Visiting Bhutan in April for the Weather, the Flower, the Festival and More

While March can still feel a bit of a chill in the air, April is the time when the warmth of spring dominates the kingdom of Bhutan. As the start of the trekking season in Bhutan, April is also the start of one of the two peak seasons for Bhutanese tourism.

Why did most travelers choose to visit Bhutan in Bhutan? The answer is more than the fine weather in April in Bhutan.

As April arrives, wildflowers bloom across the hillsides, and the lush rhododendrons of this region in the Himalayas is renowned for are opening their blossoms. The majestic view of the mountain valleys covered by flower blossoms with the bright sunny weather makes Bhutan the most beautiful Shangri-la in April. Moreover, April is the time for those culture lovers to experience one of the most important tshechus in Bhutan, the Paro Tshechu.

Here you can follow our guidelines to see why and how to visit Bhutan in April.

Temperature of Bhutan in April

Bhutan in April sees higher temperatures than it has for the rest of the first few months of the year. April is really the first month that brings warmer pleasant weather across the whole country, even to the highest mountain slopes. With the temperature rising constantly throughout the month, the average temperatures are high across all of the major tourist destinations.

The Temperature of West Bhutan in April

In Paro, the temperatures are a warmer 12 degrees on average and only drop to around 7 degrees at night, staying well above freezing for the first time since October. With almost no rainfall to speak of at this time of year, you can expect clear skies all across the major valleys of Bhutan. The capital, Thimphu, also sees average temperatures of around 12 degrees in April, and the nights are not so cold either.

In Punakha, the renowned warmer valley of the popular destinations, temperatures average around 19-20 degrees during the daytime. At night, it barely drops much at all, falling to only 14 degrees, making night comfortable and pleasant.

The Temperature of Central Bhutan in April

Out in the central area of Bhutan, Jakar in Bumthang sees average temperatures increasing too, from the intense cold of January and February. Averages of around 12-14 degrees are now normal, and going up as the month progresses.

The Rhododendron Blossom Season in April

April is the start of the blooming season of the rhododendron in Bhutan, which will continue to early July. The blossoms of the rhododendron in Bhutan are considered to be the equivalent of cherry blossoms in Japan and are just as famous. There are 49 species of rhododendrons in Bhutan. Many works of art use the flower as a symbol of pure and divine beauty and dozens of Bhutanese songs about the flowers.

Where to see the Rhododendron flower in April

It is easy to see the rhododendron flowers during your Bhutan tour in April, especially in the low altitude destinations in west Bhutan.

There are a huge number of places, both natural in the wild and in gardens and parks, where you can see this beautiful blossom covering the trees with colors of pink, white, and crimson-red. All across the open hillsides and mountain slopes, you will find the rhododendron forests in full bloom, and there is no trek in Bhutan that does not pass through or near a forest of rhododendron trees.

In the towns and cities, huge temple gardens are filled with rhododendron trees in full bloom. An auspicious plant in Bhutan, the monks believe that the rhododendron trees are part of the natural order of things, and cultivate them carefully in and around the monasteries for their beauty and for use as one of the types of incense in Buddhism. They also use the flowers as offerings and decorations around the monastery.

The Rhododendron Festival in April at Dochula Pass

A festival at the Royal Botanical Park in Lamperi, Dochula, is held every year to celebrate the blooming of the rhododendrons in Bhutan. The festival showcases around 29 types of the 49 species of rhododendrons found in Bhutan.

While attending the Rhododendron Festival, you will not only have the chance to walk through the rhododendron gardens at the local park, but also see several exhibitions of the environmental protection, the Bhutanese culture, and local arts and handicrafts. There are also kinds of festival Games that you can join in with the locals.

April is the Time for Bhutan Festival Experience

The Most Popular Paro Tsechu Festival in April

Paro Tsechu is one of the most popular annual festivals in Bhutan, which falls on the 10 days of the second lunar month in Bhutanese calendar, normally corresponding to the Gregorian calendar in April.

Paro Tshechu is held in and around the famous Paro Rinpung Dzong every spring as a celebration of the birth of Guru Rinpoche, also known as the Indian sage Padmasambhava. During the tsechu, you can see the Bhutanese mask dances and many traditional ceremonies. On the last day of this 5-day festival, you can witness the unveiling of the world’s largest thongdroel (thangka), a giant image of a Buddha or deity on a massive cloth.

