April is one of the most favorable months for trekking in the Nepal Himalayas. Everest Base Camp Trek in April offers you some of the best views on the route. April is the month when the spring season is at its peak, and vibrant and colorful wildflowers fill the mountains and valleys. The days become longer, and the temperature rises up. With increased daylight hours, one can stay on the trail for longer periods. April is also one of the best months to trek in Nepal, as some of the major spring festivals are celebrated during this month.
Advantages of Everest Base Camp Trek in April
- Days are longer and warmer. You can stay on the trail for a longer period each day. No need to put on layers of clothes to protect you from the cold.
- The trail is covered in rhododendron blooms, orchids, and wildflowers. Some of the plants and flowers found in the Everest region are not found anywhere else.
- Spring is a great season for botanists and horticulturists to trek to EBC as they can observe some of the rare plants and flowers in bloom.
- Opportunity to meet people from all over the globe. April is one of the popular months for trekking, and the Everest Base Camp trail is filled with trekkers of different nationalities during this month. If you love interacting with people, this is a great month to head to EBC.
- April is mountaineering season, and you can meet and observe expedition groups heading to Mount Everest or one of the smaller mountains in the Khumbu Region.
- Once you reach Everest Base Camp, you can observe the mini tent city at the base of Mount Everest, where expedition groups camp out for a month or so, preparing for their big climb—many celebrities and renowned adventurous try to summit Mount Everest each climbing season. There’s a good chance of you encountering some of the celebs on the trail or at the teahouses.
Disadvantages
- Crowded trail.
- Difficulty in getting flight tickets. Rush at the airport.
- Have to travel to Manthali Airport in Ramechhap to catch the flight to Lukla. During the busy spring seasons, flights to Lukla are rerouted to Manthali Airport, which lies about 132 kilometers from Kathmandu.
- Rooms at teahouses fill up pretty fast. It will get difficult to get good rooms if they are not booked in advance.
- The prices of flight tickets get costly
- Scattered rainfall and thundershowers.
Weather in April
April is one of the best months to head to Everest Base Camp. The weather is just right, and you can trek comfortably. While Lobuche, Gorak Shep, and Everest Base Camp will be cold and have some snow, the rest of the places en route will be warmer.
The average maximum temperature between Lukla and Namche will be around two to three degrees Celsius, while the average minimum temperature will dip to about minus seven degrees.
In the higher reaches, you can expect the mercury to dip as low as minus fourteen degrees Celsius. At Everest Base Camp, the maximum average temperature is one-degree Celsius.
You can expect some rain and thundershowers en route, as the Everest trail gets around forty millimeters of rain in April.
Accommodations on the trek
As it is peak tourist season during April, all the teahouses, lodges, restaurants, and cafes along the trail will be open for business. There will be many options for you. But on the downside, teahouses may fill up pretty soon, especially at the higher reaches. It may get difficult to get a good room if not booked in advance. The communal area at the teahouses also gets crowded and noisy.
What to pack?
Head
- Warm cap
- Hat with sun-shield
- Woolen scarf or buff
Hands and Torso
- Gloves or mittens
- T-shirts or shirts that can absorb sweat
- Down jacket
- Windcheater or waterproof parka
- Thermal layers
- Undergarments and quick-drying towel
Feet and legs
- sturdy and comfortable pair of hiking boots with good ankle support
- Enough pairs of woolen and cotton socks.
- Crocs or flip-flops to wear at the end of the day’s trek
- Microspikes in case there’s ice on the trail at the higher reaches
- Trekking pants and shorts
Miscellaneous
- Sunscreen lotion or cream
- Wet wipes
- Toilet paper roll
- Hand sanitizer
- Headlamp with adequate batteries
- Powerbank
- Plastic ziplock bags to store your batteries and gadgets
- Waterproof cover for your backpack
- Your favorite snacks
- Goggles with UV protection
- Re-usable water bottles, steripen or water-purifying tablets
Last but not least, don’t forget to bring along a raincoat or umbrella, a pair of trekking poles, and a sleeping bag.
