When to Visit Nepal

Nepal has two seasons: The dry season, from October to May and the monsoon season, from June to September.

The best time to travel:

The main season in Nepal is from mid September to November. After monsoon the air is crisp and dry, making the views excellent. Vegetation is lush and green after the Monsoon rains. Daytime temperatures are pleasant, the nights often chilly. Temperatures in Kathmandu reach up to around 27 degrees during the day, and can drop down to 4 degrees in November. Pokhara and Chitwan are warmer, with temperatures not dropping below 11 degrees and sometimes as high as 30. Many festivals fall into this season, and although they can slow travel down they are well worth experiencing.

The second main season is in March and April. At this time nature is in bloom, which is especially impressive in the large rhododendron forests. Temperatures are pleasant, but the air in the middle hills can be hazy, so views there are not quite as good as in autumn. Higher altitudes have fine views. Temperatures in Kathmandu and Pokhara can be up to 25-30 degrees and rarely drop below 11 degrees. Chitwan has warmer daytime temperatures of up to 35 degrees.

Low season:
December to February are a low season for travel in Nepal. The mountain views are still very good, but higher trekking routes, like the Annapurna Circuit, may be closed, and there can be large amounts of snow. Temperatures are cold. During the day, temperatures in Kathmandu and Pokhara can reach 20 degrees, but the nights are cold and higher altitudes experience freezing temperatures. This season is the preferred season for bird watching in Chitwan and to visit the Terai region. May and early June are hot and dusty. Temperatures often rise above 30 degrees, making outdoor activities arduous. Monsoon season: From mid of June until September it is monsoon season in Nepal. This means it doesn’t rain all day – it rains almost every day, most of the rain falls at night though. Heavy rain clouds can hide the beautiful mountain views and torrential rain makes paths muddy and impassable. Landslides often block roads, making travel impossible. Additionally leeches make outdoor activities unpleasant. Trekking is not recommended during those months, unless in regions that lie in the rain shadow of mountains, like Mustang and Dolpo. Temperatures lie between 20 and 35 degrees, and even at night don’t fall below 20 degrees.

Temperature chart (in Celsius):
Max-Min Temperature *Rainy Season

	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	June	July	Aug	Sept	Oct	Nov	Dec
Kathmandu	19-2	20-4	25-8	30-11	30-16	30-20*	30-21*	29-20*	27-19	23-15	23-4	20-2
Pokhara	20-8	21-8	27-11	30-16	30-19	30-20*	30-21*	30-21*	29-20*	27-18	23-11	20-8
Chitwan	20-7	26-8	33-12	35-18	35-20	35-23*	33-24*	33-24*	32-22*	31-18	29-12	24-8