Monsoon and winter, the two seasons everyone tells you to avoid
Eight months of the year count as 'the season'. The other four are cheaper and emptier, and on the right routes they're better. We tell you which.
By the Lakeshore team · 7 min read · Updated 5 October 2026
Every operator in Nepal will tell you to come in October or April. They're right. Those are the best months, and they're also when the lodges are full, the viewpoints are crowded and prices are at their highest.
What few of them will tell you is which treks are good in the months they're steering you away from, because the standard answer is easier to sell.
Monsoon and winter both work, but only on certain routes and for particular reasons. Everywhere else they work badly.
In the monsoon, go north of the mountains
From about mid-June to August, cloud comes up from India, hits the Himalaya and drops its water on the southern slopes. In July the Annapurna Sanctuary is cloud, leeches and no view. That's the monsoon's reputation, and for most of the country it's accurate.
But the same mountains make a rain shadow. North of the main range, Upper Mustang and the upper Kali Gandaki above Marpha get a fraction of the rain. It stays warm and dry there, and the passes are open while Pokhara is under water.
So if your holiday is tied to a European or North American summer, Upper Mustang and the Jomsom to Muktinath route aren't a compromise. They're the right answer, and what we run in July and August. It's also the busiest pilgrimage season, when Muktinath is at its liveliest.
What the monsoon is like elsewhere
The hills are greener than at any other time of year. There are waterfalls everywhere, the flooded rice terraces shine and the forest drips. Photographers who come in the monsoon on purpose aren't confused. This is what they come for.
There are leeches from about 1,000 to 3,000 m in the wet forest belt. They're harmless but persistent, and salt, long socks and a look at your ankles at every break deal with them. No one has cut a trip short over a leech.
The mountains hide most days, with the odd clear window after overnight rain, usually early in the morning. If you come in the monsoon for the views, you'll be disappointed. If you come for the landscape at your feet, it's the best time of year.
Winter is clear, cold and empty
December to February has the clearest air of the year. The dust has settled since the monsoon, there's very little haze, and the mountains look as sharp and close as they ever do. Lodges are quiet, prices soften, and you can have a viewpoint to yourself that has two hundred people on it in October.
Winter has its costs. Nights are well below freezing above 3,000 m, some high lodges close, and high passes can shut with snow. Thorong La and Kang La aren't winter trips unless you're well prepared. The low routes are the ones that shine. The Royal Trek stays under 1,800 m and is close to perfect in January, with warm walking, clear skies and empty trails. Ghandruk, Poon Hill and the Pokhara day hikes all work well with a good jacket.
What to bring for each
For the monsoon, bring a fully waterproof jacket (showerproof isn't enough), quick-dry everything, sandals for the evenings since your boots will be wet, salt for the leeches and a dry bag for electronics. Expect humidity more than cold.
For winter, bring a four-season sleeping bag, a warm down jacket, a hat and gloves, and microspikes if a high viewpoint is on the plan. The dining room has a stove. Your bedroom has nothing.
In both seasons, rent the bulky gear in Lakeside. A winter-rated bag costs a few dollars a day here and several hundred to buy. Reserve it with your trek and it'll be waiting at our office.
Choosing your months
If you're free to choose, come in October, November, March or April. We won't pretend otherwise.
If you can't, you haven't missed your chance. You have a shorter list. Monsoon means north of the range, and winter means low and warm, or high with the right kit. Either way the country has far fewer visitors in it, and most people don't realise what that's worth until they've stood on a ridge in February with nobody else on it. Send us your dates and we'll say which route fits.
Walk it with us
Private departures on your dates, guided by the people who wrote this page.
Questions we get asked
Is trekking cheaper off-season?
Lodges are more open to bargaining and flights into Nepal are usually cheaper. Our guiding and permit costs stay the same whatever the month.
Which single trek is best in July?
Upper Mustang, easily, with Jomsom to Muktinath as the shorter and cheaper option. Both sit in the rain shadow, and both are very good walking in high summer.
Can I do Annapurna Base Camp in winter?
Yes, with a warm bag and jacket, and accepting that some upper lodges close and the Sanctuary can hold snow. It's beautiful and very quiet. Avalanche risk between Deurali and MBC needs local judgement on the day, which is your guide's job.
How bad are the leeches really?
They're there, determined and harmless. Salt and long socks deal with them. They're far less trouble than their reputation, and no reason on their own to skip the monsoon.
Do lodges close off-season?
Some high ones do, especially in deep winter and on newer routes with only a handful of lodges. We check what's open before we commit to an itinerary. This is one place where local knowledge saves a trip.
Still deciding?
Tell us your dates and how much walking you've done, and we'll tell you whether Upper Mustang, Lo Manthang is right for you. If it isn't, we'll say so.
Nothing to pay online. We confirm your dates first.
Or call the office +977 61-457830