Geographical location
According to COUNTRYAAH, Nepal is a South Asian landlocked country, bordered by the People’s Republic of China to the north and India to the east, south and west.
The national territory covers a total area of 147,181 square kilometers and is home to about 26.5 million inhabitants. The capital and largest city of Nepal is Kathmandu in the valley of the same name.
A large part of the Himalayan Mountains run in the north and east of the country, including the highest mountain in the world (Mount Everest at 8848 m) in the Himalayan Mountains. In addition, seven other mountains belong to the 10 highest mountains in the world.
The lowest point of the former kingdom is in the south of the country at around 70 meters near Kencha Kalan, and over 40% of the country is above 3000 meters above sea level.
Kathmandu is about 6490 kilometers from Munich as the crow flies.
- Abbreviation Finder: Check to see national geography, brief history, society description, domestic politics, economy overview, and a list of widely used acronyms about Nepal.
Climate in Nepal
The climate in Nepal differs significantly from region to region due to the enormous differences in altitude. Basically, it can be stated that with increasing both the temperature and the precipitation decrease. Nepal can be divided into three climate zones. In the lowlands in the south there is a subtropical climate. The average temperature is 25 ° C. Summer is characterized by a hot and humid climate.
Before the monsoons begin, it can often be oppressively humid. In April and May it gets up to 40 ° C. In winter the temperatures are between 10 ° C at night and 17 ° C during the day. The climate in winter is comparatively mild and dry.
The pre-Himalayan climate above 1500 meters can be described as a temperate climate. It is characterized by warm summers with average temperatures of 24 ° C in July and quite cool winters with 10 ° C in January. In the high mountains above 4000 m in the north of the country there is an alpine climate. The temperatures stay almost constantly below freezing point, which is why the landscape is covered with eternal snow and ice.
In the months of June to September, the southwest monsoon dominates almost all of Nepal and brings up to 90 percent of the total annual precipitation with it. In the remaining months it is mostly dry. In the lower levels, precipitation falls between 2000 and 3000 mm per year. In the mountains there is only very little rainfall of around 250 mm per year, which usually falls as snow.
When to go to Nepal
Basically, the dry season in Nepal from mid- October to early May is particularly suitable for a trip. However, since it can get very cold in the winter months of December and January, especially in the high altitudes, and many simpler accommodations do not have heating, we have deliberately excluded these two months from our recommendation for the best travel time in Nepal.
Our absolute recommendation are the two months of October and November, even if showers can still occur in the first half of the month in October. The air is now pleasantly mild, the view is very clear and the landscape is in full bloom after the rainy season. From the beginning of May it will be unbearably hot in some places, and heavy rains will start again in June at the latest.
We therefore cannot recommend the travel time from June to September for Nepal, as many paths and trekking routes are now turning into puddles of mud and are no longer safely passable. In addition, the impressive mountain world is often covered by thick cloud cover.
Temperatures, precipitation, sunshine in Kathmandu (Nepal)
| Jan | Feb | March | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
| Daytime temperature | 17 ° C | 19 ° C | 24 ° C | 27 ° C | 28 ° C | 27 ° C | 27 ° C | 27 ° C | 26 ° C | 25 ° C | 21 ° C | 18 ° C |
| Night temperature | 2 ° C | 3 ° C | 8 ° C | 12 ° C | 16 ° C | 19 ° C | 20 ° C | 20 ° C | 18 ° C | 13 ° C | 7 ° C | 2 ° C |
| Precipitation in mm | 14 | 17 | 33 | 48 | 97 | 227 | 383 | 295 | 196 | 88 | 6 | 12 |
| Hours of sunshine | 7 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 8 | 6 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 6 | 8 | 6 |
| Sunrise | 6:55 | 6:40 | 6:15 | 5:40 | 5:15 | 5:10 | 5:15 | 5:35 | 5:50 | 6:05 | 6:25 | 6:45 |
| Sunset | 17:30 | 17:55 | 18:10 | 18:30 | 18:45 | 19:00 | 19:00 | 18:45 | 18:10 | 17:35 | 17:10 | 17:10 |
Temperatures
The annual average temperature in Kathmandu is 18.3 ° C. For comparison: Munich reaches an average of 8.6 ° C, in Berlin it is 9.6 ° C. The warmest month is July (24.1 ° C), coldest month of January with mean values of 10 ° C.
Precipitation
The annual precipitation is 1416 mm. For comparison: In Munich, 967 mm, in Berlin 570 mm, precipitation is measured annually. The months of June, July, August and September are considered the rainy season, as more than 175 mm of precipitation can be expected per month. Overall, about 1101 mm of precipitation can be expected in the rainy season. In the months of January, February and December snowfall is possible.
Sunshine
As our climate table shows, March is the sunniest month with an average of 7.9 hours of sunshine per day. The average annual sunshine is 6.4 hours per day. For comparison: In Munich and Berlin, the sun shines an average of 4.7 hours per day throughout the year.
Cities nearby
The following larger towns are nearby and have a similar climate: Lalitpur.
Highlights and attractions
Nepal has a great mix of moving culture and unique nature. A visit to the capital Kathmandu with its seven UNESCO World Heritage sites is of course a must. Numerous stupas and temples can be visited in the Kathmandu valley. The fascinating mountain world can be explored on a trekking tour in the Annapurna area, Langtang area or the Everest Reguib.
In Chitwan National Park you can explore the Nepalese jungle from the back of an elephant. With a little luck you will see wild rhinos, elephants or even see a tiger. Guided Nepal tours often also include highlights such as a mountain bike tour in Pokhara or visits to the royal cities of Patan and Bhaktapur.
