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What is the best time to visit Bhutan?
October to April is the best time to visit Bhutan, and October is the single biggest month of the year here. The monsoon has just ended, the air is clear and the dzong festivals fall in this window.
March to May is the second season, warm with rhododendrons and jacaranda in bloom, and it holds the Paro Tsechu. December to February is cold, dry and very clear, at the lowest prices of the year.
June to September is the monsoon, the one stretch to avoid. Landslides close roads, and Paro airport is visual-approach only, so flights get cancelled.
Paro (2,406m) and Thimphu: October to April
Punakha (1,242m), the warm valley: year-round, and the best winter base
Bumthang (2,470m), the driest and coldest: September to November, March to May
Phobjikha, for the black-necked cranes: November to February
Bhutan Travel Packages
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7 Days Essential Bhutan Tour: Thimphu, Paro, Punakha & More
Phuentsholing(2N) → Thimphu(2N) → Paro(2N)
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Asia Valleys Tours (5.0
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Bhutan Tour: 4 Nights 5 Days in Thimphu and Paro
Phuentsholing(1N) → Thimphu(2N) → Paro(1N)
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Gokphela Tours An...(5.0
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Majestic Bhutan - 4 Nights 5 Days
Thimphu(2N) → Paro(2N)
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Cross Over Holidays(5.0
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8 Days - Journey to Land of Happiness: Bhutan Tour Package
Phuntsholing(2N) → Thimphu(2N) → Punakha(1N) → Paro(2N)
Explore Bhutan - 5 Nights & 6 Days
Phuentsholing(1N) → Thimphu(2N) → Paro(2N)
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Cross Over Holidays(5.0
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Explore Bhutan - 6 Nights & 7 Days
Phuentsholing(2N) → Thimphu(2N) → Paro(2N)
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Cross Over Holidays(5.0
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More about Best Time to Travel to Bhutan
Peak Season in Bhutan: October and November
October and November are the best months of the year in Bhutan. The monsoon has cleared, the skies are clean and the Himalaya are visible from the valley floors.
Valleys run about 10°C to 25°C in September and drop towards 10°C by late November. October is the most heavily booked month of the year, so confirm hotels and the Tiger's Nest day two to three months out. More on Bhutan in October.
Spring in Bhutan: March to May
March to May is the second season, warm and in bloom. Valleys sit around 4°C to 20°C, rhododendrons cover the slopes and the jacarandas come out in late May.
This is the trekking season for the Jomolhari and Druk Path routes, mid-April to mid-May. Haze builds late in spring, so the mountain views are not as sharp as October's. More on Bhutan in April and May.
Winter in Bhutan: December to February
December to February is cold, dry and the cheapest time to come. Paro and Thimphu average about 6°C with nights below freezing, and Bumthang drops to about -4°C at night.
Days are bright and visibility is at its annual best. Punakha at 1,242 metres averages 12°C in January and has been Bhutan's winter capital for centuries, so it is where to base yourself now. More on Bhutan in December.
Monsoon in Bhutan: June to September
June to September is the monsoon, and the one window to avoid. Rain is heaviest in the south and centre, landslides close roads and the passes into Bumthang become slow.
The bigger problem is the flight. Paro airport allows daylight visual approaches only, ringed by peaks, so monsoon cloud cancels arrivals outright. More on Bhutan in July.
The Tsechu Calendar: Which Festival, Which Month
Every tsechu is set by the Bhutanese lunar calendar, so the Gregorian dates move each year. Confirm before you book flights: the dzongs fill and so do the hotels around them.
February to March: Punakha Drubchen and Tsechu, re-enacting the 1639 defence against Tibet
March to April: Paro Tsechu at Rinpung Dzong, the spring headline
September to October: Thimphu Tsechu, the biggest of them all
October to November: Jambay Lhakhang Drup in Bumthang, with the midnight fire ritual
Punakha and Bumthang: The Two Exceptions
Punakha is the answer if your dates fall in winter. At 1,242 metres it averages 12°C in January against Paro's 6°C, it has never recorded a sub-zero temperature, and it takes no snow.
Bumthang is the opposite case: the driest valley in the country, because the Black Mountains shadow it, but also the coldest, with January nights near -4°C.
Best Time to Visit Bhutan by Interest
- Tiger's Nest and the western dzongs: October to April
- Paro Tsechu: March or April
Thimphu Tsechu: September or October - Jomolhari and Druk Path treks: April to May, then October
- Black-necked cranes at Phobjikha: November to February
- Rafting the Mo Chhu at Punakha: November to March
- Warmest winter base: Punakha
Lowest prices: June to September, then December to February
Best time to visit the top destinations in Bhutan
Events in Bhutan
Nomad Festival
23rd February 2020
Paro Tsechu
Fri, 3 April 2020 – Tue, 7 April 2020
