Climate Guide

Nepal has a typical monsoon two-seasonal year. There's the dry season from October to May and there's the wet season, the monsoon, from June to September. September-November, the start of the dry season, is in many ways the best time of year in Nepal. With the monsoon only recently finished, the countryside is green and lush. Nepal is at its most beautiful and there are some colorful festivals to enjoy.

However, trekking and other activities are possible at any time of the year depending on where you are going. The most popular seasons are spring and autumn. Winter is very cold above 3,500 m, and high mountain passes may be snowbound, but it is good for trekking at lower altitudes. During the monsoon season, you can trek in the rain-shadow areas "behind" the Himalaya like Mustang, Upper Manang and Dolpo. These places are out of reach of the clouds because of the mountains and are unaffected by the monsoon.

But weather conditions in Nepal vary from region to region. Summer and late spring temperatures range from about 28 degrees Celsius in the hill region of the country to more than 40 degrees in the Terai. In winter, average maximum and minimum temperatures in the Terai range from a brisk 7 degrees to a mild 23 degrees. The central valleys experience a minimum temperature often falling below the freezing point and a chilly 12 degrees maximum. Much colder temperatures prevail at higher elevations.

The Kathmandu Valley, at an altitude of 1,310 meter, has a mild climate, ranging from 19 to 27 degrees in the summer and 2 to 20 degrees in the winter. The annual rainfall in Kathmandu generally exceeds 1,300 mm.