Good Time to Visit

Weather

Days are usually very pleasant (average about 10°C) with clear skies and sunshine, whereas nights tend to be cold, particularly in winter. In general, October, November and April to mid June are the best times to visit Bhutan, when skies are clear and high mountain peaks are visible, rainfall is at a minimum and temperatures are pleasant. Monsoon occurs June to August, when the temperature is normally between 8-21°C. Bhutan has an average rainfall of 100 cm in the central valleys and 500 cm in the south. Temperatures drop dramatically with increases in altitude.

Visitors are advised to bring thick, warm clothing for evenings in the upland areas, particularly during the winter months. Those visiting the foothills should bring linens and lightweight cottons, with light sweaters and jackets for the evenings. Waterproofs are also advisable, particularly during monsoon season.

For more information about the Bhutanese Weather, see Climate in Bhutan.

Festivals

Bhutan has a number public holidays, most of which centre around traditional seasonal, secular and religious festivals. Holidays include Independence Day on 8 August, the King's birthday on 11 November and National Day of Bhutan on 17 December. Other festivals are the winter solstice (around January 1, depending on the lunar calendar), the lunar New Year (February or March) and the official start of monsoon season (September 22).

Traditional Buddhist holidays are also observed. The largest and most colourful festivals, called tsechus, take place at Bhutan's dzongs (fortresses) and monasteries once a year, in honour of Guru Rinpoche. They normally take place in spring and autumn. Tsechus consist of up to five days of spectacular pageantry, masked dances and religious allegorical plays that have remained unchanged for centuries. As well as being a vital living festival and an important medium of Buddhist teaching, tsechus are huge social gatherings. They provide an ideal opportunity to appreciate the essence of Bhutan.

Masked dances and dance dramas are common traditional features of such festivals, usually accompanied by traditional music. Energetic dancers, wearing colourful wooden or composition facemasks and stylised costumes, depict heroes, demons, death heads, animals, gods and caricatures of common people.