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Nepal

Nepal travel guide

Mountain trekking and valley towns, best under clear winter skies

Best: Jan, Feb, Nov, Dec

Photo: Vyacheslav Argenberg / Wikimedia Commons

Capital
Kathmandu
Language
Nepali
Currency
Nepalese rupee (NPR)
Time zone
UTC+05:45
Plugs
Type C, D · 230 V
Driving
On the left
Emergency
100 / 101 / 102

Why visit Nepal

Nepal suits travellers who want serious trekking, mountain views and a mix of highland and valley culture, from Kathmandu to Pokhara and remote Jomsom. The clearest, driest skies come in November, December, January and February, giving the best visibility for peaks and trails. One honest limitation: outside those months, cloud, rain or haze can hide the very mountain views most people come for.

  • Clear skies in winter's dry months

    November, December, January and February are Nepal's best months, with dry weather that keeps mountain views open. This stretch avoids the summer monsoon clouds that often hide the peaks.

  • Kathmandu's dense urban core

    The capital Kathmandu holds about 845,767 people, making it the country's largest city and main entry point. It sits inland, far from any coast, in the Kathmandu Valley.

  • Pokhara as a lake and trek base

    Pokhara, with roughly 353,841 residents, is Nepal's second-biggest city and the usual jumping-off point for Annapurna-area treks. Its size makes it a practical base with more infrastructure than smaller mountain towns.

  • Bhaktapur's smaller, older scale

    Bhaktapur has about 81,748 people, far fewer than Kathmandu or Pokhara, reflecting its identity as an older, compact city rather than a sprawling one. Its modest population size hints at a different pace of visit.

  • Jomsom, a true mountain outpost

    Jomsom counts only around 1,370 residents, showing how sparse settlement gets in Nepal's high mountain districts. It sits on the Annapurna circuit route, a gateway into the Mustang region's drier highland terrain.

Is Nepal right for you?

Great for

  • Trekkers who want clear mountain views in November, December, January or February, when rain falls on 1 to 6 days a month
  • Travellers who like dry, sunny conditions: November gets just 4mm of rain and over 9 sun hours a day
  • Inland and mountain trips, since Nepal has no coastal cities and landlocked terrain
  • Visitors who don't mind cool nights, with January lows around 5.3°C
  • Those planning city and valley stops like Kathmandu, Pokhara or Bhaktapur outside the wet season

Less ideal for

  • Beach travellers, since no city in the country is coastal
  • Anyone avoiding heavy rain, as July brings 715mm of rain over nearly 30 days
  • Travellers sensitive to reduced sunshine, since July and August sun hours drop to around 7 a day
  • Trips planned for the June to September window, when rain days exceed 24 each month

Nepal right now: October

7.9/10
Avg high
24°C
Avg low
16°C
Rain days
10

Averages for Nepal.

Weather by month

Based on data for Kathmandu, November and December are the best months, with highs near 18-22°C, almost no rain (4-9mm) and under 2 rainy days each. July and August are the toughest, with highs around 26-27°C but heavy monsoon rain of 490-715mm falling on nearly 29 days, plus the least sunshine of the year at 7-7.6 hours a day.

Average highs and lows in Nepal by month January: high 17°C, low 5°C , 5 rain days . February: high 19°C, low 7°C , 6 rain days . March: high 24°C, low 11°C , 9 rain days . April: high 27°C, low 14°C , 12 rain days . May: high 27°C, low 17°C , 21 rain days . June: high 27°C, low 19°C , 25 rain days . July: high 26°C, low 20°C , 30 rain days . August: high 27°C, low 20°C , 29 rain days . September: high 26°C, low 19°C , 24 rain days . October: high 24°C, low 16°C , 10 rain days . November: high 22°C, low 11°C , 1 rain days . December: high 18°C, low 7°C , 1 rain days . 17°C 5°C JAN 5d 19°C 7°C FEB 6d 24°C 11°C MAR 9d 27°C 14°C APR 12d 27°C 17°C MAY 21d 27°C 19°C JUN 25d 26°C 20°C JUL 30d 27°C 20°C AUG 29d 26°C 19°C SEP 24d 24°C 16°C OCT 10d 22°C 11°C NOV 1d 18°C 7°C DEC 1d
Best months Other months (low–high) Nd = rain days

Nepal (country average) · averages 2015–2024

Best time to visit Nepal: month-by-month weather →

Sample itineraries

7 days

Kathmandu Valley and Pokhara in a Week

  1. Day 1–3

    Kathmandu

    Spend your first days in the capital, home to 845,767 people. Explore the old city's temples and squares and use it as a base to settle into the altitude and time zone.

