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You know the month. Where should it be?
Most travel advice answers the wrong question — when to visit somewhere you have already chosen. Leave dates usually come first, so start there. Pick your month and every destination re-sorts by whether it is actually a good idea then.
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In September: 1 destinations at their best, 8 good, 2 mixed, and 0 we would steer you away from.
- Best timeUpper MustangTrans-HimalayaUpper Mustang inverts the Nepal calendar. April, May, September and October are the outright best, but June to August is genuinely good here because the rain shadow keeps the valley dry while the rest of the country floods. Avoid December to February, when it drops well below freezing and much of Lo Manthang's population migrates to lower ground.from $2,450
- GoodAnnapurna RegionAnnapurna RegionGo in March or April if you want the rhododendron bloom and warmer nights, October or November if you want the sharpest mountain views and the driest trail. Winter is fine for Poon Hill but Thorong La is closed by snow in some years, and monsoon brings leeches, landslides on the road sections and cloud that hides the range for days.from $580
- GoodEverest Region (Khumbu)Everest RegionOctober and November give the most stable skies and the firmest views; March and April are slightly warmer with less traffic on the upper trail. December to February is walkable but lodges above Dingboche run cold and some close, and June to August brings cloud, leeches on the lower trail and constant flight disruption.from $0
- GoodKathmandu ValleyKathmandu ValleyOctober and November are the best combination of clear air, dry streets and festival season — Dashain and Tihar both fall in this window. March and April are warm and clear. Avoid July and August for the rain, and treat December to January with caution if you have respiratory problems, because the winter inversion holds smog in the valley for weeks.from $0
- GoodLangtang RegionLangtang & HelambuMarch to April and October to November are the two clear windows; spring adds rhododendron along the lower gorge. December to February is quiet and cold, with Gosaikunda often frozen and the Laurebina La snowbound. Skip June to August — the Syabrubesi road is the first in Nepal to close for landslides.from $850
- GoodManaslu RegionRestricted AreasOctober and November are the safest bet for Larke La, with April close behind. Avoid December to February: the pass holds deep snow and Dharmasala's single lodge often shuts. Monsoon closes the Arughat road with landslides and the gorge section becomes genuinely dangerous.from $1,980
- GoodMuktinath & JomsomTrans-HimalayaMarch to May and October are the strongest windows, with warm days and reliable Jomsom flights. The rain shadow keeps Muktinath itself fairly dry in monsoon, but the Pokhara–Beni approach road slips in July and August, so allow spare days. December to February is clear and very cold, with snow occasionally closing the last stretch to the temple.from $780
- GoodNagarkot & DhulikhelKathmandu ValleyOctober to December has the clearest air and the sharpest mountain line, with November the single most reliable month. January and February are equally clear but genuinely cold before dawn at 2,175 m. From April haze builds and by May the range is often invisible; June to August the view is lost behind monsoon cloud most mornings.from $890
- GoodPokharaPokhara & LakesOctober, November, March and April combine clear mountain views with warm lake weather. December and January are pleasant at 822 m but morning haze often hides the range until mid-morning. Pokhara is the wettest city in Nepal, taking over 3,000 mm a year, and July and August deliver most of it.from $580
- MixedChitwanTerai & WildlifeFebruary to April gives the best sightings because the annual grass cutting in January flattens the tall elephant grass and animals lose their cover, while water sources shrink and concentrate wildlife. October to December is comfortable but the grass is still high. May is brutally hot at over 40 degrees, and monsoon flooding closes river crossings and much of the park interior.from $620
- MixedLumbiniTerai & WildlifeOctober to February is the sensible window: dry, clear and mild enough to walk the monastic zone on foot. April and May routinely pass 40 degrees Celsius on open ground with almost no shade between temples, and the monsoon brings heavy rain and mosquitoes. Buddha Jayanti, on the May full moon, is the biggest event but also the hottest.from $540
How we rate a month
- Best time
- Reliable weather, the sights are open and the destination is doing what it is famous for. Also the most expensive and the busiest.
- Good
- Perfectly enjoyable with one caveat — some haze, an occasional shower, or one attraction shut. Often the best value of the year.
- Mixed
- It can work, but it depends on luck or on picking the right part of the country. We will tell you which before you book.
- Avoid
- We will talk you out of it. Closed trails, dangerous seas, 45-degree heat or a monsoon that will cost you the views you came for.