A peek into the weather and temperature of the Everest Base Camp trek in February
Let us clarify that February is the final month of winter in Nepal. The first two weeks of February will still be cold, but the remaining two weeks will give you a little feel of the upcoming spring season. Almost all the trekkers who have done the Everest Base Camp trek in February say that the cold during this month is highly bearable compared to the winter of January.
Even though the temperature will be around negative 2-3 degrees in the lower altitude, you must be ready to face the negative 20 degrees at the Everest Base Camp during the first few weeks. If you visit after the first two weeks, the temperature might rise slightly, but Everest Base Camp is still cold enough.
One thing that the trekkers do not have to worry about is the rain. As February falls in winter and is close to spring, there is a rare chance of rainfall. Therefore, the climate will be dry but cold, reducing the risk of slippery trials. However, the lower areas might be humid, and because of the path's dry and damp conditions, trekkers will experience slightly easy trekking.
Talking about the end of February, the days are brighter and sunnier. Due to these reasons, you will observe a clean and visible environment. As a result, the trekkers can also look at some of the majestic mountains during the walk. To be honest, we cannot explain the feeling that one gets in their heart while ascending the Everest Base Camp trek accompanied by green forests and snow-capped mountains.
Upsides of visiting Everest Base Camp in February
Traveling to the Everest Base Camp is a fantastic experience with pros and cons. So, February also has its benefits and disadvantages for visiting the Everest Base Camp. In this section of the blog, we will discuss the upsides of attempting the Everest Base Camp in February.
Less Crowd as a result of the off-season
How many trekkers go for a trek like the Everest Base Camp trek to gain peace of mind and exercise for the body? Almost every trekker wants that. So, if this is the case for you as well, we recommend you choose February as the month for the EBC trek.
Even though February is partly winter and spring season, many trekkers do not want to go for the Everest Base Camp trek because the weather will still be freezing. Therefore, February might be ideal if you wish to trek the EBC with as less crowd as possible.
However, there is nothing to worry about because you can still hire guides even in February, and the guides and porters will accompany you throughout the journey. Therefore, you will not have to worry about carrying your backpack, necessary gear, or other requirements. All you need to focus on is to provide mental peace to your mind and physical strength to your body, as the guides and porters will make the rest of the arrangements.
If you have difficulties finding a perfect and ideal guide for the Everest Base Camp in February, you can contact us, as our team will be available every month of the year.
More accessible and Cheaper Access to Lodging and Fooding
In February, the tea houses and lodges are barely filled by people as this month falls in the off-season. That makes anyone who treks in February a lucky trekker, as they can have multiple choices in lodging and fooding. You will only have to compete with a few people to get a room in the best lodges or food in the best tea houses.
Furthermore, you can choose the ideal accommodation spot by visiting the lodge rather than pre-booking it online. This will help you make sure about all the services the lodges provide and their charge sheet.
Why is better accommodation an advantage? The Everest Base Camp is a demanding and strenuous trek to attempt, so the human body requires more energy. On top of that, February in the Himalayas is too cold for anyone living in a warmer area, which means that the trekkers need a better and cozier place to rest during the trek. All these reasons make better accommodation necessary while trekking the Everest Base Camp in February.
Cooler Temperature
The cooler temperature might be both upside and downside of the Everest Base Camp trek in February. As we have kept this in the benefits of the EBC trek in February, we will only discuss the positive aspects of visiting this base camp in February.
If you want to feel the bone-chilling cold temperature of the Himalayas, the first two weeks of February might be the best time to visit the Everest Base Camp trek this month. Also, let us make it clear that the EBC trek is perfect in February if you want to experience both winter and starting of spring.
In winter, the chances of snowfall are high in the high peaks. Therefore, you will be accompanied by snow-capped mountains. This will make your journey very pleasurable yet challenging.
Off-season offers and discounts
One of the best things about trekking at the Everest Base Camp in February is that many trekking agencies and lodges give off-season discounts. As there will be significantly fewer trekkers this month, you might start getting discounts on flight prices.
Besides, the tea houses and accommodation services are much cheaper than in the peak seasons. However, you will not have to worry about the services provided by the teahouses and lodges because the locals do not compromise on their services even if they offer discounts.
