Mero Dhangadhi

Hello! I was hoping that you could give me some advice on traveling to Nepal. I would love to visit Nepal, but unfortunately I have very limited time due to my work schedule. My only options are 1) last week of December & first week of January 2) last 2 weeks of June or 3) first 2 weeks of August. So which would be the better choice, cold or monsoons? My hope is to see much of Kathmandu and then spend a few days in Chitwan (and maybe Pokhara if I have time). I’ve heard that the monsoons...

Tsk tsk you didn’t give me very easy choices. :) I think the winters will be better. Sure it’ll be a bit cold but you won’t have to worry about monsoon rain or mosquitoes. Just be sure to pack lots of warm clothes. Wintery days are usually sunny in the afternoon and quite warm. Maybe try to get a hotel or something that has heaters in the rooms. You will also be faced with load shedding (power outages) for a couple hours in Kathmandu. The hours of outage are longer during the winters, but a lot of hotels have generators for alternate power so try to stay in those places.

Summer in Chitwan is very very hot (40°c+) and humid and filled with all sorts of bugs from what I’ve heard from friends who’ve visited. You’ll also have to be careful of how you’re traveling if you’re going during the monsoon. Landslides and rock slides are quite common in the highways, so I personally would not recommend traveling by road during the monsoons. Take domestic flights to your destinations. Kathmandu and Pokhara are both okay during the monsoons. Not too bad if you’re not going to be hiking much.

The last time I experienced a Nepali winter was like a decade ago. I enjoyed Kathmandu during the monsoon when I went there almost 3 years ago, because the rain would wash away all of the dirt and pollution leaving the city feeling nice and clean. I’ve never been to Chitwan or anywhere in southern Nepal during the summers but from what I’ve heard from my Dad or other friends that have visited/lived there, it’s very very hot and humid. I’d recommend winter. I’ll make this public so that other people can share their thoughts.