Best months to go trekking in Nepal

The facts are, there is no best months or time to go trekking in Nepal that suits everyone. The best time will depend on your tolerance of that weather (cold, hot, windy), how high you want to trek and how you feel about the crowds.

Trekking in Nepal is possible throughout the year but not in the every trekking trail in only a few trees, cause some region falls in the rain shadows region whereas other is cold, windy and many more.

As every trekking season has it's own merits and demerits and it is all about how you will balance your activities and preference. Here we are going to explain more in detail about all trekking seasons and helps you to choose the best season to trek in Nepal.

Generally, there are four seasons with its own attraction

Spring season (March, April, May)

The months of the March, April, and May falls in the spring season and are characterized by the longer day, shorter nights and the warmer temperature. Spring season is the peak season to trek and travel as in this season, the landscapes in Nepal change its color according to the altitudes from reds to pinks and white, forest from brown to green, this makes the higher altitude trekking more interesting, attractive, beautiful and relaxed.

The average temperature in the lower mountains region ranges from 16`C to 23`C. the months of the May are the warmest months of the year but it brings the cloud and light rainfalls (showers) before the monsoon season arrives.

It is quite warm at the lower altitude and moderates at the high altitude over the 4000meters. This month provides stunning views of the snow-capped mountains. You might also experience the light snow-shower at the months of March as the winter season is most likely steady and it is the end of winter.

Due to the stable and beautiful weather, almost all popular trekking trails are very busy and the tea house is almost all most booked.

Almost all the popular trekking trail of the Everest Region such as Everest Base Camp Trek, Everest Three Pass Trek, Everest Gokyo lake trek and Annapurna Region such as Annapurna Base Camp the trek is suitable for the trekking during these months or season.

Pros for trekking in Spring season are:

• Beautiful and warm trekking conditions during the day and warmer nights
• Days are longer during the months of March and April.
• Less chance of the flight cancellation into the mountain district such as Lukla due to the warm and clear weather.
• Fewer trekkers compared to the Autumn, more chance to explore the remote corner of the Himalayas.
• You can enjoy the snow-falls during the month of March and during the April the snow-melts, clearing the path for the high mountain passes.

Cons for trekking in Spring season are:

• As spring gets closer to the summer, the trekking to the high altitude can get hot and sweaty at the lower altitude.
• Afternoon clouds are common (with clear morning and nights) which can bring clouds and downpours.

Top recommended trek in Spring Season

Upper Mustang

Upper Mustang is one of the beautiful trek manly recommended in the spring season as it is located on the northern front and is the most beautiful and important region of Nepal. Upper Mustang was once an independent kingdom. Mainly Buddhists are the main inhabitants of the region.

Upper Mustang lies in the rain shadow and this area stays safe from rainfalls. The weather and temperature during the spring season are pretty good and stable you can enjoy the beauty, you will also visit the Kali Gandaki river which enables you to take a vehicle and make your trek easy and beautiful.

Upper Dolpa Trekking

Upper Dolpa is one of the legendary and the beautiful trek mainly recommended in the spring season as it is located in the upper part of the Dolpa District in the northwestern sides of Nepal. the largest Himalayan national park of Nepal, Shey Phoksundo National Park also lies in this region. AS the same as that of upper mustang, the main inhabitants of the Upper Dolpo their region are Buddhist and Hinduism. The Upper Dolpa trek mainly starts from Juphal in Dolpa and ends at Jumla. Upper Dolpa region also lies in the rain shadow sn is very safe from incessant rainfalls.

Muktinath Trek

Muktinath lies in the Jomsom and it is very beautiful to trek in the spring season as it is one of the holy trekking trails of Nepal. Experience of the beautiful journey along with the adventure in the Muktinath trail. It is one of the most famous trails for both internal as well as international tourists.

The region, Jomsom remains dry almost around the year and covered with the snow during the winter. Muktinath temple and Kagbeni are two beautiful and most traveled destinations of this region with beautiful adventure experience and with unforgettable memories.

Monsoon season (June, July, and August)

Monsoon season is also known as the rainy or the summer season which starts from June to August. This season comes with high temperatures and uncomfortable weather conditions.

High mountains region are normally covered in the cloud and the lower trekking regions are generally muddy and slippery. The leeches and the bugs in the lower altitude can obstacles your Trek, besides this, you can still experience the glory of the Himalayan during the monsoon.

Due to the geographical diversity, some trekking route of Nepal lies in the rain shadow regions and is the best time to trek in these place during the monsoon months. The Manang, /Mustang, and Dolpa region of Nepal lies in the rain shadow region so the summer season is the best time to go for trekking in this region.

