The short answer
For most travellers the answer is mid-October to late November. The monsoon has washed the dust out of the air, skies are usually clear from dawn to mid-afternoon, and the big peaks above Pokhara and in the Khumbu stand out sharp against the blue. It is also the busiest season, so the best rooms at Dwarika's Hotel, Tiger Mountain Pokhara Lodge and the Yeti Mountain Home lodges fill early, and Lukla flights are heavily booked. We suggest holding rooms six to nine months ahead for October and November travel.
March and April are the second window. Days are warmer, rhododendron forests bloom on the hills between about 1,500 and 3,500 m, and the wildlife parks of the Terai are at their best after the tall grass has been cut. The trade-off is haze: by late April and May, dust and smoke from crop burning soften the mountain views, and on some days the Annapurnas disappear from Pokhara by mid-morning. If you are fixed to a particular month, Nepal still works in all twelve: the art is in choosing the right places for it. The table below shows how we would use each month, and the sections that follow explain the trade-offs season by season.
Nepal month by month
Temperatures below are typical daily lows and highs in Kathmandu, at 1,400 m. Pokhara, at 822 m, runs a few degrees warmer, and Chitwan and Bardia in the lowland Terai are warmer still. Every 1,000 m of height takes roughly 6 °C off, so at Namche Bazaar (3,440 m) nights fall below freezing from November to March.
| Month | Kathmandu weather | Rating | Where we would go |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | ≈ 2–18 °C, dry, clear, cold nights | Good | Kathmandu Valley, Chitwan, Bardia, Pokhara |
| February | ≈ 4–20 °C, dry, clear | Good | Chitwan, Bardia, Kathmandu Valley, Lumbini |
| March | ≈ 8–25 °C, mostly dry, some haze | Best | Pokhara, Annapurna foothills, Chitwan, Everest region |
| April | ≈ 12–28 °C, warm, haze builds | Best | Everest region, Annapurna foothills, Bardia |
| May | ≈ 16–29 °C, hot, hazy, afternoon storms | Fair | Mustang, Everest region, Bardia for tigers |
| June | ≈ 19–29 °C, monsoon begins | Avoid most areas | Mustang |
| July | ≈ 20–28 °C, heavy rain | Avoid most areas | Mustang |
| August | ≈ 20–28 °C, heavy rain | Avoid most areas | Mustang, Kathmandu for festivals |
| September | ≈ 19–28 °C, rain easing late in the month | Fair | Kathmandu Valley, Mustang |
| October | ≈ 13–27 °C, dry, clearest air | Best | Everywhere, including Everest and Annapurna |
| November | ≈ 7–23 °C, dry, clear | Best | Everywhere; Chitwan opens up again |
| December | ≈ 3–20 °C, dry, cold nights | Good | Kathmandu Valley, Dhulikhel, Pokhara, Chitwan |
Autumn: October and November
Autumn is the season most people picture when they think of Nepal. After the last monsoon rain in late September the air turns dry, mornings in Kathmandu begin cool and clear, and from Dhulikhel the line of peaks from Langtang to Gaurishankar is visible on most days. It is the main walking season in the Khumbu and the Annapurna foothills, and the most reliable window for Lukla flights, though cloud can still ground them for a day or two.
Autumn is also festival season. Dashain, the longest Hindu festival of the year, usually falls in late September or October, and Tihar, the festival of lights, follows two to three weeks later. Both bring families home, close offices for several days and fill domestic flights and highways, so we plan around the key days with care. At Tengboche Monastery, the Mani Rimdu masked dances usually take place in October or November. Festival dates follow the lunar calendar, so check current status before you travel.
Chitwan is green and the grass is tall in October, which makes animals harder to see; by late November it is drying out and sightings improve. Mustang is also good in October, before the cold sets in, and Lumbini cools to pleasant days by November.
Spring: March to May
Spring warms quickly. In March, mornings in the Kathmandu Valley are still crisp and the mountains are usually clear; by April afternoons reach the high 20s °C and cloud builds over the hills after midday. Rhododendron, Nepal's national flower, blooms red, pink and white on the trails around Ghorepani and Poon Hill, and on the walk up to Tengboche, from about March to April depending on altitude.
This is the best season for the Terai parks. The tall grass in Chitwan and Bardia is cut early in the year, so from February to April the open ground makes rhino, deer and, with luck, tiger easier to see. March to May is the hottest period in Bardia, but also the time we would choose for tiger chances, because animals come to the remaining water. Spring is also the main season for climbing expeditions on Everest, so Namche Bazaar and the trail to it are busy in April and May, and Lukla flights fill.
May is the shoulder month. Haze is thick, the Terai and Lumbini can pass 38 °C, and storms arrive in the afternoons. It suits higher places: Mustang is dry and bright, and the Tiji festival in Lo Manthang usually falls in May.
Monsoon: June to September
The monsoon usually reaches Nepal in mid-June and withdraws in late September. Most of the country's annual rain falls in these months, often as heavy showers in the afternoon and at night rather than all day. The hills turn deep green, rice terraces fill with water and there are very few visitors, but the trade-offs are real:
- Cloud hides the high peaks on most days, so mountain views from Pokhara, Dhulikhel and the Everest region are a matter of luck
- Landslides block highways, including the Prithvi Highway between Kathmandu and Pokhara, and can add hours to road journeys
- Lukla and Jomsom flights are cancelled more often, sometimes for several days in a row
- Leeches are common on forest trails below about 3,000 m
- Many lodges in Chitwan and Bardia close for part of the season, and jungle drives are limited
Why Mustang works in the rains
The exception is Mustang. It lies north of the main Himalayan range in a rain shadow, so Jomsom, Kagbeni, Muktinath and Lo Manthang stay largely dry, and summer is one of the best times to travel there. Getting to Jomsom is the weak link: the morning flight from Pokhara is cancelled when cloud sits on the route, and the road can be cut by slides further south. We build in a spare day at each end.
