Nepal's four seasons in brief
Nepal's weather is driven by the South Asian monsoon and by altitude. The Kathmandu Valley sits at about 1,400 m, so it is 5–8 °C cooler than Delhi or Patna in most months, Pokhara at 822 m is warmer and wetter, and Chitwan at about 150 m has a plains climate close to that of Bihar. Mountain views depend less on temperature than on dust, haze and cloud.
We divide the year into four travel seasons. Autumn (October–November) is the high season for everything. Winter (December–February) gives sharp views and low prices, but cold mornings. Spring (March–May) is warm, with flowers in the hills and growing haze by May. Monsoon (June–September) is green and quiet, with daily rain and frequent landslides on mountain roads. Each section below explains who each season suits.
Month-by-month table
Temperatures are typical daily lows and highs in Kathmandu. Festival dates follow the lunar calendar and shift by up to three weeks from year to year, so check current status before you travel if you are timing a trip around one.
| Month | Kathmandu °C | Mountain views | Festivals | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 2–19 | Clear most mornings | Maghe Sankranti | Touring, Chitwan, mountain flights |
| February | 4–21 | Clear, some haze late | Losar, Maha Shivaratri (Feb or Mar) | Touring, Chitwan, short treks |
| March | 8–25 | Good, haze building | Holi | Treks, rhododendrons, touring |
| April | 11–28 | Fair, hazy afternoons | Nepali New Year, Bisket Jatra | Treks, Everest region, touring |
| May | 15–29 | Hazy, pre-monsoon cloud | Buddha Jayanti | High treks, Muktinath, Indian holidays |
| June | 18–29 | Rare | None major | Kathmandu culture, Muktinath, Upper Mustang |
| July | 20–28 | Rare | Guru Purnima | Rain-shadow treks only |
| August | 20–28 | Rare | Janai Purnima, Gai Jatra, Krishna Janmashtami | Festivals, Upper Mustang |
| September | 18–28 | Improving late month | Indra Jatra, Teej | Late-month touring and treks |
| October | 13–26 | Excellent | Dashain, often Tihar | Everything |
| November | 7–23 | Excellent | Tihar or Chhath in some years | Everything, especially treks |
| December | 3–20 | Excellent, cold dawns | Vivah Panchami (Janakpur) | Touring, Chitwan, Nagarkot sunrise |
October and November: peak clarity
The monsoon usually withdraws from Nepal in late September or early October, and the rain washes the dust out of the air. Mornings in Kathmandu start at 7–13 °C and afternoons reach 23–26 °C, and from Nagarkot or the Chandragiri hilltop you can often see 300 km of the Himalaya, from Annapurna to Everest. This is also the time of Dashain, Nepal's biggest festival, and Tihar, the five-day festival of lights that falls close to Diwali.
The drawbacks are demand and price. Indian families travel over the Puja and Diwali holidays, and trekkers fill the Everest and Annapurna trails. Hotel rates in Pokhara rise 20–35 percent, Kathmandu–Pokhara flights sell out a week ahead, and many offices and shops close for 3–5 days around Dashain. We ask guests to book October and November trips 8–10 weeks out.
December to February: clear and cold
Winter in the Kathmandu Valley is dry, with clear skies most days. In January the city ranges from about 2 °C at dawn to 19 °C at noon, and Nagarkot at 2,175 m can touch 0 °C, so sunrise viewing needs a down jacket. Mountain flights over Everest have their highest success rate in these months, and Chitwan is pleasant at 8–24 °C, with thick morning fog in December and January that lifts by about 10 am.
Fog also affects Kathmandu airport on some winter mornings, delaying early flights by an hour or two. Snow falls at Muktinath (3,710 m) and on high trekking passes, and treks above 4,000 m are cold and quiet. For Indian travellers this is a strong value season: hotels discount outside Christmas and New Year week, and the light is excellent for photography. Pack thermals and a warm hat for early starts, and choose hotels with heating in Nagarkot and Dhulikhel, because many older buildings in the hills have none. Daylight is short, with sunset around 5:20 pm in late December, so we start sightseeing by 8:30 am.
March to May: warm days and haze
Spring brings warm, long days and the rhododendron bloom between about 1,800 m and 3,500 m, best in late March and April on the Ghorepani and Langtang trails. Kathmandu reaches 25–29 °C in the afternoon. Haze from crop burning and dust builds through April and May, so distant peaks are often hidden by 10 am, and Kathmandu's air quality can be poor on still days.
May is the busiest month for Indian families, because school holidays begin. The Kathmandu Valley, Nagarkot and Pokhara stay comfortable, but Chitwan reaches 35–40 °C, so we keep safari days short and morning-focused. May and early June are also good months for the Muktinath yatra, when the Jomsom flights are more reliable than in monsoon. Pre-monsoon thunderstorms arrive most afternoons from mid-May.
June to September: the monsoon months
Kathmandu receives most of its roughly 1,400 mm of yearly rain between June and September. Rain tends to fall in the afternoon and at night, so morning sightseeing in Patan or Bhaktapur still works, and temperatures stay at 20–29 °C. The hills are green, rooftop gardens are full and visitor numbers are low, with hotel discounts of 25–40 percent.
