Best Time to Visit Kathmandu

Autumn and spring: the best windows

October to early December is the classic season, and it's busy for good reason. The monsoon has washed the dust out of the air, and November is the driest month, with almost no rain at all. Days are mild and sunny. Mountain views from Nagarkot and Swayambhunath (the hilltop "Monkey Temple") are at their best. This is also trekking season, so Thamel, the tourist district, gets lively and flights to Lukla fill up.

October brings Dashain, Nepal's biggest festival. Families travel home, shops close for a few days, and buses are packed. Tihar, the festival of lights, follows in October or November, with oil lamps in every doorway. The dates shift each year, so check them before you book.

February to April is the second good window. Mornings are cool and afternoons warm up fast. By April it's 29°C and hazy, and views of the Himalaya get hazier too. Spring has its own highlights, like the Nepali New Year in mid-April and Bisket Jatra in Bhaktapur, where huge chariots roll through the old streets.

Winter: clear but chilly

December and January are dry and sunny, but nights drop to about 7°C. Most guesthouses and homes have no central heating, so evenings can feel properly cold. Days are pleasant, though, and crowds are thinner than in autumn. This is a good time for temple-hopping around Patan Durbar Square and Boudhanath, and you'll often have the lanes to yourself early on. If you hate crowds but want dry weather, aim for January or February.

Monsoon: wet, green and quiet

From June to September, expect rain on most days. July is the wettest month, with 307 mm, and August isn't far behind. Skies are grey, and the sun barely shows in July. Roads can flood, and landslides sometimes cut off highways out of the valley. Views of the mountains mostly disappear behind cloud.

So why come? Prices drop, the hills turn bright green, and the sights are nearly empty. Rain often comes in bursts, so mornings can be dry enough for Durbar Square. Trekking is harder, though, with leeches and slippery trails. In August, Gai Jatra brings cow-themed processions through the old city streets.

May is a hot, sticky in-between month. The first heavy rains arrive, and rain falls on about half the days. It suits you if you want fewer people and don't mind the odd soaking.