By Uncover Nepal Team · Checked by our Kathmandu travel team · Last checked 27 October 2026
When a winter storm clears over Dolakha, the ridge above Kuri wakes up white. By the weekend the hill road up from Charikot fills with jeeps, and most of the people climbing out are Nepali visitors who have come to stand in snow. Some winters they wait for that morning and it never comes.
The best time to visit Nepal for snow is December to March, and most of the dated snowfalls we found fell in January and February. Snow arrives with passing westerly storms, so it is never certain, and some winters are almost dry. Your best odds without a long trek are Kalinchowk, above 3,700 m, and Sailung, above 3,000 m.
Our guide to hill stations in Nepal covers the lower, gentler escapes, where snow is a bonus rather than the point. This guide is for people who want to touch snow: where it falls within a day's drive or a short flight, when it came in recent winters, and how to stay safe in cold, ice and altitude.
In this guide
- Key facts
- When is the best time to visit Nepal for snow?
- Why is snow in Nepal so hard to predict?
- Where can you see snow in Nepal without a long trek?
- Kalinchowk and Kuri: snow within a long day's drive
- Sailung and Kharidhunga
- Can you see snow on the Kathmandu Valley rim?
- Does it snow in Kathmandu or Pokhara?
- Snow from Pokhara: Mustang and Ghorepani
- Rara Lake in winter: think twice
- How do you stay safe in the snow?
- Permits and fees for snow places
- Frequently asked questions
Key facts
- Winter in Nepal
- December, January and February (Nepal Tourism Board, 27 Oct 2026)
- Main snow window
- December to March; in 2025 to 2026 Kalinchowk had falls into March and April (The Himalayan Times; Kantipur, 27 Oct 2026)
- Dry winters
- Winter 2024 to 2025: 14.4 mm nationally, about 24% of average. December 2025: no precipitation at all (DHM; DHM figures reported by The Kathmandu Post, 27 Oct 2026)
- Highest drive-to snow places
- Kalinchowk temple above 3,700 m (12,139 ft); Sailung above 3,000 m (NTB; OnlineKhabar, 27 Oct 2026)
- Kalinchowk cable car
- Closed after vandalism, September 2025; partial restart announced from 22 September 2025 (ShareSansar; Tourism Info Nepal, 27 Oct 2026)
- Altitude risk line
- Sleeping altitude of 2,450 m (8,000 ft) or more (CDC Yellow Book, 27 Oct 2026)
When is the best time to visit Nepal for snow?
The best time to visit Nepal for snow is December to March, the months when, in 2023, the head of the Kalinchowk cable car company said many tourists come to Kuri for the snowfall. Winter proper is December to February, and the Nepal Tourism Board warns that winter temperatures in the hills "can plummet to sub zero".
Here is what the dated records we gathered show: a pattern of chances, not a forecast.
| Month | What recent records show | Best bet |
|---|---|---|
| October | Mustang's first fall of the 2025 to 2026 season, 28 October | Muktinath |
| November | A Dolakha report says snow usually comes from November, but we found no November falls at Kalinchowk in 2024 or 2025 | The high north |
| December | December 2025 had no precipitation nationally; Chandragiri had snow on 29 December 2021 | Kalinchowk, Mustang |
| January | Kalinchowk and Sailung, 28 January 2026; Kagbeni to Muktinath road blocked, 29 January 2026; Rara under up to two feet of snow | Kalinchowk, Sailung, Mustang |
| February | Kalinchowk and Sailung, 24 February 2026; Nagarkot, up to 30 cm, 4 February 2022; Daman, Phulchowki and Chandragiri, February 2019 | The month with the most dated falls in our records |
| March | Kalinchowk, 20 March 2026; a road near Rara blocked by snow, March 2025 | Kalinchowk |
| April | Kalinchowk, about 8 April 2026 | Kalinchowk, in a late year |
If your dates fall in December, our guide to Nepal in December covers what else the month is good for.
What we would tell a friend: if snow is the reason for the trip, come in January or February, keep a few days flexible, and be ready to go when a fall is reported.
Why is snow in Nepal so hard to predict?
