Everest Base Camp trek in October

If you want to experience the world’s tallest peak at its best, you should opt for Everest Base Camp Trek in October. October falls in the Autumn season, which is the peak season for trekking in Nepal. Because of the stable weather conditions, clear mountain views, lush forests, and stunning landscapes under the deep blue sky all the trekkers aspire to see the Everest in this season.

Autumn, being the peak season, invites trekkers from all over the world to the Everest Base Camp. Trekking in this season will give you a chance to bond with fellow trekkers. You can learn about other’s culture and make new friends as well.

Why Everest Base Camp Trek in October?

Everest Base Camp is possible throughout the year, however trekking in October has its own perks. Here are a few reasons why:

Perfect Climate to Trek in the Everest Region

The best part about trekking to the Everest Base Camp in October is the pleasant weather conditions. During the day, you get to walk under the deep blue skies with warm and pleasant weather. Unlike the nights of winter, it is bearable cold in October in the Everest region. So, for trekking in this month, you do not have to pack thick and heavy clothing nor the rain gears.

And October is the dry month with fewer chances of rainfall or snowfall. So, you do not need to worry about slippery trails, insects and unbearable temperatures this month.

Time for Festivities

Dashain-nepali-festival

In Nepal, Dashain and Tihar, the two biggest festivals, fall in October. It is the time of the year when families meet, celebrate and have fun. Trekking in Nepal at this time will offer you a chance to be part of the Dashain and Tihar celebrations. You may also get to enjoy the local delicacies that are specially prepared at this time of the year.

The Views

You come to the Everest region to experience the magnificent views of the Everest. And October is the season that shows the crystal clear views of the world’s tallest peaks.

Since Autumn comes after the monsoon season, the rain clears the atmosphere and brings in the clear skies and fresh atmosphere. And, the less humid surrounding offer you the sharpest of the views of everything around you. So, you can enjoy the alluring views of the mountains and surrounding hills.

In the lower regions, October is the time of harvest so you will get to encounter locals busy in their farmlands in the lower regions of your trekking trails.

Flora and Fauna

In October, the flora and fauna of the Everest region look extraordinary at this time. Because of monsoon rain and the warm sun of autumn, the diverse flora and fauna come into life with new charm and beauty.

In the lower regions, you will be able to see paddy, millet, etc farming. As you ascend on the trail, you will walk past diverse pastures, lush forests of rhododendrons and oaks. The entire trail is home to a range of alpine vegetation that you will get to see on your route.

Smiles and Greetings

As October has moderate temperatures with the pleasant surrounding many tourists prefer to trek in this month. So, during your October trek, you do not have to trek alone. You will find many national and international tourists on the trail. The fellow trekkers greet you with a smile and ‘Namaste!’ along the trail.

Everest Base Camp Temperature in October
In the Everest region, October days are sunny with a temperature range of 12°C-16°C (53.6°F-60.8°F). So, when you trek to the Everest Base Camp during this time, you can walk in warm and sunny days.

At night, however, the temperature drops to 2°C to -5°C (35.6°F-23°F) at this time of the year. Considering it is near the Everest, this is not an extremely cold temperature. This is a bearable temperature but it is better to carry sleeping bags that can withstand -20°C (-4°F) so that you can sleep warm.

Please do note that the weather conditions in the mountains are not stable at any time of the year. Due to the change in wind pattern and clouds, the temperature and weather conditions may change every hour. When you prepare for the trek, you should take this into consideration.

Everest Base Camp Weather in October

One of the main reasons why trekkers choose Everest Base Camp in October is the stability of the weather than in other months. Although the mountain weather usually remains unpredictable, the weather of the Everest region remains quite stable in October with lesser clouds obstructing visions.

October is also one of the least humid months all around the year. So, there are few chances of fog accumulating around the hills that may disturb the mountain views. You also do not need to worry about walking in the rain or snow as the chances of rainfall and snowfall is minimum in October.

Food and Accommodation in Everest Base Camp in October

On the trail of the Everest Base Camp, you can find many tea houses that offer food and accommodation services.

But, since October is one of the popular seasons, you may have a hard time finding the desired place to stay because of the inflow of many trekkers. So, a good idea will be to do your bookings beforehand. This way you do not have to compete with the fellow trekkers for the room and food.

The tea houses offer a wide variety of healthy and clean meals on the trekking trails. It will fuel with enough energy that will help you complete the trek. You will also find a range of food and drink options in the Everest region. Though, in October you may have to wait in a queue for your meals as the tea houses will have many visitors.

