September is the beginning of the autumn which is the peak trek season in Nepal. You can see a lot of trekkers and visitors all over Nepal.
Treks to Everest Base Camp is possible throughout the year. September is no exception. September offers beautiful weather and moderate temperatures. It is one of the ideal months to do treks here in Nepal, including the marvelous Everest Base Camp.
With the beginning of autumn weather in September, you also get a clear view of the flora and fauna and the breathtaking mountain ranges.
As this is the peak trekking season, you will get to meet lots of trekkers from all over the world. This will be a unique experience for all.
Contents
Highlights of Everest Base Camp Trek in September
- Short and scenic flight from and to Kathmandu- Lukla. With retreating clouds in September, the chance of clear, aerial views of high mountain peaks is high.
- The Everest Base Camp itself
- A chance to witness the unique Sherpa culture and traditions in the Khumbu region.
- Old Buddhist, Sherpa monasteries at Tengboche and Dingboche.
- 360 degrees panorama of gigantic mountain peaks including Mt. Everest. Other mountains you can see are Mt. Lhotse, Pumori, Ama Dablam.
- The vantage point of Kala Pathar (5,643m). It offers clear and amazing views of Khumbu glacier and icefall. It also offers panoramic views of the Himalayan giants.
- A walk through Sagarmatha National Park, a natural UNESCO World Heritage site.
- The diverse flora and fauna in the Everest region.
- Namche Bazaar (3,450 m): the high altitude trade center in the world
Weather Conditions and Temperature
September is the beginning of one the best weather conditions of Everest Base Camp Trek. Everest Base Camp Trek in September sees a mixture of 3 different weather conditions:
Post-Monsoon Season
September comes right after the monsoon season ends in Nepal. Hence, during early September, you can still see some traces of monsoon weather.
You may get little to no rain in the lower regions during this time. The chances of rainfall decrease as you climb higher.
The average temperatures are around 18- 24℃ on the lower regions. In the higher regions, it can drop to 5 to 7℃.
Some parts of the trails can still be slippery and muddy due to the occasional rainfall.
Stable Autumn Season
From mid-September, autumn settles in Nepal. You can enjoy more stable weather conditions. The average daytime temperatures stick to a moderate 10-18 ℃ in the lower regions. The higher regions see cool temperatures of 2-6 ℃.
By this time, days become more clear and dry. The hills, forests, and the vegetation look greener and lush.
Pre-Winter Weather
At Everest Base Camp and the high pass, the weather conditions are always less predictable throughout the year.
In September, these places see pre-winter weather. The days are warm with mild temperatures of 8-15 ℃. During the nights, the temperatures drop below freezing point. The average nighttime temperature here is between 7 to -1 ℃.
Estimated Hours of Sunshine per Day
The average sunshine hours per day during September is around 8 hours. This is the average no. of hours during the day when the sun is visible and not covered by clouds.
Wind
The average daily wind speed in September in the trails of Everest Base Camp trek is around 8-11 km/hr.
Here is a breakdown of the weather and temperatures in September of some of the popular places on the trails of Everest Base Camp Trek.
Lukla (2,829m)
This is the general start and end points for Everest Base Camp Trek. The average temperatures here are around 13°C. It can drop to 9°C during the nights.
Namche Bazaar (3,463 m)
This is the highest trade center in Nepal. It is the last place on the trails where you can get to buy or rent any trekking equipment and supplies. It is also the place with its own local bakery and brewery. This place is where most trekkers stay for acclimatization or rest days.
Here, the average daytime temperatures are around 10°C. During the nights, it can drop to 6°C.
Dingboche (4,483 m)
As you cross the 4000m mark, the weather starts to get colder. The average temperature is around 6°C. It drops down to 0°C during the nights.
Lobuche (4,910m)
Here, the average temperature is around 3.9°C. It drops to –1.7°C during the nights.
Gorak Shep (5180 m)
The average temperature is around 3°C. It can drop to -2.6°C
Note: In the lower regions of the treks, the temperature is higher. Hence, you may find insects and bugs in the region. But as you go higher, you will have fewer insect problems.
Reasons to Do Everest Base Camp Trek in September
Amazing Views
September gives you clear views of the blooming flowers, lush green forests, and valley in the lower regions.
As you trek higher, you get rewards of stunning and clear views of the snow-capped mountains.
You also get to see beautiful rivers and waterfalls. Along with these, you get amazing views on your flights to and from Lukla.
Less Chance of roadblocks and flight delays
With the beginning of the peak season for treks, September sees an increase in flights. It also sees a decrease in flight delays and cancellation. There are fewer chances of roadblocks due to weather conditions like landslides, mudslides.
Fewer Crowds
As September is the beginning of the peak season, it sees a fewer number of trekkers.
At some parts of the trek, you will have the trails and nature to yourself. You can enjoy the peace and tranquility of the beautiful nature of the Everest Region.
Better Accommodations
All the tea houses, lodges, hotels along the trails of Everest Region will be open for business. With the fewer number of visitors on the trails, you can have your pick of accommodation. You will have access to better rooms, hospitality, and other services.
Most tea houses offer basic rooms with beds and attached or communal bathrooms. These also offer a free cold shower. For a hot shower, you may have to pay extra.
Due to the popularity of the Everest Region, you will also find 4-5 star accommodations in some places along the trail. If you want to indulge in luxury treks in Nepal, you can do so for Everest Base Camp Trek.
Else if you choose camping on your Everest Base Camp Trek, you will have more choices in September as well. You can have your pick of where you want to set up camp.
No Queues
With the fewer number of trekkers, there will be little to no queues. This includes perfect spots for mountain viewing, climbs, and on the trails. It also includes your meal times. Unlike other peak season months, you will not have to wait for your turn for any of these in September.