Snow below the high mountains arrives with passing westerly weather systems, so it comes in bursts rather than on a calendar. Recent winters show how wide the swings can be.
- Winter 2024 to 2025: Nepal received 14.4 mm of rain and snow between 1 December and 28 February, about 24% of the seasonal average. Dolakha had not had a single snowfall by 1 February, and Kalinchowk, Sailung and Kharidhunga were bare. Snow reached upper Dolakha only from the night of 28 February.
- Winter 2025 to 2026: a late season, with Kalinchowk snow from late January into April, and a fourth snowfall at Muktinath by 3 February.
The Department of Hydrology and Meteorology (DHM) summed up the December record:
"December experienced below normal precipitation for the fourth consecutive year."
Department of Hydrology and Meteorology, Preliminary Precipitation and Temperature Summary, December 2025
In February 2025, a Dolakha resident told The Rising Nepal what a snowless winter felt like:
"But this year, we have not even had a glimpse of it."
Raju Tamang, The Rising Nepal, 4 February 2025
Where can you see snow in Nepal without a long trek?
You can see snow in Nepal without a long trek at Kalinchowk and Sailung in Dolakha, on the Kathmandu Valley rim and at Daman in a cold storm, in Mustang by road or flight, and at Ghorepani on a short trek from the Pokhara side. Height decides your odds: the Nepal Tourism Board notes that average temperatures drop 6°C for every 1,000 m you gain.
| Place | Height | Getting there | Snow months | How reliable |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kalinchowk, Dolakha | Temple above 3,700 m | About six to seven hours' drive to Kuri on our trip, then cable car or walk | December to March, recently into April | The Kathmandu Post's first choice for snow; bare on 1 February 2025 |
| Sailung, Dolakha and Ramechhap | Above 3,000 m | A long day's drive east, then a walk | January and February in 2026 | Probably second only to Kalinchowk (The Kathmandu Post); bare on 1 February 2025 |
| Nagarkot | About 2,175 m, according to NTB | One and a half to two hours by road | February 2019 and 2022 | Occasional |
| Chandragiri | 2,551 m, by the operator's figure | Cable car, about 10 minutes | January and February 2019; December 2021 | Occasional; none found in the last four winters |
| Daman, Makwanpur | Above 2,300 m | About three to four hours by road | February 2019 | Occasional |
| Muktinath, Mustang | About 3,800 m, according to NTB | From Pokhara by road via Beni, or a flight to Jomsom when flights run | From late October in 2025 | Regular, but the road is often blocked |
| Ghorepani and Poon Hill | About 2,850 m; Poon Hill 3,210 m | A short trek on the Pokhara side | Winter; about two feet in February 2019 | Varies |
| Rara Lake, Mugu | 2,990 m | Flight to Rara airport, then a walk | Heavy winter snow | Snow is likely; access is the problem |
Kalinchowk and Kuri: snow within a long day's drive
Kalinchowk is a Bhagwati temple on a ridge above 3,700 m (12,139 ft) in Dolakha district, inside the Gaurishankar Conservation Area. Snow usually falls between December and March.
The cable car company puts the road from Kathmandu to Kalinchowk at about 150 km, via Charikot and a rougher final road up to Kuri, the lodge village below the temple. On our trip the drive takes about six to seven hours each way, so it is not a sensible day trip: plan a night at Kuri. You sleep at Kuri, below the temple, still high enough for altitude to matter.
From Kuri you ride the cable car or walk:
- Cable car: 2.5 km long, with the company giving around six minutes to the top station. It was closed after vandalism in September 2025, with a partial restart announced from 22 September 2025. Check that it is running before you plan around it. The company's own pages give two different timetables, so we print no hours.
- On foot: about an hour uphill from Kuri, longer in snow.
Snow weekends fill Kuri fast. After one snowfall in January 2019, a local business leader told Setopati:
"Almost 10,000 tourists had visited Dolakha for snow parade on Friday and Saturday only."
Sundar Karki, chair, Dolakha Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Setopati, 28 January 2019
Our full Kalinchowk guide covers cable car fares, the walk, the weather and where to stay. Our Kalinchowk and Palanchowk Bhagwati tour includes the night at Kuri, and we check the road and the cable car before you set off.
