Trekking on Everest

route selection is critical for traffic avoidance

The Everest Range is a section of the Himalayas in the east of Nepal.

This enormously impressive group of mountains includes five of the fourteen world peaks over 8000 metres, including Everest (8848 metres), Lhotse (8516 metres), Makalu (8481 metres), Cho Oyu (8188 metres) and Shishapangma (8013 metres), surrounded by a further 38 peaks over 7000 metres.

All of the main mountains in this region are very serious technical climbs (which we do not offer) or have never knowingly been summited. However there are some lesser summits which can be easily reached and which provide epic 360 degree views over this remarkable mountain range.

The area is home of the Sherpas, a mountain people who are renowned for their friendly nature and their incredible capacity to handle extreme altitudes.

The Everest area is usually accessed via a small airport in the settlement of Lukla, from where it is a two day trek northwards up through a forested valley, passing a string of settlements (including popular overnighting locations of Phakding and Monjo). At the top of the valley lies the Sherpa capital of Namche Bazaar, a substantial (but roadless) town with a host of hotels, stores and restaurants.

From Namche Bazaar the valley forks into three …

To the northwest, an ancient trade route to Tibet leads up through increasingly impressive high altitude scenery. Quite a few trekking itineraries include a 1-3 night diversion up this peaceful valley, to visit the settlements of Mende and Thame.

The trail to the northeast is the main route to Everest Base Camp. Initially the landscapes are green and forested, passing the famous Tengboche Monastery, before heading up higher, passing the villages including Pangboche and Dingboche, around 4-6 days of walking up to the foot of the great mountain.

The trail that lies in between these two is the Gokya Valley, a lesser-used and more dramatic 7-8 night route to Everest Base Camp, the one we tend to favour (although it is more prone to being blocked by snow falls during shoulder seasons due to routing over the the high Cho La Pass).

It is really important to realise that this Everest area (sometimes referred to as Khumbu) is the most-visited trekking area in Nepal. The main trails experience considerable foot traffic and the villages are filled with tourist stores, teahouses and substantial hotels.

When it comes to choosing a route, the better options tend to travel more slowly and include more days which divert off the main drag to explore lesser-trodden backwaters. Our trip ratings reflect these qualities.

On all of the treks in this area, our guests are accompanied by expert guides, with luggage (other than your day pack) bring portered between night stops, usually by yak. Accommodation throughout is either in comfortable mountain hotels or simpler local teahouses.

When it comes to choosing a trek, the first decision is whether or not you want to go all the way up to Everest Base Camp (EBC). The advantages are not limited to the bragging rights of reaching such a famous location, the high altitude landscapes up here really are impressive.

We offer three EBC treks, the straight up and back along the main trail (15 nights) and two versions of the more unusual route via Gokya (9 and 11 nights) both of which go up nice and slowly and then return by helicopter.

For all of these treks, you need to plan for at least 4-5 further nights in the country, for logistics and altitude acclimatisation.

If you would prefer to stick to the less extreme altitudes and simply explore the famous locations around Namche Bazaar and Tengboche Monastery, then treks are more typically 6-7 nights in duration, plus 3 nights in Kathmandu.

In all cases, the treks are designed to take into account the effects of extreme altitude and the need to take your time on the way up in order to allow your body to acclimatise.

The best time of year to go trekking in Nepal are the warmer seasons either side of the main monsoon, so Mar-May and October.

Whilst it’s true that the trekker traffic is naturally higher during these periods, the consequences of travelling at other times can be pretty serious. So if you want a more peaceful time, then it’s usually best to travel at the right time of year but head for a less busy route.

October

This period represents arguably the best time to be trekking in Nepal. Some operators suggest that the season starts mid-September and runs on to the end of November, but there are chances of very high rainfall earlier on and very low temperatures later.

October is the transition period between the end of the monsoon rains and the start of the cool dry season.

