Monsoon is here — and Upper Mustang and Dolpo are the treks to do now
While the rest of Nepal gets wet, the rain-shadow north stays dry: roughly 30 mm of rain versus Pokhara's 300 mm.
June to August is monsoon across most of Nepal — slippery trails, leeches, and cloud where the mountains should be. But there is a brilliant exception, and it is open right now: the rain-shadow north.
Tucked behind the main Himalaya, Upper Mustang and Dolpo barely feel the monsoon. While Pokhara collects around 300 mm of rain in July, Upper Mustang gets roughly 30 mm — a tenth as much. The result is dry, dramatic, high-desert trekking when everywhere else is washed out.
What this means for trekkers
If you can only travel in summer, this is your window. Expect Tibetan-Buddhist culture, walled medieval towns and canyon landscapes under clear skies — with a fraction of the crowds. A restricted-area permit and a licensed guide are required (and, as of 2026, solo travellers can now go with a guide).
See our Upper Mustang trek, or message us to build a monsoon-season itinerary that actually delivers mountain views.
Cover photo: Mohan K. Duwal via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0).
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