What are the possibilities, cons, and pros of Trekking in Nepal in October? Read through the article and let yourself know.
Trekking is the most popular activity in Nepal. With eight of the top 10 highest summits in the world and spectacular landscapes, trekking in Nepal has been every trekker’s dream.
With the wide variety of option, Nepal witnesses thousands of trekkers every year. But, out of twelve months in a year, October is the best season to trek.
Since the weather in October in Nepal is one of the best, it is the busiest and peak time too.
In October the mountain views are at their best with good clarity and temperatures.
During the day it’s sunny with the sun shining bright and during the night the temperature drops slightly.
Down below are some average temperature-related data for Nepal October :
Weather while Trekking in Nepal in October
Average temperature – 20 Degree Celsius
Maximum Temperature – 25 Degree Celsius
Minimum Temperature – 14 Degree Celsius
Sunshine Hours – 10 Hr
Rainfall – 67 mm
Sea Temperature – Zero Degrees Celsius
The temperature shown above is a normal temperature which might change with the effect of global warming and other factors.
Naturally, the temperatures drop higher you go up. Weather, temperatures and climatic conditions change with the change in altitude.
It also varies depending on the trek. Passes and base camps always have more extreme conditions.
Tips for Trekking in Nepal in October
If you are planning for October trekking in Nepal, it is wise to book the trek earlier to escape disappointment.
October marks the best time for trekking in Nepal. So, popular treks like Everest Base Camp, Annapurna Circuit, and many other treks can get overcrowded.
Because the days in October in Nepal are warm and nights are cool it is wise to dress in layers.
What trekking clothing to take during October in Nepal?
The weather in October is warm and sunny during the day so it is appropriate to take trekking shorts, t-shirts, or trekking shirts
If you are trekking at a higher altitude, take a warm jacket and long trousers for the evenings and nights.
Carrying a sleeping bag can be of great use in case the tea houses run out of blankets due to the crowd in peak season.
Plus, a sleeping bag liner is always a good idea.
Is accommodation and food on the trekking trails open during October?
Lodges, Tea houses, hotels, and restaurants along the trekking routes will be open in October. Due to the peak season, all the hotels and restaurants will be fully at your service.
But, you may not get the preferred rooms on the popular treks like Everest Base Camp, Annapurna Base Camp, and so on. For this, it is important that you book the rooms in advance.
Usually, a good guide will call ahead in advance to book the rooms for you.
As for the restaurants, they will be open with full menus available. The menus have a variety of food options to choose from but Dal Bhat is the staple food that you will get in all the restaurants.
It is also the cheapest and most satisfying meal.
Do you need travel insurance for trekking in October?
Trekking in Nepal in October requires travel insurance. It is peak season with more crowd than usual. This is the time when the weather is good and as such the trekkers often push going that bit further.
The weather at high altitudes can be unpredictable which can lead to difficult circumstances. Altitude sickness is ever-present and there are many chances for accidents to occur.
Despite all the safety precautions, misfortunes can take place anytime.
Thus, having travel insurance becomes very useful and necessary.
Added, make sure that you get travel insurance that covers trip cancellation and travel delays. Also, the loss of baggage and travel documents, medical expenses including emergency evacuation packages.
But, Nepal doesn’t offer travel insurance, you will need to do this from your home country.
Trekking permits
There are police checkpoints and officers to check your permit. So it is important that you get the required trekking permits. Failure upon that will lead you to pay a fine, double the normal cost.
There will be two to three permits that you will need to get. The first one is to the conservation area or national park. The second will be the Trekkers Information Management System(TIMS) card.
And the last one is the Restricted Area entry permit.
Generally, you will need the first two permits and the last one in case you are in a restricted area while Trekking in Nepal in October.
Guided or Solo treks?
Joining an organized group or hiring your own guide or porter is a personal decision. It depends on the difficulty of the trek and on the budget.
