Best time to trek in Nepal
October to November and March to May: autumn and spring, either side of the summer monsoon. Three of our treks, around Annapurna and Manaslu, can also start in September.
- Rated 4.9 from 21 reviews on TripAdvisor
- Seasons checked on 1 October 2026 against Lonely Planet, Rough Guides, Cicerone, the Nepal Tourism Board, Wikivoyage and The Great Himalaya Trail
Trekking seasons in Nepal
Nepal has two main trekking seasons: autumn, from October to November, and spring, from March to May. Between them comes the summer monsoon, from June to September, and winter runs from December to February.
Autumn is the busy season, when lodges higher up can fill early. Around Everest, Rough Guides narrows the steadiest weather to a few weeks in each season, and our guide to the best time for the Everest Base Camp trek gives the dates.
The year below shows the four seasons trekkers plan around.
| Season | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Main trekking seasons | January: no | February: no | March: all month | April: all month | May: all month | June: no | July: no | August: no | September: no | October: all month | November: all month | December: no |
| Monsoon | January: no | February: no | March: no | April: no | May: no | June: all month | July: all month | August: all month | September: all month | October: no | November: no | December: no |
| Winter | January: all month | February: all month | March: no | April: no | May: no | June: no | July: no | August: no | September: no | October: no | November: no | December: all month |
Main trekking seasons
Monsoon
Winter
- Main trekking seasons
October to November and March to May.
Autumn and spring, either side of the summer monsoon: the months most treks in Nepal run in.
Source: Lonely Planet; checked 1 October 2026.
- Monsoon
June to September.
Rain, slippery trails and poor views, and flights to mountain airstrips such as Lukla are often delayed.
Sources: Nepal Tourism Board, Wikipedia and Lonely Planet; checked 1 October 2026 and 2 October 2026.
- Winter
December to February.
Cold, with snow higher up. Not every operator runs treks, and many lodges and shops on the trails close.
Sources: Nepal Tourism Board and Lonely Planet; checked 1 October 2026 and 2 October 2026.
Source: Rough Guides; checked 2 October 2026.
When to go on each of our treks
Some of our treks keep to the two main seasons: the Everest Base Camp trek, the Gokyo Lakes and Cho La Pass trek, the Everest Three Passes trek, the Annapurna Base Camp trek and the Langtang Valley trek. The Annapurna Circuit trek, the Annapurna North Base Camp trek and the Manaslu Circuit trek also count September, which the Nepal Tourism Board lists for the Annapurna and Manaslu regions.
A typical plan runs 8 to 20 days from Kathmandu and back, depending on the trek. Find your month in the chart, then open the trek for its days, height and price.
Read down any month to see which of our treks are in season then.
| Trek | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Everest Base Camp trek, 12 days | January: no | February: no | March: all month | April: all month | May: all month | June: no | July: no | August: no | September: no | October: all month | November: all month | December: no |
| Gokyo Lakes and Cho La Pass trek, 15 days | January: no | February: no | March: all month | April: all month | May: all month | June: no | July: no | August: no | September: no | October: all month | November: all month | December: no |
| Everest Three Passes trek, 18 days | January: no | February: no | March: all month | April: all month | May: all month | June: no | July: no | August: no | September: no | October: all month | November: all month | December: no |
| Annapurna Circuit trek, 11 days | January: no | February: no | March: all month | April: all month | May: all month | June: no | July: no | August: no | September: all month | October: all month | November: all month | December: no |
| Annapurna Base Camp trek, 10 days | January: no | February: no | March: all month | April: all month | May: all month | June: no | July: no | August: no | September: no | October: all month | November: all month | December: no |
| Annapurna North Base Camp trek, 9 days | January: no | February: no | March: all month | April: all month | May: all month | June: no | July: no | August: no | September: all month | October: all month | November: all month | December: no |
| Manaslu Circuit trek, 13 days | January: no | February: no | March: all month | April: all month | May: all month | June: no | July: no | August: no | September: all month | October: all month | November: all month | December: no |
| Langtang Valley trek, 8 days | January: no | February: no | March: all month | April: all month | May: all month | June: no | July: no | August: no | September: no | October: all month | November: all month | December: no |
| Makalu Base Camp trek, 18 days | January: no | February: no | March: no | April: all month | May: all month | June: no | July: no | August: no | September: no | October: all month | November: all month | December: no |
| Kanchenjunga Base Camp trek, 20 days | January: no | February: no | March: no | April: all month | May: all month | June: no | July: no | August: no | September: no | October: all month | November: all month | December: no |
Everest Base Camp trek, 12 days
Gokyo Lakes and Cho La Pass trek, 15 days
Everest Three Passes trek, 18 days
Annapurna Circuit trek, 11 days
Annapurna Base Camp trek, 10 days
Annapurna North Base Camp trek, 9 days
Manaslu Circuit trek, 13 days
Langtang Valley trek, 8 days
Makalu Base Camp trek, 18 days
Kanchenjunga Base Camp trek, 20 days
- Everest Base Camp trek, 12 days
October to November and March to May.
