Kathmandu has no malaria, per CDC. Its dengue season follows the monsoon.

Yes, though for most of the year they're a light nuisance. CDC reports "No malaria transmission in Kathmandu (the capital), Pokhara, or on typical Himalayan treks." Dengue is the one to plan for, spread by a day-biting mosquito that has been part of the Kathmandu Valley since 2019 and is busiest in the June–September monsoon.

Dengue in the valley

Dengue reached the capital in Nepal's 2019 epidemic, when it spread to places above 4,600 feet (1,400 m), "especially the country's capital city, Kathmandu," a 2021 study found. In the record 2022 epidemic, the districts around Kathmandu formed the country's main hotspot, with peaks from August to October. A preprint study of young residents in Kathmandu and Kavrepalanchok districts, not yet peer reviewed, found infections rising between 2019 and 2023, with higher risk in homes with water-filled flower basins.

2026 has been moderate so far. Nepal's Epidemiology and Disease Control Division counted more than 100 cases in Kathmandu district from January to mid-August, out of about 2,800 nationwide, The Himalayan Times reported. Nationally, the World Health Organization counted 918 cases in July, 1,776 in August and 1,908 in September, so the season was still climbing into the fall. Nepal has no CDC travel notice and isn't on CDC's global dengue list.

The Aedes mosquitoes behind it breed in household water and bite by day, with peaks after sunrise and in the late afternoon. That puts Thamel's courtyards and rooftop cafés and the temple squares of Patan and Bhaktapur squarely in their hours. From June through October, put repellent on over sunscreen before a day of sightseeing and again in the afternoon. Our dengue & Zika routine has the full schedule. Some itchy mornings in budget guesthouses turn out to be bed bugs, so check the mattress seams when you check in.

Malaria and vaccines

CDC's Nepal page places malaria in "Sudurpashchim and Karnali provinces in areas <2,000m (~6,500 ft) elevation," with "Rare cases in other areas throughout the country in areas <2,000 m (~6,500 ft) elevation," and recommends prevention medicine only for the far-western lowlands. For Kathmandu it reports none.

Japanese encephalitis vaccine is "Not recommended for travelers planning short-term travel to urban areas or travel to areas with no clear Japanese encephalitis season," CDC says, and it suggests considering the vaccine for shorter trips that include "visiting rural areas, hiking or camping, or staying in places without air conditioning, screens, or bed nets." A 2024 journal commentary reported that Nepal's outbreak that year reached the Kathmandu Valley. If you'll stay a month or more, or continue to Chitwan or rural lowland nights, see a travel clinic 4–6 weeks before departure. Yellow fever vaccine isn't needed for direct travel from the US.

When to go

December to February has the fewest mosquitoes, with cold nights, though a few stay around. Most visitors pass through in the October–November and March–May trekking seasons, and after a heavy monsoon, dengue can still run high in October. July to October is the hardest stretch. Pokhara, the usual next stop, sits lower and warmer and was a named dengue hotspot in 2024; the Nepal briefing covers it, along with the treks.

Where you're going

Flying on to Thimphu or Paro? Our Bhutan briefing covers it.

What travelers report

Paraphrased from Nepal forum threads and linked so you can read them in full. One is from 2019 and the other isn't dated, so read them for when bites happen and use the figures above for this year.

• Kathmandu and Pokhara · 2019

  A 2019 forum post warned that dengue was circulating in Kathmandu and Pokhara; replies recommended repellent and long clothing. TripAdvisor ↗

• Kathmandu · December (and late November)

  Asked about mosquitoes in December, replies said a few are still around in winter, one poster having seen some in late November, while several frequent winter visitors had few or no problems and found the city's mosquitoes small and easy to miss. Posters advised covering legs and using repellent, mainly because of dengue. TripAdvisor ↗

Any fever during or within two weeks after your trip means a doctor visit, and you tell them you were in Nepal and whether you spent time in the lowlands. Bitten in the monsoon and worried? Bitten in a dengue zone has the 14-day calendar.

Traveler questions