March marks the beginning of the trekking season in Nepal. March is the month that brings about spring in Nepal. The wonderful ambience you will experience in the spring season makes trekking in Nepal in March one of the most adventurous activities you can take part in Nepal.
As the month of March hits Nepal, it bids goodbye to the cold of the winter season. The bright sun along with the slightest of precipitation lights up the forests and mountains you will trek in Nepal.
During March, almost all trekking destinations are open which might have been closed in the winters due to the snowfall.
So trekking in Nepal in March is delightful. Besides the various festivals that are celebrated in Nepal during the month of March. This adds a bit of speciality to your treks which will themselves be delightful.
Weather in Nepal in March
Weather is the first thing that comes to mind when you think of trekking in Nepal in March. And you can be assured that the weather in March is tailor-made for trekking.
In the high altitude treks, the earlier days of March might be cold as there are still remnants of the winter season of the months that precede it. But as you move more and more towards the middle and the end of March, you will find that the temperature is moderate.
You also might encounter some amount of snowfall in the month of March while trekking to higher altitudes. There are also chances that you will encounter occasional cold wind during the first week of March.
In the lower altitude treks, you won’t have to worry a lot about the weather regardless of when you will be trekking in March.
March month also observes some of the lowest precipitation throughout the year. As a result, the skies are wide open and you can have unobstructed views of the mountains.
Main Attractions of the Trekking in Nepal in March
Scenic Flights to trekking destinations
The clear blue skies of March make for some exciting flights to the starting point of your trekking destinations. The best flight during the month of March is the flight to Lukla for the starting point of your trek. In addition, the flight to Nepalgunj for the Rara lake trek and to Taplejung for the Kanchenjunga Base Camp Trek. Besides of the regular aeroplane flights you can also join the flight to EBC by joining the Everest base camp helicopter tour for a day tour.
Clear Weather
Clear weather is a guarantee of a good trek. Clear weather allows you to trek without interruptions of rain. So you won’t have to deal with additional days you might have to account for in case the weather goes awry.
Clear weather allows for the clearest views of mountains, whose glimpse you are chasing after. Clear weather also allows you to take some stunning photographs of the mountains. So you can also be a hit over social media.
Encounter with Mountaineers
March s the month when the mountaineering expeditions begin. So no matter which part of Nepal you go for trekking, you might encounter some mountaineers. You can interact with them and learn about the art of trekking with them.
Celebrate Festivals
There are some important festivals that are celebrated in the month of March. This adds richness to your trek as you can learn about the culture and traditions of this country while celebrating the festivals with Nepalese people.
Holi is the biggest festival that falls in the month of March. This is the festival of colors. The whole country just lights up with various colours that people decorate themselves with. The Durbar Squares of Nepal, especially Kathmandu Durbar Square, light up during Holi.
Wonderful Plants and Animals
During the month of March, the spring season starts to kick in. So the various national parks that you will cross during your treks like Annapurna Conservation Area, Sagarmatha National Park, Chitwan National Park, Rara National Park, Kanchenjunga Conservation Area, etc. are full of bright red colors with the rhododendron forests that drape them.
The birds and animals also end the hibernation that they go to in the winter. So you might be able to see many birds as well as animal species during your visit to these protected areas.
Scenic Views of Mountains
The mesmerizing views of the mountains make your trek to various parts of Nepa an absolute delight. As the weather of the mountainous parts of the country in March is absolutely wonderful, the views of the various mountain ranges during your treks are great.
Tp 5 Treks in Nepal for the month of March
Everest Base Camp trek via Cho La pass
During the Everest Base Camp trek via Cho La pass, you will not only visit the Everest Base Camp but also go to the picturesque valley of Gokyo crossing the mountain pass of Cho La pass.