Sailung and Kharidhunga
The Kathmandu Post says Sailung "probably comes only second to Kalinchok as a destination to enjoy snowfall". It sits on the border of the Ramechhap and Dolakha districts, on hills above 3,000 m. Sources disagree on the distance and drive time, so we print neither: think of a long day's drive east of Kathmandu, with a final walk.
Snow came to the Sailung area on 28 January 2026 and again on 24 February 2026. In the dry winter of 2024 to 2025 it was still bare on 1 February.
Kharidhunga, a lower Dolakha viewpoint at about 2,700 m, gets snow in good winters, but it too was bare on 1 February 2025.
Can you see snow on the Kathmandu Valley rim?
Sometimes, but not every winter. Chandragiri, Nagarkot, Phulchowki and Shivapuri get snow only in cold storms, and the dated falls we found are years apart. Watch the forecast, and go the morning after a storm if snow has been reported.
- Chandragiri. The top station is at 2,551 m by the operator's figure, and the cable car takes about 10 minutes. We found dated snow on 7 January 2019, 9 to 10 February 2019 and 29 December 2021, and none in the four winters since.
- Nagarkot. About 2,175 m, according to NTB, and about 30 km east of Kathmandu; allow one and a half to two hours in today's traffic. Up to 30 cm fell on 4 February 2022, and the next day hundreds of vehicles jammed the road up.
- Phulchowki and Shivapuri. Phulchowki is at about 2,760 m. Both had snow on 9 to 10 February 2019, the latest dated Phulchowki fall we found.
Daman
Daman sits above 2,300 m, about 75 km south-west of Kathmandu on the Tribhuvan Highway, and on our trips the drive takes about three to four hours. The Nepal Tourism Board names it among the hill stations that see winter snow:
"The climate is cool in summer with snow in places like Daman and Nagarkot in winter."
Nepal Tourism Board, Hill Stations page
Daman had heavy snow on 9 to 10 February 2019, but we found no dated snowfall report for it from 2023 to 2026. For Nagarkot and Daman as places to stay in any season, see our hill stations guide. Chandragiri and Nagarkot fit into a day from Kathmandu; our Kathmandu day trips guide has more ideas.
Does it snow in Kathmandu or Pokhara?
Snow in Kathmandu city is a rare event, and Pokhara's records give little reason to expect it at all. At Tribhuvan airport, at 1,337 m, the average January low for 1991 to 2020 is 2.8 °C, and the lowest January reading on record is −3.5 °C. At Pokhara airport, the lowest January reading from 1969 to 2020 is 0.5 °C.
Kathmandu. The city's famous snowfall came on 6 January 1945: about three hours of it, several inches deep, lingering for days. The next came in February 2007, and melted almost as soon as it landed. If you are hoping for snow, look to the valley rim, not the city.
Pokhara. The lowest readings on record at the airport station for December, January and February all stayed above freezing. We cannot rule out snow in the city, but from Pokhara, snow means going higher: Ghorepani on a short trek, or Mustang by road or air.
Snow from Pokhara: Mustang and Ghorepani
From Pokhara you can reach Muktinath in Mustang by road or flight, and Ghorepani on a short trek. Both are above the CDC's altitude risk line, so plan for altitude as well as cold.
Muktinath and Jomsom
Muktinath temple stands at about 3,800 m, according to NTB, above Jomsom in Lower Mustang. NTB says regular flights connect Jomsom with Pokhara, and a road runs from Beni to Jomsom, with buses on to Muktinath. Both need checking this winter: Pokhara to Jomsom flights were suspended for three months from late December 2025, and floods damaged the Beni to Jomsom road in September 2026.
Mustang gets snow early and often. The first fall of last season came on 28 October 2025. On 29 January 2026 snow completely blocked the Kagbeni to Muktinath road, pilgrims were stopped at Kagbeni, and at the temple complex "Only daily pujas are in operation". By 3 February it was the fourth snowfall of the winter. At the Jomsom weather station, 2,741 m, the average January low is −1.9 °C, and Muktinath is higher and colder. When the first snow fell in October 2025, a local ward chair said:
"There is snow accumulation on the roads and trails, making it impossible to operate vehicles or to walk."
