When is the best time to visit Nepal?

31.05.2024 - 13:59 / lonelyplanet.com

While Nepal may be most famous for its high-altitude mountains, it actually spans from the lowland Terai – the jungle-filled plains bordering India – to the edge of the high-altitude Tibetan Plateau. There’s a lot of climatic variety.

The best month to visit Nepal largely depends on what you want to do while you’re there, and whether you’ll be visiting either very high or very low-lying places. The weather plays a big part in the tourism seasons.

Whether you want to spot rhinos, go white-water rafting or hike in the mountains, our insider guide to Nepal's seasonal variations and festivities will help you choose the best possible time for your trip.

October to November is the peak season for travel to Nepal and these are the best months to visit for most activities (late September is the shoulder season, although monsoon rains can linger). The weather is warm but not too hot, and the generally clear skies mean great mountain views. Rafting or kayaking on Nepali rivers is also fun, with decent water volume and good temperatures. It’s not the cheapest time to visit Nepal, but the country is generally affordable anyway.

Potential visitors are often wary of traveling during peak season because of the crowds but it really depends where you go. On a famous trekking trail, like Everest Base Camp, you won’t have the trails to yourself. Not by a long shot. Guides, flights, and accommodation should be booked as far in advance as possible, potentially a few months.

But those pictures you’ve seen of human traffic jams on Everest? They’re only a concern if you want to climb the mountain, not trek to it. And overcrowding only really applies to Everest, not the rest of the country. The vast majority of travelers don’t want to climb Everest, but if you do, the peak mountaineering season is different from the peak tourism season (see below). To take advantage of the great weather in peak season without the crowds, consider less well-known trekking routes. They’ll be less busy and accommodation will be more available.

Peak tourism season also coincides with peak festival season. Dashain (also called Dashami or Durga Puja) usually falls in October, while Tihar (also called Deepawali, or Diwali in India) is usually in November. The dates vary because they follow a lunar calendar. Dashain is mostly a family affair, and Kathmandu essentially clears out for around a week during the festival, with many shops and businesses closed. Tihar, the festival of light, is more accessible to travelers – it follows a couple of weeks after the end of Dashain. You’ll see displays of lights and rangoli decorations outside homes and businesses all over the country. It’s one of the best times to visit Kathmandu or Pokhara.

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