Rainy Season in Kathmandu: Weather & Best Things to Do
The rainy season in Kathmandu runs from June to the end of September, and pre-monsoon rains can start from late April onwards. In recent years, monsoon lasted until the beginning of October, so now the best time to visit is from mid-October to April.
Before spending a lot of time in Nepal, I used to think that during monsoon season it rains all day long. In reality, it usually only rains for a few hours each day and you can still do lots of activities.
Kathmandu is the capital of Nepal and you can do lots of things even if it rains. During monsoon season, the best is to go on cultural sightseeing trips, explore the temples and stupas, visit museums or watch a movie at the cinema. I don’t recommend hiking or trekking as there can be landslides and leeches.
Monsoon Season in Nepal
The monsoon season in Nepal runs from June to September. The pre-monsoon seasons starts around May with some occasional rain, then, from the second half of June, the monsoon season is in full swing.
The monsoon season used to come to an end by September, but in recent years, it has extended until early October. So, if you want to avoid monsoon season in Nepal, it is better to arrive from mid-October onwards.
Kathmandu Weather in Rainy Season
Despite the bad reputation the rainy season gets, it is actually not so bad in Kathmandu. It’s rare for it to rain all day long, it usually only rains 1-3 hours in the afternoon or evening.
Still, sometimes, it happens that it rains continuously for a few days, during those times, it is better not to plan trips and better to plan indoor activities.
Is it Worth Visiting during Monsoon in Kathmandu?
Yes, Kathmandu is worth visiting during monsoon season but only if you are happy with cultural sightseeing trips and you are fine to not go trekking.
Kathmandu is the capital of Nepal, and it has lots of things to do even if it rains. However, the monsoon season is not a good time to go hiking or trekking, so if trekking is your priority, then I suggest visiting in autumn or spring.
The rainy season is low season in Nepal and there are less number of visitors. During low season, many hotels offer discounts, so if you are visiting Nepal in monsoon, you can get more affordable rates.
Best Things to Do during Monsoon in Kathmandu
1. Visit the UNESCO World Heritage Sites
There are 7 World Heritage Sites in the Kathmandu Valley and visiting them is great to know more about the history and culture of Nepal. Because it usually only rains for a few hours per day during monsoon, exploring the World Heritage Sites is totally doable.
The world heritage sites include three durbar squares (“royal palace square”) the Kathmandu Durbar Square, Bhaktapur Durbar Square and Patan Durbar Square. Buddhist stupas, Boudhanath Stupa and Swoyambhu Stupa (also referred to as the Money Temple), and Hindu temples (Pashupatinath Temple and Changu Narayan Temple).
Some of the heritage sites are located in central Kathmandu, while some are further from the city centre. If you plan to visit all sites, I recommend not rushing it and visit them over three days. As some are located further from central Kathmandu, it would be very rushed if you tried to visit all of them in one day.
There are private tours that take you to visit all seven sites in a day. I only recommend this tour if you are very tight on time and you only have one day to explore the world heritage sites.
➡️ Book a private tour for the World Heritage Sites in Kathmandu and visit all seven world heritage sites in a day. The best option if you are short on time!
2. Go to a Museum Exhibition
Going to a museum exhibition is another option for a rainy day. There are a couple of museums in Kathmandu that have permanent and temporary exhibitions. I have always loved going to museums, and have explored almost all the museums in Kathmandu by now.
The Taragaon Museum and the Museum of Nepali Art (MONA) are two of my favourite museums in Kathmandu. The Taragon Museum has a unique architecture, so it’s also a good spot to take some photos (better if it’s not raining though!).
The Narayanhiti Palace Museum is a good place to learn about Nepal’s history. The first time I visited (way back in 2015), I didn’t even know about the Royal Massacre (2001), and going through the museum, you get to learn about it.
Other museums include the Music Museum of Nepal, Aviation Museum and the Patan Museum.
3. Go on a Trip near Kathmandu
During the monsoon season, I usually don’t go for long trips far from Kathmandu, but it’s the perfect time to explore Kathmandu Valley and nearby places.
