Are you planning to visit Nepal during the best season of the year? If you do, then these three months - September, October, and November would be quite ideal for you. Although these months are popular among trekking communities for the beautiful sightseeing of the Himalayan landscape, it is also popular for non-trekking tours as well.
Let's discuss in detail the best tours to explore in Nepal during the month of Autumn.
What are the best tours to expect during Autumn Season?
If you are travelling during this season, it offers you a lot of trekking and tour activities because of the great visibility and mild weather. However, let's focus on the spectacular tours to explore during this season.
Heritage Tours
While you might think that heritage sites do not matter during this month, please think again. You might think you are exploring the historical sites, which are either natural architecture or man-made, and it has nothing to do with the outer visibility of the surroundings, then you might be wrong. As most of the ancient sites reside in the hilly areas like valleys and surrounding hills, the visibility would be a good factor.
Although clear skies might only be related while you are trekking, you can still see beautiful Himalayan landscapes from the various valleys. Also, these months celebrate vibrant festivals like Dashain and Tihar, celebrating the victory of goodness over evil and welcoming the mild weather of autumn. Some of the best historical tours include - historic Durbar Squares, temples and stupas around Kathmandu Valley, the Museum, Palace and temples around Gorkha, the heritage town of Bandipur, and so on.
Nature-based Tours
Nepal also offers some of the best nature-based Tours. If you are a nature lover, there are many beautiful places to explore around the autumn season. If you love mountains and nature-based experiences, Pokhara would be an ideal choice for you. You can explore places like Sarangkot for sunrise sightseeing with panoramic mountain views of Annapurna and Machhapuchhre. Boating on Fewa Lake was indeed a great experience for our group during the Pokhara tour. You can also explore the temple located in the middle of the lake, which can be visited after a short boat ride.
Jungle Safaris
As heritage tours are mostly focused on the hilly region of Nepal, wildlife safaris cater to the adventure tourists exploring the Terai region of Nepal. Although rare, tiger sightings would definitely make you feel lucky, and one-horned rhinos are unique around the world as compared to two-horned rhinos found in the African region. For tiger sightings, you will find high probability around Chitwan National Park in Sauraha and Bardiya National Park in Thakurdwara. If you have more time to explore Nepal for a serene wild adventure, Shuklaphanta would be an additional tour to explore, which is quite near Bardiya National Park. The view from the machans (observation towers) was amazing, while we could see the herd of swamp deer running in synchronization.
If you are into birdwatching, Koshi Wildlife near Inaruwa and Jagdishpur Reservoir around the Lumbini region would also be ideal for you. Many birdwatchers enquire about these tours quite a lot. We also recommend that you bring a 400mm or similar lens for the best exploration around the region.
Adventure Tours
There are also so many adventure tours to explore around Nepal because of the mountainous and steep hill terrain. Those who are not able to explore the Himalayas prefer the scenic mountain flight exploring all the top eight Himalayas of the world, excluding K2, which is located in Pakistan. Paragliding and ziplining are also the top wishlist for explorers around Nepal. Recently, hot air balloons in Pokhara have been at the top of the list according to travellers' feedback.
Spiritual Tours
For spiritual tours around Nepal, we have covered our dedicated blog “Hidden Spiritual Places in Kathmandu You Must Visit” in your previous article. Apart from Kathmandu valley around Kathmandu, Patan, Bhaktapur, Bandipur, Parphing, and many similar locations, there are also popular spiritual destinations around Lumbini, Bandipur, Palpa, Gorkha, and Manakamana.
Autumn Festivals in Nepal
Autumn is not only popular for spectacular views but also for harmonious festivals. The arrival of Dashain and Tihar marks the Sharad Ritu, early autumn, but specific to the Nepali calendar of six seasons (Ritu), namely Basanta, Grishma, Barsha, Sharad, Hemanta, and Shishir Ritu. The moderate weather brings your experience to the best weather that you can experience in Nepal in terms of all three regions, namely Mountainous, Hilly, and Terai. Most of the vibrant Jatras and festivals also fall under this season. The gathering of people of all communities during Indra Jatra and Krishna Janmastami makes you realise the diverse culture of Nepal and the Nepali community.
Challenges of Peak Season
September through November also happens to be the peak season for tourists from all around the world travelling to Nepal. With the favourable climate to explore all three regions of Nepal along with the Everest expedition, most tourists find this time of the year to experience Nepal to the optimal level. Whether you are trekking in Nepal or climbing a mountain, this time of the year is indeed one of the best months to visit Nepal. But non-trekking tours are even more interesting to explore, and you don’t have to worry about the accommodation crisis, which usually happens during the unplanned but popular trekking destination.