However, please tip your guides and porters, who will be there for you even in the off-season. Rather than thinking of this as the extra money spent, trekkers can think of this as an encouragement given to the guides and porters for their hard work and assistance.
Festivals during February
Nepal is never in the shortage of festivals, regardless of the month. Therefore, even if you visit the Everest Base Camp in February, you will experience several festivals and celebrations that portray Nepal's culture and traditions.
One of the major festivals celebrated in Nepal in February is Lhosar. Lhosar is the main festival of the Nepalese ethnic groups who inherit from Tibet, which are the ethnic groups like Gurung, Tamang, and Sherpas. You can see the celebration of this festival right from Kathmandu, but when you reach the Himalayan part of the country, Lhosar is celebrated much more widely and beautifully.
Less rain
Winter and spring have low precipitation chances, so rainfall is scarce in February. Furthermore, the trekkers will also experience a clear sky because of low rain and snowfall. However, there are chances of snowfall at a higher altitude.
Due to all these reasons, we ensure that the trial will be comparatively more straightforward and easy. However, the Everest Base Camp will still be covered with snow, and you will also experience cold wind, which will touch your bones. Nevertheless, when you return from the trek, February will give you a peek at the spring season, which means the days get warmer, and your way down will again be beautiful as clear views and blooming spring will accompany you.
Some drawbacks of trekking the Everest Base Camp in February
This section will discuss some of the opposing sides of touring the Everest Base Camp. However, remember that these points mean to continue the trekkers from going for the EBC trek in February. Instead, these points are only to make the trekkers and travelers aware and prepared for the demanding situations that might arise while trekking in February.
So here are some of the negative aspects of the Everest Base Camp trek in February:
Chances of the weather being extreme
As February falls in the winter season, the chances of the weather becoming very cold and chilling sometimes. Let us inform you that the temperature may get below -20 degrees sometimes.
Even if the lower part of the Everest Base Camp is not so cold in February, the higher altitude, high passes, and the base camp will still be covered with snow. Remember that sometimes if the climate is very low at the Base Camp, it may be closed for trekking. Therefore, if you want to go for the Everest Base Camp trek in February, don't hesitate to contact us to learn about the live condition of the trial and the base camp.
In February, the days are warm at the Everest Base Camp trek, but the nights will still be bone-chilling cold. However, if the temperature is moderate and the trial is open for visiting, you will not have to cancel the EBC trek plan in February. You should be more prepared, and your trip should be planned more appropriately.
Limited Access
Because of the cold weather conditions in February, sometimes the sky in Kathmandu is covered with fog. Therefore, the flight from Kathmandu to Lukla (the starting point of the EBC trek) might get delayed. This mostly happens if your flight is in the early morning. However, as the daylight starts hitting, the planes will again begin to their services.
The negative impact of cold weather on the flights is that sometimes your plane might have to return halfway because of too much fog on the way forward. All these delays and issues might cause changes in the planning of the trekkers and also cause frustration for many travelers as their travel plans get disrupted.
As a result, when you reach the Everest Base Camp, you will have minimal time for the journey. As a result, we request all the trekkers to contact a trekking agency (you can also contact us) and get to know if there are any difficulties or obstacles in the Everest Base Camp trek.
Higher risks of altitude sickness
February is supposedly bone-chilling cold at the higher altitudes of the Everest Base Camp. As you ascend the trek, there is a high chance that you will suffer from altitude sickness.
Altitude sickness can cause due to lack of physical strength or also a lack of rest. As the Everest Base Camp trek is a long and challenging journey, the trekkers must maintain their physical and mental fitness and proper acclimatization. Walking for a long time, not wearing appropriate and warm clothes at night, and not doing proper preparations or exercises before trek are some of the main reasons behind altitude sickness.
However, you can overcome these difficulties correctly by following the preparation and precautionary steps in the next section.
What are the necessary preparations for the Everest Base Camp trek in February?
Trekking the Everest Base Camp is a difficult task to complete in any season or month. However, February (winter) makes the path somehow more complicated. As trekking is comparatively more challenging, the preparations must also be better. Therefore, here are a few pieces of help from our side to help you prepare for the Everest Base Camp trek in February.