High point: Kala Patthar, 5,644 m.
Sources: Lonely Planet, Rough Guides, Cicerone and Nepal Tourism Board.
- Gokyo Lakes and Cho La Pass trek, 15 days
October to November and March to May.
High point: Kala Patthar, 5,644 m.
Sources: Lonely Planet, Rough Guides, Cicerone and Nepal Tourism Board.
- Everest Three Passes trek, 18 days
October to November and March to May.
High point: Kala Patthar, 5,644 m.
Sources: Lonely Planet, Rough Guides, Cicerone and Nepal Tourism Board.
- Annapurna Circuit trek, 11 days
March to May and September to November.
High point: Thorong La, 5,416 m.
Sources: Nepal Tourism Board and Cicerone.
- Annapurna Base Camp trek, 10 days
October to November and March to May.
High point: Annapurna Base Camp (south side), 4,130 m.
Sources: Wikivoyage and Nepal Tourism Board.
- Annapurna North Base Camp trek, 9 days
March to May and September to November.
High point: Annapurna North Base Camp, 4,190 m.
Sources: Nepal Trekking Agency and Nepal Alternative Treks.
- Manaslu Circuit trek, 13 days
March to May and September to November.
High point: Larkya La, 5,106 m.
Sources: Nepal Tourism Board and Wikivoyage.
- Langtang Valley trek, 8 days
October to November and March to May.
High point: Tserko Ri, 4,983 m.
Sources: Nepal Tourism Board and Wikivoyage.
- Makalu Base Camp trek, 18 days
October to November and April to May.
High point: Makalu Base Camp, 4,870 m.
Sources: Nepal Tourism Board, The Great Himalaya Trail and Magical Nepal; checked 1 October 2026.
- Kanchenjunga Base Camp trek, 20 days
October to November and April to May.
High point: Pangpema (Kanchenjunga North Base Camp), 5,140 m.
Sources: The Great Himalaya Trail and The Kathmandu Post; checked 1 October 2026.
Source: Nepal Tourism Board; checked 1 October 2026.
Winter and the monsoon
You can trek in both, with more risk of delay and some passes closed. Winter, from December to February, brings snow that can block high passes such as the Thorong La and the Larkya La; the monsoon, from June to September, brings rain, landslides on the roads, leeches on lower trails and cancelled flights to Lukla.
Storms can close a pass or a road in any month, so ask us about your trek before you book. For one trek month by month, see Annapurna Base Camp weather. If you are going in winter, our Everest Base Camp packing list covers the warm layers and the sleeping bag for the cold nights.
The table below gives the main winter and monsoon problem on each trek.
| Trek | Winter (December to February) | Monsoon |
|---|---|---|
| Everest Base Camp trek | Much colder, with snow higher up; not all operators run treks and many lodges and shops on the trail close. | Rain, slippery trails and cloud; flights to and from Lukla are often delayed or cancelled. |
| Gokyo Lakes and Cho La Pass trek | As Everest Base Camp; the Cho La can be icy, and light crampons help. | As Everest Base Camp. |
| Everest Three Passes trek | As Everest Base Camp; three high passes to cross, which ice and snow make harder. | As Everest Base Camp. |
| Annapurna Circuit trek | Very cold at height, and snow often blocks the Thorong La, sometimes for days. | Rain lower down, which can run on into October; the upper Manang valley lies in a rain shadow. |
| Annapurna Base Camp trek | Snow and ice above Deurali, possible from mid November, and avalanche danger where the trail crosses slide paths. | Heavy rain, and many leeches on the lower trail. |
| Annapurna North Base Camp trek | Cold, with snow likely above about 3,000 m. | June to August: wet, with slippery mud, landslides on the roads in and leeches in the forest. |
| Manaslu Circuit trek | Very cold from late December to February, and snow can close the Larkya La. | Most of the year's rain falls from June to September, and floods can close the trail. |
| Langtang Valley trek | Snow, sometimes heavy, around and above Kyanjin Gompa. | Rain from June to September; landslides and floods can cut the road in. |
| Makalu Base Camp trek | Heavy snow can close the Khongma Danda ridge and Shipton La, and some lodges above Tashigaon close outside the main seasons. | Rain, leeches, landslides and poor views; flights to Tumlingtar are often disrupted. |
| Kanchenjunga Base Camp trek | From mid December snow closes the higher trails until mid to late March at the earliest. | June to August: heavy rain, floods and landslides on the trail and the road in. |
- Winter (December to February)
- Much colder, with snow higher up; not all operators run treks and many lodges and shops on the trail close.
