Nepal

Join us on a journey through Nepal with our essential travel guide. Discover what weather to expect and the ideal time to plan your adventure. Learn how to navigate the country and explore the must-visit cities and stunning destinations. Taste the delicious local cuisine with our food recommendations. Uncover Nepal's secret spots and hidden gems that most tourists miss.

Weather and Best Time to Visit

The Kathmandu Valley and Central Nepal region are best visited from October to November, when you can enjoy clear skies and mild temperatures. March and April bring spring blooms and good visibility. Winter (December-February) has fewer tourists but cooler temperatures.

For the Terai Region (Southern Plains), plan your visit between November and February when there are comfortable temperatures for exploring Chitwan and Bardia National Parks. It's best to avoid May-September when temperatures exceed 40°C/104°F with high humidity.

The Himalayan Region & Trekking Areas have the most reliable weather for mountain views and trekking during October-November and March-May. Avoid June-September (monsoon season), when trails become slippery and leeches are common.

Far-Western Nepal is best visited between October and April, with October and November providing the clearest mountain views. The region is difficult to access during the monsoon (June-September).

Nepal does not have a typhoon season, but the summer monsoon (June-September) brings heavy rainfall to most regions.

How to Get to Nepal

Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu serves as Nepal's primary gateway for international travelers. Located in the country's center, it's where most visitors first experience Nepal. The newer Gautam Buddha International Airport near Lumbini now provides an alternative entry point to the country.

Nepal also has several smaller regional airports that connect remote areas:

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• -Lukla's Tenzing-Hillary Airport features a notoriously short runway and serves as the main access point for Everest trekkers and visitors to the Solukhumbu region.
• -Pokhara Airport provides access to the popular tourist destination of Pokhara with its famous lake.
• -Jomsom Airport, serving twin-otter aircraft, connects travelers to the high desert region of Mustang.
• -Simara Airport offers convenient access to the border city of Birgunj.

These airports are essential infrastructure in Nepal, providing critical transportation links to communities where travel by road could take days rather than hours by air.

How to Get Around

When travelers journey through Nepal, they discover a country where getting from one place to another becomes part of the adventure itself. Something unnamed yet essential to Nepal's travel experience connects travelers to the everyday rhythm of Nepali life, perhaps it's the conversations that spark when seated next to a local family on a crowded bus, or the helping hand offered when crossing a stream.

Between major cities like Kathmandu and Pokhara, tourist buses wind through mountain roads, where passengers often find themselves pointing cameras at snow-capped peaks or terraced farmland outside their windows.

For those with limited time, domestic flights leap over valleys and mountains in minutes instead of hours, landing on runways like Lukla's perched on a mountainside and serving as the gateway to Everest.

Shared jeeps and minivans bounce along roads less traveled, filled with locals and travelers alike, sometimes stopping for tea breaks or to let mountain goats cross. Inside cities, taxis navigate narrow streets while cycle rickshaws pedal unhurriedly through historic districts, the drivers often sharing stories of their hometown as they go.

Those who rent motorbikes feel the mountain air directly as they curve around hillsides, though they also experience the unfiltered challenge of Nepal's roads with their occasional potholes and unexpected livestock crossings.

Local buses, packed with people, produce, and sometimes even livestock, cost very little and show Nepal as Nepalis see it, unfiltered and real.

For help arranging these journeys through the mountains, valleys, and cities of Nepal, services from Himex Nepal or New Road Travels and Tours can make the path smoother.

Food Scene

Nepal's cooking tells the story of its mountains, valleys, and the people who've lived there for centuries. Start with momos — these warm dumplings come filled with vegetables or meat and a side of spicy sauce. Dal bhat, the daily meal of lentil soup and rice, appears on tables across the country, often served on metal plates with small bowls of vegetables, pickles, and sometimes meat.

Walking through Asan Bazaar in Kathmandu, the scent of sel roti pulls you forward — these ring-shaped bread treats sizzle in oil before vendors hand them over, still warm. Nearby, cooks press rice batter onto hot surfaces to make chatamari, adding toppings like minced meat or eggs. 