Festivals
September is also the beginning of the festival season in Nepal. September is host to several festivals like Indra Jatra, Dashain, Teej.
To enjoy these festivals, you can plan the trek around the festivals. To enjoy these festivals to their fullest, be in Kathmandu on the dates of the festivals.
Meals and Drinks
The whole menu is available from September on the trails. In basic hotels, lodges, tea houses, cafes, restaurants along the route, the menu can include the following:
Local Nepali Cuisine (Dal-Bhat-Tarkari, Dumplings, Fried Rice, Noodles, Soup Noodles)
Continental, Indian Cuisine.
Some of the fancier ones can include Chinese, Korean, Italian cuisine. But, as you trek higher from Lukla onwards, your choices become narrower. It is similar for drinks. The choices of drinks will be wide in the lower regions. In the higher regions, your limited choices can include Water, Tea, Butter Tea (salt tea).
Mild temperatures
September welcomes milder temperatures. In the lower regions, you do not need extra jackets or sleeping bags. The higher regions also have cool temperatures. You will get very little to no rain, snowfall during this month.
Available Routes for Everest Base Camp Trek in September
EBC trek mostly refers to the direct trek to EBC from and to Lukla. Yet, this is not the only route available to the most popular trek destination of Nepal.
There are many routes to EBC and many trek destinations near it that can be great additions to your marvelous EBC Trek. In September all these routes and trek destinations are open and doable. The trails and weather conditions add support to your adventures here in September.
Everest Base Camp – Cho-La Pass – Gokyo Trek
This is one of the most adventurous options to reach Everest Base Camp. You will trek to 3 of the most popular trek destinations of Everest- EBC (5,380m), Gokyo Valley (4,750m), and Cho-La Pass (5,420m).
This trek requires immense physical fitness and mental strength. Yet it offers 3 trek destinations within a single trip. Some of the most amazing views are on offer on this trek. In September, even this popular trek is not crowded. You can take your time to enjoy the views without waiting for others.
Extra Highlights of the Trek
- Close view of some of the world’s highest mountain peaks. You can get some of the best possible views of Mt. Everest on this trek without climbing. Other mountains you can view are Mt. Cho Oyu (8201m), Makalu (8463 m), Lhotse (8516 m) and other mountain ranges of 7000m.
- Ngozumpa Glacier- Nepal’s largest glacier
- Gokyo Ri (5357 m). From the summit, you can get the best views of the Gokyo valley, surrounding lakes and glaciers.
Jiri to Everest Base Camp (EBC) Trek
This is the route taken by the legendary Everest climbers Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay Sherpa on the way to the summit.
This trek doesn’t have the scenic mountain flight to and from Lukla. Instead, it takes the original route, where you start from the lower altitudes of Jiri. In September, you can enjoy the green and lush forests in the lower regions. You will also see the rivers, waterfalls in their full glory after the local monsoon season.
EBC (Everest Base Camp Trek) with Island peak
This trek not only takes you to the base of the highest mountain in the world but it also gives you the thrill and excitement of an actual climb.
Island Peak (6,189m) is one of the highest trekking peaks of Nepal. It is a great introduction for those wishing to start climbing mountain peaks of the world.
It requires physical fitness along with knowledge of using basic mountain climbing equipment. In September, you have longer days and fewer crowds on the trails. This means you can do your trek at your own pace without having to rush for fear of getting dark or the rooms filling up.
Extra Highlights:
- Excitement and thrill of climbing Island Peak
- Island Peak offers a 360-degree panoramic view of some of the highest mountain peaks.
- Top to bottom view of Mt. Everest.
- Dudh Kosi Valley. It offers an amazing view of the peaks of Thamserku and Kusum Kanguru.
Tips for EBC Trek in September
Packing List
In September, weather and temperature vary quite a lot due to the altitudes.
If trekking during early September, make sure to pack all your essential trekking gears and supplies along with your rain gear. This includes raincoat, jackets, umbrella, boots, and rain cover for your bags.
After mid-September, you need to carry clothes for both warm and cold weather. The days are warm while the nights and early mornings can get cold. This is especially true for higher altitudes where temperatures drop to below-freezing degrees.
Advance Booking
The flow of tourists and trekkers do increase in September. Hence, pre-booking always helps. You may never know when a large group could come and book your desired rooms or tea house.
Unexpected Flight Delays
September does see a mixture of weather conditions. So, you may face unexpected flight delays or cancellations due to sudden rainfall or foggy weather.
Start early
This is true, especially for early September. There are still chances of rainfall. These usually occur during the late afternoons and evenings. Hence, starting early allows you to reach your destinations early. This way you can avoid most of the rainfall.
With or Without Guide
You can do Everest Base Camp trek with or without a guide. It is always recommended to have a guide.
A guide doesn’t cost much to hire yet can add significantly to your whole trekking experience.
Having a guide ensures that you don’t get lost, have fewer chances of getting hurt on the trails. A professional, licensed guide can also recommend the best trails, tea houses, rest stops along the way.
A guide will also have great knowledge of the surrounding area- landmarks, flora, fauna. You can also interact better with the locals as the guides speak most local languages. Hence you get a better culture and nature trekking experience.
A guide also has knowledge of basic first aid training. If you or any of your group members have any problems, a guide can assist with it.
Stay Hydrated
The beauty of the trails and the cool days may make you forget to stay hydrated. So, always remember to drink enough liquid for a safe and comfortable trek.
Final Say,
You can enjoy all the perks of treks of Autumn in September without the large crowds.
If you have any further queries or questions about routes, trek destinations for your Everest Base Camp Trek, feel free to contact us.
You can also create your own custom itinerary for EBC trek or any other trek and tour in Nepal.
