around 18 to 22 May. In October it is not the climbing season, so do not expect the same scene.
- Choose October for lower rain risk. Our tables rate rain as low in October and medium in May.
- Choose November for fewer people. You trade some warmth for quieter lodges. Bring a warmer sleeping bag.
- Choose late March if you want spring without the peak. It is colder than April at night, at about -3°C on the lower trail.
Do autumn storms really happen in the "dry" months?
Yes, and recent years show it clearly. A good month means better odds. It does not promise good weather.
- September 2026. The Kathmandu Post reported rain in Namche, about 3 to 3.5 feet of snow around Gokyo, and snow near Gorak Shep and Dingboche. Regular Lukla flights were disrupted, but trekking was not fully suspended.
- Late October 2025. Four days of unseasonal snow and rain left about 5,500 tourists and guides stranded across the Khumbu, according to The Rising Nepal. All flights between Ramechhap and Lukla stopped, and rooms ran short in Lukla and Surke.
- Early October 2025. Three days of snow disrupted travel. Officials said trekkers stayed safe in their hotels, and they rejected a claim that more than 1,000 tourists were trapped. Rain then caused landslides that damaged six trails, including at Jorsalle and Namche.
- October 2024. More than 1,000 tourists were stuck in Manthali for up to five days because of bad weather at Lukla.
The lesson is simple. Keep spare days in Kathmandu before your flight home, even in October. Our Kathmandu to Lukla flight guide explains delays and the Manthali route.
What is the monsoon like on the trail?
The Khumbu gets most of its roughly 587 mm of yearly precipitation during the summer monsoon, according to a 2024 paper in The Cryosphere. That total sounds small for Nepal, and it is, because high valleys get less than the lower hills. The problem is mostly cloud, wet trails and flight trouble on the way in.
Summer also carries a flood risk. On 16 August 2024, a glacial lake outburst flooded Thame, and about 200 metres of the trail between Phakding and Namche was washed away near Jame. June can be fair. July and August are months we advise most people to avoid.
Is winter a good idea?
Winter suits experienced trekkers who accept real cold in return for empty trails. Nepali Times described the Gokyo side as completely deserted in winter, and it said that settlement is occupied only about two-thirds of the year. So some lodges may be shut, especially in small high villages.
Medical cover also changes. The Nepal Tourism Board says volunteer doctors staff the Himalayan Rescue Association aid posts, including Pheriche, during the two main seasons, spring and autumn. Outside those months, do not plan around a doctor being there. Read our winter treks guide for lower routes that make more sense from December to February.
How should your dates change your plan?
- Book early for April and October. Flights and popular lodges fill first. Our Everest Base Camp cost guide shows how the season changes the price.
- Add at least one spare day. Two is safer in autumn and spring, when storms have closed Lukla for days.
- Expect an early start in busy months. When flights use Manthali in Ramechhap, you face a long drive before dawn.
- Go no faster in good weather. Clear skies do not change the altitude. Follow the same pace described in our altitude sickness prevention guide.
Not sure which departure suits you? Send us your dates and we will tell you what to expect that month.
Frequently asked questions
What is the single best month for Everest Base Camp?
October, for most people, because rain risk is low in our planning tables. April is equally good if you want climbers at Base Camp and do not mind crowds.
Can you trek to Everest Base Camp in the monsoon?
Yes, but it is not what most people want. Trails are wet, views are often hidden, and flights are less reliable. Only 125 trekkers entered the park in one mid-July to mid-August period.
How cold is Everest Base Camp in November?
Our high-trail planning table gives about -15 to 2°C in November. Wind can make it feel colder, so bring a warm sleeping bag and a down jacket.
Will there be tents at Base Camp in October?
Do not expect the spring expedition scene. Climbing activity on the Nepal side centres on April and May, and officials described October 2025 as outside the climbing season.
Founder & Lead Guide, Annapurna Trekking
AJ founded Annapurna Trekking in 2016 and has personally guided treks across Nepal ever since. More about our team →