The Gokyo Lakes are located wonderfully well for viewing Mt. Everest. These trails along these lakes take you to Gokyo Ri, a place with a dazzling view of the sunrise amidst the Himalayas of the Everest region like Mt. Pumori, Choyou, Everest, Makalu, Cholatse, Taboche, Amadablam, Nuptse, Lhotse, and others.
You will also cross various settlements in the Everest region like Tengboche, Gorak Shep, and Namche Bazaar. These places also give you a panoramic view of the mountains above.
This 15-day trek is a perfect way to go to the Everest Base Camp without missing out on the beauty of other regions on Everest.
Annapurna Base Camp Trek
Annapurna Base Camp lies in a low altitude region, has beautiful mountainous views, and fantastic trekking trails. All of these culminate in making Annapurna Base Camp Trek one of the most sought trekking destinations in Nepal.
While you are on your way to Annapurna Base Camp, you also can go to Ghorepani Poon Hill as well. Poon Hill is one of the best destinations in Nepal for viewing sunrise amidst mountains like Annapurna, Dhaulagiri, Machhapuchhre, etc.
The weather of the Annapurna region is perfect to trek in the month of March. The forests of Annapurna Conservation Area glow with rhododendron that is found in abundance in the ACAP region.
When you are trekking to Annapurna Base Camp, you can also get to Khopra Hill. This is an awesome point for viewing Khayer Lake as well as the Dhaulagiri range. You can trek to Khopra Hill independently or complement it with the Annapurna Base Camp trek.
Langtang Gosaikunda Trek
Langtang is a picturesque village in the northern part of Kathmandu valley. This valley is an off the beaten track trekking destination in Nepal. Langtang Gosaikunda is a trek that is perfect to complete in the month of March.
The mountains in this range that you can see while trekking in this region are Langtang Lirung (7234m), Langtang Ri (7246m), Langtang Himal (6581m), Kimsung (6745m), Ganesh Himal 1 (7406m), Ganesh II (7150m), Ganesh III (7130m), Langshisha (Ri 6310m), Morimoto peak (6750m), Manaslu (8163) etc.
You will also get to visit the holy lake of Gosaikunda. This holy lake is visited by a large number of religious devotees to offer a prayer to their deities
Manaslu Circuit Trek
Manaslu Circuit Trek is an off the beaten track in the western part of the country. Manaslu Circuit Trek is restricted to only 1000 trekkers per year by the government. This makes this region a pristine region that is untouched by urbanization.
You will get some glorious views of mountains like Himlung (7126m), Cheo Himal (6812m), Larkye Peak (6249m), Annapurna II (7937 m), and Manaslu (8156m) during the Manaslu trek. Of the best vantage points during the Manaslu Circuit Trek is Larkya La pass, which lies at an altitude of 5125 meters.
All of these peaks glint in their glory in the month of March.
But, you are forbidden by law to go for a solo trek in Manaslu. That means you need to tag a friend or anyone else along with you in order to trek to Manaslu Circuit. It is also mandatory for you to arrange a guide in order to trek in the Manaslu region.
Mardi Himal Trek
Mardi Himal trek lies in Annapurna Conservation Area. It was officially opened to trekkers only in 2012. Despite that, it has become one of the best treks to complete in Nepal in the month of March.
You will get to the starting point of the Mardi Himal trek after a one hour drive from Pokhara. During the Mardi Himal trek, you will get to Mardi Base Camp, which is located at an elevation of 4500 meters. In addition, you can also enjoy Low Camp, High Camp, as well as Australian Camp.
You’ll get to be close to the majestic mountains of this region like Mt. Dhaulagiri (8,167m), Machhapuchhare (6,993m), and Mt. Hiunchuli(6,441m) and Annapurna South (7,010m) during the Mardi Himal trek. The awesome weather of March makes viewing these mountains a wonderful prospect.
Packing List for Trekking in Nepal in March
The following is a list of items you will need while trekking to the Everest Base Camp in March
Clothing
Clothing needs to be multi-layered, high-quality and comfortable. These are all the clothing you will need.