During October the daytime temperatures usually rise to around 26C/79F, whilst the nighttime low temperatures hold up around 13C/55F. However the rainfall is much lower, dropping to around 50mm (2”) per month. Sunshine is around 8 hours per day (around 75% of daylight hours), meaning that skies are usually clear.

After the rains the air tends to be clear and the visibility for mountain panoramas is at its best.

Nov-Feb

Nov-Feb is the main cool dry season.

During Nov-Feb the daytime temperatures usually rise to around 25C/77F, whilst the nighttime low temperatures plunge to around 6C/43F. There should be very little rainfall. Sunshine is around 8 hours per day (around 80% of daylight hours), meaning that skies are usually clear.

At higher altitudes the temperatures can get a great deal colder and occasional snowfalls can cause various high passes to become impassable. Although conditions can be pretty adverse, on balance we would much rather be trekking during this season than during the monsoon months. It may not be possible to go higher than Tengboche.

Mar-Apr

This period represents a good time to be trekking in Nepal. Some operators suggest that the season runs into May, but we feel rather uncomfortable about the increased chances of serious rainfall and the accompanied risks of landslides.
Mar-Apr is the warm season, with rainfall slowly increasing in advance of the main monsoon.

During Mar-Apr the daytime temperatures can climb to around 28C/82F, whilst the nighttime low temperatures hold up around 12C/54F. Rainfall usually increases slightly, from almost nothing in March to around 50mm (2”) in April. Sunshine is around 8 hours per day (around 60% of daylight hours), indicating that showers tend to be occasional, set against a usually clear sky.

Although there can, on occasion, be serious occasional showers and periods of persistent drizzle, this really is one of the best times to be out in the mountains. Of course the surrounding mountain peaks are resplendent in their full covering of winter snow.

Into March and spring welcomes a blooming of flowers across the hillsides and hedgerows, as well as bringing some wonderful colour to the rhododendron forests. However, with dust rising from the plains of India, the visibility reduces and mountain panoramas can become far less crisp for photography.

May

May is the transition month ahead of the main monsoon rains, often with considerable rainfall.

During May the daytime temperatures can climb to around 28C/82F, whilst the nighttime low temperatures remain up around 16C/61F. Rainfall climbs to around 125mm (5”) over the course of the month. Sunshine is around 7 hours per day (around 60% of daylight hours), meaning that skies are often overcast as the monsoon clouds gather.

With the much higher temperatures, even at higher altitudes the precipitation is more likely to be rain rather than snow. In all honesty the chances of persistent rain are probably too high and the chances of a trek becoming miserable are quite high. Unless you particularly enjoy rain. An umbrella is definitely recommended.

Treks which head around the north side of the mountains (such as the Annapurna Circuit) tend to get much less rain, so would likely be a better choice at this time.

Jun-Sep

Jun-Sep is the main monsoon season and is generally considered to be the least favourable time to visit.

During Jun-Sep the daytime temperatures drop off slightly to around 28C/82F, whilst the nighttime low temperatures remain up at an uncomfortable 20C/68F.

Rainfall climbs to an extremely high 350mm (14”) per month. Sunshine drops to around 4 hours per day (around 35% of daylight hours), meaning that skies are very often heavily overcast.

As if the constant threat of heavy rain was not enough, in more forested sections you may encounter leeches, as well as an increased potential for severe and dangerous landslides.

Getting there

The Everest Range is accessed by air from Kathmandu to the small airstrip at Lukla, with treks starting directly from there.

Whilst it is theoretically possible to drive from Kathmandu to Lukla, the distances are long and the road conditions are challenging and variable.

One particularly attractive and unusual way to access the Everest region is to fly from Kathmandu to the small airstrip at Phaplu, about 50km south of Lukla, where you can stay 3-6 nights at The Happy House, exploring this remote untouristed area and undertaking various acclimatisation hikes, before hopping up to Namche by helicopter to start your trek.

Where to stay

As described above, there is a selection of treks in the Everest region, ranging from 6 to 17 nights in duration.

two very short seasons lead to major traffic issues