Best Time to Visit Malana – When to Visit Malana and Kasol

To be honest, there is really no straight one-line answer to the question of the best time to visit Malana. Why? Because it will be different for everyone. Not just Malana but when to go to any tourist place depends on your reason for the visit. What kind of trip are you looking for will eventually decide where you should go and when. Usually, the months of May and June are considered the best time to go to Malana but will this time suit you as well? Read on to find out.

Please note that in this article, I am only discussing in detail about the weather of Malana village and the best season to visit here. For other details like how to reach, where to stay, what to see and things to do, please read How to Plan a Trip to Malana Village – A Complete Travel Guide.

Malana is a small village in Himachal Pradesh and probably one of its most mysterious ones. The village is named so after ‘Malana Nala’ a side valley of the Parvati Valley, and Malana River. It is situated at an altitude of 2,652 meters (8,701 ft) and is subject to much curiosity and interest due to the lifestyle, social structure and customs of the villagers that they strictly follow till date.

Malana has been the subject of several documentaries and is often called one of the oldest democracies in the world. The villagers claim that they are the direct descendants of the soldiers of Alexander The Great and thus have pure Aryan race genes. And yes, it will not be incorrect to say that they, in fact, consider themselves superior to others.

When to Visit Malana

There are a few things that you should know about visiting Malana. The first and foremost is that there is no motorable road to Malana and it can only be reached after a 2 hours long trek. The road ends at the Malana gate from where the remaining distance must be covered on foot. Public transport is available only till Jari Village, at a distance of 23 kilometers from Malana Gate. From Jari, you will need to hire a cab to drop you at the gate and then walk the remaining distance to Malana.

During the winter season, if there was a lot of snow, the road even till the Malana gate may become impossible to drive on. Whether you can reach the village at this time too depends on the snow.

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Last but not the least, there is no place to stay overnight in the village. The villagers do not like the outsiders to even touch them, let alone allowing someone to stay overnight in their village. So a trip to Malana means that you will trek to the village, spend some time and return the same day. It is usually done as a day-long trip. There are several hotels near the Malana gate which then becomes the preferred place of accommodation.

Image Credit: Jaypee

Weather of Malana Village

To better explain the best time to visit Malana Village, let me talk a little about how the weather and the temperature here trends throughout the year. Malana experiences five seasons; Spring, Summer, monsoon, autumn, and winter. But due to its altitude, the climate in each season mostly remains cool. It seldom gets hot here and the only change is between how cold the weather was. The landscapes differ from season to season and each of them has its charm. It depends on which season a person likes more and wants to be in.

Also Read: Tosh Village – A Comprehensive Travel Guide & Itinerary

Malana in Summers

Summer months are one of the best times to visit this region for those who revel in trekking amidst the mountains. Temperatures are very benevolent; the entire valley is vibrant and lush green, making it perfect for hiking. Though in May there might a bit of snow in the higher reaches of the region.

Since it is the peak season, you’ll find that a lot of travelers herd to the valley in order to escape the relentless summer heat of the plains. Hence, you’ll see the prices of the guesthouses go up a little bit, but then summertime is usually dry resulting in surreal views of the peaks and one of the best times to hike around the valley.

Malana in May

The average temperature in the month of May ranges between a maximum of 21 °C and a minimum of 11 °C. May is when not just Malana but the Parvati Valley receives majority of its share of tourists. The weather will be very pleasant but the scenery may feel a little dry. This is also when the nearby places like Kasol and Tosh actually get crowded.

Malana in June

The average temperature in June will be 23 °C maximum and 13 °C minimum, making it the warmest month in the year. It is a good time for a family trip to Parvati Valley. Most of the month remains dry but there could be some pre-monsoon showers towards the end of the month.

Malana in the Monsoon Season

It rains heavily in Malana during monsoons. So ideally it is not the best time for trekking as the trails might be slippery. But the entire valley appears to be lush green from all the consistent rainfall that the region receives. Also, monsoons can be sort of considered as off-season so you might get accommodation at cheaper rates.

But one should be wary of landslides that can happen during monsoons. Since the region receives considerable rainfall in July and August chances of such unfortunate events are very probable. It is better to check the weather conditions beforehand.

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Malana in July

If July is the only time you can visit here, then you must try to plan your trip in the first few days of the month. The intensity and the frequency of the rain continue to increase as July progresses. Sometimes it can rain all day long and force you to remain indoors for the entire duration of your trip. The average temperature will remain around 21 °C maximum and 14 °C minimum.

Malana in August

This is probably the most unsafe time to visit Malana and nearby areas. August is when majority of the landslides occur but it is also the time when the entire valley comes alive with flora and fauna. The mountains will look as if they have been washed clean. The average temperature will range between 21 °C maximum and 13 °C minimum. It is a good time for photography if you don’t mind the rain.

