Best Time to do Trek in Nepal
The trekking season in Nepal
Trekking is the best adventurous trip to do in the Himalayas of Nepal to create a great lifetime experience. Imagine, passing through different landscapes, rivers, waterfalls, lakes, glaciers, high hills, valleys, and remote villages with majestic views of gigantic mountains – How amazing would it be? To get the best from trekking in Nepal you need to know when to travel to Nepal, which is the best season to travel to Nepal. Normally, every season is good for trekking in Nepal however there is one best time that carries special key features throughout the trekking trails in Nepal. If you are trekking in the right place at the right time, you will get the pleasure moment to remember for your lifetime.
To get the best of Nepal by trekking, you must conduct your trek during the best trekking season. In Nepal, there are four trekking seasons; summer, spring, autumn, and winter seasons. Out of these 4 seasons, two spring seasons and autumn seasons are considered the best trekking seasons in Nepal. The temperature is mild, the view is clear and the high mountains are still cold but lower elevations are warm during the daytime walking temperatures are almost pleasant. However, in other seasons trekking also can be done. There are some exceptions to trekking routes that should be trekked during the time of summer and winter seasons as well.
All the seasons are best for trekking in Nepal as each season contains its special features. Generally, the autumn season (September, October, and November) and spring season (March, April, and May) are considered the best seasons for trekking in Nepal except for Upper Mustang and Dolpo. When the weather is mild, the weather is relatively stable and the atmosphere is clear which makes the mountain views superb, the high mountains are still cold and lower altitudes are still warm which makes the walking at a pleasant temperature.
These seasons offer excellent weather and crystal clear views of valleys, landscapes, skies, and mountains. Moreover, you can get the chance to celebrate two giant festivals of Nepal Dashain and Tihar by enjoying the different cuisines made during festivals if you are trekking in the autumn season and you can trek on through clear trekking routes by enjoying the views of the clear landscapes and wildly blooming rhododendron flower throughout the trekking trails.
Autumn season
Autumn season is considered the best trekking season in Nepal begins in September followed by October and ends in November. The weather remains clear, the temperature is moderate, and offers crystal clear views of the mountains. The trekking trails become very busy and crowded as most of the trekkers are received during this season. The temperatures in the upper and lower mountain region of Nepal reach about 15-24 degrees Celsius (59 to 75 degrees Fahrenheit).
All types of trekking in any region are possible during this season. Besides this, you will be charmed with the local environment during this season as Nepali people celebrate two of the biggest festivals Dashain and Tihar during this season. Trekking in the Annapurna region and Everest region is highly recommended to trek during this season, where you can experience the best that these regions have to offer with majestic views of mountains and crystal clear skies.
Spring season
Spring season is considered the second best trekking season in Nepal and falls under March, April, and May. This is the perfect season when you can enjoy blooming flora such as famous giant rhododendrons, clear skies, and mountain views throughout the trekking trail. The routes become clear and have moderate temperatures, making way for sunny, clear, and warm trekking conditions in the Himalayas of Nepal. Few trekkers are alongside trekking trails than in the autumn season which means you will get more chances to experience remote places of the Himalayas. The temperatures in the upper and lower mountain region of Nepal reach about 16 to 23 degrees Celsius (61 to 73 degrees Fahrenheit). Annapurna region including the ultimate Dhaulagiri trek and Everest region trekking are highly recommended treks during this season with the charm of blooming rhododendron forests, warm weather, and favorable trekking conditions.
Summer Season
Summer season typically brings monsoon rains in Nepal. So this season, also called the monsoon season, starts in June and ends in August. Mountain regions are covered with clouds and lower routes are generally muddy with a large number of leeches due to rainfall during this season. The weather is unfavorable and uncomfortable for trekking and trails become difficult so trekking is not recommended during this time. However, trekking in mountain shadow areas such as Upper Dolpo and Upper Mustang which lie on the high Tibetan plateau is possible as the places are protected from the monsoon. You can enjoy the dry climate with clear skies, and stunning scenery of mountains and plateaus as well as you can enjoy the Tibetan culture in Nepal. The trekking trails become less crowded which means you can enjoy the beauty and solitude of the mountains.
