When to Trek in Nepal: A Month-by-Month Guide

Ask when to trek in Nepal and most people will say October. They are right that it is the safest bet, and wrong if they imply the other eleven months are a waste. Conditions vary greatly by altitude and region, and the so-called off seasons bring quiet trails, lower prices and their own kinds of beauty.

January

The coldest month. Skies are often brilliantly clear, days are short, and nights above 3,000 metres are well below freezing. High passes such as the Thorong La, Larkya La and Cho La are frequently snowbound.

Good for: lower routes such as Poon Hill, the Kathmandu Valley rim and Pikey Peak in settled weather.

Watch for: closed teahouses at high altitude and icy trails.

February

Still cold, but lengthening days. Snowfall can be heavy in some years. Towards the end of the month, the first rhododendrons open at lower elevations.

Good for: the same lower routes, and Langtang or Annapurna Base Camp for the well equipped.

March

Spring begins. Temperatures rise, and rhododendron forests between about 2,000 and 3,500 metres come into flower in red, pink and white. Haze starts to build in the lower valleys, softening distant views, though mornings higher up remain clear.

Good for: almost everything. An excellent month for Poon Hill, Mardi Himal and Langtang.

April

The second-busiest month. Warm days, wildflowers and long hours of daylight. Expedition teams fill Everest Base Camp. Afternoon cloud and the occasional thunderstorm become more common, and lowland sections are hot.

Good for: Everest region, Annapurna Circuit, Manaslu, Gokyo.

Watch for: crowded lodges at Easter and haze from seasonal fires in the foothills.

May

Hot at low altitude and pleasantly mild high up. Pre-monsoon storms arrive in the afternoons with increasing frequency. Views can be hazy until rain clears the air. Upper Mustang's Tiji festival usually falls in this month.

Good for: high routes early in the month, and the rain-shadow regions.

Watch for: heat, afternoon lightning on exposed ridges and the first leeches.

June

The monsoon typically reaches Nepal around the middle of the month. Before it arrives, the weather is humid and unsettled.

Good for: Upper Mustang, Dolpo and Nar Phu, which lie north of the main range and receive little rain.

July and August

Full monsoon across most of the country. Rain falls mainly in the afternoon and at night, clouds hide the mountains for days, trails are muddy, leeches are abundant in the forests and landslides disrupt roads and flights. The landscape is at its greenest, alpine meadows are full of flowers, and there are almost no tourists.

Good for: the trans-Himalayan rain-shadow areas; pilgrim treks such as Gosaikunda at the August full moon for those who do not mind the wet.

Watch for: transport delays. Build in extra days.

September

The rains taper off, usually by the third or fourth week. Early September is still wet; late September can be glorious, with clean air, full rivers and green hillsides. It is a gamble that often pays off, with fewer people than October.

Good for: Manaslu and the Annapurna Circuit from mid-month; Everest late in the month.

October

The peak. Stable weather, clear skies, mild temperatures and the major festivals of Dashain and often Tihar. Every route is open and every lodge is busy. On the most popular trails, rooms at the high stops can run short.

Good for: everything, especially high passes and long routes.

Watch for: crowds, higher prices and the need to book flights and guides early. Late-season storms from the Bay of Bengal have occasionally brought sudden heavy snow.

November

Arguably the best month of all. The air is crisp and exceptionally clear, crowds thin after the first two weeks, and the light is superb. Nights grow cold, and by the end of the month high lodges begin to close.

Good for: everything in the first half; mid-altitude routes in the second.

December

Early December continues November's clarity with deeper cold. From mid-month, snow may close the highest passes. Trails are quiet.

Good for: Everest Base Camp for the hardy, Annapurna Base Camp, Langtang, and all the lower routes.

Choosing by priority

• Clearest mountain views: October to early December.

• Flowers: March and April.

• Fewest people: December to February, and the monsoon months.

• High passes: October, November, April and May.

• Trekking in summer: Upper Mustang and other rain-shadow regions.

A note on changing patterns

Guides across Nepal report that the seasons have become less predictable: monsoons arriving late or lingering, unseasonal snow, warmer winters. Treat any calendar, including this one, as a guide to probabilities. Leave spare days, carry clothing for conditions worse than you expect, and take local advice on the day.