Physical Exercises and Mental Stability
Physical strength is one of the essential components of the human body for any treks or hikes. As the Everest Base Camp trek is comparatively more challenging in February, you need to give much more in physical fitness. As mentioned above, attempting the walk without proper physical fitness might cause altitude sickness. Therefore, your physical fitness (stamina) must be at the highest level to overcome such cases.
If you are someone who is into smoking and drinking, stop that right away, at least for half a year, start working out, go to the gym, and involve yourself in futsal, football, running, and similar activities that are beneficial to physical strength and stamina. However, remember your mental stability while you train your physicality.
You must have a solid mindset to complete such a challenging trek in the off-season. Sometimes, there are cases that trekkers return halfway because they feel like they cannot reach their destination, and that certainly is one of the worst experiences for any enthusiastic trekker.
See also: Everest Base Camp Trek Preparation
Learn from the experienced ones
Experienced people can provide you with the best information required. Therefore, try to look for the trekkers who have gone on the Everest Base Camp trek in February. Talk to them about possible difficulties and obstacles and ask how they encountered those obstacles.
If you are unable to find any such trekkers, contact us. Furthermore, you can also visit our office and talk to us about the possibilities and other factors of the Everest Base Camp trek in February. We will give you all the necessary information before ascending the EBC trek in February. After that, you can decide whether you are ready for the trek or need more preparation.
Do proper packing
Once you decide to go for the Everest Base Camp trek in February, you must pack all the necessary items. Check your backpack more than once before leaving your house, and if you are short of some gear or anything, make a packing list and include those things as soon as possible.
Besides, we also recommend the trekkers check their backpacks once they are set to ascend from Lukla, and if anything is missing, buy it yourself or ask for your guide's help in searching for that specific item.
While packing the gear or items, go for quality rather than quantity. For example, carrying a warm and cozy sleeping bag is better than having a couple of blankets. Remember that you have to walk a long distance, that too, in the steepest landscapes. Therefore, be very conscious while packing any items in your backpacks.
Follow the guide’s instruction
Following the guides' instructions is one of the best ways to make your trek safer and more beautiful in any season or month. Guides are also professional trekkers, as they have excellent knowledge and information about the start to end of the trial.
When you hire a guide for your trek, they must take you safely to the base camp and return safely to the starting point. In between, the guides will also help you learn many new things, interact with the locals, explore the trial, and get informed about the lifestyle, culture, and traditions of the people living in the Everest region.
Especially in February, the winter makes the trial more complicated, and sometimes you might get the risk of getting lost in the trial if you do not follow the guide correctly. Furthermore, a guide can help if you need time for acclimatization, want to rest, or even take a day's break. As a result, we strongly recommend all trekkers follow their guides and have a perfect experience of the Everest Base Camp trek in February.
What to Pack for the Everest Base Camp trek in February?
After reading all the blog content until now, you might have understood a lot about the EBC trek in February. Furthermore, you may have also decided whether to go on this trek this month.
If you think there are better months than February for you, you can read other blogs on our website to learn about the condition of the Everest Base Camp trek in different months of the year. However, if you are ready to visit the Base Camp of the highest peak, here are a few things you should include in your backpack before starting the journey:
- Trekking boots
- Warm and waterproof clothes
- Cozy and warm sleeping bags
- Quick-drying t-shirts or full-sleeves
- Sunscreens, hat, and goggles
- Crampons and Gaiters
- Trekking stick
- First Aid
- Energy Bars
- Toiletries
- Towels
- Insect repellent spray
We recommend that trekkers focus more on warm clothes or winter clothes. Furthermore, you can also carry 1 or 2 light but warm blankets. We recommend that trekkers focus more on warm clothes or winter clothes. Moreover, you can also bring 1 or 2 light but warm blankets. If you remember to include all these gears and necessary items in your backpacks, we guarantee that your Everest Base Camp trek will be a great adventure and less complicated, even in the off-season.
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Final Words
Many trekkers resist the Everest Base Camp trek in February, saying it is an off-season, but if you ask us, this is one of the best times to visit this base camp. The bone-chilling weather, the long walks, the beautiful scenarios of the snow-covered mountains while ascending, and the green surrounding while returning. The Everest Base Camp trek in February is like a combo offer.
The only obstacle is that the trial might be closed because of excessive coldness. However, if the trek is accessible and you want to experience peaceful yet adventurous trekking, you might not find any month other than February.
