Everest Base Camp trek is an amazing trek of the life as you walk to catch the closest glimpse of Mt. Everest. And, in the off-season of trek ie in August, it is the most peaceful and serene than ever.
Like other months, Everest Base Camp trek in August offers the dazzling views of Mt. Everest along with the fulfilling trekking experiences across the Sherpa settlements and Buddhist prayer flags.
August in Everest Base Camp trek is a more peaceful experience on the trails and with nature. Being the last month of monsoon in Nepal, this trek doesn’t see much buzz.
So, with the peaceful trials with a number of choices for food and accommodation, you will get to photograph the most stunning mountain photographs while trekking to Everest Base Camp in August.
Weather of Everest Base Camp Trek in August
August is the last month of summer (monsoon) in Nepal. Hence, it will not be as hot or wet as the other summer (monsoon) months of Nepal.
The average temperature in Kathmandu during this month is around 20-29 ℃. The average rainfall here is around 14-17 days. Yet, it seldom ever rains the whole day in Nepal. The rain is usually short and occurs in the late afternoon, evening or night.
But as you ascend higher on your trek, both the heat and rainfall decreases.
Due to the wide variation on the trails of Everest Base Camp, the weather conditions and temperatures will differ in August.
To give you a basic idea about this, here is a breakdown of some of the major places along the trails.
Lukla (2829m)
The start and end point of most Everest Base Camp Treks in August.
The average daily temperatures here are around 10.7-18.6 ℃. The average rainfall is around 450mm.
Namche Bazaar (3463m)
It is a favorite acclimatization or rest day spot for your Everest Base Camp trek in August.
Here, the average daily temperatures are around 7.3-15.8 ℃. The average rainfall is around 260mm.
Dingboche (4483m)
The average daily temperature is between 2.1-12.9 ℃ and the average rainfall is around 150mm.
Lobuche (4910m)
The average daily temperature is between 0.2-10.9 ℃. The average rainfall is only 122mm.
Gorak Shep (5180m)
This is the highest point for sleeping during Everest Base Camp trek in August. Here, the average daily temperature is between 4.6 to -0.3 ℃. The average snowfall is around 116mm.
The temperatures are quite warm during this month. Even at the highest points of your trek, the temperature hardly goes below 0. You will also enjoy the average sunshine of 6 to 7 hours per day. Hence, the days will be warm, bright and long.
August is also not a windy month. The average wind speed is only about 16 km/h.
Main Attractions of Everest Base Camp Trek in August
Amazing Nature
August offers a beautifully lush and vibrant forest along the trails. You can see a wonderful assembly of wildflowers and vegetation that grow in Sagarmatha National Park.
You will also see the blooms of wildflowers throughout the trails. You can also enjoy wild berries along the way.
All the water sources will be in their glory. You can witness beautiful springs, waterfalls, streams along the way. These will dry up when the monsoon ends.
During the clear mornings, you can also enjoy some of the clearest and beautiful panoramas of mountains. The clouds also add a unique and dramatic effect on the surrounding scenery.
Fewer to No Crowd
August attracts very few visitors to Everest Base Camp trek. Hence, if you don’t like crowds, this can be the ideal month for you.
You can have the entire trails and nature to yourself. You can enjoy the beautiful nature in its undisturbed state.
You will also not have to rush to your destination to get your preferred tea houses and rooms. You will also not have to queue on the way to the different vantage points along the trails.
Discounts
August can be a great month for budget travelers. Already one of the most budget-friendly country for treks in Nepal, during August you may get further discounts.
Many tours and trek operators offer offseason discounts and offer. You can take advantage of these.
Most of the tea houses, lodges, hotels along the way also offer discounts during this month. Else, they offer complimentary services. Inquire about it to reap the benefits of these services.
Festivals
August is host to different festivals in Nepal. Some of the main popular festivals to look forward to are Teej, Gai Jatra, Janai Purnima, and Krishna Janmashtami.
All these festivals have their own unique flavor along with cultural significance. If you wish to take part or witness them, ask your tour operators for the dates. Nepal follows its own lunar calendars. Hence, the dates of the festivals can differ in your calendar every year.
Extra Information on Everest Base Camp in August
Routes
There are many routes that you can take to reach Everest Base Camp.
If you face many delays or unfortunate circumstances during your trek in August, you can take a helicopter on your return journey. This way you can enjoy your trek to the destination without worrying about delays of 1 or more days.
Else you can choose the Jiri-Everest Base Camp trek to enjoy the beauty of the Everest Region from the first day of your trip. This route doesn’t have any flights. You will start your trek from a low altitude of only 1905m at Jiri.
Food, Accommodation, and Water
Most of the teahouses, lodges, restaurants along the tails will be open in August. These will have fewer visitors during this month. Hence, you can have your pick of these facilities.
Due to the popularity of Everest Base Camp Trek, you can also indulge in Luxury treks here. In August, most of these facilities provide discounts or complimentary services.