The monsoon season is perfect to explore small towns and villages near Kathmandu, and learn more about Nepali culture.
The only thing is that usually the views are cloudy, so you won’t get mountain views during monsoon. I also don’t recommend to go hiking near Kathmandu during the rainy season as the trails are full of leeches.
Some of the best options for a day or weekend trip near Kathmandu include Bhaktapur, Panauti, Dhulikhel, Nagarkot and Godawari. Patan and Kirtipur are also good options but you can visit them on half-day trips.
4. Take a Nepali Cooking Class
Learning to cook Nepali dishes is a fun experience and once you return home, you can also use the recipes to cook a meal for your friends and family.
There are a couple of cooking classes in Kathmandu and it’s a nice activity for a rainy day. During the cooking class, you learn to cook popular Nepali dishes (dal bhat, momo or thupka) and at the end, you also get to eat everything you cooked.
I took a cooking class on AirBnB Experience and we made dal bhat and momo. I loved this class a lot, and when my brother came to visit me in Nepal, I also signed him up for this cooking class. He had a good time too!
5. Watch a Movie
I am a big movie buff and will go to the cinema whether it rains or shines, but going to the cinema is definitely my go-to when it rains.
The cinemas in Nepal don’t play that many English language movies. Usually, they just have the biggest Hollywood movies playing, and sometimes it can happen that there is only one English language movie showing at a time.
I have gotten into watching Nepali and Bollywood movies now, and even if you don’t understand Nepali or Hindi, it’s fun to watch.
QFX is the best cinema in Nepal. The Chayya Center in Thamel and Labim Mall in Patan have the best cinema screens out of all the QFX cinemas in Kathmandu.
The QFX branch on Durbar Marg is like a private cinema experience. They have comfy, reclining chairs. The prices are a bit higher then all other QFX branches but the movie experience is the best. I sometimes come here with friends and it feels like a private home theatre.
6. Join a Walking Tour of Kathmandu
It usually doesn’t rain all day long, so it is possible to go on a walking tour in Kathmandu. The walking tours usually cover a few specific places in Kathmandu, and you can select which places you want to see during the walking tour.
Some of the walking tours cover major attractions in the city, such as the Kathmandu Durbar Square, Monkey Temple, Asan (the oldest market in Kathmandu), Pashupatinath Temple, and there are also food tours.
GuruWalk runs a free food tour in Kathmandu during which you try famous local dishes, such as momo, bara, yomari, sel roti.
There is a tour guide in Kathmandu who runs free walking tours daily. The tour is free but at the end you should give a donation for the tour guide. The walking tour starts from Thamel and takes you through some of the historic places of Kathmandu.
7. Zen Out at a Singing Bowl Session or Vipassana Meditation Course
There are many meditation and singing bowl sessions in Kathmandu. As you walk around Thamel, you can find many places that offer singing bowl sessions, some even for free.
The Nepal Singing Bowls and Healing Centre runs free singing bowl sessions, and the Nirvana Singing Bowl runs donation-based sessions daily.
For meditation, I recommend the Vipassana meditation centers in Nepal. I found Vipassana was a bit rough, so for a more chill type of meditation, the retreats run at Kopan Monastery are much better.
8. Go Swimming
During monsoon season, the weather is hot and humid in Kathmandu, so it’s the best time to recharge at the swimming pool. I don’t recommend going to the local swimming pools as they get crowded, but the high-end hotels in Thamel have pretty nice pools. Some hotels have outdoor pools, while others have indoor pools.
The good thing is that even if you don’t stay at the hotel, you can buy a day ticket to get access to the pool for the day. The day ticket prices are around Rs. 2,000-2,500 (USD 13-16).
For hotels with a swimming pool check out Hotel Shanker, Hotel Barahi, Soaltee Kathmandu, Hotel Mulberry or Aloft Hotel.
9. Do Handicrafts
There are also lots of handicrafts workshops you can do in Kathmandu. One of the castes in Nepal (Newari) are known for their handicrafts (e.g. woodcarving, stone carving), and you can sign up to take short classes.
