Gilgit weather in March

March in Gilgit: cold, rainy, with reliable snow — a good time to visit.

Updated September 2026 · climate normals from ERA5 reanalysis

Gilgit🇵🇰 Pakistan · Himalaya · Trekking69
  1. 49Jan
  2. 58Feb
  3. 69Mar
  4. 77Apr
  5. 89May
  6. 78Jun
  7. 62Jul
  8. 65Aug
  9. 80Sep
  10. 87Oct
  11. 72Nov
  12. 56Dec

#7 of 12 months in Gilgit · #960 of 1413 destinations to visit in March · comfort 69/100 (tier C)

Days
6°C
Nights
-1°C
Wet days
15
Sun
8.8 h
Humidity
73%
Daylight
12 h
Gilgit, Pakistan
Photo: Shaharyar Afzal · Pexels

Traveller notes on Gilgit in March

Notes from nearby Hunza (55 km away)

Gilgit doesn't have its own notes for March yet — these are about Hunza, close enough to share the season.

Forum posters describe late February into early March in Hunza as windy and chilly, with temperatures dropping to around -4C by late March in some reports, making warm clothing essential. Posters are consistent that while snow at valley floor level becomes less likely as March progresses toward spring (which properly arrives in April), the higher Khunjerab Pass remains snow-prone regardless. Posters specifically recommend the very last week of March as an underrated sweet spot, when early blossoms begin appearing in Hunza and Gilgit before spreading to higher terrain over the following weeks. Posters confirm the Karakoram Highway stays open and accessible through the season. Posters generally rate March as cold early in the month but improving toward a genuinely rewarding blossom season by month's end, warm layers still essential throughout.
Tripadvisor community · March · 1 month ago · about Hunza · Read more on Tripadvisor ↗

Other months in Gilgit

Gilgit-forum reviews on an October visit describe the Karakoram Highway as genuinely one of the most rewarding times to travel it, posters calling mid-October the peak for valley color, golden and red leaves set against clear skies and snowcapped peaks. Regulars call the Kargah Buddha, a seventh-century carving near Gilgit, a real highlight worth the stop regardless of onward plans. Posters recommend combining a Gilgit stay with Hunza for Baltit and Altit Forts, several regulars naming both alongside the Sacred Rock's ancient petroglyphs as standard October stops. Regulars call the highway itself fully accessible this time of year, real driving conditions considered favorable compared with the passes closed in winter. Posters recommend real layers regardless of clear October skies, elevation here delivering a genuine chill even on a sunny day. The record: 16.2C days feeling like 15C, 6.3C nights, an extraordinarily high 94.7mm across nearly 15 days and 58 percent humidity.
GilgitOctoberRegular · October · 1 month ago · Read more on Tripadvisor ↗
Gilgit-forum threads on a February visit describe conditions in the city itself as genuinely comfortable by regional standards, posters calling temperatures here noticeably milder than the surrounding high valleys this time of year. Regulars call routes further into Hunza and the higher Gilgit-Baltistan valleys considerably colder, real caution warranted depending on exact itinerary. Posters recommend checking current road status before planning any February route through the region, mountain passes here capable of closing after a fresh fall. Regulars call the wider area genuinely rewarding despite the cold, dramatic peaks and river valleys visible even in winter light. Posters recommend real cold-weather layers regardless of how comfortable Gilgit itself feels, elevation changes here delivering considerably different conditions within a short drive. The record: 1.4C days feeling like -2C, -5.3C nights, an extraordinarily high 93.2mm across over 13 days and 68 percent humidity.
GilgitFebruaryRegular · February · 1 month ago · Read more on Tripadvisor ↗
Gilgit-forum threads on a late-season visit describe the town itself as bitterly cold by January, posters calling the valley floor genuinely frigid despite sitting lower than the high peaks ringing it. Regulars call road access the real variable, the Karakoram Highway toward Hunza prone to closure after a heavier snowfall event, sometimes for several days. Posters recommend checking current road status locally before any onward plan, conditions capable of shifting fast at this elevation. Regulars describe icy patches on unheated guesthouse floors as standard, a sleeping bag liner recommended even indoors. Posters call layered wool and a down jacket non-negotiable, daytime sun offering only brief relief before cold reasserts itself. Regulars call January a genuinely quiet month here, most operators running a reduced schedule. Posters recommend confirming any booking well ahead. The record: -1.6C days feeling like -5C, -7.8C nights, 91.3mm across over 13 days and 65 percent humidity.
GilgitJanuaryRegular · January · 1 month ago · Read more on Tripadvisor ↗
Gilgit-forum threads on weather information describe the wider region as entering its strongest travel stretch by September, conditions stabilizing after the real landslide risk August's heavier systems bring on mountain roads. Posters call October excellent for the region's valleys, clear skies and vivid autumn color in Hunza drawing real praise, September already showing early signs of that shift. Regulars recommend checking road status before any route through the high passes, conditions always a step behind the settled town-level forecast. Posters describe daytime conditions in Gilgit itself as comfortable for sightseeing, evenings cooling meaningfully once the sun drops behind the surrounding peaks. Regulars call September through November together the best travel window. Posters recommend flexible dates given how much conditions shift at elevation. The record: 27.6C days feeling like 30C, 17.8C nights, an extraordinarily high 85mm across over 16 days and 60 percent humidity.
GilgitSeptemberRegular · September · 1 month ago · Read more on Tripadvisor ↗