In the monsoon season due to the topography, rain often occurs at the night resulting in the clear and the beautiful morning scenery. The excess rainfalls can provide plenty of the chance to enjoy the clear and beautiful views of the waterfalls and offer fresh environment.

Also, those who love photography, this time id perfect for those. As the higher valleys blossom with the flowers and lush vegetation make this time beautiful and perfect to capture the all-natural beauty of Nepal.

Pros for trekking in the monsoon season are:

• Less chance of the altitude sickness due to the summer
• Less chance of natural hazards and less risk of avalanches
• Less number of visitors means you will get a chance for more peace and intimacy with nature.

Cons for trekking in the monsoon season are:

• The monsoon in Nepal is wet and have humid conditions with obscured views.

Top recommended trek in Monsoon season is:

Manaslu Circuit Trek

Manaslu Circuit trek, one of the most restricted trekking region which offer you the mind-blowing views Mt Manaslu (8163 meters)-the eighth-highest snow-capped peak in the world and also offer you the beautiful chance to explore the cultural heritages and the bio-diversity of those regions. You will also walk through many charming and isolated valley to reach the Manaslu Base Camp. Larkya La Pass is the highest and the attractive pass of Manaslu Circuit trek which offers you the stunning views of the surrounding snowy mountains and also other natural beauty of that region.

The trek to Manaslu circuit trek starts from Kathmandu to Soti Khola which takes around 8-9 hours off-road drive and your adventure starts from Soti-Khola. Manaslu Circuit trek is mainly recommended in the monsoon season as the temperature is pretty good in the Manaslu region and lies in the rain shadows so rain will not obstacles in your trial.

Annapurna Circuit Trek

Annapurna Circuit trek is one of the popular trekking regions among the travelers around the world and Annapurna region trekking is mainly recommended in the monsoon season as it lies in the rain shadows so that the monsoon rain will not obstacle your trek. it is also good to trek the popular Annapurna Circuit trek during the monsoon season as the trail is less crowded you will easily get the room for the accommodation and other services easily in the low rate compared to the other trekking.

Due to the good transportation facilities, it is very easy to reach the starting point Chame. The trek route passes through the unique Himalaya landscapes and the rain shadow area. Also adding some extra days for the Tilicho lakes will be also a great choice that you can plan and enjoy. The Tilicho lake is the highest freshwater lake in the world which is at the altitude of 4919 meters from sea level.

Autumn season (September, October, November)

The months of September, October, and November falls in the autumn season. Autumn season is like the spring season as most of the trekking trails are very crowded and one of the best times to enjoy the adventure trekking in Nepal.

The weather is very beautiful and the temperature is also quite stable and comfortable. But sometimes you will experience the hot weather above the 3000 meters and also in early September, there is quite a possibility of the showering. The average temperature in the uphill and the lower mountains ranges from 15.C to 24.C and the average temperature ranges from 20.C in the sunny days too -10.C n the morning and in the evening in the high altitude above 4000 meters.

The autumn season is the best season to go trekking in Nepal because of the clear weather and the skies. You can also enjoy the cool temperature with pretty good weather with clear crystal views of the snow-capped mountains.

As this season is considered as the peak season to trek in Nepal, the trekking trails are crowded so you can except the prices slightly expensive compared to the trekking in another season. most of the teahouse is full, which makes little challenging to trek in the high altitude.

Pro of trekking in the autumn season are:

• Days trends to be warm and night be cold as heading to the winter season.
• The weather is stable and sunny with clear skies and the stunning views of the snowy mountains.
• The temperature in the uphill and the lower mountains ranges from 15.c to 24.c.

Cons of trekking in the autumn season are:

• Being the peak season it is quite difficult to find comfortable rooms in the teahouse.
• Generally, with better weather, many people trek to the Himalayan means lack of peaceful walk.

Top recommended trek in the autumn season:

Everest Base Camp Trek

Everest base camp is the most famous trekking destination in the world which extends up to 2400 km in the Himalayans. It is one of the legendary and popular trekking destinations in Nepal since it leads you to the lap of the world's highest mountains, Mt Everest. Everest Base Camp trek is recommended trek in the autumn season as the weather and temperature in the high altitude is pretty stable and also one of the best tea houses trekking trail in the country, boasting of the teahouses and hotels ranging from cozy inexpensive one to those luxuries. The experience of the heart touching natural beauty with the surrounding views of the highest snow-capped peaks, walking through the footsteps of the legendary mountaineers like Edmund Hillary and tensing Norgay. You will also hike Kalapther- the attractive and the vantage point to enjoy the surrounding views of the snow-capped mountain with their summit views which are blocked from the Base camp including Mt Everest, Cho Oyu, Makalu, Nuptse, and Ama Dablam.