You need to organize Guides treks through TAAN registered trekking agencies in Kathmandu or Pokhara.
Besides, be careful that not everyone you meet else is legally authorized to organize a trek.
During the peak season like October, the agencies will run regular group treks. You can find a group doing the trek of your choice. The porter will carry all the necessary essentials like trekking gear, food, fuel, and other goods.
There will be a cook that will prepare all the meals during camping in your Trekking in Nepal in October.
Trekkers will only have to carry a small bag required for the day. At night they will prepare tents for sleeping. Mattresses, sleeping bags are all arranged by the staff.
The agencies arrange for all land transportation, local permits, taxes, port dues, and entrance fees to Nationals parks and sites.
Solo trekking is quite easy in popular trekking areas. But if you don’t have time to arrange everything by yourself it’s better to plan with the trekking agency.
Equipment and Supplies
It is very important to pack smart i.e to pack what is necessary and control overloads while Trekking in Nepal in October.
You always have the option of buying or renting all the trekking essentials that you need in Kathmandu and Pokhara.
Yet, some of the main essentials that you can carry are
- Comfortable hiking boots
- A sleeping bag
- Hiking pants, thermals, gloves, scarfs, a warm inner jacket, a wind/waterproof jacket
- Water purification supplies
- Hiking stick
- Waterproof case
- Fabric bandages
- Headlamps
- Medications for altitude sickness.
- Camera
- Binoculars
- Toiletries
- Snacks like granola bars, chocolates, etc
- Maps
Fitness and Experience
Nepal offers a wide range of trekking options for people with or without experience. Normally shorts treks like Langtang Valley trek, Ghorepani poon hill trek, etc don’t need experience and can be done by people from all walks of life.
These Trekking in Nepal in October are attainable for anyone who is moderately fit.
Whereas longer treks such as Everest Base Camp Trek, Annapurna Base Camp Trek, Upper Mustang trek demand a higher degree of endurance.
For trekking peaks at an altitude above 6000m, it is desirable to have some alpine climbing experience.
Altitude sickness
While trekking Altitude sickness does become problematic. Thus, it is very important for all the trekkers to be familiar with the signs and symptoms of altitude sickness and to not ignore them at any time.
Be sure to drink plenty of fluids. If anyone develops symptoms of Acute Mountain Sickness (AMS), do not climb further. Rather, take a rest.
If it doesn’t get any better, then it is best to descend to a lower altitude.
Carrying some Diamox pills can be very useful. You can get them in the pharmacies in Nepal. Diamox speeds up the acclimatization process which in turn helps to relieve symptoms.
It is often advised to descend even if you experience mild acute mountain sickness while Trekking in Nepal in October.
Neglecting the symptoms can lead to worse and serious sickness called HAPE (Higher Altitude Pulmonary edema )or HACE (High Altitude Cerebral Edema).
At this point, you only have one option and that is to DESCEND.
Top 5 Destinations – Trekking in Nepal in October
- Everest Base Camp Trekking – 16 Days
- Annapurna Base Camp Trekking – 15 Days
- Manaslu Circuit Trek – 17 Days
- Mardi Himal Trekking – 10 Days
- Langtang Valley Trek – 9 Days
Itineraries
If you want to get information on the number of days you can spend in October in Nepal, you can browse the itineraries of different treks from our website. These itineraries will give you day-to-day details from the day of arrival till the day of departure.
Conclusion -Trekking in Nepal in October
Trekking in Nepal is possible throughout the year. Yet, October is the best time to trek.
The calm and pleasing weather allows you the best time to trek with clear views of mountains, lakes, and natural scenes.
Due to the peak season, all the trekking trails will be open during this time. The services from the hotel and restaurants will also be at their best.
For those of you who enjoy meeting new people, this is the perfect time to connect with people from all around the world.
Popular season means many travelers. Therefore, booking in advance is crucial.
For further details and inquiries, please feel free to contact us. It is our pleasure to assist you to the best of our knowledge.