Add your own note from Gilgit's card on the map.

Gilgit climate normals — March

Daytime high6°C / 43°F🧥 cold
Nighttime low-1°C / 30°F
Feels like (high)5°C / 41°F
Rainfall125 mm / 4.9 in🌧 rainy
Rainy days15 days
Humidity73%💧 humid
Dew point-2°C / 28°F
Sunshine8.8 h/day
Daylight12 h
Wind2 km/h / 1 mph
Snowfall88.4 cm / 34.8 in
Air quality (US AQI)89🙂 moderate

Monthly averages from ERA5 reanalysis. AQI is the mean US Air Quality Index for the month.

Crowds in Gilgit in March

How busy the place itself is — school and mass holidays, the months an editor tagged, and how sought-after the weather makes them. Never part of the comfort score.

BusyEid al-Fitr, school holidays in 2 of the markets that fill it(estimated)

JFMAMJJASOND

Peak crowdsBusyShoulder seasonQuiet

Best months for Gilgit's weather

Ranked by this destination's own climate comfort score across the year — a different thing from how busy it gets (see Crowds above).

Fair weatherGilgit's best weather comes in May, September and October — separate windows, not one continuous season.

JFMAMJJASOND

Best weatherFair weatherToughest weather

What's on in Gilgit in March

Recurring seasonal events, natural spectacles, closures and holidays — curated and sourced.

  • Holiday

    Eid al-Fitr

    25 Feb – 25 Mar · usuallyRamadan & EidClosuresCrowdedBook early

    Eid al-Fitr ends Ramadan with three or more days of public holiday. Markets are packed with shoppers in the nights before, offices and most shops close for the first days, and intercity buses, trains and flights sell out as families travel home. Source ↗

  • Festival

    Navroz

    21–22 MarNational holiday

    The spring new year carries weight here in a way it does not further south: the Ismaili communities of Gilgit and the valleys above treat it as the start of the year and of the farming, and the jamatkhanas fill for it. Source ↗

  • Season

    Snow season

    Ski season

    About 88 cm of snow falls in the month.

    from the climate normals

What's on around the world in March →

Nearby, and something's on

Within 300 km of Gilgit — a day trip or a short hop — with something on this month. Never part of the comfort score.

Where is Gilgit?

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Gilgit in March — FAQ

Is March a good time to visit Gilgit?
March in Gilgit: cold, rainy, with reliable snow — a good time to visit. It ranks #7 of 12 months for Gilgit on SeasonMap's comfort score (69/100).
What is the weather like in Gilgit in March?
In March, Gilgit averages a daily high of 6.2°C and a low of -1.3°C, with about 124.5 mm of rain over roughly 15.3 rainy days.
What is the air quality in Gilgit in March?
Gilgit has a mean US Air Quality Index of about 89 in March.
Does it snow in Gilgit in March?
Gilgit sees roughly 88.4 cm of snowfall in March.

Within 300 km: Srinagar's Almond blossom at Badamwari around 5–31 Mar, and Gulmarg's Ski season around 20 Dec – 10 Apr.