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Nepal
has cool, clear winters, pleasant moist springs, hot wet summers
and fantastic mostly clear autumns.
Spring
- the rhododendron season - March-April-May
Spring dances ever higher, painting the rhododendron hillsides.
The arriving warmth generates staggering cloud formations and
the occasional pre-monsoon downpour (everyone dives into the
nearest house to wait the squalls out over tea). Some days are
staggeringly fine, others the views cloud in around lunchtime or
in the afternoon, great for reading and relaxing and just when
you begin to worry about tomorrow, mostly the evenings turn
sparklingly clear. This is the second traditional trekking
season, and definitely less crowded but still a great time to
trek. March and April are often drier than May, but May has the
advantage of more alpine flowers.
The
monsoon (summer)
June-July-August-September
In late May and early June at low altitude the heat stifles.
Clouds billow ever higher cumulating in crescendos of rain. The
downpours are usually brief leaving plenty of time to admire
more than just the forces of nature.
Kathmandu is sticky, with rain as a relief and, in the Terai,
elephants rather than jeeps are used for crossing the swollen
rivers. The jungle is lush, vibrant and tropical. In the high
rain-shadow areas it is surprisingly pleasant, balmy with only
occasional showers. It is a time for wandering among the flower
carpets and vivid colours while the locals are absorbed in the
traditional cycles of agriculture. Tibet and Ladakh are barely
affected by the monsoon. The harvest - mid-September to
mid-October The monsoon dwindles in late September but a few
tail-end clouds and showers (or short-lived snow at altitude)
must be expected. Locals and trekkers simply take cover in the
nearest teahouse and wait the afternoon shower out. There's also
a chance that the monsoon may not quite have ended, staging a
dramatic return for a few weeks. The middle hills are either hot
and sweaty under the fierce sun or perpetually grey and cloudy,
while higher up it's pleasant with cool but mostly frost-free
nights. If you skip the lower country, this is a particularly
pleasant and under-trekked season. At this time the whole
country changes from a lush, verdant green into the harvest
colours.
Autumn
- perfect trekking - mid-October thru early December
This is classic trekking time, famed for clear skies and
fantastic fine weather. Early October through to late November
is also the busiest period with the teahouse regions brimming
with trekkers. This is the season to head off the beaten track,
to
Kanchenjunga, Manaslu, Around Dhaulagiri etc .The long
fine periods are occasionally broken for day or two by a front
sweeping overhead causing high cloud or cloud banks that roll up
the valleys, then usually clear at altitude with the sunset. The
odd stronger front brings a spot of wet weather as well but it
is impossible to tell (even the locals can't) whether a front
contains rain. Barring unusual conditions during this trekking
season perhaps two or three periods of showers and drizzle, or
short-lived snow at altitude, can be expected. In an odd year
there is perpetual high cloud and less than crystal clear skies.
In the low country evenings are balmy while in the middle hills
they are pleasantly chilly. Above the tree line (4000m) nights
are sharp and below freezing, early morning sun is particularly
welcome.
Winter
- white Christmas'sat an equivalent latitude to Brisbane
or
Miami, frost rarely graces
Kathmandu. Fresh evenings and pleasant days characterize the
capital and trekking in the foothills or travelling the Indian
plains becomes pleasant. While trekking although winter, the
weather is at its finest and driest; great conditions. It is the
nights that are cold. In the middle hills nights are a crisp
cool and clear, the high country the air is tinkling sharp and
the stars have that crystal twinkle. Temperatures drop below
freezing every night. Higher up after a snowfall only the
Solu-Khumbu (Mt Everest region) is reliably accessible and
pleasant. Mostly fine, any light snow clears quickly while the
deeper powder, yak-tracked, rarely slows us. Merry White
Christmas
What you need - the basics
The major items you require are:
Good
wind/rain jacket+ warm fleece jacket or jersey
Good
boots, either light-weight trekking boots or light full leather
boots
good 3-5 season sleeping bag (which can be rented in Kathmandu)
A comfortable day pack, preferably with a waistband.
I can do, positive attitude - this is a holiday! More detailed
equipment discussions and upon booking we will discuss gear
detail and the conditions we are likely to encounter. |