The risks are on the roads and in the air. Landslides block the Prithvi Highway and hill roads several times each season, flights to Jomsom and Lukla are frequently cancelled, and leeches appear on forest trails. Chitwan's jungle drives and many park areas close or are restricted during the rains. Mountain views are rare, though September mornings can surprise you after the third week. Upper Mustang and Dolpo, in the rain shadow north of the Annapurna range, are the main trekking options. For touring in these months we plan flights rather than long drives where possible, keep one spare day before any international departure, and carry umbrellas and quick-dry clothing in the vehicle.
Planning around festivals and holidays
Festivals add colour to a trip but also change how the country works for a few days. During the main days of Dashain, which usually fall in late September or October, government offices, banks and many shops shut, long-distance buses are packed with people heading home, and Kathmandu empties out. Tihar follows two to three weeks later with oil lamps on every doorstep, and Bhaktapur's Bisket Jatra in mid-April pulls huge crowds to Taumadhi Square for the chariot tug-of-war.
Pashupatinath sees several hundred thousand pilgrims on Maha Shivaratri, so we plan that visit at dawn or on a different day unless darshan on the festival itself is the goal. Indra Jatra in September is the best-known occasion when the Kumari, the living goddess, is pulled through Kathmandu Durbar Square on a chariot. Indian long weekends also matter: Holi, Easter, Puja and Diwali weeks raise air fares from Delhi and Kolkata by 30–50 percent.
- Book festival-week hotels 10–12 weeks ahead
- Expect road traffic out of Kathmandu on the first and last days of Dashain
- Carry extra cash before major holidays, as ATMs near tourist areas can run dry
Trekking, touring and Chitwan compared
Different trips have different best months, and the right answer depends on what matters most to you: views, festivals or price. Here is how we match the calendar to the main trip types we run.
- Kathmandu, Pokhara and heritage touring: any month; October–April for views
- Chitwan safari: October to March for comfort; February to April for the best tiger and rhino sightings after the grass is cut
- Treks to Everest and Annapurna base camps: October–November first, March–May second
- Muktinath yatra: March–June and September–November; snow is possible from December to February
- Everest mountain flight: October to February for the best chance of a cloud-free flight
- Honeymoons: October–November and February–April for clear mornings and mild evenings
- Lowest prices: June–August, then January and early February
Places in this guide
Questions travellers ask
Which is the best month to visit Nepal?
October is the best single month to visit Nepal, followed closely by November. The monsoon has cleared, Kathmandu sits at a comfortable 13–26 °C, and the Himalaya are visible on most mornings from Nagarkot, Sarangkot and the mountain flight. It is also the season of Dashain and Tihar. Book 8–10 weeks ahead, because hotels and domestic flights fill quickly.
Is June a good time to visit Nepal?
June is workable for Kathmandu sightseeing and the Muktinath yatra, but not for mountain views. Monsoon rain usually arrives in the second week of June, falling mainly in the afternoon and at night. Kathmandu stays at 18–29 °C, while Chitwan is hot and humid. Keep a spare day in your plan for landslide delays on the highways and cancelled flights to Jomsom.
Can we see snow in Nepal in December?
Yes, but not in Kathmandu or Pokhara, where it almost never snows. In December and January you can see snow at Muktinath (3,710 m), at Kalinchowk, and on trekking routes above about 3,000 m. Nagarkot and Chandragiri get frost and only occasional light snow. The Everest mountain flight shows snow-covered peaks all year, with the clearest skies from October to February.
Is monsoon a bad time to visit Nepal?
Monsoon, from June to September, is the weakest season for mountain views and road travel, but not a bad time for culture. Mornings are often dry enough for temples and Durbar Squares, prices fall 25–40 percent, and the valley is green. The trade-off is landslides, flight cancellations and the closure of much of Chitwan's jungle. Build in buffer days and choose flexible tickets.
What is the best time to visit Nepal from India with family?
For families from India, October–November and February–April work best. Indian school holidays in May–June are fine for Kathmandu, Nagarkot and Pokhara, where daytime temperatures stay below 30 °C, but Chitwan reaches 35–40 °C. Around Diwali, Nepal is busy and pricier, so book early. December and January are cold at dawn but clear, and good value outside Christmas week.
When can you see Mount Everest from Kathmandu?
You cannot see Everest clearly from Kathmandu city, but on clear mornings from October to February you can spot it as a small peak from the Nagarkot view tower and from Chandragiri hill. The most reliable way is the 1-hour Everest mountain flight from Kathmandu, which has its best success rate in those same months. Cloud often cancels flights in the monsoon.
What is the best time for a Chitwan jungle safari?
The best time for a Chitwan safari is October to March, when days are 20–28 °C and the park is fully open. February to April gives the best wildlife sightings, because the tall elephant grass has been cut and animals gather at water. From June to September heavy rain closes or limits many jungle areas. December and January mornings are foggy until about 10 am.
Is October too crowded to visit Nepal?
October is busy, but crowds in Nepal are rarely a problem outside a few places. Durbar Squares are busiest from 11 am to 3 pm, and the Everest Base Camp trail is crowded. Booking is the main issue: good hotels and Kathmandu–Pokhara flights fill weeks ahead, and Dashain closes many shops for several days. Travel in late November for similar views and fewer people.
What is the best time for a Nepal honeymoon?
October–November and February–April are the best times for a Nepal honeymoon. Mornings are clear for sunrise at Nagarkot and Sarangkot, evenings are mild enough for rooftop dinners in Pokhara, and Chitwan is comfortable. December and January also work for couples who do not mind cold dawns. May is warm and hazy, and the monsoon months hide the mountains most days.
