Best Time to Trek Everest Base Camp

Autumn: late September – November

This is peak season for good reason. The monsoon has just cleared the air, visibility is at its best, and daytime temperatures on the trail sit comfortably between 10-15°C at lower elevations. The trade-off is company — Namche Bazaar and Tengboche can feel busy in mid-October, and teahouse rooms should be booked well ahead.

Spring: March – May

Spring brings warmer nights and the added bonus of rhododendron forests in bloom below Namche. Visibility is nearly as good as autumn, though afternoon cloud build-up is more common. May can get hazy toward the end of the month as pre-monsoon humidity rises.

Winter: December – February

Winter is the quiet season. Skies are frequently the clearest of the year, but nights at Dingboche and above regularly drop below -15°C, and the Cho La and other high passes can close after fresh snowfall. It suits trekkers with cold-weather experience and good gear.

Monsoon: June – August

We don't recommend this window for Everest Base Camp. Lower trails turn muddy, leeches are common below 3,000m, and cloud cover usually blocks mountain views entirely. Lukla flights also see more delays. If these are your only available months, the Upper Mustang trek sits in a rain shadow and stays relatively dry.

Our recommendation

For a first EBC trek, late October or the first half of November gives the most reliable combination of clear skies and manageable trail traffic. If you'd rather avoid crowds and can handle cold nights, late February into early March is an underrated window.