June heralds the off-season in the trekking trails of Nepal. It's the start of the monsoon season; therefore, trekkers and tourists prefer to stay away from the mountain trails. If there's going to be a brain on the trail, will it be possible to take an Everest Base Camp Trek in June? The answer is YES. Yes, it's doable if you think nothing of the discomfort of walking in the rain. With the trails getting muddy and slippery, there's going to be less traffic. What's more the landscape looks more alive with greenery touching the dry mountains and waterfalls and rivulets flowing down the mountains.
Available and recommended Everest Base Camp Trek packages in June with the Nepal Hiking Team.
- Everest Base Camp Trek - 16 days
- Luxury Everest Base Camp Heli Trek - 11 days
- Everest Base Camp Heli Trek - 11 days
- Everest Base Camp Luxury Trek - 16 days
- Everest Base Camp Short Trek - 14 days
- Everest Base Camp Heli Shuttle Trek - 12 days
The early days of the month generally remain dry and sunny, with brief showers in the afternoon. It's during mid-June that the monsoon winds start getting stronger and bring in a lot more rain. If you plan your trip properly, you can have some sunny and clear days during your trek. All in all, June is a great month if you love quiet trails and wish to experience the mountains during the rainy season.
Advantages of an Everest Base Camp Trek in June
- Less crowded trail. You can trek alone in peace.
- Lukla Flights operate from Kathmandu airport. No need to make the long journey to Manthali Airport.
- No need to book your accommodation in advance as it will be easy to get a room.
- Amazing landscape. Mountainsides are covered with lush greenery, roaring waterfalls, and rivers.
- Your backpack is lighter as you won't have to pack the heavy winter layers.
Disadvantages
- Flight delays due to bad weather.
- Wet and humid conditions. The trail gets slippery and muddy.
- At the lower reaches, the trail gets infested by blood-sucking leeches.
- Sometimes, the trail gets washed away by heavy rain.
- Clouds obstruct the view of mountains.
Weather in June
The first days of the month may be dry. The monsoon starts getting stronger by mid-month, and you can expect lots of rainfall after mid-June. It gets warm and humid on the trail. The average maximum temperature in Lukla shoots up to twenty-two degrees centigrade and eighteen degrees centigrade in Namche Bazaar. The minimum average temperatures also remain well above one degree centigrade. You can expect an average rainfall of about 49mm.
At the higher reaches (Dingboche, Lobuche, and Gorakshep), temperatures may dip below zero degrees at night, but you can expect the days to be warmer.
Lukla Flights
All flights to and from Lukla operate from the Kathmandu domestic airport during the off-season. Therefore you won't have to travel all the way to Manthali Airport to catch your flight. But as the weather remains wet and cloudy there's frequent disruption of flights. To avoid any last-minute hassle you should keep a couple of buffer days in case your flight to Lukla gets canceled.
Accommodation
June marks the beginning of the off-season. As there will be less traffic on the trails most of the teahouse owners will close shop and migrate to the cities. But fear not, you will find at least one or two teahouses open for business at every stop or village. While the options may be few, you may not have to stress about getting a room as almost all the rooms will be vacant at the teahouse.
What do you pack for a June trek to EBC?
As June is a wet month, almost all the gear and equipment you carry should be waterproof. Here's a tentative list of what you should pack for your June Everest base Camp Trek.
- Waterproof hiking boots with a firm grip
- A big rucksack and a small daypack with waterproof covers
- Sleeping bag
- A large raincoat
- Waterproof parka
- Down jacket
- Shorts and waterproof trekking pants
- Enough pairs of socks and undergarments
- Gloves
- Warm cap and buff
- Goggles with UV shield
- Insect repellent and table salt(to repel the leeches)
- Crocs or flip-flops
- Head torch with extra batteries
- Quick drying T-shirts, towel
- Wet wipes, toilet paper roll, soap, shampoo, hand sanitizer, sunscreen lotion
- Paracetamol, Diamox, anti-diarrhea pills, pain killers, antibiotics (1 course), band-aid strips, Electrolyte sachets, pain relieving balm, etc.
- Plastic ziplock bags to keep your electronic gadgets and accessories dry
- Powerbank and extra batteries
- Trekking poles
Also, don't forget to carry enough local currency as card payment is not accepted at most places. If you are using a reusable water bottle make sure to sterilize the water properly before drinking. Waterborne diseases are quite common during the monsoon season. Be wary of contaminated water at small and open-air eating joints.
Safety
A June trek on the Everest trail will have you battling with rain, fog, and muddy trails. While it will be dry at the higher reaches, you can expect heavy downpours at the lower reaches. It will get tricky traversing the muddy trails alone. Therefore, we urge you to use the services of a local guide if you are planning a trek to Everest Base Camp in June. Also, take time out to check the weather report before embarking on your trekking adventure.
A guide will know which trail will be safer(if there is more than one trail) and which teahouses will be open for business. As the off-season starts in June many teahouse owners close their businesses and head to the cities. You will be saving a lot of time and effort by trekking with a guide with local knowledge and contacts.
Apart from trekking with a knowledgeable guide, you need to keep yourself safe from AMS or altitude sickness. Drink lots of fluids and watch out for the symptoms. Keep the details of your travel insurance with you in case you may need emergency rescue and evacuation. While it's good to keep a positive mindset, it's always safer to be prepared for the worst-case scenario while trekking in a remote area like the Everest region.
Alternate Routes
The Gokyo Lakes look stunning during this season. You can also try taking the Sherpa Heritage Trail and visit the Sherpa villages which don't fall on the popular trekking routes – Thame, Phortse, Pangboche, Khumjung, Kunde, etc. The hike to Ama Dablam Base Camp will also provide you with a new perspective on the beautiful mountain.
Additionally, you can minimize your trekking days by opting to fly into Namche via helicopter and walking to EBC. You can also make the return journey by helicopter after reaching Everest Base Camp.
Festival
Dumji is a five-day festival celebrated in Solu Khumbu which is observed either in June or July as per the Tibetan lunar calendar. It's an important Sherpa festival where the whole Sherpa community gather in their villages to worship and celebrate. The dates for the festival are announced by the Rimpoche(head monk) of Tengboche Monastery.
Dumji is an interesting festival where a Sherpa family is chosen to provide food and drinks for the whole village during the festival. The family is chosen by the Rinpoche. During the festival, people gather at the monastery and watch the monks perform cham or masked dances and the fire ceremony to appease the Buddhist deities and drive away the bad spirits.
The monks pray to ‘Khumbiyalha,’ the guardian deity of the Sherpas, who reside in the Khumbila mountain. After the celebration at the monastery, there is merry-making. People attend the feast at the host family's home wearing their traditional attire and singing and dancing together. The festival of Dumji is important for the Sherpas as it fosters a strong sense of community among the villagers and makes their bond stronger.
Conclusion
An Everest Base Camp Trek in June can be an enjoyable adventure if planned properly. While you will have to contend with rain and wet trails, you will get to enjoy a different perspective of the mountain. The barren mountains at the lower reaches come alive with the rains and the trail is filled with wildflowers and lush greenery. The white mist covering the mountains and the cloud bed shrouding the valleys look breathtaking. A trek in June is a must if you want to experience the Everest trails in all four seasons.