When in Pokhara, the food stalls along Lakeside serve juju dhau — yogurt so thick and creamy locals call it "king yogurt."

Each region has something worth trying:

• -Thakali thali from central Nepal features locally-grown buckwheat and vegetables.
• -Kathmandu Valley celebrates festivals with yomari, cone-shaped dumplings filled with sweet molasses.
• -In hillside homes, families make gundruk by fermenting leafy greens, creating a tangy flavor that brightens winter meals.

Hidden Gems

At 1,030 meters above sea level, Bandipur clings to a ridge like a town from another time. Newari culture lives on in the 18th-century buildings that line its streets. Unlike Nepal's busier tourist spots, this car-free settlement offers unobstructed views of the Himalayas with room to breathe and space to think.

What makes it special: Walking through Bandipur feels like stepping into Nepal's past. The bazaar area, free from vehicles, showcases red-brick buildings with intricate wooden balconies and quiet temples. While preserving its history, local families have transformed ancestral homes into small guesthouses where travelers can experience everyday Nepali life.

Best time to visit: Between October and April, the air clears and temperatures remain comfortable. Those who arrive in October or November, just after the rains end, might wake to find the Himalayan giants seemingly close enough to touch.

How to get there: The journey becomes part of the experience. From Kathmandu, buses wind their way to Dumre (4-5 hours) on the Prithvi Highway. The road then turns upward, with shared jeeps and local buses climbing for 30 minutes to reach Bandipur. From Pokhara, the journey takes about 3 hours. Private taxis can take you directly to where the road ends and the walking begins.

Scenic Routes

In Nepal, mountains tower over deep valleys while ancient villages perch on hillsides. Roads wind through landscapes that change from dense forests to glacial heights within a day's journey.

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• Kathmandu to Everest Base Camp: From a small plane window, passengers fall silent as Everest appears. The morning sun catches on glaciers that have carved these valleys for millennia. October and November bring clear skies that reveal every ridge and crevasse. Only flight offers this perspective — the mountains spread out like a map below.

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• Pokhara to Annapurna Circuit: The road climbs and turns, revealing valleys dotted with stone houses and terraced fields. In spring, red rhododendron flowers cover hillsides beneath snow-capped peaks. When jeeps reach the trailheads, travelers step into a world where footpaths still connect communities.

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• Kathmandu to Chitwan: The bus descends from cool mountain air into warm jungle humidity. Through the windows, rice paddies give way to tall grasses where rhinos and tigers hide. Between October and March, animals gather at water sources, making them easier to spot.
  
  

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• Pokhara to Jomsom: Flying through this gorge feels like threading a needle. On one side stands Dhaulagiri, on the other Annapurna, with the Kali Gandaki River cutting between them. Fall brings clear skies that reveal how these giants shape the land.

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• Besisahar to Manang: The jeep climbs through five distinct plant zones in a single day. Pine forests transform into high meadows where yaks graze. Travelers in September and October catch the landscape before snow closes the higher passes.

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Events, Festivals and Local Markets

Step into Asan Bazaar in Kathmandu, where shop owners arrange mountains of colorful spices, hand-woven textiles, and carved handicrafts just as they have for centuries. The calls of vendors, the scent of incense, and the press of daily shoppers create a living museum where you can touch, taste, and participate in Nepal's continuing story.

During September, the streets of Kathmandu transform for the Indra Jatra festival. Locals don intricate masks, pull ornate chariots through narrow alleyways, and perform traditional dances that tell stories passed down for generations. The beating drums and cheering crowds create an atmosphere you'll remember long after you return home.

In mid-April, Bhaktapur comes alive with Bisket Jatra. Hundreds of people gather for an enormous tug of war that determines the community's fortune for the coming year. Wooden chariots roll through cobblestone streets as families share meals and children play traditional games. The celebration marks the Nepali New Year in a way you won't find anywhere else.

When May's full moon arrives, Lumbini fills with Buddhist pilgrims celebrating Buddha Jayanti. Prayer flags flutter in the breeze as monks in saffron robes gather where Buddha was born. The soft chanting and candlelight ceremonies welcome visitors to participate or simply observe this meaningful tradition.