Malana in Autumn

September and October months are considered as Autumn months. The weather is mostly dormant as dry weather prevails. Monsoon withdraws from the state in September. This can be perfect to hike around the region as the trails are no more slippery and skies are very clear. The perfect blue skies can result in surreal vistas with an impeccable view of the peaks.

Towards the end of October, temperatures start plummeting towards subzero at least in the mornings and nights. Due to this, the landscape of the valley starts changing. The lush green color of the valley soon starts getting replaced with the golden-brown color as the winters are just around the corner. This is probably the best time to visit Malana if photography was on your mind.

Also Read: Kothi Village near Manali – How to Reach & What to See

Malana in September

This is by far my favorite time to plan a visit here. Monsoon will be all gone but would have left plenty of greenery for you to enjoy. September has everything to offer that monsoon does but without the risk of the rains. The average temperature will range between 20 °C maximum and 11 °C minimum.

Malana in October

October is the month of the autumn season. All that was green in September will now turn Orange, making the valleys look magical. The weather too will start turning colder with the average temperature dropping down to 16 °C maximum and 7 °C minimum.

Malana in Winter

Owing to its altitude, winter in Malana sets in a bit early then the lower hills, Kasol for example. If the weather turned bad, it can start to snow anytime after mid-November.

If you want to see snow, the winter season is perfect to plan a visit to Malana. The village turns into a white wonderland during peak winter months.

Though, I would like to mention that it is not easy to reach Malana village during winters. At times, there could be several feet of snow during peak winter months; sometimes even blocking the roads leading to the Malana gate.

Even the trail leading to the village becomes a lit bit difficult to navigate due to snow during winters. The temperatures will drop down to sub-zero. So be adequately prepared and ensure that you are carrying a good winter jacket and winter boots. Warm and heavy woolens are quintessential for a winter trip to Malana.

Malana in November

November overall is a bad month to visit, to be honest. The landscape at this time is a little dull and dry. The weather would have already gotten very cold but there won’t be any snow around. Even if it did snow, it will be very less to hold to the ground and will just melt away. The average temperature in Malana in November remains between 13 °C maximum and 3 °C minimum.

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Malana in December

Mid-December is when it actually starts to snow properly in Malana and the area around. After December 15th, it can snow anytime and the intensity too will be high. But it is a good time to go because the chances of getting stuck because of the snow will be a little less in December. The average temperature will range between 8°C maximum and 0°C minimum.

Malana in January

If you want to experience snowfall then a trip to January is your best bet. The frequency of snowfall is highest in January. It is also the coldest month of the year with the average temperature ranging between 3°C maximum and -5°C minimum.

Malana in February

If you want to trek through several feet of snow, then February is a good time to go. All the snowfall in December and January would have resulted in a lot of snow on the ground. But you may not even be able to reach Malana Village at this time and may even get stuck due to the snow so please be prepared for it. The villagers will not let you stay overnight even if it was snowing blind. The temperature will range between 5°C maximum and 0°C minimum at an average.

Malana in Spring

Spring season can be one of the best times to visit Malana or Himalayas in general. The weather can still be very cold and it can even snow during early spring. But this is the time when the landscape starts becoming vibrant, flowers bloom as the onset of the spring approaches.

Hiking around also will be a wonderful experience. Even though snow starts to melt, there is enough snow on the peaks surrounding Malana to make the landscapes impeccably celestial.

All the major high-altitude treks will still be not manageable due to a whopping amount of snow so those treks can only be done starting May end or early June. Short treks and hikes should not pose a challenge from April onward as most of the snow would have melted in the lower reaches of the valley.

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Malana in March

The average temperature will range between 10°C maximum and 3°C minimum. So yes, you will still need to bring heavy woolens and a good wind-proof jacket. It is a good time to plan a winter trip as the weather will be more on the ‘pleasant cold’ side rather than the harsh cold.

Malana in April

The snow starts to melt in March and is mostly all gone by April. It is a good time for photography because the snow-melt will cause plenty of greenery around. March and April are also a good time to plan your honeymoon in Parvati Valley. The temperature will range between 15°C maximum and 5°C minimum in April.

Best Time to Visit Malana Village

Now based on the information above, I believe it is safe to say that the months of April, May, June, and September are the best time to visit Malana. If you were planning a family trip, May and June will suit you more. For someone traveling on a budget, then you should plan in either July or August.

If you wanted to trek around, then May, June, and October will be the best months for you. For photography enthusiasts, April and September are the best months. If you wanted to see snow, February and early March will be the best time to go.

Also Read: Parvati Valley – How to Plan your Trip & What to See !

Best Season to visit Malana

Spring season and immediately after-monsoon is the best season to visit Malana.

Best Month to Visit Malana   

April, May, and September are the best months to visit Malana.

Best time to visit Kasol and Malana

February to June, September, and October is the best time to visit both Kasol and Malana.

Conclusion

I hope the information above on the best time to visit Malana was of help. If you have any questions, or need any other details, please feel free to ask in the comments section below, or at our Community Forum, and I will be glad to answer.