Pramesh Gurung, ward chairperson, Baragung, Business 360, 28 October 2025
Ghorepani and Poon Hill
Ghorepani is a village at about 2,850 m, and Poon Hill, the sunrise viewpoint above it, is at 3,210 m. You reach it on a short trek from the Pokhara side; our trek pages give the days. In February 2019, after heavy snow, a Ghorepani resident told The Kathmandu Post:
"There is at least about two feet of snow in the area."
Chitra Bahadur Pun, Ghorepani, The Kathmandu Post, 8 February 2019
A licensed guide walks with you on every trek we run. Our guide to winter treks in Nepal compares the routes that work in the cold months, and you can browse our treks for the plans.
Rara Lake in winter: think twice
Rara Lake, at 2,990 m, gets heavy winter snow, but NTB says "The best time to visit the park is in the spring, summer and autumn." The national parks department describes the winter:
"heavy snowfalls occur up to one meter, closing high passes"
Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation, Rara National Park page
Rara airport works by visual flight rules only and is about 2.5 hours on foot from the lake. In January 2026, with Rara under up to two feet of snow, all Saturday flights from Surkhet and Nepalgunj to the mountain airports were cancelled and the Gamgadhi to Nagma road was halted.
How do you stay safe in the snow?
To stay safe in Nepal's snow, plan for cold nights in simple rooms, icy paths, roads that close without warning, and altitude at the higher places. The danger people forget is the heater in a closed room, which has killed visitors as well as residents.
Cold: step by step
- Pack for nights below freezing. Jomsom's average January low is −1.9 °C, and Kalinchowk and Muktinath are higher still. Bring a down or synthetic jacket, fleece, thermal layers, a warm hat, gloves and thick socks.
- Wear waterproof boots with good grip. Trainers soak through in snow and slide on ice.
- Keep dry, and change out of damp socks as soon as you are indoors.
- Keep children close and in waterproof layers. They get cold faster than adults.
Heaters and closed rooms: step by step
In January 2020, eight Indian tourists from Kerala, including four children, died at a resort in Daman after a gas heater was used in a closed room. The Health Ministry's spokesperson has said deaths caused by suffocation "continue to occur every winter". Nepal Police put it plainly:
"In winter, people burn charcoal inside their room and close all ventilation to stay warm. This leads to death by carbon monoxide poisoning,"
Senior Superintendent Bishnu Kumar KC, Nepal Police spokesperson, The Kathmandu Post, 7 March 2022
- Never sleep with a gas, charcoal or wood heater burning in a closed room.
- Switch any heater off before you sleep, and open a window or vent.
- If anyone in a heated room feels dizzy, sick or unusually sleepy, get everyone into fresh air at once.
Icy paths: step by step
- Use the cable car on icy days at Kalinchowk, if it is running.
- Carry traction aids or walking poles, and walk on fresh snow rather than polished, packed tracks.
- Start down early, well before dark.
- Turn back if the path is glazed with ice. Coming down is harder than going up.
Snow-blocked roads: step by step
Snow closes roads fast. In February 2019 about 700 visitors were stranded at Kalinchowk after sudden snow; a joint Nepal Police and Armed Police Force team brought about 120 out by vehicle, and the rest walked. Snow made the Kagbeni to Muktinath road impassable in October 2025 and blocked it again in January 2026.
- Check the road before you leave. On our trips, we check before you set off.
- Drive in daylight only.
- Build in a spare day. If heavy snow is forecast, assume you may stay an extra night.
- If you are stranded, stay with your vehicle or lodge, keep warm and follow police instructions.
Altitude: step by step
The US CDC says unacclimatised travellers going to a sleeping altitude of 2,450 m (8,000 ft) or more are at risk of altitude illness. Kuri is high enough for altitude to matter, and Ghorepani, Jomsom, Muktinath and Rara are all above that line. Nagarkot and Daman are below it. Road and cable car trips take you up fast, which is exactly when to be careful.
- Go up slowly. Above about 3,000 m (9,800 ft), add no more than about 500 m (1,650 ft) of sleeping height a night, plus an extra night for every 1,000 m.
