Trail & Weather

How cold does the Everest Base Camp trek actually get? Real night temperatures by altitude and month

The honest numbers: about −10°C to −15°C on a normal autumn or spring night at the highest camp, and below −20°C in mid-winter — plus exactly what to…

By Anjali Shrestha · Aug 4, 2026

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The short answer On a normal autumn or spring night, the coldest camp — Gorak Shep (5,164m) — drops to roughly −10°C to −15°C . Down at Namche Bazaar (3,440m) those same nights are far milder: around −2°C to −6°C . In…

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Why the number changes so much

Two things drive the temperature on this trek: altitude and time of day. As a rule of thumb air cools by roughly 6.5°C for every 1,000m you climb, so the 1,700m between Namche and Gorak Shep is worth about 11°C on its own. The best hard data we have…

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Rent, do not buy

The big parka for two cold nights of a two-week trek

Expedition down jacket (−20 °C)

You need this for perhaps three evenings of an Everest Base Camp trek. Buying one costs several hundred dollars; renting one in Kathmandu costs a few, and the shops keep them in good…

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Expedition down jacket (−20 °C)

You need this for perhaps three evenings of an Everest Base Camp trek. Buying one costs several hundred dollars; renting one in Kathmandu costs a few, and the shops keep them in good condition because their business depends on it.

Not for: Anyone who trekks or climbs regularly. If this is your third Himalayan trip, buy your own.

Rental shops in Kathmandu and Pokhara carry this — about USD 1-2 per day in Thamel or Lakeside. We take nothing from that.

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What to actually pack for it

The cold is beaten with layers and a serious sleeping bag, not brute-force down. Teahouse dining rooms are heated (usually by a yak-dung stove) in the evening, but bedrooms are not — the temperatures in the table above are effectively your bedroom…

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Warmest

The one thick pair you keep clean for the pass and the summit day

Smartwool Mountaineer Classic Over-the-Calf

The warmest sock worth carrying, and the reason people sleep through a night at Lobuche — far too hot for anything below 4,000 m, so it is a single dedicated pair, not your daily sock.

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Smartwool Mountaineer Classic Over-the-Calf

The warmest sock worth carrying, and the reason people sleep through a night at Lobuche — far too hot for anything below 4,000 m, so it is a single dedicated pair, not your daily sock.

Not for: Treks that top out below 4,000 m, or anyone whose boots are already a snug fit.

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If you buy through that link we earn a commission. It costs you nothing and it does not change what we recommend — the rental and advice-only entries in our gear guide earn us nothing at all.

Best for cold lodges

For the four hours between dinner and sleep above 4,000 m

Naturehike Down Booties

The single best comfort-per-gram item above Dingboche; useless as an outdoor shoe, so most people end up carrying these AND something for outside.

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Naturehike Down Booties

The single best comfort-per-gram item above Dingboche; useless as an outdoor shoe, so most people end up carrying these AND something for outside.

Not for: Treks that stay below 3,000 m. Your feet will be fine in socks.

Check price on Amazon Read the full review

If you buy through that link we earn a commission. It costs you nothing and it does not change what we recommend — the rental and advice-only entries in our gear guide earn us nothing at all.

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Everest Base Camp Trek — 14 Days

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