Best Places to Visit

1. Kathmandu

In Kathmandu, ancient temples stand next to modern buildings, creating a city where centuries of history breathe alongside today's life. Seven UNESCO World Heritage sites dot the landscape, including Durbar Square with its carved wooden palaces and Swayambhunath, where monkeys scamper around prayer flags while locals turn prayer wheels.

October and November bring clear skies that reveal mountain silhouettes on the horizon, with temperatures that let you explore comfortably in a light jacket. In spring, pink and red rhododendrons bloom across the valley slopes, marking the end of winter.

Artists showcase their work regularly at Patan Museum, housed in an old royal palace. Musicians gather weekly at the Kathmandu Jazz Conservatory, filling the evening air with saxophone notes and drum rhythms. In Bhaktapur, potters still work clay into vessels using techniques passed down through generations.

How to get to Kathmandu

• By air: Direct international flights to Tribhuvan International Airport
• By road: Tourist buses from Indian border towns like Sunauli and Raxaul
• By private transfer: Hire a local driver for a personalized journey from border crossings

2. Pokhara

Phewa Lake reflects the snow-capped Annapurna mountains in Pokhara, creating mirror images of peaks on calm mornings. Colorful paragliders dot the sky like confetti, while boats with blue awnings drift across the water below. The pace here slows down, with lakeside cafés where you can sip tea and watch the world pass by.

Between October and April, the air stays clear enough to see every ridge and valley of the mountains. Fall brings the sharpest mountain views, while spring covers hillsides with flowers along trekking paths.

Every week, paragliding pilots show off their skills above the lake, spiraling and swooping through thermal currents. Saturday evenings transform Lakeside Road into an open-air festival, where local musicians play while food vendors cook momos (dumplings) in steaming pots.

How to get to Pokhara

• By air: 25-minute flights from Kathmandu to Pokhara Airport
• By road: Tourist buses from Kathmandu (7-8 hours scenic journey)
• By private vehicle: Hire a car with a driver for flexibility (200 km/124 miles from Kathmandu)

3. Chitwan National Park

Tall elephant grass parts ways for rhinos in Chitwan National Park, where nature rules in this riverside jungle. Tigers leave paw prints in muddy banks, though you might just glimpse their striped bodies through the trees. Crocodiles sun on riverbanks, and overhead, hornbills flap between tree canopies in this UNESCO site.

Visit between October and March, when dry weather draws animals to waterholes and rivers. During these months, the grass stands shorter, making it easier to spot wildlife from the back of a jeep or during a walking tour.

Elephants cool off in the Rapti River daily, spraying water with their trunks and rolling in the shallows. Park guides lead jungle walks each morning and afternoon, pointing out fresh animal tracks and explaining how people have lived alongside these forests for generations.

How to get to Chitwan National Park

• By road: Tourist buses from Kathmandu or Pokhara (5-6 hours)
• By air: Flights to Bharatpur Airport, followed by a short drive
• By private jeep: Hire a 4WD vehicle for direct access to various park entrances
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Tips for Traveling to Nepal

VISAS & ENTRY

Most tourists need visas (US$30/15 days, $50/30 days, $125/90 days). Available on arrival at Kathmandu airport or online. 

Bring a passport photo and USD/Euro for payment.

CULTURAL ETIQUETTE

Remove shoes before entering homes/temples. 

Dress modestly, cover shoulders/knees at religious sites. 

Ask permission before photographing people. 

Use the right hand for eating/giving.

MONEY MATTERS

Nepali Rupee (NPR)

ATMs are available in major cities. 

Cash is widely preferred, but cards are accepted in upscale establishments.

Carry small bills when traveling to rural areas.

HEALTH & SAFETY

Emergency numbers: 100 (police), 102 (ambulance). 

Recommended vaccines: Hepatitis A/B, Typhoid, Japanese encephalitis

Travel insurance with evacuation coverage is essential.

TRANSPORTATION

Taxis: always negotiate the fare before getting in. 

Local buses are inexpensive, but often crowded. 

Consider domestic flights for longer journeys to save time.