Winter Season
Winter season in Nepal is a less recommended time to trek throughout the Himalayas region of Nepal as trekkers feel too cold to trek on higher altitudes. The season starts in December and ends in February. If cold doesn’t interfere, then it is a great time to trek to popular high mountains regions such as Everest Base Camp. The trekking trails become less crowded which means you get the best of mountain regions without any disturbance. The sky remains clear and blue during the day and monasteries' visits are great as well as some fresh snow on the hills is a great view for photography. One thing to remember is trekking during winter is no joke as the temperatures can range between 9 to 12 degrees Celsius (48 to 54 degrees Fahrenheit) during the daytime and evenings can drop to sub-zero degrees Celsius. Therefore, mostly lower altitudes trekking is highly recommended during this season.
Nepal has four seasons such as autumn (September to November), Winter (December to February), Spring (March to May), and Summer (June to August). The temperature in Nepal varies from place to place from sub-tropical in the low lands to a cold high altitude climate in the mountains. The mountain region is normally cold throughout the year, the hilly region is moderate and the Terai region is hot in Nepal.
In the spring and Autumn season, the weather remains the same as temperatures range annually, but in Summer and Winter, it makes a huge difference in the temperature of different places. The temperature in the Himalayan region becomes mild in summer but extremely cold in the winter season. Likewise, the cold season becomes mild but the summer season becomes extremely hot in the Terai region. But in the case of the hilly region, people experience cold in the winter season and hot in the Summer season.
During the autumn season, nights are usually cold but the bright sun makes the daytime pleasant temperatures. The temperature in the daytime ranges from 12 degrees Celsius to 20 degrees Celsius and during the night the temperature can drop to 3 to 8 degrees Celsius. The Winter season brings heavy snowfalls at higher elevations above 2500m in Nepal which makes the extremely cold temperature at higher altitudes in Nepal. The lower land also experiences quite cold during the winter season.
The temperature in the daytime can vary from 5 degrees Celsius to -7 degrees Celsius and the temperature at night time may drop from -15 degrees Celsius to -20 degrees Celsius. Spring seasons bring the charm with blooming greenery in Nepal with warmer weather but frequent storms at night. The temperature may range from 10 degrees Celsius to 17 degrees Celsius in daytime and -5 degrees Celsius to -8 degrees Celsius at nighttime. The summer season which is also known as the monsoon season brings heavy rainfall which makes traveling or trekking in Nepal extremely difficult. The temperature may extend up to 15 degrees Celsius to 25 degrees Celsius in daytime and 5 degrees Celsius to 9 degrees Celsius at nighttime.
Although the average temperatures in each season are mentioned in the above paragraph, global warming may disturb the weather and temperatures in each season. One of the main consequences of global warming is the increase in temperatures. You may experience rainfall in unexpected months. The Himalayan mountains are warming between 0.3 degrees to 0.7 degree Celsius faster which cause glaciers to shrink and snow mountains to melt.
There are various options for trekking trails in Nepal as it is a Himalayan country. There is a saying, to get the best out of any place visit at the perfect time. Likewise, here is the information on where you can go in each season for trekking activities in Nepal.
Autumn and spring are the best seasons to do trekking activities in Nepal where you can get the best of any trekking trails. You will be experiencing a trek in a mild temperature and clear skies that won’t bother you to enjoy the majestic views of the mountains. In these seasons, the weather is neither cold nor hot so your walk will become easier on clear routes.
All the trekking routes are the best for ttrekking on Everest Base Camp, Everest Gokyo Trek, Everest view trek and Everest Three Passes trek of Everest Region, Annapurna Circuit trek, Annapurna Base Camp trek and Tilicho Lake Trek of Annapurna region, Kanchenjunga Base Camp trek of Kanchenjunga region, Manaslu Base Camp trek of Manaslu region and Lower Dolpo trek of Dolpo region as well as other treks like Rara Lake trek, Shey Phoksundo Trek, Rolwaling trek and Langtang trek is the best trekking routes in these seasons.
In the summer season, fewer trekking activities are not recommended due to rough and difficult trails caused by heavy rainfall and floods. However, mountain shadow areas like Upper Dolpo and Upper Mustang trek can be done as it receives very less rainfall throughout the year. At last in the winter season, normally trekking is not done due to the very cold temperature in the high Himalayas of Nepal. If cold does not bother you then it is the best time to trek the Everest region and Annapurna region to get the best view and walk through snow-covered hills on less crowded trails.
Seasons from English Calendar and Nepali Hindu Calendars
As you know, Nepal follows the Vikram Samvat calendar used in Nepal which is 57 years ahead of the English calendar. According to the Nepali Hindu calendar, there are 6 different types of seasons; Basanta, Grisma, Barsha, Sharadh, Hemanta, and Shishir seasons whereas there are only 4 different seasons according to the English calendar; Summer, Spring, Autumn, and Winter seasons.
