Trekking in February

[yakshaver]

Anna,
I keep an eye on everything to do with Nepal and trekking reguarly, and have found no trusworthy information that Thorung La will be closed in Feb/March. By whom? How? Usually, if you keep an eye on the weather, and talk to the locals, or better, have a trustworthy guide and are reasonably fit, you should be OK. The only big rule is to handle the Circuit in anti-clockwise direction. If you go from Pokhara, the "jump" from Kagbeni/Muktinath (3800) to Thorung La (5400) in one day is just too much for most people, and they develop AMS.

[Elle]

Sound advice it seems. I too read the same information on one of the other web-sites so thanks for the update.

Whats the weather like on the same route in early january ?.

[tutengil]

hi
it will be our first visit to nepal and we are hoping to complete ebc trek starting from jiri is this possible in late jan early feb is the weather cold and wet or cold and clear, are porters guides easy to find in kathmandu and how much to allow for this trek timewise and money wise we have no idea?
thanks for any advice in advance

[rich]

Generally speaking it will be cold and dry. Cold nights. Pleasant days, but chilly when the sun is not out.
If you feel you need a porter, it will be easy enough to get one in Lukla, Bandar or Jiri as it is not high season and should be very quiet.

[rich]

Getting the porter in Solu-Khumbu will save you the airfare and possibly you will have more chance to secure someone who lives in the area.

The air quality and visibility will be reasonably clear still.

[kiwigirl]

hi
it will be our first visit to nepal and we are hoping to complete ebc trek starting from jiri is this possible in late jan early feb is the weather cold and wet or cold and clear, are porters guides easy to find in kathmandu and how much to allow for this trek timewise and money wise we have no idea?
thanks for any advice in advance

There are some agencys that the people who use this board have used every time they go there that have proven great for providing porters and guides and are very helpful with every detail you need. much easier to sort things out before you go as Kathmandu is hectic. The agency I used last May (Heian Treks)was 3 minutes walk from Kathmandu guest house and I couldnt find it. walked round the block for ages! eventually I asked him to come to us. I know where his office is now though, cant see how I missed it :) The Lonely Planet book, Trekking in the Himalaya has that trek in detail and it cost me $5US per meal when I was in the mountains and $10US per meal at Kathmandu Guest House. $15US per night for a room with a bathroom with 2 beds when I was in the mountains, $2US for a bed in a dorm and about $30US for a room at Kathmandu Guest House with 2 beds and bathroom. Weather seems to be cold and clear that time of the year and to hire a -40 sleeping bag is $148US for 15 days . . .and fleece sleeping bag liners are great . . .. :D

[Lars]

to hire a -40 sleeping bag is $148US for 15 days
I wonder how you end up paying that much?

The sleeping bags I rent cost abt 1 or 2 dollars per day. Well they are not
graded to -40, but then again I have never needed such extreme bags. I have
not been cold either.

[Escher]

Weather seems to be cold and clear that time of the year and to hire a -40 sleeping bag is $148US for 15 days . . .and fleece sleeping bag liners are great . . .. :D

Also the weather can be variable that time of year. Cold sure but not necessarily clear. December is clearer. December does not equate with late Winter - Jan Feb - necessarily. And -40 is overkill even for that time of year. -20 for lodges is plenty.