Annapurna Base Camp Trek Best Time: Month by Month, With Rain, Sunshine and Night Lows

Last updated 5 October 2026.

If you want a short answer, here it is. October and November are the best months for the Annapurna Base Camp trek, with March and April next. The monsoon months from June to September are the ones we would not choose for views. December to February is hard, with cold nights and snow higher up, and we would not sell it to anyone on a first winter trek. If you want detail before you choose dates, start with our Annapurna Base Camp trek guide and our Annapurna Base Camp trek page, then read month by month below.

Which month is best for the Annapurna Base Camp trek?

October and November are best. The rain has dropped back, the sunshine hours climb again, and the typical night lows at Annapurna Base Camp move from wet and cloudy to cold and clear. March and April come next, with long sunny days and nights that warm up step by step. We would avoid June, July, August and September if clear mountain views matter to you. December, January and February are cold at Deurali and at base camp, and snow can sit for a long time above 3,000 metres. May sits between spring and monsoon, and it is the least reliable month for views in spring. If you want to compare seasons in more depth, read our autumn in October and November post, our spring rhododendrons March to May post, our October clear skies post, and our November to December winter post. For what the trek feels like on the ground, see our mountain amphitheatre post.

Our trek is 9 days. It sleeps at Pokhara at 820 metres, Ghandruk at 1,940 metres, Chomrong at 2,170 metres, Deurali at 3,174 metres, Annapurna Base Camp at 4,130 metres, Bamboo at 2,310 metres, Jhinu Danda at 1,780 metres, then Pokhara again, then the drive back to Kathmandu. The grade is Moderate. The highest point is 4,130 metres. We drive from Kathmandu to Pokhara in 7 to 8 hours at the start, and we end in Pokhara and then drive back. No flights are needed. A licensed guide walks with you on every trek. If you are new to this route, our how difficult is Annapurna Base Camp post and our distance guide will help you judge it.

What does each month look like?

This table puts the whole year in one place. Rain and sunshine come from the Pokhara and Lumle weather records. Temperatures and base camp rain are typical values for each stop.

How to read the columns. Pokhara rain is the official 1991 to 2020 average for Pokhara Airport at 827 metres, in millimetres. Lumle rain is the official 1991 to 2020 average for Lumle at 1,738 metres from the Department of Hydrology and Meteorology, in millimetres. Pokhara sunshine hours are the official average for the same period. Chomrong, Deurali and ABC temperatures and the ABC rain are typical figures for each height, based on the ten years from 2015 to 2024, so treat them as approximate. Wet days means days with 1 mm or more. The verdict column is our own judgement. Best means the mix of rain, sunshine and night temperatures is most favourable. Good means very trekable with some cloud or rain risk. Possible with care means cold or changeable, so you need the right kit and planning. Hard means very cold, with snow on the upper trail, and it is not for a first winter trek, which matches our winter post. Not recommended means we would not choose it for views because rain and wet days are so high. For food and sleep on these stops, see our teahouses and food post.

October and November: why they are the peak, and which half is better

October and November are the peak because the monsoon has passed and the air dries out. Look at the drop. Lumle falls from 903.2 mm in September to 208.0 mm in October and then to 19.7 mm in November. Pokhara falls from 635.0 mm in September to 159.2 mm in October and then to 17.2 mm in November. Sunshine in Pokhara rises from 132.0 hours in September to 189.1 hours in October and 222.0 hours in November. At base camp the typical wet days fall from 28 in September to 16 in October and 4 in November. That is why we rate both months as Best. For more on this season, read our autumn October and November post and our October clear skies post.

Our view is simple. Late October is better than early October because there is less rain. Early October can still hold monsoon moisture, and October as a whole still shows 102 mm of typical rain and 16 wet days at base camp. By November the air is clearer and colder. The typical night low at base camp moves from minus 1 C in October to minus 6 C in November. Deurali moves from 4 C to 0 C. Chomrong moves from nights of 10 C to nights of 6 C. So if you want the mildest nights of the two, choose October. If you want the clearest and driest days and you accept colder nights, choose November. Both months suit a first time trekker who is fit and well prepared. Read our packing list and our how to stay warm in teahouses post before you pack.

March, April and May: spring

March and April are good months. Sunshine in Pokhara is 229.4 hours in March and 219.0 hours in April, the two sunniest months before the monsoon. Station rain is still modest at 63.7 mm and 68.5 mm in March at Pokhara and Lumle, then 141.7 mm and 122.8 mm in April. Nights warm up step by step. Chomrong nights move from 3 C in March to 7 C in April. Deurali nights move from minus 3 C to 1 C. Base camp nights move from minus 9 C to minus 5 C. Our spring post covers the rhododendron forest and the clear mornings. For the full spring picture, read our spring rhododendrons March to May post.

