January and February are the coldest, quietest months to trek in Nepal. Skies are often clear, trails are empty, and nights high up are well below freezing.
Our own calendar is strict about them. No trek lists January as a recommended or possible month. February is listed as possible for five: Poon Hill, Mardi Himal, Annapurna Base Camp, Annapurna Base Camp with Poon Hill, and Everest Base Camp. Khopra Danda, Langtang Valley and both versions of the Annapurna Circuit aren’t on the February list.
How cold it gets
Average night-time lows at the highest place you sleep, from modelled ten-year averages (ERA5 via Open-Meteo, 2016–2025):
| Trek | Highest night stop | January | February |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poon Hill | Ghorepani, 2,860 m | −5 °C | −4 °C |
| Mardi Himal | High Camp, 3,540 m | −7 °C | −6 °C |
| Khopra Danda | Khopra Danda, 3,640 m | −9 °C | −9 °C |
| Annapurna Base Camp | Annapurna Base Camp, 4,130 m | −10 °C | −10 °C |
| Annapurna Circuit | Thorong Phedi, 4,450 m | −16 °C | −15 °C |
| Everest Base Camp | Gorak Shep, 5,164 m | −17 °C | −17 °C |
These are averages; single nights can be colder, and wind makes it feel colder still. Teahouse rooms are unheated.
February, trek by trek
- Poon Hill never sleeps above 2,860 m, the lowest of these routes. February nights at Ghorepani average −4 °C; expect frost and sometimes snow.
- Mardi Himal is possible, but snow can cover the ridge above High Camp. Go only with current conditions checked.
- Annapurna Base Camp, on its own or joined to Poon Hill, is walkable in many winters, but after heavy snow the section between Deurali and Machapuchare Base Camp can be exposed to avalanches. See is Annapurna Base Camp open in winter?
- Everest Base Camp is on the February list for trekkers equipped for −17 °C nights at Gorak Shep. Lukla flights still depend on the weather.
- The Annapurna Circuit crosses Thorong La at 5,416 m, where snow can block the pass. It isn’t on our February list, and we don’t plan it for these months.
If January is your only window, talk to us before you book anything: its average lows are as low as or lower than February’s at every stop in the table, and it isn’t a month we list for any trek.
Packing for the cold
- A sleeping bag rated well below the night temperatures above. For Annapurna Base Camp, around −15 °C.
- A proper down jacket, warm gloves and a hat for evenings and early mornings.
- Microspikes if there’s snow on the trail. Ask us about current conditions before you go.
For December, see Nepal trekking in December.
