Travel to Bhutan is good throughout of the year. Every season and period provides different travel experiences. However in terms of pleasant weather, decent nature views and popular festive events, the best travel time to Bhutan is in the spring (March, April, May) and autumn (September, October, November).
Travel time to Bhutan can also be categorized into three seasons in the base of tourist flow in respective seasons. They are as below.
High Season (Mar-May, Sep–Nov)
From March to May is the time of blossoming Rhododendron. Most of the hillsides are filled with colorful rhododendrons. The valleys come alive with different flowers and vegetation in full bloom. The temperatures are mild; the skies are clear, no rainfall and a host of festivals across Bhutan.
From mid-September to November, you also get clear blue sky and have pristine Himalayan vistas with no rainfall. The climate is temperate and very pleasant for outdoor activities. The annual Thimphu Festival is a huge draw in autumn. In Phobjikha Valley from late October black-necked cranes migrate from the Tibetan plateau. They stay there until early February. On the happiness of these birds’ arrivals in every November festival is celebrated in the courtyard of Gangtey Gompa.
Both spring and autumn are an excellent time for trekking in Bhutan. Trekking is a wonderful way to see the beautiful scenery of this little Himalayas country. These seasons offer the best weather for mountain walks.
Since spring and autumn are the busiest tourist seasons it is suggested to book and confirm your tour in advance with Bhutan tour operator like us so that we can reserve your seats in Bhutanese airlines to getting to Bhutan and confirm the rooms in good hotels.
Shoulder Season (Dec–Feb)
In this season, generally from late January to February, snowfall happens in the upper Himalayas and to some extent in the lower valleys. Although a little chilly during the night and early mornings, the daily weather is still pleasant. The days have lots of suns and clear blue skies. In winter popular festivals take place in Dochula Pass, Punakha, and Bumthang. In winter tariffs of Bhutan tour becomes comparatively lower than high season.
Low Season (Jun–Aug)
Unlike the Indian subcontinent, Bhutan does not receive heavy rainfall in monsoon (June, July, and August) this time is marked with sporadic rainfall during late afternoons. The weather is pleasantly warm and the valleys are at its greenest. Although not the best time for some treks, you can involve on cultural tours, white water rafting, and short hikes. Few of the festivals like Echo’s literary festival and Haa summer festival also take place in monsoon. In this season high-altitude flowers are at their peak, however, trekking is not suggested because you face lots of leeches with rains while mountain walking. In low season you get lowest tariff rate of the year in Bhutan tour.