May is different. Station rain jumps to 354.7 mm at Pokhara and 309.4 mm at Lumle. Sunshine falls to 167.4 hours. Modelled rain at base camp rises to 216 mm with 25 wet days. That is why we call May the least reliable month for views in spring, and why we rate it as Possible with care rather than Good. The temperatures are mild, with Chomrong at 18 C by day and 11 C by night, Deurali nights at 5 C, and base camp at 5 C by day and minus 1 C by night. Our spring post covers the afternoon cloud. If you can choose, we would pick March or April over May. If May is your only window, come with time to spare, start early each day, and keep your plan for base camp flexible. Our trek guide explains the daily rhythm.

June to September: what the monsoon numbers say

The monsoon numbers are plain. At Pokhara the station normals are 648.2 mm in June, 941.0 mm in July, 839.4 mm in August and 635.0 mm in September. At Lumle, which sits higher at 1,738 metres and closer to the hills you walk through, the normals are 866.0 mm in June, 1,473.2 mm in July, 1,419.4 mm in August and 903.2 mm in September. Sunshine in Pokhara falls to 111.0 hours in June, 105.4 hours in July, 96.1 hours in August and 132.0 hours in September. At base camp the typical figure is 417 mm and 29 wet days in June, 682 mm and 31 wet days in July, 513 mm and 31 wet days in August, and 350 mm and 28 wet days in September. That means rain on most days of the monsoon, and on almost every day of July and August. Peak rain for the Annapurna Conservation Area falls from June to September. If you want to understand monsoon trekking more broadly, read our monsoon trekking post.

We would not choose these months for the views. The numbers say you cannot plan on a clear morning. If you have no other window, tell us before you book and we will talk it through. But be honest with yourself first. If you are flying far and your main wish is to stand in the Sanctuary and see the full ring of peaks, save your trip for October, November, March or April. If you want to compare a lower and drier option for the same season, read our ABC against Mardi Himal comparison.

December to February: how cold is the Sanctuary and what about avalanches?

Winter is dry and bright, but it is cold where it matters. In December the typical night lows are 3 C at Chomrong, minus 3 C at Deurali, and minus 9 C at base camp. In January they are minus 1 C at Chomrong, minus 7 C at Deurali, and minus 14 C at base camp. In February they are 0 C at Chomrong, minus 6 C at Deurali, and minus 12 C at base camp. Day highs at base camp are minus 1 C in December, minus 5 C in January, and minus 4 C in February. Station rain is low, with Pokhara at 11.5 mm in December, 21.6 mm in January and 35.1 mm in February, and Lumle at 15.5 mm, 34.9 mm and 51.4 mm. Sunshine stays high, with 220.1 hours in December, 204.6 hours in January and 208.1 hours in February. Pokhara itself stays mild. Its record low is 0.5 C, on 13 January 2012, and snow is not seen in the Pokhara valley. The cold gathers as you climb, about 6 C per 1,000 metres of height as a broad rule. For our full winter account, read our November to December winter post, and for nearby winter context read our Poon Hill in December and January post and our Annapurna Circuit winter post.

On snow, a published study of winter 1999 to 2000 (Putkonen, 2004) found that areas above 3,000 metres were snow covered until the end of March and areas above 4,400 metres until May. Deurali at 3,174 metres and base camp at 4,130 metres are both above 3,000 metres. That was one winter, so treat it as a guide rather than a rule, but it is why we say snow can lie on the upper trail long after December. On avalanches, we will be direct. Deurali lies in an avalanche-prone area. On 17 January 2020 an avalanche in the Annapurna region left six trekkers, including four Koreans, missing, as The Himalayan Times reported on 18 January 2020. There is no official avalanche calendar for this trail, so we cannot give you a safe window. Your guide decides whether to go higher. If winter is your only window, bring proper winter kit, read our how to stay warm post and our altitude sickness prevention post, and keep spare days in case we need to wait or turn back.

How cold are the nights at each stop, month by month?

Nights decide how you sleep, so here are the typical night lows at three sleeping heights for seven months across the year.

Please read this table as a guide. These are typical open-air night lows at each height. A stone room, a wooden lodge, wind, cloud, and whether your room is on the windward side all change what you feel, and any single night can be colder or milder. Use the table to compare months, not to pick an exact sleeping bag limit to the degree. If you run cold, treat October nights at base camp near minus 1 C and November nights near minus 6 C with respect, and treat December to February as full winter. Our packing list and our how to stay warm post show what we recommend.

Which month suits which traveller?

Different months suit different people. This table draws on the figures above.