Difficulties in Everest Base Camp Trek in October

Everest region is in its best form in October. So, many trekkers choose for an October trek. But along with the fun and pleasures of walking on the October trails to Everest there comes few challenges as well. Some difficulties that you may face along the trail in October are:

Altitude Sickness

Everest Base Camp trek is a high altitude trek in the Everest region. On this trek, you will start from as low as 1440 meters in Kathmandu and ascend to the largest height at 5545 meters at Kala Patthar. So, many trekkers feel the symptoms of altitude sickness while ascending to the trails of the Khumbu region.

Despite the season of your trekking, you will feel the symptoms of the sickness any time of the year. So, you have high chances of getting altitude sickness even in October if you do not take proper care of yourself.

To minimize the risk you should always walk on your pace and keep on drinking water throughout your trek. Plus, it is wise to avoid caffeine and alcohol on the trek as it causes dehydration. Dehydration can increase the risk of altitude sickness.

Trekking Route Difficulty

In October, there are least chances of rainfall or snowfall. So, the trekking route is less difficult than in Winter and Monsoon months. You do not have to walk in slippery or snow-covered trails. In other months like in monsoon and winter walking in the rugged terrains covered in snow or wet mud get challenging at times.

But in October, you get to walk in bearable temperatures in the dry trails of the Everest region at this time.

Difficulty in Finding Accommodation
There are many teahouses in the Everest region for your food and accommodation. But October is the peak time, these teahouses get easily occupied due to the inflow of many trekkers.

You may sometimes have to adjust in a room with the fellow trekkers due to a limited number of rooms and services in the teahouses.  So, it is a good idea to make bookings beforehand for accommodations. Sometimes you may have to sleep in the dining room if you have not made advanced bookings.

Tips for Everest Base Camp Trek in October

Here are a few tips that may help you in getting the best of your trek in October.

Pre-book

Since many trekkers choose for an October Everest Base Camp Trek, you may not get preferred packages, food and accommodation services. So, it is a good idea to pre-book your trip. If you do not book it early enough, you may not be able to get flight tickets on time, best of the trekking packages, proper accommodations etc on the trail. Magical Nepal can provide you the best trekking packages if you book early.

Prepare Properly

Spending weeks near the mountains need preparation such as trekking gears and proper clothing. For an October trek, you can pack clothes that are light and can absorb sweat while you are walking in the day. But, for the night you may want to carry a jacket and sleeping bags to protect yourself from the cold. Not only clothes but you need trekking shoes, trekking poles, trekking gloves, sunscreen etc.

You cannot exactly predict the weather in the Everest region. You never know when the sun will hide behind the clouds and the atmosphere will become cold. So, when you prepare for the trek, you should also plan for the swift weather change. A good idea is to dress in layers. This way you can take off or add on your clothes on the trail according to the change in weather.

Bad weather conditions may also cause you to stay in Lukla for days. Please do keep such factors in mind while preparing for the trip.

Start Early on the Trek

When on the trek, a good idea is to start walking early in the day. This way you can spend more time in nature and also will reach the destination before it gets dark. The weather near the Himalayas is normally unpredictable. The faster you reach the destination for the day, the better. This way you may not have to bear the consequences of unexpected rain or snow in the middle of your walks.

Packaging List for Everest Base Camp in October

Unlike packing for the EBC trek in Winter or Summer, you can do light packing for the trek to the Everest region in October. The weather condition and the bearable temperatures do not demand heavy packing in October. But before you pack you must be attentive to what you actually need in the trek.

Here is the general list of trekking clothes and equipment that you need for the Everest Base Camp trek in October.

  • Trekking T-shirts
  • Trekking Trousers
  • Breathable underwears
  • Fleece Jackets/Pullovers
  • Windproof Jackets
  • Light Thermals
  • Down Jackets
  • Trekking Socks
  • Trekking Boots
  • Trekking Gloves
  • Woollen Cap
  • Cap
  • Headlamp
  • Sleeping Bag
  • Pair of Sunglasses
  • First-aid Box
  • Trekking Poles
  • Water Bottles and water purifying tablets or purifiers
  • Moisturizers, sunscreen, and sanitizers

Final Say
This October why not spend some time at the foot of the world’s tallest peak?You will get to look at the spectacular snow-capped peaks, enjoy the local hospitality, witness the beauty of nature and have an adventure in the dry and bearable temperatures.

Check our fixed departure date of Everest Base Camp Trek in October.

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Article by Pradeep Guragain

Pradeep is the co-founder of Magical Nepal. He was born and bred in Nepal and is a seasoned hiker and rider.

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