Most of the rooms are on a twin sharing basis. Most of these rooms have basic facilities such as a bed, pillow, mattress, and a blanket. As for the food, you will get choices of Nepali cuisine along with some Indian, continental dishes.
From Namche Bazaar onwards, you may have fewer choices on your meals.
During this month, the chances of water contamination are also high. Hence, for your safety, it is good to have and take water purification pills, gels in your water.
You can buy bottled water, hot water, soda, coffee, tea along the way. Yet, the prices of these along with your rooms and meals increase with the increase in altitude.
Physical Fitness
Regardless of the month you choose, Everest Base Camp trek is a mid-long duration trek. It has a difficulty level of moderate to strenuous.
The trek consists of walking uphill and downhill on rough and uneven terrain. In August, you also have to deal with muddy and slippery trails along with the rainfall. You will walk 4-6 hours on a daily basis.
Hence, preparing yourself physically and mentally for this trek is ideal for a safe and comfortable trip.
Some exercises to do before your actual trek are going on hikes, jogging, climbing stairs. You can also opt for a trek specific training routine. For beginners and novice, you can train at least 6 months before the actual trip.
For fitter individuals, training at least 3 months before the trip is helpful.
Alternatives to Everest Base Camp Trek
These alternatives are for those who decide the long tiring walks of Everest Base Camp trek is not for you.
Everest Panorama Trek
This trek is ideal for those who want to enjoy the beauty of the Everest Region. It is also ideal for those looking for a more laidback trek in this region with good views and culture experience.
On clear days, this trek offers views of spectacular mountain peaks like Mt. Everest, Lhotse, Ama Dablam, Thamserku among other peaks. With these, it also offers a chance to indulge in the rich and traditional lifestyle and culture of the legendary Sherpa.
Gokyo Valley Trek
This trek takes you to another part of the beautiful Everest Region. It presents to you the chance to view magnificent mountains and exquisite glaciers.
It also offers a chance to indulge in the rich culture of the Everest Region. You can visit century’s old Buddhist monasteries and traditional Sherpa villages on this trek. Along with these, you get to walk past the rich biodiversity of this region on the trek.
Everest Helicopter Tour
Yet for those who still wish to visit Everest Base Camp but don’t want to walk there, this is the ideal tour.
You will get an aerial view of some of the highest mountain peaks in the world. You will explore stunning peaks such as Mt. Everest, Lhotse, and Lhotse Shar. You will also see other high mountain ranges of 6000-7000m.
Tips for Everest Base Camp Trek in August
Keep Weather Updates
The weather is quite unpredictable in the higher altitudes throughout the year.
In August, this is also true for the lower altitudes. So, always stay updated with the latest weather conditions.
Plan your Day According to the Weather
The weather determines the availability of flights. It also determines the conditions of the trails.
Hence, planning your day in tune with the weather allows less room for stress and any safety risk.
Trek Early
Most of the rainfall in August takes place during the late afternoon, evening time. Hence, you can usually enjoy your walk in the clear and dry weather if you trek early.
You will also avoid much of the rain this way. You may also end up enjoying the rain and thunder from the comforts of the tea house.
Packing
For Everest Base Camp trek in August, you have to pack all the essentials of a high altitude trek for monsoon season. You may have to make some changes due to the weather conditions.
Although it may get hot in the lower regions, shorts and half shirts are not ideal. You may get insect bites from mosquitoes, leeches. Or instead, pack a good insect repellent cream or spray.
You also need to pack your rain gear.
Else pack a good pair of the foldable umbrella. The rainfall in August doesn’t last too long.
You also need to pack trekking poles and boots with good grips. These help you in your balance on the muddy and slippery trails.
Guide / Porter
In August hiring a guide and porter is quite essential.
During August, even the most well-maintained trails can get lost under the mud and rain. Hence, having a professional guide ensures that you do not lose your way as well as safety.
Along with these, they offer a great variety of information that improves your trekking experience. While a porter will carry your luggage on the uneven slippery trails.
Altitude Sickness
Everest Base Camp trek is a high altitude trek. You will trek to altitudes of 5000m with average altitudes of 3,500m for the entire trek.
Hence, there is always a risk of altitude sickness. This illness left untreated is a serious concern with cases of deaths as well. Hence, get as much information as you can of this before your actual trek.
This way you can take necessary precautions and recognize symptoms if it does occur.
Never ever downplay the symptoms. It is best to stop climbing further and take rest until you feel better if you ever notice any symptoms. Always let your guide know of any symptoms.
Have Extra Days on Your Trek
It is always a good idea to have room for change on your trekking days during August.
The speed and duration of your trek can get hampered due to the weather conditions. Having the extra days helps you counter any delays or cancellations.
This way you can relax and enjoy the trip without worrying about getting late or missing anything.
Final Say,
Regardless of the month you choose, trekking to Everest Base Camp is a thrilling and adventurous experience.
August as an offseason for this trek has its own perks and flavor. Everest Base Camp in August is not easy but it is definitely doable.
So, if you have any further questions or queries about it, feel free to contact us.
You can also contact us for any customized treks and tours to Nepal at any time of the year.
