When to go to Nepal

Figuring out when to go to Nepal is a priority for any traveler here. There are many factors to consider before finalizing your decision to make sure that the time you choose is ideal for your plans. One aspect to consider in travel to Nepal is typically the country has a dual-season, monsoonal year, every year. October through May is the dry season and June through September is the wet season. There are also other Nepal seasons, referred to just as western seasons are—winter, spring, summer, and autumn. Autumn spans from September through November and spring is roughly around March to the end of May. These two seasons are considered the best time for a Nepal trip because of the almost flawless weather they present.

The onslaught of the dry season is the best time to plan a trip to Nepal. At that time of year, the monsoon season, or rainy season, has only recently ended but has brought with it all the ingredients necessary to bring the countryside to life with lush, green vegetation, clear skies, and undoubtedly perfect views of the Himalayas. The balminess is also a welcome feeling and the temperature is ideal for enjoying the many events and festivals happening around the country at this time of year, such as Dasain.

Travel to Nepal in December and January translates into good visibility and a favorable climate. Temperatures at high altitudes are not for the weak. If you're planning a trek to Everest Base Camp or even the Annapurna Circuit (if it's open), be sure you're ready to endure a difficult go of it. If you're trying to plan on when to go to Nepal and don't like the cold, avoid this bitingly cold period. Hotels situated down in Kathmandu can get quite frosty in the evenings and mornings. Typically, this is when tourists head for the tropics, exiting Kathmandu and heading toward India, Indonesia, and Thailand. When planning travel to Nepal for a specific visit to Chitwan National Park, February and October are the best times of year.

At the end of the dry season, from mid-February to the end of April, the weather is glorious and attracts droves of tourists looking to soak in the ancient kingdom under the second most promising circumstances of the year. The difficulty meter for trekking drops down, making mountain journeys much less rigorous. The visibility at this time of year is not the most ideal, but it's not too bad either. That's really the trade off. The extra bonus comes with the incredible spectrum of color illuminating from Nepal's famous rhododendrons and other vibrant blooms. Forget a Nepal trip between May and the arrival of June unless you love the pairing of extreme heat and blinding dust. The approaching monsoon season comes at the country like a slow and steady menace, foreshadowing the stormy events to come.

Many people trying to choose when to go to Nepal avoid mid-June through September like the plague. The general belief of any monsoon season is that it rains nonstop, which isn't the case, but it does typically rain some every day. Roadways are mud pits, rain clouds envelope the mountains, rivers burst at the seams making rafting impossible, and landslides are not uncommon. There is an upside though, to taking a Nepal trip in later August or September. There are countless exciting cultural festivals happening as this festival season coincides with one of the best times to visit bordering Tibet.