  2. Day 4

    Bhaktapur

    Make a day trip to Bhaktapur, a smaller city of 81,748 people, known for its preserved squares and traditional pottery and woodcarving workshops.

  3. Day 5–7

    Pokhara

    Finish the week in Pokhara, population 353,841, set by a lake with views toward the Annapurna range. Relax by the water or arrange a short trek or paragliding outing.

10 days

Valley, Lakes and Mountain Air in Nepal

  1. Day 1–2

    Kathmandu

    Start in the capital city of 845,767 people. Walk through Durbar Square and the old neighbourhoods to get oriented before heading further afield.

  2. Day 3

    Bhaktapur

    Visit Bhaktapur, a city of 81,748 people, for its brick squares, temples and traditional crafts, a contrast to the busier capital.

  3. Day 4–6

    Pokhara

    Move to Pokhara, home to 353,841 people, for lakeside views and access to the Annapurna foothills. Use these days for a short trek, boating or simply resting.

  4. Day 7–8

    Jomsom

    Head up to Jomsom, a small town of 1,370 people in a high, dry valley. Walk among the stark mountain scenery and feel the drop in temperature at this altitude.

  5. Day 9–10

    Bharatpur

    End the trip in Bharatpur, population 369,377, a lowland city near Chitwan. Use it as a base for a final couple of days before departure.

Food to try in Nepal

Dal Bhat

This is Nepal's everyday meal: lentil soup, rice, and vegetable curry, often with pickles on the side. People eat it for lunch and dinner across the country, and many places offer free refills.

Momo

These are steamed or fried dumplings filled with meat or vegetables. You'll find them at street stalls and restaurants in Kathmandu and other towns, served with a spicy tomato dip called achar.

Newari Khaja Set

This is a platter of small savoury dishes from the Newar community, including beaten rice, spiced meat, and pickles. It's traditionally served in the Kathmandu Valley, especially during festivals.

Sel Roti

This is a sweet, ring-shaped rice bread, deep-fried until crisp outside and soft inside. It's a festival food, especially popular around Dashain and Tihar.

Gundruk

This is a fermented leafy green vegetable, dried and used in soups or as a side dish. It comes from the hill regions of Nepal and is a common way to preserve vegetables through the year.

Chiya (Nepali Tea)

This is milk tea boiled with sugar and spices like cardamom. It's drunk throughout the day in homes, tea shops, and on trekking routes across Nepal.

Know before you go

  • Currency: The currency is the Nepalese rupee (NPR). Carry small notes for rural areas, since change can be hard to find outside Kathmandu and Pokhara.
  • Language: Nepali is the official language. English is common in tourist areas and with trekking guides, but less so in remote villages.
  • Plugs and voltage: Nepal uses plug types C and D, with 230 V. Bring an adapter if your devices use a different plug shape.
  • Driving side: Traffic drives on the left. Roads can be narrow and mountainous, so journeys often take longer than distances suggest.
  • Emergency numbers: Dial 100, 101, or 102 for emergencies, depending on the service you need. Save these numbers before heading into remote areas with limited signal.
  • Calling code: Nepal's country calling code is +977. Check this before dialing local numbers from abroad.
  • Time zone: Nepal is on UTC+05:45, an unusual 45-minute offset. Double-check meeting or flight times when coordinating with other countries.

Nepal: frequently asked questions

Is Nepal good in August?

Nepal gets a lot of rain in August, with 490mm of rain over about 29 days. The score for August is 6.7, still rated good, but skies are often cloudy with just 7.6 hours of sun a day. This is monsoon season, so plan for wet trails and limited mountain views.

What is the best time to visit Nepal?

November and December are the top-rated months, with scores of 9.8 and 9.7. Rain is rare then, only 4mm in November and 9mm in December, and skies stay mostly clear. January, February and March also score above 8, making the whole November-to-March window a strong choice for travel.

When is Nepal's monsoon season?

The wettest months run from June to September. July is the peak, with 715mm of rain across nearly 30 rain days, and August follows with 490mm. Rain tapers off fast after that: October drops to 86mm and November to just 4mm.

Is Nepal cold in January?

Daytime highs in January reach 16.6°C, while nights drop to a low of 5.3°C. Rain is light, just 34mm over about 5 days, and the month still scores 8.3, rated among the best times to go. Pack warm layers for the evenings.

What is the weather like in Nepal in October?

October brings warm days around 24.4°C and cooler nights near 15.5°C. Rain is moderate at 86mm over about 10 days, down sharply from September's 354mm. Sun hours rise to 10 a day, and the month scores 7.9, rated among the best.

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