Langtang valley trek

If you have very short periods of time but want to enjoy the adventure trek in the Himalayan then it is a perfect choice to trek Langtang Valley trek for you which is only 30kms north from Kathmandu. Langtang is the perfect combination of the historic and ancient culture of Tibetan Buddhism and also well- guarded by the different ethnic groups like Tamangs and Holmes. The trekking trail is also the perfect combination of the varied topography, elevation and geology. During the trek, you can also enjoy the snow-capped views of Mt Langtang, Lirung, Ganesh, Massif and also other snow-capped mountains from the Tibetan side. The mountains are enriched by several icy lakes and glaciers that you will encounter during the trek.

Kanchenjunga base camp trek

Kanchenjunga is one of the beautiful trekking trails which leads you to the base of the third world's highest mountains. Kanchenjunga base camp trek is one of the challenging trekking trail which is only for the experienced trekkers only but very achievable. Although it doesn't include at the top as the Everest Base Camp and Annapurna Base Camp it is far more adventurous, enriching and dangerous. Mt Kanchenjunga is situated in the eastern border of Nepal- is the third highest peak on the earth, the trekking route was only opened in 1998 but the trials are still very remote and off-beaten. Since very few trekkers trek on this journey, you will find very peace and solitude compared to other trekking trails in Nepal.

You can reach the base camp from both south or north you can also even combine both routes by passing through the very high Himalayan passes like Lapsang La and Mirgin La. However, if you plan to trek Kanchenjunga base camp trek then you need to be a part of an organized trekking group to trek.

Winter season (December, January, February)

The months of December, January, February falls in the winter season, the days will be shorter and there is a lot of snow, so this season is not recommended for the trekking in high altitude as it brings more difficulties and challenges.

The weather is fairly stable and almost dry, but it is quite possible to trek the classic route i.e. Everest Base Camp. if you are the extreme adventure lovers and want experience bit risk and challenging the trekking in the winter season will be very best for you. If you want to trek Everest Base Camp trek in this season then the overnight temperature rages from -20.C to -30.C.

The coolness of the weather depends on how high you want to trek but if you want to hike in low altitude or want to stay below then the temperature remains moderate.

The views of the snow-capped peaks are often covered with the snows and offer you a great opportunity for enjoying the snowy scenery.

During the trekking in the winter season in the high altitude remember that the route in the high altitude and the high passes are closed due to the high snow level and the people living in the high altitude of the popular trekking trails also migrate to the lower altitude in the winters.

Many other short treks are a great choice for the winter season. in fact, it is great to enjoy the trek in the lover Solukhumbu area which is south of the Everest and other shorter trek in Annapurna Circuit during the winter season.

If the cold weather doesn't bother you and want to experience in the bit challenging, risk and difficulties and also wants to avoid the crowds, then trekking at the winter season is perfect for you but trekking in the winter requires more planning and gear than any other times,

And if you are planning or going for the trekking over 4000 meters, then you are suggested for taking the professional guide as most of the trekking trail is blocked and lost in the snow.

Pros of trekking in the winter season are:

• Weather is quite stable and clear
• The views of the snow-capped mountains are perfect with low humidity and precipitations like snow and other gases.
• Few people on the trail compared to the other peak season so it is the best time to experience a beautiful and peaceful environment.
• You can enjoy the special winter discount provided by the teahouse along the trekking trail.

Cons of trekking in the winter season are:

• Many of the high passes are blocked due to the high snow-falls
• Colder temperature requires more planning and preparations, but the views are rewards and worthwhile.

Basic equipment required for trekking in winter season in Nepal

It is very essential to carry the required goods and equipment while trekking in the Himalayan region, Nepal during all seasons. The basic equipment and correct goods are very important for the beautiful and safe journey to the Himalayan.

Due to the geographical variation in Nepal, most of the adventure trekking starts from the lower altitude with a stable and moderate temperature to the higher altitude in the extreme cold temperature. So it is very essential to carry the right clothes/ gears from the layer so that you can easily change your dresses according to the change in the climate and temperature as night is too cold during the winter season where are the day is sunny do you should pack the light dress for the day while trekking and warm clothes for the night.

Right packing of goods and equipment is also very essential while trekking in winter season in Nepal sometimes packing too much and too little can also disturb your adventure trip so you need to know how much is too much and how much is too little and also keep in the minds about how long you are going to trek so the number of the dree you packed should depend on this too.

And also before packing the goods, first, you should know the average temperature of the day and night at your trekking area or region in the winter season and considered your body temperature, on the basis of the geography and whether you need to packs the goods for making your trek, safe and easier.

Normally while hiking during the winter season you should start your day by wearing a light tracksuit. During the sunny day you will feel much more comfortable and relief in a T-shirt, then as you walk in the high altitude you may have to wear trek suits, down jackets, gloves, hats, and others.

