The Best Time to Go to Nepal

When is the Best Time to Go to Nepal for Holidays

Climate factors are very important in deciding on a visit to Nepal. October-November, the start of the dry season, is in many ways the best time of the year in Nepal. With the monsoon only recently finished the country-side is green and lush and Nepal is at its most beautiful. Rice is harvested and there are some more important and colorful festivals to enjoy. At this time of the year the air is sparkling clean, visibility is unexcelled and the Himalayan views are as near perfect as you can ask. Further more the weather is still balmy, neither too hot nor too cold. For obvious reasons, this is also the peak tourist season.

In December-January the temperatures and visibility are still good, though it can get very cold. Trekkers need to be well prepared, as snow can be encountered on high-altitude treks. Heading for the Everest Base Camp at this time of the year can be a real feat of endurance and the Annapurna Circuit trek is often closed by snow on the Thorang La pass. Down in Kathmandu the cheaper hotels, where heating is non-existent, are often chilly and gloomy in the evenings. There's sometimes a brief winter monsoon, lasting just a day or two in January.

February-March-April, the tail end of the dry season, is good second-best time. The weather gets warmer so high-altitude treks are no longer as arduous, although by the end of the dry season, before the monsoon breaks, it starts to get too hot for comfort. Visibility is not good as earlier in the dry season since the country is now very dry, and dust in the air reduces that crystal Himalayan clarity. In compensation, Nepal's wonderful rhododendrons and many other flowers are in bloom so there's plenty of color to be seen along the trekking trails.

May and the early part of June are not the best months as it is extremely hot and dusty and the coming monsoon hangs over you like a threat. Mid-June to September, when the monsoon finally arrives, is the least popular time to visit Nepal. The rains wash the dust out the air, but the clouds obscure the mountains so you're unlikely to enjoy more than a rare glimpse of Himalaya. Although it doesn't rain all day it usually does rain everyday and the trails will be muddy and plagued by leeches. Despite this, it is possible to trek during the monsoon, although high rivers may further complicate matters and it's certainly not as pleasant as other times of the year. Landslides sometimes block roads during the monsoon but many visitors still come to Nepal form India as the weather is even less pleasant down on the plains. The latter part of the monsoon, the months of August-September, are a time of festivals which will certainly enliven a visit to Kathmandu.

Location: Nepal borders with the Tibet Autonomous Region of the People's of China in the North and India in the East, South and West respectively.

Area: 147,181 sq. Kilometers

Altitude: Varies from 70 meters to 8848 meters

Capital: Kathmandu

Population: approx. 22 million 

Language: Nepali is the national language of Nepal.  Educated people understand and speak English as well.

Time: Nepali is the national language of Nepal.  Educated people understand and speak English as well.

Climate: Nepal has four major seasons.

Winter: December-February, 

Spring:  March-May, 

Summer: June-August, 

Autumn: September-November. 

Nepal can be visited all year round

People and Religion: Nepalese people are mainly divided into two distinct groups, the Indo-Aryans and the Mongolians.  Kathmandu Valley is the spiritual and cultural meeting point of all these groups.  Nepal is the only Hindu Kingdom in the World.  Hindu Temples and Buddhist shrines are scattered all over the kingdom.  Nepal is the birthplace of Lord Buddha, the Light of Asia.  Hindus and Buddhists live together harmoniously in Nepal.

Currency and Foreign Exchange: Nepali Rupee notes come in Rs. 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, 25, 50, 100, 500, 1000 denominations.  Coins come 5p, 10p, 25p, Rs. 1, 2, 5 denominations. Foreign currencies must be exchanged only through the banks or authorized foreign exchange dealers.  The receipts from such transaction are to be obtained and retained.  Visitors can exchange foreign currency at the foreign exchange counter at the airport upon arrival.  Visitors other than the Indian national have to make the payment in foreign currency in hotel, travel agencies or trekking agencies and air tickets.  Non-Indian visitors are not allowed to import or export Indian currency.  The approximate value of one USA dollar is equivalent to Rs. 73.65 as of January 30, 2001.

ENTRY POINTS: By Air: Tribhuvan International Airport, Kathmandu

By Land: (1) Kakarbhitta (2) Birgung (3) Belhiya (Bhairahawa) (4) Nepalgung (5) Dhangadi (6) Jogbani (Biratnagar) and (7) Mahendra Nagar in Nepal-India border and (8) Kodari in Nepal-China border.

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