A few notes on that table. If this is your first trek above 4,000 metres, October, November, March and April give you the kindest balance. If you hate cold, May is warmest on paper, but you trade warmth for cloud, so April is often the better pick. If clear views are your main goal, November leads on the numbers, with only 15 mm of typical rain and 4 wet days at base camp, against 102 mm and 16 wet days in October. If you only have December or January, come prepared for minus 9 C to minus 14 C nights at base camp, short days, and possible snow above Deurali. Read our winter post, our insurance post, and our altitude post before you book a winter date.

Does the month change the price or the trek we run?

No. The month does not change the price or the trek we run. Our 9 day Annapurna Base Camp trek costs USD 499 per person on Budget, USD 799 per person on Standard, and USD 1,400 per person on Luxury. For groups of 1 to 4 people you pay the headline price. For groups of 5 to 8 the price is USD 449 Budget, USD 749 Standard and USD 1,349 Luxury. For groups of 9 to 12 it is USD 399 Budget, USD 699 Standard and USD 1,299 Luxury. For groups of 13 to 20 it is USD 349 Budget, USD 649 Standard and USD 1,249 Luxury. Group size is 2 to 20, and solo is also possible. For a full breakdown of what sits behind those numbers, read our cost 2026 breakdown.

The inclusions by tier do not change by month either. Budget means no porter, so you carry your own bag, with shared rooms, trek meals not included, and local transport. Standard means one porter for every two trekkers, with 20 kg per porter, private rooms, and all trek meals. Luxury means one dedicated porter per trekker, private deluxe rooms with attached bathroom where available, and all meals plus fruit and nuts and unlimited soft drinks. A solo Standard trekker has no porter, and the guide carries up to 10 kg. Kathmandu hotels are not included in any trek tier, and we quote them separately. The route, the driving plan, and the walking days stay the same. We drive Kathmandu to Pokhara in 7 to 8 hours, walk Ghandruk to Chomrong to Deurali to base camp and back via Bamboo and Jhinu Danda, sleep in Pokhara, then drive back to Kathmandu. A licensed guide walks with you on every trek. A licensed guide and agency-issued TIMS card are required on most trekking routes under the Nepal Tourism Board rule from 31 March 2023; the Everest (Khumbu) region does not enforce it locally, but we always trek with a licensed guide.

On money and cover, our terms are fixed. The deposit is 10 percent and it is non refundable. There is no refund if you cancel. You can reschedule free with at least 72 hours notice to any date within one year. If we cannot run the trip, we refund what was paid less taxes, bank or card charges and money already spent. You pay the balance on arrival in Kathmandu in USD or EUR, by cash or by card. Card carries a 3.5 percent charge, cash in Kathmandu carries none. We do not take Nepali rupees from foreign clients. Buy insurance at home before you travel. For ABC you need helicopter rescue and evacuation cover to 5,000 metres. See our insurance post before you pay for a policy.

When should you not go?

Here is the honest list. Do not go in the monsoon if you want views. June, July, August and September show 635.0 mm to 941.0 mm of station rain at Pokhara, 866.0 mm to 1,473.2 mm at Lumle, and 28 to 31 typical wet days at base camp. You may get a fine morning, but you should expect cloud, rain and delays. Do not go from mid December to February if this is your first winter trek. Base camp nights sit near minus 9 C in December and minus 14 C in January, snow lay above 3,000 metres until the end of March in the one winter in that study, and the Deurali area needs respect after fresh snow. Do not choose May if you want clear views. It is milder than March and April, but with 354.7 mm at Pokhara, 309.4 mm at Lumle, and 25 typical wet days at base camp, it is the least reliable month for views in spring. If you want help weighing ABC against a shorter or lower route in a tricky month, read our ABC against Mardi Himal comparison and our monsoon post.

Sources. Rain and sunshine figures are the 1991 to 2020 climate averages for Pokhara Airport (827 metres) and Lumle (1,738 metres, Department of Hydrology and Meteorology). Temperatures at 2,170, 3,174 and 4,130 metres are typical values for 2015 to 2024. Snow cover is from Putkonen, 2004, Arctic, Antarctic, and Alpine Research, for winter 1999 to 2000. The avalanche report is The Himalayan Times, 18 January 2020, headline Six trekkers including 4 Koreans missing in avalanche in Annapurna region. The seasons, the 80 per cent of rain falling from June to September and the temperature drop of about 6 C per 1,000 metres are from the Nepal Tourism Board climate page, ntb.gov.np/en/plan-your-trip/about-nepal/climate. We are a family company registered in 2016, from three generations of family guides, TAAN member 1586.

Written by Shreejan Simkhada, CEO of The Everest Holiday, from a family of three generations of family guides. TAAN Member #1586. WhatsApp +977 9810351300.