Ask a guide which month they would choose for their own trek and a good number will say November rather than October. The last haze of the monsoon has been washed out of the air, rain is close to unheard of, and the mountains have the hard-edged clarity that photographs never quite manage. The price is cold: by the end of the month the nights above 4,000 metres are properly wintry.
It is also a month of two halves. The first fortnight is still peak season, and in 2026 it carries the Tihar festival from the 7th to the 11th. The second fortnight is one of the best-kept secrets in Himalayan trekking.
November Weather by Altitude
The autumn high-pressure system that settles over the Himalaya in October holds through November. Days are sunny and still, afternoons cloud over far less than in spring, and precipitation is rare enough that many trekkers never unpack a rain jacket. What changes through the month is the temperature, which drops steadily.
| Where | Altitude | Typical day | Typical night |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kathmandu | 1,400 m | 20 – 24°C | 7 – 11°C |
| Pokhara | 820 m | 22 – 26°C | 10 – 14°C |
| Ghorepani / Namche Bazaar | 2,900 – 3,400 m | 8 – 13°C | −4 to 2°C |
| Annapurna Base Camp / Kyanjin Gompa | 3,900 – 4,100 m | 4 – 9°C | −9 to −4°C |
| Gorak Shep / Thorong Phedi | 4,500 – 5,200 m | −2 to 5°C | −18 to −10°C |
Two details matter more than the averages. Daylight is short — about ten and a half hours, with the sun gone from most valleys by half past four — so walking days start early. And the cold is dry, which is easier on the body than damp cold but harder on the throat; the notorious Khumbu cough is at its worst this month.
The Two Halves of the Month
| 1 – 15 November | 16 – 30 November | |
|---|---|---|
| Weather | Settled, mild by day | Settled, noticeably colder |
| Crowds | Peak season on the main trails | Thinning fast; lodges have space |
| Festivals (2026) | Tihar, 7 – 11 November | None on the trail |
| High passes | Open | Usually open; first snowfalls possible |
| Lodges at altitude | All open | A few of the highest begin to close |
| Lukla flights | Busiest weeks | Easier to book |
If your dates are flexible, the days between about 12 and 25 November are the ones to aim for: after Tihar, before the cold really bites, with room in the lodges and the same sky. The first week of the month is covered in trekking during Tihar.
The Best Treks for November
Almost everything is in condition. These are the routes that November suits particularly well.
| Trek | Days | Why November |
|---|---|---|
| Everest Base Camp | 14 | The clearest views of the year from Kala Patthar. Cold but dry. See Everest Base Camp in November. |
| Annapurna Base Camp | 9 | Stable weather in the sanctuary and little avalanche risk. See Annapurna Base Camp in November. |
| Mardi Himal | 5 – 9 | A ridge walk that depends entirely on visibility, which November gives. |
| Poon Hill | 3 – 7 | Low, warm and short. The sunrise panorama is at its sharpest. |
| Langtang Valley | 10 | Quiet after mid-month, no flight needed, yak pastures turning gold. |
| Manaslu Circuit | 15 | Best done in the first three weeks, before snow on the Larke La. |
| Annapurna Circuit | 15 | Thorong La is normally open all month; start early in the day. |
| Upper Mustang | 16 | Possible until about the third week, when lodges close for winter. |
For a first trek in the second half of the month, stay lower: the cold is a matter of comfort at 3,000 metres and a matter of judgement at 5,000. Our comparison of Mardi Himal, Poon Hill and Annapurna Base Camp sets out the three most popular choices.
What to Pack Differently
The standard trekking packing list holds, with the emphasis moved firmly towards warmth.
- A sleeping bag rated to at least −10°C, or −20°C for anything above 4,500 metres in the second half of the month. Lodges supply blankets but not enough of them.
- A proper down jacket for evenings. You will wear it from four in the afternoon until you are in your sleeping bag.
- Insulated gloves and a warm hat, plus thin liner gloves for walking.
- A buff or scarf over the mouth at altitude. Breathing cold dry air through it is the simplest protection against the cough.
- Microspikes if you are crossing a pass after about the 20th; shaded sections ice up.
- A head torch with fresh batteries. Dusk is early and pass days start in the dark.
- Sunscreen and sunglasses. The sun is weaker only in theory; the air is so clear that burn is quick.
Crowds, Lodges and Booking
The first half of November is as busy as October on the Everest and Annapurna trails. Lodges at the bottlenecks — Lobuche, Gorak Shep, Machhapuchhre Base Camp, the Annapurna High Camp — can fill by early afternoon, and anyone trekking without a guide to phone ahead may find themselves on a dining-room bench.
From the middle of the month the pressure eases quickly. Prices do not fall much, but lodge owners have time to talk, the dining rooms are quieter, and you can change plans without consequences. Ways to find space earlier in the month are in avoiding the crowds in peak season.
Domestic flights are the thing to book first. Seats to Lukla, Pokhara and Jomsom in the first half of November sell out, and the days around Tihar are tight. See domestic flights for trekkers.
Late November: The Edge of Winter
By the last week of the month the season is closing from the top down. The first real snowfall of winter can arrive any time from late November; it rarely lasts, but it can shut a high pass for a few days and it changes what the trail asks of you. Water pipes freeze, so washing is from a bucket. A few of the highest lodges — on the Three Passes route, in Upper Mustang, on the far side of the Larke La — begin to shutter as their owners move down for winter.
None of this is a reason to stay away. It is a reason to choose a route with the altitude you are prepared for, to carry the right sleeping bag, and to keep a spare day in hand. What comes next is in trekking in Nepal in December and our guide to winter trekking.