A Baselayer of clothing
- Insulation layer on top of the base layer
- The Outermost layer includes a down jacket and trekking trousers.
- Underwear, trekking trousers and shorts, trekking shirts, and a Waterproof Shell jacket and trousers.
- Raincoat
- Headgear
- A hat, a beanie, and a neck gaiter
- Gloves
- Two types of gloves- inner and the outer layer
- Footwear
- Hiking boots
- Trekking shoes and sandals
- Hiking socks, thermal socks, and gaiters
- Backpack
- A large spacious backpack of 50 - 65 liter that has various compartments.
- A daypack to carry the items regularly used.
- A rain cover for your bag.
- Others
- Sleeping bags, trekking poles, sunglasses and moisturizers
- Water bottle, pee funnel, basic first aid kit, toiletries, and towels
- Camera, books, and chargers
- Mosquito repellents and ointments
Accommodation in March
March marks the beginning of the trekking season in Nepal. So the places of accommodation will start to see quite a few numbers of trekkers in March. But the number of trekkers is not dramatically high. So you won’t have to worry about finding accommodation in March.
The same is true of restaurants as well. However, I would highly recommend you to opt for advance booking while trekking to avoid any sort of discomfort you might face if you don’t have booked prior to reaching your destination.
The types of accommodation will be different depending upon the places along your trek. You might encounter teahouses basic lodges to even luxury hotels. The quality of the restaurants will also have a wide range.
Hiring a Guide/ Porter in March
You should contact a travel agency in Nepal. This will help you arrange registered experienced guides for your trek. The same is true for hiring a porter. Guides and porters help you feel safe in case you are travelling a region for the first time.
If you go for longer treks, the chances of you being exhausted are quite high if you carry your backpack yourself. Further, if you exhaust yourself too much, you will expose your body to catching altitude sickness quite easily. So hiring a porter alongside a guide is also necessary.
Contacting a travel agency might also bring you closer to the access of a helicopter rescue facility. This will come in extremely handy if you are unable to carry on with your trek at some point in time.
Altitude Sickness in March
If you don’t take the necessary precautions, you might be down with altitude sickness at any time of the year. So there are chances of altitude sickness in the month of March in case you are inadequately prepared.
The best way to prepare for altitude sickness is by training well. The training should focus not only on strengthening your body but also on proper dietary patterns.
Consumption of a healthy amount of food and water during your treks is also a good way to should your body from altitude sickness. Finally, you should take your treks slowly so that you don’t get exhausted. If there are acclimatization days, don’t skip them.
Travel insurance for trekking in Nepal in March
Travel insurance while trekking in Nepal is a must. The high altitude treks like Everest Region Trek, Tilicho Lake Trek, and Kanchenjunga Base Camp trek pose some possibilities of altitude sickness.
If altitude sickness or other forms of illness get worse, you might require evacuation from a helicopter. If you don’t have insurance, helicopter evacuation might take up to US $ 5000.
So contact some travel insurance agencies to deal with such situations. Don’t forget to check the aspects that are covered by your travel insurance. Here is a list of some companies that provide travel insurance.
Getting trekking for trekking in Nepal in March
All trekking trails are open for trekking in Nepal in March. So you won’t have trouble obtaining the necessary permits for various regions of Nepal. You might need different trekking permits to trek in different parts of the country.
You should make sure that you get good information about the trekking permits required for trekking in the specific locations you will be going to. Your travel agency will give information in this regard. You can collect most trekking permits from the Nepal Tourism Board in Kathmandu.
Conclusion
March is a harbinger of the beautiful trekking season of spring. The joy of trekking in Nepal in the month of March is almost incomparable. There are many regions you can trek in Nepal in the month of March ranging from Everest, Annapurna, Langtang, Kanchenjunga, to Mustang. Makes sure that you see which of these awesome regions you want to go to in the month of March.
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