Best time to visit Bhutan: When to travel to Bhutan?

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The Kingdom of Bhutan is located on the eastern edge of the mountains and lies to something 80% at an altitude of over 2000m above sea level. The small country is nestled between Indian states in the south, Nepal in the west and Tibet in the north. It has become a popular tourist destination due to its vast scenic beauty, diverse flora and fauna, gross national happiness philosophy and unique culture and its festivals.

However, it remains a destination open to only a few, as tourist entries are heavily regulated to protect the environment and culture.

However, this diversity is not only reflected in the landscape, but also in the different climates that prevail in it. Due to the enormous differences in altitude, Bhutan belongs to different climate zones. Therefore, when planning a trip to the country, depending on what you plan to do, you should in any case consider the best time to travel.

Tiger Nest Bhutan Monastry

Bhutan climate

The seasons are comparable to those in Europe, especially from April to June it gets warm, while the months from December to February are rather characterized by low temperatures. The remaining months are mild. Due to the great differences in altitude within the country, however, there are large temperature differences during the seasons.

Southern Bhutan has a subtropical to tropical climate, which often leads to flooding during the rainy season (June - September). On average, temperatures in southern Bhutan are a pleasant 17°C degrees in winter and a hot 28°C degrees in summer. The valleys in central Bhutan have a temperate climate. This means the winter season is cool with an average of 0°C degrees and the summer months are warm with an average of 15°C degrees.

Leaving the valleys of Bhutan and entering the impressive mountains one can expect extremely cold temperatures in winter and cool temperatures in summer.

It can be generally said that the best time to travel to Bhutan is from March to the end of May. In this time the flowers bloom and the green of the vast forest landscape is particularly lush. The months of September to November are also suitable, as there is little rainfall at this time and moderate temperatures prevail.

Climate in the south of Bhutan

The climate in southern Bhutan is subtropical. Here is located, for example, the most important trade route Samdrup Jongkhar between India and Bhutan.

Summer in this region is hot and humid, with the thermometer sometimes reaching 30 degrees Celsius during the day. Especially in April and May, before the monsoon begins, it is particularly warm. On the other hand, winters in the lowlands are mild and dry with a minimum temperature of about 10 degrees Celsius during the night and about 20 degrees during the day. You can visit Bhutan and the south all year round, but you should avoid the rainy season from June to August.

Climate in Central BhutanThimphu, Paro, Bumthang

If you travel to Bhutan, you will not miss the low mountain range. The capital Thimphu is located in central Bhutan at an altitude of over 2000m. Therefore, it is not surprising that the climate changes in comparison to the south of Bhutan. Here the climate is temperate and warm summer months alternate with cool winter months, with average temperatures between about 15 degrees and 20 degrees.

In winter, temperatures can drop sharply and even go below 0°C degrees at night. In spring the months of March - May the valleys are covered by a beautiful blanket of flowers and there are pleasant temperatures averaging 20°C degrees during the day and 5°C at night. In the autumn months from September - November you can also look forward to lush greenery and pleasant temperatures between 15°C and 25°C degrees. Spring and autumn are therefore also the best seasons for this region. 

In the high mountains of the Himalayas above 4000 meters there is a high mountain climate. In winter, temperatures here remain constantly below freezing, so that the landscape is completely covered with snow and ice and hardly accessible. In spring and autumn, temperatures here are rather cool and extremely little rainfall, if precipitation falls then in the form of snow.

The best time to travel for cultural tours

Whoever travels to Bhutan should take the opportunity to experience one of the big "Tsechu" festivals. At such festivals you have the opportunity to immerse yourself in the Buddhist culture and experience colorful mask dances, blessings and impressive performances. Fortunately, these festivals are not rare, but take place in different districts and thus several times a year. There are no fixed dates year after year, yet most festivals take place in spring (February - May) and autumn (September - November).

Do you feel like an adventurous trip to Bhutan with all the trimmings? Then take a look at our 11 days Bhutan & Nepal round trip on! If you are still unsure about what you need to pack for such a trip, we have prepared for you a detailed Packing list put together. We are looking forward to seeing you!

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