It’s currently raining four times a day in Kathmandu and I low key love it1. As a New Englander, changing weather fuels me. The ever sunny and 70° of SoCal? Sounds like a nightmare. Give me thunderstorms, cold bouts and choking humidity on a rotating cycle, please and thank you.
Sure, it’s enchanting to see the mountains from the city—which is possible in the clearer weather of other seasons—but how about the romance of running from a rain shower on a humid day? If that sets your senses alive, Nepal during monsoon might just be the place for you.
The monsoon is actually a system of winds, which in the summer months reverse direction due to air pressure differences caused by rising temperatures. This reversal of direction sends strong, humid winds from the Bay of Bengal hurtling towards the Indian subcontinent.
The monsoon typically begins around June 16—it is officially announced by Nepal’s Department of Hydrology and Meteorology—and lasts into September.
Travelers tend to avoid the monsoon months as a matter of course, but depending on your goals, monsoon in Nepal might be the perfect time to visit.
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Litchi season arrives pre-monsoon (mid-May) and is tragically short, lasting a month at most.2 My brother and I have matching litchi tattoos, so my dedication to these juicy nuggets is sincere and I would consider it completely reasonable to arrange travel plans around their season.
I thought I knew mangoes.
But a few weeks ago, I arrived at a friend’s house and said “too bad all the mangoes I passed weren’t ripe.”
“What do you mean?” He looked at me strangely.
“They were all still green.”
“That’s what they look like when they’re ripe!”
Whoops.
These green mangos are fragrant, juicy and abso-freaking delicious—and, you guessed it, they peak during monsoon. I now eat a minimum of three a day.
Monsoon is low season in Kathmandu so you can get great deals on accommodation. My favorite place to stay in the city always has monsoon pricing available.
My love of Patan first blossomed on this very rooftop terrace over a decade ago, when I was one of Cosy Nepal’s first guests. To this day, I still live within their ecosystem of renovated local homes preserving Newar architecture in the neighborhood.
Some of the most popular trekking regions of Nepal—Annapurna Circuit, Everest region—are a no-go at this time of year. BUT some of the lesser well-known (but just as worthy) areas are prime spots during the monsoon months.
Enter, Mustang.
Mustang exists in the rain shadow, a dry spot created by the natural barrier of the Annapurna range. The key will be getting to Mustang, as you’ll have to either fly or drive through monsoon regions. But if you come with a flexible mindset, you’ll get a lot out of this adventure.
Nepal knows how to throw a party. Festivals happen throughout the year surrounding the rich heritage of Nepal’s ethnic groups and seasonal changes. During monsoon specifically, keep an eye out for Ropain (the rice planting festival) in late June and Indra Jatra, which marks the end of monsoon.
If you’re in Nepal in May or June, you might be lucky enough to witness Rato Macchandranath, the rain God, being pulled through the streets on his 60ft chariot.
Would these be considered hidden gems? To most tourists, I would say yes!
Kathmandu valley—comprising the three ancient kingdoms of Kathmandu, Patan and Bhaktapur—is usually skipped over for the overwhelming majesty of the Himalayas. That’s a loss for travelers because these cities are rich in culture, history and just pure VIBES.
If you’re planning a trip to Kathmandu and your itinerary currently starts with two days in Thamel, I am begging you to reconsider.
Stay in a gorgeous refurbished Newar building in Old Patan.
Spend a few nights surrounded by the rice paddies of Bhaktapur.
Eat Newar food in an alleyway.
Visit the pottery makers of Thimi.
(…and so much more!!!)
Use the app InDrive or Pathao to zip around on motorbike taxis, and don’t worry about the incoming rain, they have the cutest solution in the world.
This rain jacket has two heads so you can both stay dry on the drive to your next destination.
Dreaming of visiting Nepal? Reach out to plan your ideal adventure or join me next year for trekking in one of Nepal’s best spots.
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it began to rain as I typed that sentence
The fruit won’t ripen off the vine, which shortens the harvest season
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