Kathmandu Valley · – · –
Kathmandu Valley in December
Short clear days, cold nights and few visitors. Yomari Punhi, the full moon of December, is when Newar families steam yomari, sweet rice dumplings filled with molasses and sesame, and offer them to the grain stores. Mountain views are still common in the mornings. Valley fog can delay early flights, so plan buffer time before treks.
Local tip for December
Leave a spare day before domestic mountain flights; morning fog can delay them.
Where to go in December
Kathmandu Valley1,442 mPanauti
A Newar river town where three rivers meet, one of them unseen
Kathmandu Valley1,401 mBhaktapur
Khwopa, the city of potters, drums and the five-roofed Nyatapola
Kathmandu Valley1,450 mPharping
Guru Rinpoche's caves and the gorge of Dakshinkali on the southern rim
Trips at their best in December
Kathmandu Valleymax 2,175 mEverest by air, Kathmandu and Nagarkot
Three nights to see Everest without walking to it. A one-hour dawn mountain flight runs along the Himalaya to the Everest massif …
Kathmandu Valleymax 1,750 mHoneymoon: Kathmandu, Dhulikhel and Pokhara
A seven-night honeymoon that moves from the temples of Kathmandu to the quiet hills of Dhulikhel and the lake and mountains of …
Kathmandu Valleymax 1,750 mKathmandu to Lumbini: the Buddha's path
An eight-night Buddhist pilgrimage that starts at the great stupas of the Kathmandu Valley and the hilltop shrine of Namobuddha, flies down …
Kathmandu Valleymax 2,551 mKathmandu Valley with children
A five-night family trip around the Kathmandu Valley built for short attention spans and early bedtimes: monkeys at Swayambhu, a momo-making class, …
Kathmandu Valleymax 1,400 mNewar food and festivals of the valley
Five nights in the kitchens, markets and festival squares of the Newars, the valley's oldest people. Eat samay baji in Kirtipur, buy …
Elsewhere in Nepal in December
Questions
Is December a good time to visit Kathmandu Valley?
Short clear days, cold nights and few visitors. Yomari Punhi, the full moon of December, is when Newar families steam yomari, sweet rice dumplings filled with molasses and sesame, and offer them to the grain stores. Mountain views are still common in the mornings. Valley fog can delay early flights, so plan buffer time before treks.
What is the weather like in Kathmandu Valley in December?
Kathmandu 3–20 °C, dry, cold nights. Conditions change fast with altitude, so check the forecast for each stop a week before you travel.
Where should we go in Kathmandu Valley in December?
We suggest Panauti, Bhaktapur, Pharping. Leave a spare day before domestic mountain flights; morning fog can delay them.