Nepal in August: Weather, Festivals & Where to Go
What Nepal is like in August (Shrawan–Bhadra): the weather in Kathmandu, Pokhara and Chitwan, festivals, crowds and the places at their best.
- Weather
- Still the monsoon, with slightly drier breaks toward the end of the month.
- Good for
- Festival season in the Kathmandu Valley, Gosaikunda for Janai Purnima, rain-shadow treks and quiet heritage sites.
- Watch out for
- Same monsoon risks as July: landslides, flight delays and leeches.
- Crowds
- Monsoon · Quiet
- Festivals
- Janai Purnima and the Gosaikunda pilgrimage (August)
- Gai Jatra, the cow festival
- Krishna Janmashtami at Patan Krishna Mandir
- Teej, the women's festival (August–September)
Average climate
| High | Low | Rain | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kathmandu | 28°C | 20°C | 330 mm |
| Pokhara | 28°C | 21°C | 800 mm |
| Chitwan | 33°C | 25°C | 400 mm |
Best places to visit in August
Lo Manthang and Upper Mustang
Mustang, Gandaki ProvinceThe walled capital of the old Kingdom of Lo, in a desert of red cliffs and cave dwellings north of the Himalaya.
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Shey Phoksundo Lake
Dolpa, Karnali ProvinceNepal's deepest lake, an unreal turquoise, with a 167 m waterfall and the Bon village of Ringmo on its shore.
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Hidden gemNamaste Waterfall
Dhankuta, Koshi ProvinceA waterfall whose two streams seem to join like hands pressed together in greeting.
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Hidden gemSalpa Pokhari
Bhojpur, Koshi ProvinceA sacred lake in the high forests where Bhojpur meets Solukhumbu, revered by the Rai as the home of their ancestors.
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Arjundhara Dham
Jhapa, Koshi ProvinceA popular Shiva shrine and spring near Birtamod, linked to the Mahabharata hero Arjun.
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Dharan
Sunsari, Koshi ProvinceA lively city at the foot of the hills, known for its Gurkha heritage, food, and the temples of Budha Subba and Dantakali.
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Jaleshwar Mahadev
Mahottari, Madhesh ProvinceAn ancient Shiva shrine whose linga sits below water level in a sunken sanctum, giving the town its name.
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Gosaikunda
Rasuwa, Bagmati ProvinceA sacred alpine lake at 4,380 m, believed created by Shiva's trident, where thousands bathe at Janai Purnima.
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Hidden gemPanch Pokhari
Sindhupalchok, Bagmati ProvinceFive sacred glacial lakes at about 4,100 m below Jugal Himal, a quiet trek and a Janai Purnima pilgrimage.
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Davis Falls, Gupteshwor and Pokhara's caves
Kaski, Gandaki ProvinceA waterfall that vanishes underground, a Shiva cave beneath it, and the limestone caves north of the city.
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Hidden gemKagbeni
Mustang, Gandaki ProvinceA fortress-like medieval village at the gateway to Upper Mustang, with a red monastery and a sacred river confluence.
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Hidden gemRupse Falls
Myagdi, Gandaki ProvinceA tall, powerful waterfall that crashes down right beside the Beni–Jomsom road in the Kali Gandaki gorge.
Read more →Also good in August
Quick answers
- Is August a good time to visit Nepal?
- It is monsoon season, so expect rain most days. Festival season in the Kathmandu Valley, Gosaikunda for Janai Purnima, rain-shadow treks and quiet heritage sites.
- What is the weather like in Nepal in August?
- Still the monsoon, with slightly drier breaks toward the end of the month. Kathmandu averages 28°C by day and 20°C at night, Pokhara 28/21°C and Chitwan 33/25°C.
- What festivals are in Nepal in August?
- Janai Purnima and the Gosaikunda pilgrimage (August); Gai Jatra, the cow festival; Krishna Janmashtami at Patan Krishna Mandir; Teej, the women's festival (August–September).
- Where should I go in Nepal in August?
- Lo Manthang and Upper Mustang, Shey Phoksundo Lake, Namaste Waterfall, Salpa Pokhari, Arjundhara Dham, Dharan.
Festival dates follow the lunar calendar and move by a few weeks each year. Temperatures are long-term averages.