- Monsoon
- Rain, slippery trails and cloud; flights to and from Lukla are often delayed or cancelled.
Gokyo Lakes and Cho La Pass trek
- Winter (December to February)
- As Everest Base Camp; the Cho La can be icy, and light crampons help.
- Monsoon
- As Everest Base Camp.
- Winter (December to February)
- As Everest Base Camp; three high passes to cross, which ice and snow make harder.
- Monsoon
- As Everest Base Camp.
- Winter (December to February)
- Very cold at height, and snow often blocks the Thorong La, sometimes for days.
- Monsoon
- Rain lower down, which can run on into October; the upper Manang valley lies in a rain shadow.
- Winter (December to February)
- Snow and ice above Deurali, possible from mid November, and avalanche danger where the trail crosses slide paths.
- Monsoon
- Heavy rain, and many leeches on the lower trail.
Annapurna North Base Camp trek
- Winter (December to February)
- Cold, with snow likely above about 3,000 m.
- Monsoon
- June to August: wet, with slippery mud, landslides on the roads in and leeches in the forest.
- Winter (December to February)
- Very cold from late December to February, and snow can close the Larkya La.
- Monsoon
- Most of the year's rain falls from June to September, and floods can close the trail.
- Winter (December to February)
- Snow, sometimes heavy, around and above Kyanjin Gompa.
- Monsoon
- Rain from June to September; landslides and floods can cut the road in.
- Winter (December to February)
- Heavy snow can close the Khongma Danda ridge and Shipton La, and some lodges above Tashigaon close outside the main seasons.
- Monsoon
- Rain, leeches, landslides and poor views; flights to Tumlingtar are often disrupted.
- Winter (December to February)
- From mid December snow closes the higher trails until mid to late March at the earliest.
- Monsoon
- June to August: heavy rain, floods and landslides on the trail and the road in.
Sources: Lonely Planet, Rough Guides, We Seek Travel, Wikipedia, Wikivoyage, Nepal Trekking Routes, Nepal Adventure Team, Republica, Nepal News, Nepal Tourism Board, The Kathmandu Post, The Great Himalaya Trail and Magical Nepal; checked 1 October 2026.
When our groups have trekked
Our groups have trekked in April, May, August and October: those months come from our TripAdvisor reviews and our dated photos, and include an Everest Base Camp group in the August 2025 monsoon.
- April
Everest Base Camp trek: one review (2025)
- May
Everest Base Camp trek: four reviews (2019 and 2026) and two dated photos (2026)
Annapurna Circuit trek: one review (2025)
- August
Everest Base Camp trek: two reviews (2025)
- October
Annapurna North Base Camp trek: one dated photo (2025)
“I did EBC trek High5, with Narbin's team .. the trek was managed very well. Our flights, stay, permits, food was taken care very well by our guides Sarmila and Arjina.”
Here are two of those groups, one in each season.
सगरमाथा
Everest Base Camp
5,364 m
Annapurna North Base Camp
4,190 mSource: TripAdvisor; checked 1 October 2026.
More planning guides
See every planning guideBest time for the Everest Base Camp trek
October to November and March to May, steadiest from early October to mid November and late March to late April.
Annapurna Base Camp weather
Main seasons October to November and March to May; snow above Deurali from mid November.
Everest Base Camp packing list
Layers, a warm sleeping bag and broken-in boots for five nights above 4,000 m, and the Lukla flight’s 10 kg hold limit.
How to train for the Everest Base Camp trek
12 weeks of steady walks and strength work, aimed at 11 days on foot and a longest day of 7 to 9 hours.
Tell Narbin’s team your dates, and we will tell you which of our treks suits them.
WhatsApp or call +977 985-1180155, email info@high5adventures.com, or see our Nepal trekking packages first.