May is the end month of spring season. The summer weather in Nepal starts from May. You will experience a transitional weather during Trekking in Nepal in May. Sometimes it remains dry and sometimes it may rain heavily. You know the climate of Himalayas are not predictable. Not only in May, it may be changeable weather during all months of year.
We already said above, it may rain a little during May in Nepal. As, May is the starting of Monsoon in Nepal. If it will not be raining, you will be lucky to have the blissful glimpses of Himalayas, beautiful panorama of villages, landscapes and of course the greenery surrounding.
May is good for Mountain climbing as well. For the first time, Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay Sherpa conquered Mount Everest on 29th May, 1954. Since then, every May 29 is celebrated as Everest Day. An event Tenzing Hillary Everest Marathon is organized on every may 29.
Trekking in Nepal in May Weather and Temperature
May is the starting of summer (pre-monsoon) month with the hot temperature. The temperature may vary with the variation of trekking altitudes but the average temperature at night is between 8-12 degree celsius whereas at day time, it rises upto 25-28 degree celsius. It may fall to minus in the Himalayas at higher elevation.
Trekking in Nepal in May Tips
- Bring rain proof jacket and backpack rain cover.
- Dress light in layers.
- Visit the Himalayas in early may.
- Expect 25 degrees at day time and around 9 degrees at night at elevation upto 2000m.
- Eat less but healthy food.
- Bring excellent cameras, may is the best month for photography.
Festivals and Public Holidays in Nepal in May
on the first day of May, International Labour day is celebrated in Nepal as public holidays. There is another popular buddhist festival called Buddha Jayanti during may in Nepal. This year Buddha Jayanti is on April 30. In upper mustang, there is another important festival of Buddhist people called as Tiji Festival in May. This year, it falls on 12, 13 and 14 may at Lo-Manthang.
Events in May
Every year Nepal hosts Tenzing Hillary Everest Marathon as the worlds highest marathon on May 29th crossing the Sherpa trails of Khumbu valley. The event has been initiated in honor of Tenzing Norgay Sherpa and Sir Edmund Hillary on the day they ascended Mount Everest in 1953. The marathon will be of three categories, extreme ultra 60 km, full marathon 42 km and half marathon 21 km as per the choice of runners. Register yourself on the event as it is truly a once in a life time experience.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, may is the good time to visit in Nepal. Alongside trekking, expedition is popular in may.
May is the warmest month of the year. There will be pre-monsoon showers and cloudy day.
Trekking, soft adventures, peak climbing, mountain expeditions and tours around heritage sites are popular activities to do in May.
Check for all the trekking gears before processing for trekking. Good trekking boots, trekking poles and rain gear is highly recommended.
May is still the busiest season of Nepal trekking and expedition so trekking accommodation on the trails are open during May in Nepal.
The trekking cost (Food and Accommodation) varies depending on the trekking trails on which you are planning to go. The tea house trekking is a little bit cheaper than the off the beaten camping treks.
The cost of food depends upon which you like to choose, local food (Dal, Bhat) will be cheaper with comparison to international food. In general, $30 will be enough for a day for food and accommodation during trekking. The trekking cost depends upon the transportation, TIMS Card, Permit and Guide charge.