Bhutan Trekking Season: when is the best time to trek in Bhutan?

The stunning beauty of the mountains of Bhutan is something that is best enjoyed from the open air rather than from a moving vehicle. Whether you are taking a trek for one day to the Taktsang Monastery in Paro or attempting the challenging and daunting 26-day Snowman Trek, the views, experiences, and meetings with the local cultures are something that can only come from personal interaction. Bhutan is one of the best destinations in the world for trekking, and has a huge number of treks that can be done at different times of the year. And while there are certain seasons of the year when you can do almost any trek in the Bhutanese Himalayas, there are also treks that can be done at other times of the year.

Spring and Autumn are the Best Time to Trek in Bhutan

Spring and autumn are the main peak seasons for travel to Bhutan for tourism and trekking, and the weather is ideal for trekking in the lowland valleys and the high mountains alike. And whether you choose to come to Bhutan at the start of the year or the end, you are guaranteed to have some of the best weather for trekking in the entire Bhutanese calendar.

Weather Condition of Spring and Autumn in Bhutan

Spring in Bhutan is the pre-monsoon season in this small isolated Himalayan kingdom, and runs from the beginning of March to around the end of May. Spring is one of the best time of the year for trekking, since it is not too wet, especially in the high mountains. The temperatures in spring are not always as high as in the autumn season, but as the season progresses, it does get considerably warmer as May comes along. March is the tail-end of winter, and temperatures at the start of spring can still be as cold as -20°C at night, warming up through April to reach as high as around 2°C. Daytime temperatures, however, are much warmer, rising from 4-5 degrees in March to as high as 18-20 degrees in May. Rain is also limited in spring, with the first rains of the year usually falling in the lower regions in late May, though you can expect the odd shower at any time of the year.

Autumn is rated as being the best time for Bhutan trekking tours, as the end of the summer monsoon season leaves the landscape lush and green. A short season that runs from the start of October through November, autumn temperatures can still be very warm, with daytime highs of around 20°C in the north and as high as 25°C in the south. Though short, the season sees a lot of change, with the lush green leaves changing colors and dropping to the ground, leaving a carpet of awesome colors under the bare limbs of the trees. As the season progresses, temperatures do start to drop, with temperatures at night dropping as low as 1-2 degrees in the northern mountain areas, and daytime temperatures only reaching around 6-8 degrees by the end of November. Autumn is also the time of little to no rainfall, although the odd shower is still highly possible, especially in the south.

Recommended Trekking Routes in Spring and Autumn

If you are planning a Bhutan trekking tour in the spring and autumn, then there are certain treks that are ideal for these seasons, which can almost guarantee a good time and an excellent experience.

The Druk Path trek, which takes you through the stunning mountains between Paro and Thimphu is ideal for this time of year, as is the famous Jomolhari Trek, which takes you all the way to the Jomolhari Base Camp at Jangothang.

Other great treks that are best done in spring and autumn include the Laya-Gasa trek, one of the most scenic treks in Bhutan that ends with a soak in the hot springs of Gasa; and the Bumthang Owl trek, which runs from Manchugang Village to Tharpaling Monastery through forests filled with local owls.

Off-the-beaten Winter Trek in Bhutan

While Bhutan is located on the edge of the world’s highest plateau, and half of the country lies in the mighty Himalayan Mountains, a winter trek is just as possible as a trek at any other time of the year.

Is winter too cold to trek in Bhutan?

Few would believe that it is possible to go trekking in a region of the world that lies in the Himalayas. But in Bhutan, even a winter trek is possible, with some great trekking trails open throughout the winter months from the end of November to the beginning of March.

Winter in Bhutan is indeed the time of snows in the north of the country, especially in the higher areas of the mountains, and many of the higher altitude treks are no longer available. Temperatures in the mountains can drop to only 10-12 degrees in the daytime, and at night the drop is even lower, reaching as low as -5°c to -10°C, or lower. While the sun may shine brightly during the day, the nights are far too cold to camp out in the mountains in winter, especially in January. The days are short and fresh, and the winds are much stronger, making the days seem a little colder than they are due to the wind chill factor, which can freeze you to your bones.