The basic equipment while trekking in Nepal during the winter season is listed below. The personal items and not much more listed so you can carry other goods according to the individual interest and choice.

Traveling bags

• • Duffer bags
• • Day packs
• • Ruck bags with waterproof covers

Clothing

Upper body

• T-shirts
• Thermal Vest
• Lightweight thermal tops
• Waterproof jackets
• Fleece Jackets or Pullover
• Women sports bra and Synthetic

Lower body

• Hiking sorts
• Fleece pants
• Waterproof shell pants
• Undergarments
• Lightweight walking pants

Footwear

• Inner socks
• Thick woolen socks
• Hiking boots
• Camp sandals
• Walking poles

Handwear

• Lightweight fleece gloves
• Thick, heavyweight gloves
• Water/ windproof gloves

Heads

• Woolen Hats
• Sun Hats
• Sunglasses
• scarf

Sleeping accessories

• Sleeping bags
• Pillowcase and other night required accessories

Other personal equipment

• Sunscreen
• Waters bottles
• Water purifiers
• Head touch
• First Aids kid
• Hand sanitizers
• Towel

Top recommended trek in the winter season are:

Everest panorama trek

The Everest panorama trek is one of the easiest and simplest ways to explore in the Himalayan in very short periods of time and it is mainly recommended in the winter season. this trek is very suitable for those who want to view Mt Everest but have very limited time. The beautiful trekking trail and warm hospitality of the Sherpa people will warmly welcome you in the best way. Everest, the highest mountains in the world and very famous among the trekkers too, the trek to Everest region starts from Lukla with the adventure and scenic flight from the Kathmandu and end at the Tengboche. The breathtaking views of Mt Everest, Lhotse, Ama Dablam and explore the Tengboche monastery-the biggest Buddhist monastery make your trek memorable and beautiful.

Poon Hill Trek

Poon Hill Trek is best-recommended trek during the winter season and passes through Ghorepani and Ghandruk which is extremely popular. This trek is very popular and classic which takes you through the charming and isolated villages, you will enjoy the walk through the green vegetation and enjoy the incredible sunrise views over the highest snow-capped peaks including Mt Dhaulagiri, Mt Manaslu, Mt Annapurna, and many other surrounding peaks. The major advantages of the Poon Hill trek are that it is very easily accessible and offer some very close-up views of the high snow-capped mountains without needing to ascend too high.

Kathmandu Valley Trek/tour

Kathmandu –the capital of Nepal and also well-known as the "City of the temple". You will visit the monument and the place of this valley which comes under the category of the UNESCO world heritage sites of the Kathmandu. While enjoying the tour around the Kathmandu valley you will visit.

Pashupatinath Temple

Pashupatinath temples are considered as one of the holiest places for the Hindus and its located 6 km from the Kathmandu. Due to its uniqueness, it is listed in the UNESCO world heritage sites. The structure of the Pashupatinath Temples is a two-story building and is built in the pagoda style. The site is a collection of the temples, ashrams, images, and inscriptions and its perimeters were raised over the centuries and lies right beside the bank of the holy Bagmati rivers.

Swyombhunath Stupa

Swyombhunath Stupa is also famously well-known as "Monkey Temple", has a demo like structure as its base, above which you see a cubical structure and has painted eyes of Buddha and is believed to be around 2500 years old and considered one of the oldest monuments making its name in the List of the UNESCO world heritage sites. The structure of this stupa represents the four elements of the earth, fire, wind and water. There are around 365 steps passing through which you will reach the holy site of the Swyombhunath Stupa.

Boudhnath Stupa

The Boudhnath stupa is one of the oldest and the biggest monuments built in the Himalayan nation and also listed in the UNESCO world heritage sites. The stupa structure was built around the 5th century AD. It is around 36m high unique three-level mandala style structure and people following Buddhist religion flocks in thousands during the Buddhist festival. This monument is quite similar to the Swyombhunath Stupa.

Nagarkot Hike

If you want to enjoy both short trekking and sightseeing the Nagarkot Chisapani hike is suitable for you as you can collect the experience of hiking and can enjoy the views of the Kathmandu valley from the top. You can also enjoy the sunrise and sunset views over the beautiful highest snow-capped mountains, enjoy the cool environment, experience the unique culture and tradition of the locals in very short periods of the time. It is around 2-3 days hike around Kathmandu.

As in the above, we discuss the Best season to trek in Nepal with its merits and demerits there are many other beautiful treks to enjoy this season but you should be physically and mentally fit and fine. Pack all the required equipment and gears need in the trekking seasons you choose. If you want to know more about it then please mail us: [email protected]