Here is a brief about Nepal's seasons based on trekking activities in the high Himalayas of Nepal.
Basanta Season
Basanta season is the first season of Nepal that falls during the Nepali month of Chaitra and Baisakh (mid-March to mid-May). This is the season of blooming of nature you can observe the greenery of Nepal including dense rhododendron and oak forest. The trekking trail is clear and you will get clear views of mountains, skies, landscapes, and different valleys.
Grishma Season
Grishma season falls under the Nepali months of Jestha and Asadh (Mid May to Mid July). During this season, the weather becomes extremely hot and dry. It will be even difficult to walk on the road without Umbrella however trekking in this season become so much easier in the cold region after hectic warm and hot temperature at lower altitude. Sometimes, there may be heavy rainfall during this season which makes the trek difficult.
Barsha Season
Barsha season is the season of heavy rainfall which falls under the Nepali month of Shrawan and Bhadra (Mid July to Mid September). During this season, the scene becomes greenery everywhere but the heavy rainfall makes traveling extremely difficult. You can see floods and landslides in different areas of Nepal that block the routes of traveling from one place to another. Sometimes mountain area flight tickets also might get canceled during this season. Sharadh Season
This is the most favorable and comfortable season to trek or travel in any part of the country. The season falls under the Nepali months of Ashwin and Kartika (Mid September to Mid November). The weather becomes mild, the temperature is moderate which makes it the perfect season for trekking in the high Himalayas and you will be rewarded with crystal clear mountain views. Besides this, you will get the chance to celebrate the biggest festivals of Nepal: Dashain and Tihar.
Hemanta Season
Hemanta season falls under the Nepali month of Mangsir and Poush (Mid November to Mid January). This is also the most favorable condition for traveling at lower altitudes or trekking on higher altitudes. The temperatures start to get cold but the lands become dry. You can get the best of Nepal from different places in Nepal as well as our trekking trip also will be adventurous you get a chance to explore more remote corners in the Himalayas region of Nepal as this season receive fewer trekkers than Sharadh season.
Shishir Season
Shishir season is the last season of Nepal that falls under the month of Magh and Falgun (Mid January to Mid March). This season is also favorable for trekking or travel activities. But there is a high possibility you will experience stormy nights during this season. In Nepal, this season is considered the season that makes the world naked. However, it offers the best view of lower elevations as well as higher elevations perfectly during the daytime. The weather is normally cold throughout this season and you can observe the high hills covered with snow during this season.
Trekking in the Himalayas of Nepal requires a specific set of clothing and equipment. The packing list may differ according to the season when you are interested in the trek. To trek in the high altitudes of Nepal, you must be prepared well with all the accessories you will need in each season.
In summer seasons, clothing may include Thermal shirts, t-shirts, Waterproof down jackets, Thermal trousers, Trekking pants, Warm hat gloves, trekking socks, and Hiking boots. Gears and Equipment include a Large Backpack, Raincoat, sleeping bag, water purifier, headlamps, and trek maps. Accessories items are Hydration bladder, sunglasses, towel, portable charger, camera, and at last miscellaneous items which include toiletries and First aid kits with ibuprofen and paracetamol.
In the autumn and spring seasons, as the weather and temperatures are fairly the same in these seasons you will require the same packing list for both seasons. Clothing items may include thermal shirts and t-shirts, waterproof and windcheater jackets, fabric jackets, thermal trousers, tracks, trekking pants, warm hats, gloves, goggles, trekking and fabric socks, and trekking boots. Gears and equipment include a large backpack, sleeping bags, water purifier, headlamps, trekking sticks, and trek maps. Accessories items and miscellaneous items remain the same as of the summer season.
In the winter season, trekking is usually done with an extra layer of warm clothes much cold in higher mountain regions. Clothing items may add thick fabric jackets, thick shirts and t-shirts, waterproof jackets, thick fabric trekking pants, warm hats, and fabric gloves. Gears and Equipment, Accessories, and miscellaneous items may remain the same as in other seasons. Remember to pack thick items as you are trekking in very cold temperatures. Don’t forget to pack extra money, extra clothing items, extra boots and socks, extra memories for the camera, insurance paper, and all the permit cards while trekking in the Himalayas of Nepal.