In the major trekking areas of Bhutan, which are mainly around Paro, Thimphu, Bumthang, and Punakha, the weather varies from area to area in the winter months, making some areas better to visit than others. In Paro and Thimphu, temperatures average only around 5°C during the day, while in Bumthang, it can get a little colder, at around 3°C on average. However, in Punakha, the weather is very different due to its lower altitude. Average daily temperatures of 10-11 degrees are normal, with temperatures at night only dropping to around 4-5 degrees and with almost no rain.

Trekking in Winter at a Lower Price

Winter is an ideal time for trekking in Bhutan for those that are working on a budget. The winter months from December to February are one of the two low seasons for Bhutanese tourism, which means the cost of the trip is lower. In the low seasons, the usual Daily Minimum Package of US$250 per day drops to only US$ 200 per day, and you get the same great service, quality of accommodation, amazing sights, and awesome experience at a lower price. This is done to promote travel to Bhutan in the low season, and to encourage travelers to visit the stunning kingdom in one of its most beautiful and scenic seasons.

Recommended Winter Trekking Routes in Bhutan

Surprisingly, Bhutan has a large number of treks that can be done in winter, such as the Gasa Hot Spring Trek. However, you do have a good choice of treks in the winter months that can give you the same experience as the peak season treks. And the lower altitudes of these treks make it a comfortable time to visit.

One of the best is the Samtengang Winter trek, which takes you from Punakha to Wangdue Phodrang Dzongkhag over the course of four days. The Punakha Winter trek, which covers just three days around the ancient capital of Bhutan is another trail that is good for winter.

The Salt Trek Route is a little-known trek in southeast Bhutan that runs from Trashigang to Samdrup Jongkhar, and is one of the toughest winter treks in the kingdom. Alternatively, the easy Nabji Korphu Trek, which takes around seven days, is a delightful hike around the scenic areas of the Trongsa Dzongkhag reaching heights of only around 1,500 meters.

Why Summer, the Monsoon Season, is not a Good Time to Trek in Bhutan?

Summer, the second low season for Bhutan’s tourism industry, is not always rated as a good time to trek, as it is the monsoon season in the kingdom, and Bhutan suffers from the strong Indian Southwest Monsoon.

Weather Condition of Bhutan Trekking Areas in Summer

This harsh monsoon season brings torrential downpours to most of the country almost daily from June to September, though July and August are known to be the wettest months of the year. Areas such as Paro and Thimphu often see rain that can reach up to 300mm throughout the month, and are not places that can be trekked in during the wettest months of the year. Bumthang does see a little less rain than the capital, with only around 250mm through the month, while Punakha is one of the famous trekking regions that sees the wettest weather, with more than 500mm of rain falling each month in the wettest months of the year. Temperatures may be up in the low to mid-twenties throughout the summer, sometimes getting as high as 26-27 degrees, but the rain is enough to stop most trails from being used. Mudslides can occur in some of the less forested areas of Bhutan, and with few asphalt roads, travel can also be a problem.

Tips for Trekking in Bhutan in Summer

That is not to say that you cannot trek anywhere in Bhutan in the summer months. There are a few places where the rains hardly reach, and where trekking is still possible, but you will need to be fit and experienced to take on these high-altitude treks.

The Snowman Trek, which combines parts of the Jomolhari and Laya-Gasa treks, is actually possible in the summer months, though this arduous 26-day hike through the higher mountains of Bhutan is only meant for those with plenty of experience at high altitude trekking. Other treks, such as the Haa Trek, the Dagala Thousand Lakes Trek, and the Bumthang trek may be done if the weather is not too bad in June and September.

Conclusion of Finding the Best Time to Trek in Bhutan

Bhutan is an amazing place to go trekking, and while there are the perfect seasons for trekking in this last true Shangri-La in the Himalayas, you do not necessarily need to stick to the peak seasons to get a great trekking experience from this beautiful Land of the Thunder Dragon.

If you are prepared to take on different treks, or do not mind risking the trek being cancelled due to rain, the low seasons are also possible times to have an amazing experience trekking in Bhutan’s protected forests and valleys.