Late August and September also bring the Kathmandu Valley's street festivals, including Indra Jatra, when the Kumari is pulled through the old city on a chariot. A culture-led trip based at Dwarika's Hotel works well in these weeks, with rain usually falling later in the day.
Winter: December to February
Winter is underrated. Skies over the Kathmandu Valley and Pokhara are usually clear, the light is low and soft, and crowds thin out after the new year. Days in Kathmandu reach the high teens °C, but nights drop close to freezing and older buildings are not well heated, so we choose hotels with good heating and bring a warm layer for evenings. Late December and early January are busy with holiday travellers in Kathmandu and Chitwan, so book the best lodges early for the festive weeks.
In the Terai, foggy mornings are common in December and January, especially around Lumbini, and they can delay flights into Bhairahawa and Bharatpur. Afternoons are warm and pleasant, and February is an excellent safari month.
At altitude, winter means snow and cold. Lodge-to-lodge walking to Namche Bazaar is still possible and the views are often the clearest of the year, but nights are well below freezing and many lodges higher up close. Mustang becomes very cold and many lodges in Lo Manthang shut; we do not plan Upper Mustang trips in winter.
Matching the season to the trip
Prices follow demand. October, November, March and April carry peak rates at the best lodges, while late January, February and early December often have better availability with weather nearly as good. If in doubt, tell us your dates and the three things you most want to see, and we will tell you honestly whether the season suits them.
- Everest region walks or helicopter flights: October to November first, then March to April
- Annapurna foothills and Poon Hill: October to November for views, March to April for rhododendrons
- Chitwan: October to March, with February to April best for visibility
- Bardia: October to May, with March to May best for tigers
- Mustang and Lo Manthang: April to October, including the monsoon months
- Kathmandu Valley, Patan and Bhaktapur: all year, best October to April
- Lumbini: October to March; avoid the heat of April to June
- A first trip that mixes all of the above: mid-October to late November, or March
Questions travellers ask
Good to know
What is the best month to visit Nepal?
October is the best single month for most trips. The monsoon has cleared, the air is dry and the Himalaya is usually visible from dawn into the afternoon. November is almost as good, a little cooler and quieter. If you cannot travel in autumn, March and early April are the next best choice, with warm days and rhododendrons in bloom, though haze builds from mid-April.
Is it worth visiting Nepal during the monsoon?
It can be, if you plan for it. Between June and September rain, cloud and landslides make mountain views and road journeys unreliable, and many safari lodges close. Mustang, in the rain shadow north of the Himalaya, is the exception and is at its best then. The Kathmandu Valley also works for culture, with Indra Jatra and other festivals in August and September. Allow spare days for cancelled flights.
When can I see Everest most clearly?
Mid-October to early December gives the clearest views of Everest, both from mountain flights and on the ground in the Khumbu. Winter mornings in December and January are often just as clear but colder. Spring is good in March and early April, before haze and cloud build in May. Whatever the month, mornings are clearer than afternoons, which is why mountain flights and helicopter tours leave at dawn.
How cold is Nepal in December and January?
In Kathmandu, at 1,400 m, typical days reach 18 to 20 °C and nights fall to around 2 to 4 °C. Pokhara is a few degrees warmer, and Chitwan is mild by day with foggy, cool mornings. In the Everest region the cold is serious: at Namche Bazaar nights drop well below freezing. Pack a down jacket, a warm hat and layers for evenings in older hotels.
When is the best time for a wildlife safari in Nepal?
February to April is the best time for Chitwan, because the tall grass has been cut and animals are easier to see. October to January is also good, with milder weather. In Bardia, March to May is hot but gives the best chance of seeing a tiger, as animals gather near water. We avoid the monsoon months of July to September, when many lodges close.
Do festivals affect travel in October?
Yes. Dashain and Tihar, Nepal's two biggest festivals, usually fall between late September and mid-November. Offices and some shops close, highways and domestic flights are crowded as families travel home, and hotel demand peaks. The festivals are also a good reason to travel, with kites, oil lamps and family rituals everywhere. Dates follow the lunar calendar, so check current status before you travel and book early.
When do the rhododendrons bloom in Nepal?
Rhododendrons bloom from about March to April, earlier at lower altitude and later higher up. The forests around Ghorepani and Poon Hill in the Annapurna foothills are the best known, with red, pink and white flowers between roughly 2,000 and 3,000 m. Trails on the way to Tengboche in the Everest region bloom a little later. A warm or dry winter can shift the timing by a couple of weeks.
Is May a good time to visit Nepal?
May is a shoulder month. It is hot in the Terai and Lumbini, often above 38 °C, and haze and afternoon storms soften mountain views. It still suits Mustang, which is dry and bright, and the Tiji festival in Lo Manthang usually falls in May. It is also the hottest month in Bardia and one of the best for tiger chances. Hotels are quieter than in April.
How far ahead should I book for October or November?
We suggest six to nine months ahead for October and November, and earlier if your dates fall over Dashain or Tihar. The small lodges, such as the Yeti Mountain Home lodges in the Khumbu, Tiger Mountain Pokhara Lodge and Meghauli Serai, have limited rooms and fill first. Lukla and Everest helicopter seats also tighten in peak weeks. March and April need about four to six months.
