Best time to visit Nepal

I love the rain. It’s my favorite weather. Kristen Wiig

But is it the best weather? Well, the simple answer is – it depends! 

It depends on whether you want to enjoy some solitude, it depends on whether you want to travel, and it depends on whether you want to trek! Talking about the trek, do you know what is the best time for trekking and visiting Nepal?

The most genuine answer to this question will be – There is no specific answer to this – it all depends on what you want to experience and where you want to go.

What is the best time for trekking in Nepal?

There really is no specific time that can be considered the best time for visiting or trekking in Nepal. It all depends on where you want to go and what you want to experience. 

If you want to experience snow and mountains, then the best time for trekking is naturally early winter, late Spring, or late winter season. While mid-winter is technically supposed to be the best time to trek to see the snow, a lot of the routers are blocked at this time. This only leaves you with either late Spring, early winter, or late winter when the routes are open. 

On the other hand, if you want to enjoy the greeneries and the rain, then early or late Spring are the obvious choices. While you can go trekking in mid-spring as well, it is recommended not to you don’t want to get caught mid downpour while you are in the middle of the trekking trail in the middle of the forest. 

Furthermore, you also have to consider the availability of the trekking trails as well. During Mid Spring and Midwinter, a lot of these trails are closed due to the risk of flood, snow, heavy downpour, or blizzard. 

So, the gist is, the answer for “what is the best trekking season in Nepal” is really “it depends on what you need and where you want to go” But if you still want a solid answer, then it is  – Late Autumn, Early Spring or Early Winter. Most of the trails are open during these time periods and the risk of a hazardous environment is at a minimum. 

How about the best time for Mountaineering then? It surely can’t be the same as the best time for trekking in Nepal right?

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Best time for Mountaineering in Nepal

It may not surprise you, given that we already provided a hint but the best time for visiting the mountains of Nepal is not in winter. Yes there will be snow in the winter and it will be beautiful but at the same time, snow is also cold, it obstructs views and on top of that, it blocks paths.

On top of this, there is a really good chance of facing bad weather during winter on a lot of trekking trails as well. So what is the best time for Mountaineering in Nepal? 

It’s Autumn and Spring – preferably early spring or late Autumn. 

During these times, the winter has either just ended or just begun so you will be able to enjoy plenty of snow without the issue of snow blocking your view and bad weather. Summer is obviously bad as there will be no snow and the mountains will be rather bland. Winter on the other hand will restrict the areas that you can visit for Mountaineering due to the environmental hazard. 

So, it is no wonder why Autumn and Spring are the best time for Mountaineering in Nepal!

How about other seasons though? For that, we have a season-wise guide for trekking in Nepal. 

Season-wise guide for visiting Nepal!

As we before, there is technically no best time for trekking in Nepal. As long as you manage things well, every time and every season can be the best time and best season. But to prepare for that you need to know a few basic rules for trekking in each season. The following are the general rules you need to know in each season before planning to track anywhere

December to February – Winter

At the start of December, the weather starts to chill. It is the end of the year and a lot of you may want to wind down and relax by going on a trek. But do remember that as soon as the winter hits, the weather becomes severe in higher reasons of Nepal. As this season progresses, some areas of Neal are closed off due to the hazard of the weather. So if you plan on going on a visit during this season, here are a few things you need to prepare:

• Some extra Warm clothes
• First-aid Kit
• shoes with good grip
• Fire Starting Kit
• Cold Medications

You must have these if you want to go visit Nepal during the winter season as you can catch a cold anytime. 

Popular trekking destiny:

• Chepant Hill Trekking 
• Royal Trekking
• Panchase Trekking
• Chisapani Nagarkot Trekking 
• Everest Base Camp
• Cho La Pass of Everest Region
• Thorang La Pass of Annapurna Circuit
• Everest Panorama Trekking
• Annapurna Panorama Trekking

March to May – Spring

This is one of the best times to go trekking in Nepal – or visit Nepal in general. The weather is pleasant and warm, you get a nice view and a lot of places are open during this time of the year. The winter just ended and the weather is just perfect for trekking in Nepal. However, despite that, you do have to be careful. As the rain comes, so do the leeches and they are extremely annoying if not gross. On top of that, you need to be wary of random downpours as well. So be sure to pack these few things before you leave for a trek in Spring:

• Umbrella or a Raincoat
• Extra light Clothing
• Leech repellent
• First Aid Kit
• Shoes with Good Grip

As for the popular trekking destinations, they are:

June to August – Summer

While summer is not the worst time to trek in Nepal, it is not the best time either. There is always the risk of sunstroke if you are not careful enough. That being said, if you are careful and resilient enough, you can travel and trek rather safely in this season. All you need to make sure is that you are hydrated enough and you get enough salts. On top of this, you choose plenty of trekking destinations as well. Just be sure to prepare the following things before you go trekking in Nepal during summer:

• Water Bottles
• Electrolytes
• Umbrella or Raincoat
• Mask
• Extra foods

While the risk of rain is quite low, in some parts of Nepal, occasional downpours are not uncommon. You should be careful of dust more than rain this season. The trekking destination that is open during this season are as follow:

• Upper Mustang
• Mustang Luri Gumba Trek
• Annapurna Short Trekking
• Poon Hill Trek
• Ghorepani- Poon Hill Trek
• Upper Dolpo Trek
• Nar Phu Valley
• Rara lake

September to November – Autumn

This is one of the best times for trekking in Nepal or visiting Nepal in general- similar to Spring but at the same time, also the riskiest time as well. While you can trek safely, for the most part, there are some areas that are prone to landslides and floods. On top of that, you have to be ready for random heavy downpours that can last a long time. But that being said, there are some stunning views and breathtaking during this season as plants and animals become livelier. Furthermore, if you are lucky enough, with the right timing and right destination, you just might witness the majestic mating dance of the peacock. 

Just a reminder, be sure to prepare these things before you head for your trekking destination.

• Raincoat or an Umbrella
• Shoes with God GRip
• Leech Repellent
• First Aid Kit
• Fire starting Kit

With these packed, you are ready to go on trekking in Nepal for this season. The popular trekking destinations are:

• Ghorepani Poon Hill Trek
• Mardi Himal Trek
• Everest View Trek
• Everest Base Camp Trek
• Chisapani – Nagarkot Trek
• Ghandruk Trek
• Dhampus Village Trek
• Rara Lake Trek
• Langtang Valley Trek
• Upper Mustang Trek

The conclusion,

In the end, the simple conclusion is this: If you plan well enough and know what to expect and where to go, regardless of the season or the environment, you can have the best time trekking. But at the same time, if you fail to plan well and have no idea what you are doing, then even the simplest of mistakes can become a disaster for you. There is no best season for trekking as every season is the best for its own reason. 

But in terms of pure safety, Spring is the best time for visiting Nepal.

Hope you found this helpful. Thank you for reading till the end and if you have any suggestions for you, do let us know them down in the comments below.