Winter
Dec → Feb16 to 18°
nights 6 to 8°
- 5 rainy days · 25 mm
- 9.6 h of sun
When is the best time to visit Nepal?
- Jan16°not recommended
- Feb18°fair
- Mar22°recommended
- Apr25°recommended
- May25°fair
- Jun26°not recommended
- Jul26°not recommended
- Aug26°not recommended
- Sep25°fair
- Oct23°recommended
- Nov20°recommended
- Dec18°fair
RecommendedFairNot recommended· afternoon temperature
The weather in Nepal, month by month
The table of records, month by month
| Month | High | Low | Sunshine | Rainfall | Rainy days | Best |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 16° | 6° | 9.3 h | 28 mm | 6 d | |
| February | 18° | 8° | 10.2 h | 35 mm | 7 d | |
| March | 22° | 11° | 10.3 h | 64 mm | 12 d | ✓ |
| April | 25° | 14° | 11.1 h | 85 mm | 14 d | ✓ |
| May | 25° | 17° | 10.7 h | 216 mm | 23 d | |
| June | 26° | 19° | 9.4 h | 464 mm | 27 d | |
| July | 26° | 20° | 6.9 h | 870 mm | 31 d | |
| August | 26° | 20° | 7.5 h | 683 mm | 31 d | |
| September | 25° | 19° | 8.4 h | 443 mm | 28 d | |
| October | 23° | 15° | 9.9 h | 85 mm | 14 d | ✓ |
| November | 20° | 11° | 9.7 h | 10 mm | 3 d | ✓ |
| December | 18° | 7° | 9.4 h | 11 mm | 2 d |
The four seasons in Nepal, in figures
What the 2015-2024 records (Kathmandu and Durbar Square) show, season by season, to compare at a glance instead of reading twelve rows of a table.
Spring
Mar → May22 to 25°
nights 11 to 17°
- 16 rainy days · 122 mm
- 10.7 h of sun
Summer
Jun → Aug26°
nights 19 to 20°
- 30 rainy days · 672 mm
- 7.9 h of sun
Autumn
Sep → Nov20 to 25°
nights 11 to 19°
- 15 rainy days · 179 mm
- 9.3 h of sun
Book early for March to April and October to November
The timing is right, so it is right for everyone: in these months the best places to stay and the small-group tours go first. Here is where to start.
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Daylight in Nepal, month by month
The time between sunrise and sunset, from shortest to longest. Not to be confused with the sunshine hours in the table above, which count clear skies. In June there are 13h53 of daylight, in December 10h24, a difference of 3h29.
10h34Jan
11h11Feb
11h56Mar
12h48Apr
13h30May
13h53Jun
13h44Jul
13h07Aug
12h17Sep
11h27Oct
10h44Nov
10h24Dec
Calculated for the latitude of the reference point "Kathmandu and Durbar Square" (27.70°). Values on the 15th of each month, local solar time.
What to do in Nepal, month by month
EventsDashainSeptember to OctoberTiharOctober to NovemberHoliMarchBisket JatraAprilDetails ↓
favourablewith compromisesunfavourable
- Hiking: January, February, November, December
- Towns & culture: January, February, March, November, December
Grid derived from the records (temperature, rainfall), not from an opinion.
What's on in Nepal, month by month?
What comes back every year, and when. One of these events fills the hotels and pushes prices up: something to aim for or to avoid, depending on what you want.
- September to OctoberDashain big crowds
Fifteen days of family homecomings, tika blessings and bamboo swings, while the country slows to a crawl.
- October to NovemberTihar
Flower garlands, oil lamps on windowsills and dogs honoured over five days in Kathmandu.
- MarchHoli
Coloured powders and buckets of water take over the streets of Kathmandu and Pokhara for a single full-moon day.
- AprilBisket Jatra
Bhaktapur hauls huge chariots through its lanes and raises a ceremonial pole for the Nepali new year.
Travelling off-peak
When to visit Nepal, region by region
A country's best time is an average, and it hides big differences. Here is what the records say for each area, month by month: ✓ for a recommended month, ~ for a fair one, a dot for a month to avoid. Hover over a cell for the temperature.
