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Climate
When to Come
Climatic
factors are very important in deciding when to visit Nepal.
October-November, the start of the dry season, is in many ways the best time
of year: the weather is balmy, the air is clean, visibility is perfect, and
the country is lush following the monsoon. February-April, the tail end of
the dry season is the second-best period: visibility is not so good because
of dust, but the weather is warm and many of Nepal's wonderful wild flowers
are in bloom. In December and January the climate and visibility are good
but it can be chilly: trekkers need to be well prepared for snow, and
cheaper hotels in Kathmandu - where heating is nonexistent - can be gloomy
in the evening. The rest of the year is fairly unpleasant for traveling: May
and early June are generally too hot and dusty for comfort, and the monsoon
from mid-June to September obscures the mountains in cloud and turns trails
and roads to mud.
In brief Nepal has four Climatic seasons:
- Spring: March - May
- Summer: June - August
- Fall: September - November
- Winter: December - February
Temperature Chart (Kathmandu)
Recommended Clothing
The
weather in Nepal not only depends on the time of year, but mainly on how
high you are. The width of Nepal is only about 200km on average, yet
within this short distance the altitude of the land rises from lowly 60
meters all the way up to above 8000 meters, and temperature change
accordingly. Kathmandu is only at 1350 meters.
So, what to
wear? Medium-weight and easy to wash cottons can be a good choice
year-round in the Kathmandu valley. It is recommended that between October
to February, woolen sweaters, jackets or similar other warm outfits are
necessary. From March through May, light clothing such as short and
long-sleeved shorts will do perfectly fine at Kathmandu, Pokhara and most
other towns. For mornings and evenings, a jacket or heavy woolen sweater
(you can find beautiful ones in reasonable price in Kathmandu) will be
essential. For months from June to August, it is recommended that you bring
an umbrella or raincoat and a pair of sandals with you as these months are
the rainy months of Nepal. Expect lot of walking even if you don't plan to
trek. So it's recommended that you bring comfortable footwear: sneakers and
sandals are the best
If you intend to go for trekking, a pair of hiking boots will be great.
Bring plenty of woolen socks too. Specialized trekking gear is easily
available and can be rented in fairly inexpensive charge in Kathmandu and
Pokhara
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