When Is the Best Time to Travel Nepal?

Nepal is a South Asian country, having the location in the middle of the Himalayas. The whole country is divided into seven states along with 744 units and 75 districts along with metropolises and villages. Nepal has an area of about 147, 181 square kilometer and a population of about 26.4 million. Indeed it is a very large country, and is recorded as the 93rd largest country in the world.

The map of Nepal

Nepal, being a central Himalayan country experiences a very unique climate with five distinct seasons. In the Paleogene time, the collision between the several subcontinents of India and Eurasia has nonetheless been responsible for the formation of the Himalayas and the country of Nepal. Thus, with this collision, a very big impact has been formed over the climactic condition, geography and environment of nature as a whole.

Nepal Weather and Climate

The climate of Nepal however varies with altitude and topography. The climate is mostly ranged from arctic to tropical. In the southern tropical part of the country, the low-Terai region is located, having an altitude of at the most 305m. Thus, as the altitude is low, it experiences a hot and humid weather. In this region, the temperature even crosses 45 degree centigrade in summer times. The midland region of Nepal experiences a very soothing temperate climate all through the year. Here the day temperature is not so high but the nights can be pretty cool. The winter nights in this area is quite chilly. The northern region of Nepal, which is the mountainous region experiences alpine temperature. Here the altitude is about 3300m. Hence the temperature remains pretty low. The day time temperature might range between 16 and 23 degree centigrade whereas during the night, the temperature might even fall below zero degrees centigrade.

The average annual rainfall of Nepal is about 1600mm, however the rainfall also varies with the climactic part of the country. For example in the region of Pokhara the rainfall is about 3345mm whereas in Mustang, the rainfall is about 300mm or below. Thus according to the ecological diversity, the rainfall distribution in Nepal also varies. The Himalayas surrounding Nepal act as the giant boundaries to the cold winds blowing from Central Asia during the winter time. They also act as barriers to the northern boundary of the monsoon wind patterns. Thus, near about eighty percent of the rainfall is received by Nepal during the monsoon seasons that is from June to September.

However one thing about Nepal is truly brilliant. Even if the temperature during the night time is very severe, the daytime temperature is soothing and also the bright sunshine makes one forget the severity of the coldness during winter.

Five Seasons of Nepal

Nepal experiences five climactic zones and along with it five distinct seasons. These climactic zones are divided according to the altitude of the places. For example the tropical and the subtropical are those regions that lie below the altitude of 1200m. The temperate zone has been divided in the region having the altitude between 1200m to 4200m and the cold zone lies in the altitude of 2400m to 3600m whereas the subarctic zone lies in the altitude of 3600m to 4400m. Nepal thus experiences five distinct climactic seasons namely spring, summer, monsoon, autumn and winter.

Spring in Nepal

The season of Spring lingers in Nepal from March till the month of May. This is the most beautiful season of Nepal. Spring invites occasional shower and rains. The sky tends to remain clear only when there is a bit of shower and rain. Otherwise, when there is no shower, the sky becomes very hazy. Blue sky is the not so visible a sight as prevalent in autumn. During spring time of Nepal, many new types of vegetation can be observed. Also the spring time is the ideal time for trekking and visiting Nepal. The weather remains soothing, the temperature also remains mild and relatively lower than in summer. The humidity also is bearable during this time and the soft breeze that blows helps in keeping the humidity and temperature soothing.

Spring is the most beautiful season of Nepal

Summer in Nepal

The Summer of Nepal ranges from the months of May to August. These are the hottest months in the seasons of Nepal. However the heat is not unbearable as the climate remains dry and hot unlike the monsoon season which is humid and hot. During this time of the year, in Kathmandu, the daytime temperature can reach above 45 degrees centigrade also. Light to heavy precipitation can occur during this time of the year. The heat is however quite high. The average temperature of the season lingers around 28 degree centigrade. However the Terai region of Nepal as well as the mountainous regions experiences quite a high temperature due to the excessive sun rays. The summer season in Nepal is actually pleasant for making a tour around it. Many summer flowers can also be observed blooming during this time of the year.

The summer season in Nepal is pleasant for travel

Monsoon in Nepal

The Monsoon in Nepal is very enigmatic. It has two different types of seasons – the wet season and the dry season. Usually the monsoon rains in Nepal occurs in the summer season itself. The ideal monsoon season starts from June and continues till September. During this time of the year, Nepal receives an average annual rainfall of about 2500mm. the monsoon is Nepal is characterized by the most uncomfortable weather having a very humid and hot monsoon. Majority of the roads also remain blocked due to water logging and heavy rain and the bad weather makes travel extremely uncomfortable during this time of the year.

Monsoon season is the most uncomfortable weather

Autumn in Nepal

The Autumn in Nepal lingers on from September to November. This is considered to be the best time for making a detailed Nepal trip. The weather remains extremely comfortable and relaxing as it is freshly washed by the monsoon rain. The sky becomes crystal blue in colour. Even the autumn seasons, practically the months of October and November are considered to be the best for trekking and several other outdoor activities.

The weather remains extremely comfortable

Winter in Nepal (November to February)

The Winter in Nepal is indeed very variable a season. The chill in the weather prolongs from the month of November to February. The winter in Nepal is mainly dry with a few spells of rain maybe. In the daytime, the temperature ranges between 19 degree to 25 degree at the most whereas during the night time, the temperature might fall even below zero degree centigrade. In the Terai region of Nepal, the temperature in the winter remains comfortable whereas in the mountainous region it gets extremely cold. The bitter winter is very unbearable especially in the mountainous region of Nepal. The sky remains and the sunshine is very clear and bright.

Winter is indeed very variable a season

Chances of rainfall are very minimal during this time of the year. However occasional drizzle might take place in some parts of the country. The rain in winter mainly occurs due to the Mediterranean activities. Hence the eastern part of Nepal receives lesser rain compared to the western Nepal.

Nepal Travel Tips

When you are visiting Nepal, you have to be very careful about certain tips and aspects. First of all, Nepal can be visited all through the year. But the best time to visit Nepal would be the spring time and the autumn time, ranging from February to April and September to November respectively. During this time of the year, the weather remains fantastic being cool and comfortable. The precipitation is very low. The sunshine is perfect and the visibility outstanding. Winter and summer can also be included in your travel season however the discomfort, the rapid changes in the temperature are the issues behind a not so fruitful Nepal journey. While during summer the high temperature will cause discomfort, in winter the extreme cold will be a great problem. It is better to avoid monsoon altogether. The weather remains quite bad and the accessibility is very poor.

Except for the weather, in the spring and the autumn season many wildlife, migratory birds and unique vegetations of Nepal can also be beheld. Keep your documents like Nepal tourism visa and the passport handy. Also try to cover the various parts of Nepal. For luggage, until and unless you are going for trekking, there is no need to pack extra luggages. There are ample provisions for laundry where you can reuse your clothes. But trekking Everest Base Camp in Nepal demands a very good quality hiking shoes and ample of sunscreens and moisturizers. Always keep your documents handy and follow the lectures and the information that the guide will surpass to you. Follow the itinerary very carefully and most importantly maintain a very good itinerary. It is very important to maintain an itinerary while touring Nepal. Also for precautions carry the medicines, water purifying tablet and warm clothes also if you are tending to visit Nepal in the autumn time.

Thus these are the few characteristics of the very unique and diverse climate of Nepal. The whole Nepal journey can be planned according to the distribution of the climactic zones and the seasons. The vegetations and the diverse wildlife of Nepal are chiefly the product of such a variety of climate.

YOUR ULTIMATE TIBET TRAVEL BLOG