Bhaktapur and Patan are good places to sign up for a woodcarving session. They also have classes for Thangka Painting. I took a Thangka painting class in Bhaktapur and realized all the hard work that goes into making such paintings.
Other handicrafts workshops include Khukuri (Gurkha knife) making workshops and pottery.
10. Chill in the Garden of Dreams
The best is to visit the Garden of Dreams when the weather is sunny, but if you are really not sure what to do on a rainy day, it is also an option. When it is sunny, it’s a nice place to visit with friends and chill in the garden.
I visited here once when it was raining a bit and I still enjoyed it. It was not possible to chill in the garden like when the weather is sunny, but there are some places in the garden that are covered, so it doesn’t rain on you. It’s great to just sit and relax.
What I liked about visiting it when it was raining was that there were barely any other people there. Sometimes, when the weather is good, the garden can get so crowded that actually, it’s not a chill place to be.
Still, I wouldn’t come here if there was a heavy downpour, but if it just raining a bit, it can still be visited.
What to Pack for Kathmandu in Monsoon
It’s very hot and humid in Kathmandu during monsoon, so the best is to pack light summer clothes, waterproof sandals and an umbrella.
It usually gets very hot, so I don’t even wear a rain jacket anymore. The only time I wear a rain jacket is if I take the motorbike taxi, otherwise, it’s too hot to wear one.
- Umbrella: The most important item on your packing list for monsoon season. You can also get them in Kathmandu in case you forget to pack it.
- Waterproof shoes/ sandals: I have a pair of waterproof Birkenstock that works great during monsoon.
- Lights clothes: pack light summer clothes because it’s really hot and humid. Pack 1-2 jumpers and a jacket just in case it gets cold in the evenings.
- Light rain jacket: You most likely won’t need to use it, but good to be on the safe side and pack one. It comes handy if you take the motorbike taxi in Kathmandu when it rains. I have a Northface jacket that works great.
Festivals in Kathmandu During the Rainy Season
There are not many holidays in Nepal during monsoon season. One of the festivals in August, Gai Jatra, is celebrated specifically in the Kathmandu Valley.
Gai Jatra is especially observed by people who have lost a loved one in the year leading up to the festival. On this day, people dress up with masks and go around the city for fun.
Where To Stay In Kathmandu
Not sure where to stay in Kathmandu? Thamel is the place where most tourists stay, it’s got lots of shops, restaurants and bars. Check out my top recommendations for every budget:
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there monsoon season in Kathmandu?
Yes, there is monsoon season in Kathmandu between June and September, but it usually never rains all day long, only for 1-2 hours in the afternoon or evening. Sometimes, it does happen that it rains for a few days continuously, but it is very rare.
Is it worth visiting Kathmandu and Nepal during Monsoon Season?
It is definitely worth visiting Kathmandu and Nepal during monsoon season. There are many things you can do during the monsoon season, however, it is not recommended to go trekking. If your preference is to go trekking in Nepal, then it is better to visit in the autumn or spring.
What activities can I do in Kathmandu during Monsoon?
If you are visiting Kathmandu during the rainy season, you can do many things that you can do any other season, including sightseeing tours, day trips, museums, and arts classes.
My Final Tips on How to Spend the Rainy Season in Kathmandu
Overall, there are lots of things to do in Kathmandu even during the monsoon season. During this time, the best is to visit the heritage sites, museums and go on day trips.
During the monsoon season, I like to stay closer to Kathmandu as the road travel can be affected by landslides due to the heavy rains. Trekking is also not recommended during the monsoon season due to landslides and leeches.
If monsoon is the only time you can visit Nepal, you could still consider to visit a few places outside of Kathmandu, such as Pokhara. When traveling during monsoon, it’s better to take the day bus (instead of night), because it’s difficult to spot the landslides during night time and there have been a couple of bus accidents at nighttimes during monsoon.
The monsoon season is not as bad as people think. It usually only rains for a few hours every day and you can still do lots of activities. During this time, it is better to explore more the culture of Nepal rather then to go trekking.
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