Bhutan is a year-round destination for visitors, depending on your interest, your time and what you want to experience in this amazing and mystic kingdom, there is always something that the country can offer for a person. With the variety of climate at different altitudes, each season in Bhutan shows its own beauty through the change in nature and the blooming of diverse flora and fauna.
Spring months in Bhutan are from March to May. Spring season is the best time to visit Bhutan for flower lovers. As the snow starts melting down and flowers are booming, you can enjoy Jacaranda blossoms at Punakha Dzong – one of the most majestic structures Dzong in Bhutan in mid- May, or Rhododendron at Chelela pass, Dochula pass or on the trail of your trekking journey. Bhutan has around 46 species of Rhododendron, in many colors from white, pink, red to purple. The orchids are also not one to be missed for their beauty in the spring, with the diversity of forms, shapes and colours. As there are 369 orchid species recorded in Bhutan, it can be called the kingdom of orchids. These majestic and lovely flowers make up the beauty of Bhutan forests, which have long been one the main reasons for visitors to come. Moreover, you will encounter peach blossoms and cherry blossoms along the forest trails.
Also, the Paro Tshechu Festival is held in the spring season. It is one of the most popular festivals in Bhutan, seeing thousands of people coming every year. You will be able to witness grand events, where the entire community comes together to enjoy religious mask dances, colorful Bhutanese dances, and to receive blessings and to socialize. Festivals like this are also the time for Bhutanese to take a break after hard working days. If you love trekking, this is the good time to do Brigdungla Trek, Snowman Trek, Jomolhari Trek, Druk Path Trek, Dagala Thousand Lake Trek, Laya Gasa Trek, Chelela Pass Trek, etc.
The summer months last from June to August. Going to Bhutan during the summer means you can avoid the crowds and the chilly winter. The weather is warm and there are rainfalls in these months. Summer is the perfect season for mushroom collection in the damp forests. You can try tasty mushrooms like Shishishamu, Coral, and the famous Matsutake mushroom. They can be found in Ura and Genekha or may appear along your trekking path. Another option you may take up is to join Matsutake mushroom festival to see the full mushroom collection in Bhutan.
More than that, you can simply enjoy a cup of hot tea in Bhutan’s old temples and monasteries, meditate in a Zen atmosphere with mightily fresh and pure air, and listen to the sound of prayers whisperings from the monks. Shawms, cymbals and drums are other unique experiences for you to try out when visiting Bhutan.
From September to November is the autumn season in Bhutan. For travelling and trekking in Bhutan, this is the ideal time. The air becomes cooler with the sunny sky above, making it the perfect weather for visiting. You will have opportunities to take lovely photos of golden color fields where farmers are harvesting rice crops, spellbinding landscapes, and through a beautiful world of beauty and colors of Dzong architecture, peaceful monasteries and spectacular Bhutanese fortresses in imposing architecture. You also have a clear view across the mighty Himalayas. At the end of the autumn you may see black necked cranes flocks flying to Phobjikha valley, the winter paradise of these birds. The cranes will stay in the valley until the end of February, then they will fly back to Tibet.
The highlight festivals of autumn are Thimphu and Bumthang Jambay Lhakhang Drup. Since these festivals usually attract many people coming to witness the beautiful dances and receive blessings, please contact us early so we can arrange a reservation for you.
If you love trekking, this is the best time to do Brigdungla Trek, Snowman Trek, Laya Gasa Trek, Chelela Pass Trek, Dagala Thousand Lake Trek, Bumthang Owl Trek, Nub Tshona Pata Trek, Dhur Hot Spring Trek, etc.
Bhutan’s winter lasts from December until February, coating the whole country with the cold air as well as snow in some regions. However, the weather in low regions like the southern areas and the main valleys where visitors are more likely to travel to remains considerably warmer. It is also a good time to see the wonderful Himalayas from the Dochula pass, a great choice for trekkers taking this route. For nature lovers and ornithologists, Phobjikha valley is the best place to see black necked cranes. Punakha Tshechu festival and Trongsa Tshechu festival also occur during the winter. Therefore, if you plan to travel to Bhutan, winter is also a nice time for an unforgettable holiday in the kingdom.