When to go to Nepal
Two clear seasons, two quiet ones and one rain shadow that ignores all of them. Here is what each month actually looks like on the trail.
Pick a month
Conditions on the ground, and the trips we run in that window.
November, autumn
Crisp, stable weather and thinner crowds. A favourite month for peak climbing.
Month by month
The whole year, in order
Every month, its season, what the weather does and how many of our trips run in it.
- 1trip run
January Winter
Cold nights and very clear air. The lower Annapurna routes stay quiet and walkable.
- 2trips run
February Winter
Days start to warm. High passes still hold snow, so we keep trips below 5,000 m.
- 7trips run
March Spring
Spring opens the season. Rhododendron forests bloom and the high trails clear.
- 17trips run
April Spring
Every route is open. Expedition teams arrive at Everest Base Camp this month.
- 17trips run
May Spring
Long warm days and the main summit window on Everest and Lhotse.
- 1trip run
June Monsoon
The monsoon arrives. Upper Mustang sits in the rain shadow and stays mostly dry.
- 1trip run
July Monsoon
Green valleys and wet trails in the south. Mustang is at its quietest and best.
- 1trip run
August Monsoon
Late monsoon. The rain shadow is still the pick while the rest of Nepal dries out.
- 7trips run
September Autumn
The rains clear and autumn begins. Manaslu expeditions head for base camp.
- 15trips run
October Autumn
The clearest skies of the year and the busiest trails. Book three to four months ahead.
- 14trips run
November Autumn
Crisp, stable weather and thinner crowds. A favourite month for peak climbing.
- 4trips run
December Winter
Cold but bright. Everest Base Camp is still very walkable with the right kit.