- Walk slowly, at a pace at which you can still talk.
- Drink water through the day.
- Avoid alcohol early, especially on your first night up high.
- Know the symptoms: headache, loss of appetite, nausea, dizziness, unusual tiredness and poor sleep.
- Never go higher with symptoms. Rest and tell your guide or driver.
- Go down if it gets worse. Confusion, stumbling or breathlessness at rest are emergencies.
- Ask your doctor before the trip about preventive medicine such as acetazolamide.
Garlic soup and other hot soups are a comforting local tradition, not a proven cure.
Permits and fees for snow places
Chandragiri, Nagarkot and Phulchowki need no park permit; Shivapuri is in Shivapuri-Nagarjun National Park (NPR 1,000 foreign, NPR 600 SAARC, NPR 100 Nepali). Higher places also charge official entry fees per person, with children under 10 free.
- Kalinchowk, Gaurishankar Conservation Area: NPR 3,000 for foreign visitors, NPR 1,000 for SAARC nationals, NPR 100 for Nepalis. We could not confirm that it is collected from Kalinchowk visitors, so we check locally before you go.
- Muktinath, Jomsom and Ghorepani, Annapurna Conservation Area (ACAP): NPR 3,000 for foreign visitors and NPR 1,000 for SAARC nationals, tax included; double at a checkpost. Going north of Kagbeni into Upper Mustang needs a separate restricted-area permit.
- Rara National Park: NPR 3,000 foreign, NPR 1,500 SAARC, NPR 100 Nepali.
When you travel with us, we arrange the in-country permits your trip needs.
Frequently asked questions
When is the best time to visit Nepal for snow?
December to March, with most of the dated snowfalls we found in January and February. Snow comes with passing westerly storms, so no week is certain, and some winters are almost dry: December 2025 had no precipitation at all nationally. For the best odds without a long trek, aim for Kalinchowk or Sailung, and keep a few days flexible.
Does it snow in Kathmandu?
Very rarely in the city itself. The famous falls were in January 1945 and February 2007, and in 2007 the snow melted almost as soon as it landed. The hills around the valley get snow more often: Nagarkot and the Bhaktapur area had snow on 28 February 2019, and Nagarkot had up to 30 cm on 4 February 2022.
Does it snow in Pokhara in December?
Pokhara's records give little reason to expect it. At the airport station, the average December low for 1991 to 2020 is 8.3 °C, and the lowest December reading from 1969 to 2020 is 0.8 °C, above freezing. For snow from Pokhara you need to go higher: to Ghorepani on a short trek, or to Muktinath in Mustang.
Where can I see snow near Kathmandu?
Your best odds are Kalinchowk, above 3,700 m, and Sailung, above 3,000 m, both a long drive east of Kathmandu. Closer in, Nagarkot, Chandragiri, Phulchowki and Daman get snow only in some winters; the most recent dated falls we found there were in 2019, 2021 and 2022. Go the morning after a cold storm.
Can you visit Kalinchowk as a day trip from Kathmandu?
Not sensibly. On our trip the drive to Kuri, the village below the temple, takes about six to seven hours each way, so a same-day return means most of the day in a vehicle and the road down in the dark. Plan at least one night at Kuri, and check that the cable car is running before you go.
Is it safe to visit snowy places in Nepal in winter?
Yes, if you plan for cold, ice, blocked roads and altitude. Snow has stranded visitors before: about 700 people at Kalinchowk in February 2019. Never sleep with a gas, charcoal or wood heater burning in a closed room, drive in daylight, keep a spare day, and above about 2,450 m go up slowly and never higher with symptoms.
Plan your snow trip with us
We are a Kathmandu team, and we arrange private transport, hotels and lodges, licensed guides and in-country permits. Our Kalinchowk and Palanchowk Bhagwati tour covers the drive, the night at Kuri and the temple. For other ideas in the cold months, browse our tours.
Send us your dates, your group and how far you are happy to drive, on WhatsApp or through our enquiry form. We will tell you honestly where your best chance of snow is that week, and whether it is worth the drive.
Your Nepal visa and international flights are your own arrangements. Official visa information is on the Nepal Tourism Board tourist-visa page.
