When to come to Nepal?

If you plan to visit Nepal, you must consider the weather, especially if you plan to trek the Himalayas.

Nepal has four distinct seasons--autumn (September to November), spring (March to May), summer (June to August), and winter (December to February). Each season has something unique to offer you in terms of environmental outlook.

The autumn season falls between September to November - the most popular season for trekking or touring in Nepal. Autumn starts immediately after the monsoon, the hills look colorful, and the sky is clear, allowing you to enjoy amazing vistas, including the mountains, landscapes, and more. 

During this season, the major trekking trails in Nepal, such as Everest, Annapurna, Langtang, and so forth, are filled by travelers. If you want to avoid the crowd, you should take off the beaten trekking trails. Many festivals, such as Dashain--the biggest festival of Hindus, Tihar (the festival of lights--the second biggest festival of Hinduism), and Chhat (the biggest festival of people living in Terai, the plain land of Nepal) also fall in autumn.

The summer season, which falls from June to August, is less favorable for trekking in Nepal. Monsoon brings heavy rain in most parts of Nepal. Therefore people avoid trekking during the monsoon.  However, you can still travel to the rain shadows areas like Mustang and Dolpo regions. 

But in most trek regions, the mountain areas are covered with fog and rain almost every day. The trails get slippery, and the leeches become active, making it difficult to enjoy the scenery. However, the views in this season are spectacular as there is greenery everywhere, and the valleys get filled with flowers and butterflies. 

The winter season starts in December and lasts till February. The weather is mostly clear and stable. However, the haze often sits in valleys and reaches up to the Himalayas, which makes the skies unclear.

It is possible to trek in the lower trek regions, but the snow falls heavily in the higher altitudes, making it difficult to travel and enjoy the clear views of the mountains, etc. But it does not snow in Kathmandu, and you can travel in the plain lands in southern Nepal.  If you travel in winter, the mornings and evenings get cold, and you must prepare for it.

Spring is another popular season for trekking in Nepal which falls from March to May. The weather is warm,  the days are long, the sky is clear, and the trek trails are in good condition. The rhododendron flowers bloom, making the trails beautiful and providing a great atmosphere. This season is especially suited for trekking to the higher trek regions, including peak climbing and expedition. The lower altitude areas are warm and even somewhat hot.