How to keep yourself safe while trekking?
- Keep yourself hydrated by drinking fluids. Dehydration is one of the chief causes of AMS(acute mountain sickness).
- Refrain from drinking alcohol and smoking. At high altitudes, your lungs will be working overtime, and smoking may lead to breathlessness.
- Stay away from meat if you can, as the meat available en route is transported from the lowlands and not freshly butchered
- Filter your drinking water if you are not buying mineral water.
- End your trek before darkness falls. Don’t push yourself by keeping unrealistic goals. There have been instances of trekkers losing their way and going missing.
- If you feel sick, it’s better to rest and continue your trek after feeling better. If you are walking with a guide, take his advice.
- Keep the details of your travel insurance with you. You don’t know when it might come in handy.
- Eat well, sleep well, and keep a positive outlook.
Alternate Routes
You can make your trip more adventurous by combining it with the Everest High Passes Trek or the Gokyo Lake Trek. If you have limited time, you can take a helicopter tour to EBC and Kala Patthar. The flight starts from Kathmandu and takes only a few hours to complete. You can return to Kathmandu on the same day.
If you would like to minimize the duration of your EBC trek, you can fly to Namche via helicopter and start your trek from there. You can also reduce your walking days by returning to Lukla via helicopter after reaching Everest Base Camp.
If you have already done the Everest Base Camp Trek, you can try exploring some of the rarely explored trails like the Hinku Valley, the Sherpa Heritage trail, and the middle hills of Solu Khumbu.
Festivals in April
1st Baisakh or Nepali New Year
Nepalese celebrate their New Year in April. According to Bikram Samvat, the calendar used in the country, Baisakh, or the first month of the year, falls in April or May. It’s a joyous time with families and friends getting together and celebrating the start of a new year. Various cultural and entertainment programs are held all over the country to mark this day.
Bisket Jatra, Sindure Jatra, and Bode Jatra
Bisket Jatra, a boisterous chariot-pulling festival, is celebrated in Bhaktapur, one of the three ancient cities in Kathmandu Valley. Kathmandu Valley is famous for its chariot pulling and street festivals, where communities gather and celebrate a religious event. While Kathmandu is famous for its Indra Jatra, Patan is well known for the Rato Machendranath Jatra, a month-long chariot-pulling festival held in honor of Rato Machendranath, the Rain God of the valley.
In Bhaktapur, the Bisket Jatra is celebrated for a week with great pomp and show. The festival has been celebrated for centuries to commemorate the killing of a serpent who killed the young men of Bhaktapur by a prince. The festival commences at the Bhairav Temple with a worship of the deity and the placing of his idol on the chariot. A tug-of-war ensues between the locals of Upper Bhaktapur and Lower Bhaktapur. Both parties try to pull the chariot towards their side. The winning side gets to keep the chariot in their locality.
Sindure Jatra is another colorful street festival celebrated in Madyapur Thimi, near Bhaktapur. The villagers carry 32 palanquins of gods and parade them around the town square while people throw vermilion to welcome the gods.
Bode Jatra is held in Bode, an ancient Newari town in Kathmandu Valley. During the festival, an inhabitant of Bode goes around with his tongue pierced and carrying oil lamps. Locals believe doing this saves them from natural disasters and calamities. This festival is said to have been celebrated since the Lichhavi era.
Conclusion
A trek to Everest Base Camp in April can be a pleasant experience. As the temperature gets warmer, it becomes more pleasant to take to the trail. There are more people on the trail, and all the teahouses remain open. There is greenery at the lower reaches, and lots of wildflowers add color to the trail. In Kathmandu, the Newari ethnic community celebrates some of their major festivals around this time, and you can enjoy some authentic cultural experiences. Thus if you are planning a spring trek to EBC, April is a great month to schedule your trek.