More Festivals in April

The Paro Tsechu is not the only festival in April, and you are always likely to find other festivals, no matter where you travel in the kingdom. April also sees the Gomphukora Tsechu, held at a small temple in eastern Bhutan linked to the great mystic saint, as well as the Talo Tsechu in Punakha, the Gasa Tsechu in Paro Dzongkhag, the Zhemgang Tsechu in Zhemgang Dzong, the Chorten kora Festival in Trashiyangtse, and the Domkhar Tsechu and the Ura Yakchoe Festival, both in Bumthang.

Bhutan Festivals in April, 2023

Festival	Place	Date
Paro Tshechu	Rinpung Dzong, Paro	Apr 2 - 6
Chhorten Kora	Chorten Kora, Trashiyangtshe	Apr 5 - 20
Domkhar Tshechu	Domkhar, Bumthang	Apr 30 - May 2

April is the Best Time to Get a Clear View of the Himalaya Ranges

April is the first real warm month of the spring, and has arm weather and clear skies with little to no rain at all. This makes it a great time to get clearer views of the high Himalayas to the north. With few clouds cluttering up the skies, and the mountains free of the low-lying clouds that sometimes come down in the winter months, April is the time for clear views through the crisp air of the mountains, and you can even see as far as Mount Everest on clearer days.

Rainfall in Bhutan in April

Almost no rainfall comes to Bhutan’s major tourist areas in April. As one of the drier months of the tourist period in spring, April sees only around 4-5 mm of rainfall throughout the entire month. And in Bumthang, you can expect even less than that.

Best Place to See the Himalaya in Bhutan in April

If you are looking for great views of the Himalayas, then you are in the right place and the right month. There are two high passes that are best for viewing the high peaks of the Himalayas, at the Dochula Pass and the Chele La Pass. You can also get great views of the mountain peaks from some of the treks that run north of Paro and Thimphu, including the Jomolhari Base Camp trek, the Masagang Base Camp trek, and the Druk Path Trek, to name a few. In fact, just about every trek in the northern foothills above Paro and Thimphu, and around Bumthang, will give you great views of the Himalayas in April.

More Things to Do in Bhutan in April

Besides the highlights we listed above, there are more things to do in Bhutan in April. If you plan to travel to Bhutan in April, you can think about the following suggestions to make the most of your journey in Bhutan.

Tiger’s Nest Monastery Hiking

The hike up to the Tiger’s Nest Monastery in Paro is one of those “must do” things in Bhutan, and is offered with every tour of the kingdom. The single most famous monastery in the country, the Taktshang Monastery lies 900 meters up the face of a vertical cliff overlooking the Paro Valley. Perched on a narrow ledge, the monastery was built on the site where it is said Guru Rinpoche landed when he visited Bhutan for the first time, flying from Tibet on a tigress that was his former consort. The hike up to the monastery takes around 3-4 hours, and is one of the most thrilling ascents in the world.

Bird Watching in Bhutan in April

There are hundreds of species of birds in Bhutan, both local indigenous species and migrant birds. Thimphu and Paro are favorite areas for birdwatching in the spring months, and other areas include Haa and Punakha.

The best season for birdwatching also falls in April, as part of the annual mating season from March to May. For many of the hundreds of species of birds living in Bhutan, this is the best time to get out there and get some great photos of the beautiful avian species the kingdom has to offer.

Kayaking and Rafting in Punakha in April

Rafting and kayaking are relatively new additions to the adventures you can experience in Bhutan and have become popular because of the amazing rivers this varied kingdom has to offer. Bhutan has around six decent rivers that can handle white water rafting and kayaking, but one of the most popular is the Mo Chhu in Punakha.

Packing List for Visiting Bhutan in April

April is not as cold as the previous months of winter, so there is no need to bring many warmer clothes with you. T-shirts are the order of the day, though you are better off wearing long pants rather than shorts.

Always bring a sweater or light fleece jacket to put on for the more chilly periods, and bring a hat for your head.

Hiking boots are always necessary in Bhutan, as even the best roads can sometimes be rocky and rough.

The sun is a little brighter and stronger in April, so you will definitely need that high SPF sun block, as well as the moisturizer and lip balm to help stop the chaffing effects of the high winds in the mountains.

Conclusion of Visiting Bhutan in April

Bhutan in April is one of the most stunning times of the year, as the spring gets fully underway and the rhododendrons come into full bloom. For anyone traveling to Bhutan in April, you are in for an amazing and beautiful time, as there are lots of festivals you can attend, more stunning scenery than you can imagine, and the beauty of the pink, white, and crimson rhododendron blooms to make your lifetime trip to the Land of the Thunder Dragon even more memorable.