| Area | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 🇳🇵 Annapurna | · | ~ | ✓ | ✓ | ~ | · | · | · | ~ | ✓ | ✓ | ~ |
| 🇳🇵 Kathmandu | · | ~ | ✓ | ✓ | ~ | · | · | · | ~ | ✓ | ✓ | ~ |
Month by month, in detail
January
Not recommended16°6° at night
- 28 mm · 6 d
- 9.3 h
Low season, lower prices
February
Fair18°8° at night
- 35 mm · 7 d
- 10.2 h
Low season, lower prices
March
Recommended22°11° at night
- 64 mm · 12 d
- 10.3 h
Busy, without the crush
April
Recommended25°14° at night
- 85 mm · 14 d
- 11.1 h
Busy, without the crush
May
Fair25°17° at night
- 216 mm · 23 d
- 10.7 h
Low season, lower prices
June
Not recommended26°19° at night
- 464 mm · 27 d
- 9.4 h
Low season, lower prices
July
Not recommended26°20° at night
- 870 mm · 31 d
- 6.9 h
Low season, lower prices
August
Not recommended26°20° at night
- 683 mm · 31 d
- 7.5 h
Low season, lower prices
September
Fair25°19° at night
- 443 mm · 28 d
- 8.4 h
Busy, without the crush
October
Recommended23°15° at night
- 85 mm · 14 d
- 9.9 h
High season, book early
November
Recommended20°11° at night
- 10 mm · 3 d
- 9.7 h
Busy, without the crush
December
Fair18°7° at night
- 11 mm · 2 d
- 9.4 h
Quiet, then the holidays
Read the twelve months in detail
January. Cool: 16 °C at best, 6 °C at night. Rain stays light: 28 mm over 6 days. Plenty of sunshine: 9.3 h a day on average. Low season: fewer people, lower prices.
February. Mild, 18 °C in the afternoon and 8 °C early in the morning. Rain stays light: 35 mm over 7 days. Plenty of sunshine: 10.2 h a day on average. Low season: fewer people, lower prices.
March. Mild, 22 °C in the afternoon and 11 °C early in the morning. Expect 12 days of rain in the month (64 mm). Plenty of sunshine: 10.3 h a day on average. Busy season, without the crush.
April. 25 °C in the afternoon and 14 °C at night. Frequent rain: 85 mm over 14 days. Plenty of sunshine: 11.1 h a day on average. Busy season, without the crush.
May. 25 °C in the afternoon and 17 °C at night. Frequent rain: 216 mm over 23 days. Plenty of sunshine: 10.7 h a day on average. Low season: fewer people, lower prices.
June. 26 °C in the afternoon and 19 °C at night. A very wet month, 464 mm of rain over 27 days. Plenty of sunshine: 9.4 h a day on average. Low season: fewer people, lower prices.
July. 26 °C in the afternoon and 20 °C at night. A very wet month, 870 mm of rain over 31 days. Expect 6.9 h of sunshine a day. Low season: fewer people, lower prices.
August. 26 °C in the afternoon and 20 °C at night. A very wet month, 683 mm of rain over 31 days. Expect 7.5 h of sunshine a day. Low season: fewer people, lower prices.
September. 25 °C in the afternoon and 19 °C at night. Frequent rain: 443 mm over 28 days. Expect 8.4 h of sunshine a day. Busy season, without the crush.
October. Mild, 23 °C in the afternoon and 15 °C early in the morning. Frequent rain: 85 mm over 14 days. Plenty of sunshine: 9.9 h a day on average. High season: book early.
November. Mild, 20 °C in the afternoon and 11 °C early in the morning. Hardly any rain (10 mm over 3 days). Plenty of sunshine: 9.7 h a day on average. Busy season, without the crush.
December. Mild, 18 °C in the afternoon and 7 °C early in the morning. Hardly any rain (11 mm over 2 days). Plenty of sunshine: 9.4 h a day on average. Quiet at the start of the month, then busier as the holidays approach.
Same season, other ideas
Their best time overlaps with this one: worth comparing before you book.
Frequently asked questions
When is the best time to visit Nepal?
March to April and October to November: over these months, recorded highs range from 20 to 25 °C, with 11 days of rain a month on average (2015-2024 records, Kathmandu and Durbar Square).
Which month should you avoid in Nepal?
July: it is the wettest of the months to avoid, with 870 mm over 31 days of rain on average, according to 2015-2024 records at the reference point (Kathmandu and Durbar Square).
What is the hottest month in Nepal?
June, with 26 °C on average in the afternoon and 19 °C at night. 2015-2024 records (Kathmandu and Durbar Square).
What is the coldest month in Nepal?
January, with 16 °C at best during the day and 6 °C at night. 2015-2024 records (Kathmandu and Durbar Square).
What is the driest month in Nepal?
November: 10 mm over 3 days of rain, against 870 mm in July, the wettest month.
Which month has the most sunshine in Nepal?
April, with 11.1 h of sunshine a day on average. Note that this counts clear skies, not the length of the day.
When is the best time to hike in Nepal?
January, February, November, December: highs between 12 and 29 °C and no more than 9 days of rain a month according to 2015-2024 records (Kathmandu and Durbar Square), the safest windows for walking.
Plan this trip
📒 The free printable Nepal guide: itinerary, map, where to sleep→
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