Best Time To Visit Punakha > Weather, Temperature & Season

What is the best time to visit Punakha?

October to April is the best time to visit Punakha, and unlike the rest of Bhutan, winter is one of its best seasons rather than its worst.

Punakha is Bhutan's warm valley. At 1,242 metres it averages 12°C in January against Paro's 6°C, it has never recorded a freezing temperature and it takes no snow. It has been the winter seat of Bhutan's monastic body for centuries, and it is where to sleep when the higher valleys are frosty.

October and November are the clearest months. February or March brings Punakha Drubchen and Tsechu, one of the biggest festivals in the country.

June to September is the monsoon, with July and August the wettest months of the year.

Monthly Weather in Punakha

Month	High/Low (°C)	Rain
January	16°/ 4°	8 days
February	18°/ 5°	9 days
March	20°/ 8°	18 days
April	22°/ 10°	22 days
May	25°/ 15°	13 days
June	27°/ 17°	18 days
July	26°/ 19°	31 days
August	28°/ 19°	28 days
September	25°/ 17°	30 days
October	25°/ 13°	12 days
November	24°/ 11°	2 days
December	18°/ 5°	2 days

Punakha Travel Packages

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8 Nights / 9 Days

Bhutan Bliss: 8N/9D Tour Package

Phuntsholing(2N) → Thimphu(2N) → Punakha(2N) → Paro(2N)

₹57,250/person

6 Nights / 7 Days

7-Day Bhutan Discovery: Thimphu, Punakha, Paro & Tiger’s Nest

Phuentsholing(1N) → Thimphu(2N) → Punakha(1N) → Paro(2N)

₹39,500/person

7 Nights / 8 Days

8-Day Bhutan Highlights Tour: Thimphu, Punakha, Paro and Tiger's Nest

Phuentsholing(2N) → Thimphu(2N) → Punakha(1N) → Paro(2N)

Sold By: Himalayan Voyagers(5.0 )

₹45,000/person

8 Nights / 9 Days

Enchanting Bhutan: 8N/9D Himalayan Odyssey

Phuntsholing(2N) → Thimphu(2N) → Punakha(2N) → Paro(2N)

₹ 67,500

12% off

₹59,000/person

7 Nights / 8 Days

Best of Bhutan: 7N/8D Road Trip to Thimphu, Paro, Punakha & Phuentsholing with Phobjikha valley.

Phuentsholing(2N) → Thimphu(1N) → Punakha(2N) → Paro(2N)

₹52,000/person

7 Nights / 8 Days

Wonders of Bhutan 7 Nights/8 Days Tour

Phuntsholing(2N) → Thimphu(2N) → Punakha(1N) → Paro(2N)

₹52,000/person

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More about Best Time to Travel to Punakha

Peak Season in Punakha: October and November

October and November are the clearest and busiest months. Days run into the low twenties, nights are mild, and November is one of the two driest months of the year.

October is the single most booked month in Bhutan, so the small number of lodges above the Mo Chhu fill early. Book two to three months out.

Winter in Punakha: December to February, and Why It Is Warm

December to February is mild here, and this is what makes Punakha useful. January averages about 12°C with nights near 6°C, and the record low is 0°C. There is no snow and effectively no frost.

Paro and Thimphu sit a thousand metres higher and about six degrees colder. Bhutan's monastic body has wintered in Punakha Dzong for centuries for exactly this reason, so plan a winter trip around a Punakha night.

Punakha Drubchen and Tsechu: February or March

Punakha Drubchen and Tsechu falls in February or March, starting on the ninth day of the first Bhutanese lunar month, so the Gregorian date moves every year.

The Drubchen re-enacts the 1639 defence against the Tibetan invasion, with locals in period armour, and the Tsechu follows it with masked dances. It is the valley's own festival and the reason to come in a month most people skip.

Spring in Punakha: March to May

March to May is warm and green. Days climb through the twenties, the jacarandas around the dzong flower in late spring, and the walk out to Chimi Lhakhang is at its prettiest.

Late spring is the start of the inter-monsoon, so afternoon showers become common from April. It is warmer than most people expect for Bhutan: this is the low valley, not the high one.

Monsoon in Punakha: June to September

June to September is the monsoon and the low season. July and August are the wettest months, and the rivers run high and brown.

The road in from Thimphu crosses the Dochula pass and is prone to landslides now. Rafting is off, and Paro airport cancels flights in monsoon cloud, so keep a spare day.

Rafting the Mo Chhu and Pho Chhu

Rafting runs best from November to March. The two rivers meet below Punakha Dzong and the dry months give clear water at a manageable level, which is the opposite of what most people assume about river seasons.

The Mo Chhu is the gentle one and works for families; the Pho Chhu is the longer, rougher run. Both are off through the monsoon, when the water is too high.