Nepal · tool
Best time to visit Kathmandu
Month-by-month weather, crowds, prices, and festival calendar — so you know exactly when to book.
Photo by Sara Meier on Unsplash
Best time to visit Kathmandu, Nepal
Month-by-month breakdown of weather, crowds, prices, and seasonal highlights.
| Month | Score | Weather | Crowds | Prices | Highlights |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 5-19°C, clear and dry with cold nights | low | low |
⚠ Can be very cold at night, especially in higher altitudes. | |
| February | 8-21°C, dry with increasing sunshine | low | low |
| |
| March | 12-25°C, mild and sunny | moderate | moderate |
| |
| April | 15-28°C, warm and mostly sunny | high | high |
⚠ Pre-monsoon heat can build towards the end of the month. | |
| May | 18-29°C, increasingly humid with afternoon thunderstorms | moderate | moderate |
⚠ Monsoon onset can begin, impacting trekking visibility. | |
| June | 20-29°C, heavy monsoon rains | low | low |
⚠ Heavy rainfall makes trekking difficult and roads prone to landslides. | |
| July | 20-29°C, peak monsoon season with continuous rain | low | low |
⚠ Heavy monsoon rains severely limit outdoor activities and trekking. | |
| August | 20-29°C, lingering monsoon rains | low | low |
⚠ Still monsoon season; expect rain and potential travel disruptions. | |
| September | 17-27°C, post-monsoon showers giving way to clear skies | moderate | moderate |
⚠ Early September can still see some rain. | |
| October | 14-25°C, dry and sunny with pleasant temperatures | peak | peak |
| |
| November | 10-22°C, crisp, dry, and sunny | high | high |
| |
| December | 6-19°C, clear and dry with cold mornings and evenings | low | low |
⚠ Nights and early mornings are very cold. |
Annual events worth timing your trip around
March
Holi
Festival of Colors, celebrated with throwing colored powders and water.
May
Buddha Jayanti
Commemorates the birth, enlightenment, and death of Gautama Buddha.
August
Gai Jatra
Festival of Cows, a procession to commemorate the dead.
October
Dashain
The longest and most auspicious festival in Nepal, celebrating victory over evil.
October
Tihar
Festival of Lights, celebrated over five days with lamps, fireworks, and honoring animals.
August
Janai Purnima
Sacred thread festival, where men receive a sacred thread for protection and purification.
Insider timing tips
- •The post-monsoon (September) and pre-monsoon (March-April) offer a good balance of decent weather and fewer crowds than the peak autumn season.
- •Major Hindu festivals like Dashain and Tihar (October) can mean many businesses and transport services operate on a reduced schedule or close entirely, despite good weather.
- •The monsoon season (June-August) is characterized by heavy rainfall, making trekking challenging and increasing the risk of landslides, but offers lush scenery and very low prices.
- •Winter months (December-February) offer crystal-clear mountain views and low prices, but daytime temperatures can be cool and nights are very cold.
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