The Walking and Climbing Company

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The Himalayan Mountain Range

The Himalayan range is the highest and also one of the youngest mountain ranges in the world, having been formed during the Jurassic Era (about 80 million years ago). Situated in Asia, it separates the Indian subcontinent from the Tibetan Plateau and stretches across six countries (Bhutan, China, India, Nepal, Pakistan and Afghanistan) for about 2,400 km, from Nanga Parbat in the west to Namche Barwa in the east.

The range is home to all fourteen of the world's highest peaks (all exceeding 8,000 metres), including Mount Everest, and over 100 if its mountains exceed 7,000 metres. It is the source of three of the world's major river systems, affecting an estimated 750 million people who live in its watershed area, which includes Bangladesh. The range also encompasses an impressive number of glaciers, including Siachen Glacier, the largest in the world outside the polar regions.

The Climate

The name Himalaya is derived from Sanskrit meaning "the abode of snow". The climate varies from tropical at the base of the mountains to permanent ice and snow at the highest peaks and has a profound effect on the weather in the Indian subcontinent and the Tibetan plateau. It prevents dry Arctic winds from blowing south into the subcontinent, keeping South Asia warmer than corresponding temperate regions in the other continents. It also forms a barrier for the monsoon winds, preventing them from traveling northwards.

Because the climate plays such an important part in any Himalayan adventure holiday, it's a good idea to prepare for the likely conditions. The type of weather you can usually expect throughout the year in Nepal and Tibet is illustrated below.

Month	Everest and Annapurna regions inc. Island/Mera Peaks	Kailash/Lhasa	Cho Oyu/ Lhakpa Ri Peaks
January	Cold	Cold	Cold
February	Cold	Cold	Cold
March	Best time	Good	Good
April	Best time	Best time	Best time
May	Good	Best time	Best time
June	Monsoon	Best time	Best time
July	Monsoon	Good/Rain	Good/Rain
August	Good	Good/Rain	Best Time
September	Best time	Best time	Best Time
October	Best time	Best time	Good
November	Best time	Cold	Cold
December	Good	Cold	Cold

Best Time

A wonderful time to be on holiday. The weather is consistently warm and sunny during the day and cold at night. The mountain views are clear and it’s unlikely to rain or snow. The flowers in Nepal in March and April each year are stunning.

Good

The weather may be less consistent. Some showers and snow fall if near the beginning or end of the monsoon season.

Cold

Really only for the very hardy. Can be very cold at these times, with snowfall in the mountains.

Monsoon

Warm and rainy, particularly in the afternoons. Not safe to climb at this time due to the risk of avalanche. Treks in the lower areas are OK. Internal flights are very unpredictable, often not flying due to the weather.