Film production in Kathmandu
Between June and December, usable daylight in Kathmandu moves by 3h 29min — from 13h 53min down to 10h 24min. An exterior day in December is a different day from one in June. This page carries sunrise, sunset and golden-hour times for all twelve months.
Light and shooting hours
On 15 June, the sun in Kathmandu rises at 05:08 and sets at 19:01; the evening golden hour starts at 18:27 and runs for 34 minutes. By December that shifts to 06:47–17:12, with a 35-minute golden-hour window from 16:37.
For scheduling, that means the window for the one shot that lives on light runs between 31 and 35 minutes across the year. Put it last in the day and the first overrun takes it.
| Month | Sunrise | Sunset | Daylight | Golden hour (evening, from) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 06:56 | 17:31 | 10h 34min | 16:56 |
| February | 06:42 | 17:55 | 11h 13min | 17:23 |
| March | 06:15 | 18:13 | 11h 58min | 17:42 |
| April | 05:40 | 18:29 | 12h 49min | 17:57 |
| May | 05:16 | 18:46 | 13h 30min | 18:13 |
| June | 05:08 | 19:01 | 13h 53min | 18:27 |
| July | 05:18 | 19:02 | 13h 44min | 18:29 |
| August | 05:35 | 18:44 | 13h 09min | 18:12 |
| September | 05:50 | 18:10 | 12h 21min | 17:40 |
| October | 06:04 | 17:36 | 11h 32min | 17:05 |
| November | 06:25 | 17:13 | 10h 48min | 16:40 |
| December | 06:47 | 17:12 | 10h 24min | 16:37 |
Blue hour and shooting windows
Blue hour in Kathmandu starts at 19:18 in June and ends at 19:28 — a window of 10 minutes. In December it is 10 minutes from 17:27. If you need a city view with lit windows, that window is all you get.
Sunset moves fastest around the equinoxes: between March (18:13) and September (18:10) there are 3 minutes of difference. A schedule running over several weeks cannot work from one fixed "sunset" time.
Planning a shoot here
A schedule that ignores these numbers looks fine on paper and falls over on the day. TillyGen folds sun position, travel and crew availability straight into the schedule — if the exterior no longer fits before sunset in December, the plan says so, not the wrap report.
Frequently asked
When is golden hour in Kathmandu?
In June it starts at 18:27 and lasts 34 minutes; in December it starts at 16:37 and lasts 35 minutes. The table above lists all twelve months.
How much daylight does a shoot day in Kathmandu get?
Between 10h 24min in December and 13h 53min in June. The 3h 29min difference is worth four to eight setups depending on your pace.
Which month is best for exteriors in Kathmandu?
On daylight length alone, June is strongest with 13h 53min of usable light.