Climates

When to Come

Climatic factors are very important in deciding when to visit Nepal. October-November, the start of the dry season, is in many ways the best time of year: the weather is balmy, the air is clean, visibility is perfect, and the country is lush following the monsoon. February-April, the tail end of the dry season is the second-best period: visibility is not so good because of dust, but the weather is warm and many of Nepal's wonderful wild flowers are in bloom. In December and January the climate and visibility are good but it can be chilly: trekkers need to be well prepared for snow, and cheaper hotels in Kathmandu - where heating is nonexistent - can be gloomy in the evening. The rest of the year is fairly unpleasant for traveling: May and early June are generally too hot and dusty for comfort, and the monsoon from mid-June to September obscures the mountains in cloud and turns trails and roads to mud.

In brief Nepal has four Climatic seasons:
- Spring: March - May
- Summer: June - August
- Fall: September - November
- Winter: December - February

Temperature Chart

Recommended Clothing

The weather in Nepal not only depends on the time of year, but mainly on how high you are. The width of Nepal is only about 200km on average, yet within this short distance the altitude of the land rises from lowly 60 meters all the way up to above 8000 meters, and temperature change accordingly. Kathmandu is only at 1350 meters.

So, what to wear? Medium-weight and easy to wash cottons can be a good choice year-round in the Kathmandu valley. It is recommended that between October to February, woolen sweaters, jackets or similar other warm outfits are necessary. From March through May, light clothing such as short and long-sleeved shorts will do perfectly fine at Kathmandu, Pokhara and most other towns. For mornings and evenings, a jacket or heavy woolen sweater (you can find beautiful ones in reasonable price in Kathmandu) will be essential

. For months from June to August, it is recommended that you bring an umbrella or raincoat and a pair of sandals with you as these months are the rainy months of Nepal. Expect lot of walking even if you don't plan to trek. So it's recommended that you bring comfortable footwear: sneakers and sandals are the best If you intend to go for trekking, a pair of hiking boots will be great. Bring plenty of woolen socks too. Specialized trekking gear is easily available and can be rented in fairly inexpensive charge in Kathmandu and Pokhara.