HomeBest time to visit
The months
When is the best time to visit Bhutan?
For a private Soeling trip, March, April, October and November need the most notice, and so does any tshechu you hope to attend. If the dates are close, write anyway. I will say what can still be arranged from Thimphu.
March, April, October and November need the most notice for a private Bhutan trip, plus any tshechu. A month table from the 2027 festival calendar.
Want those dates held against a real route?
Which months need the most notice?
March, April, October and November. Any tshechu you hope to attend needs the same notice, including a tshechu that falls outside those four months. That is the planning rule from this office. It is not a weather table. This site does not publish rainfall or temperature figures.
A 2021 Tourism Council of Bhutan plan says visitation is highest in spring and autumn, and that Bhutan is also promoted as a year-round destination. That sentence is from a disaster-management plan, and it is old. I cite it so the season pattern has an official source, and I do not treat its visitor counts as current. Tourism Council of Bhutan, Disaster Management and Contingency Plan for the Tourism Sector (2021).
What does each month look like in 2027?
The festival column is the tentative 2027 calendar, marked updated as of 14 February 2025. Dates follow the lunar calendar and can move. I have kept one or two dates in each month, not the full list. The west and central samples on this site are the reason those dates were chosen.
| Month | What the office says | On the 2027 calendar |
|---|---|---|
| January | Write when the dates are real. | The 2027 list begins in February. Trongsa Tshechu and Lhuentse Tshechu are listed for 5 to 9 January 2028. |
| February | A tshechu this month needs the most notice. | Punakha Dromchoe, 13 to 15 February 2027. Punakha Tshechu, 16 to 18 February 2027, at Punakha Dzong. |
| March | Needs the most notice. | Paro Tshechu, 18 to 22 March 2027, at Rinpung Dzong, thongdrel on the last day. Talo, Gasa and Zhemgang Tshechu, 16 to 18 March 2027. |
| April | Needs the most notice. | Ura Yakchoe, 18 to 22 April 2027. Rhododendron Festival at Lamperi Botanical Park, Thimphu, 22 to 23 April 2027. |
| May | Write when the dates are real. | No May date is listed on the tentative 2027 calendar checked for this page. |
| June | A tshechu this month needs the most notice. | Nimalung Tshechu, 12 to 14 June 2027. Kurjey Tshechu, 14 June 2027, at Kurjey Lhakhang in Choekhor, Bumthang. |
| July | Write when the dates are real. | No July date is listed on the tentative 2027 calendar checked for this page. |
| August | Write when the dates are real. | No August festival is listed. For US dollar paying visitors, the USD 100 nightly SDF rate runs through 31 August 2027. |
| September | Write when the dates are real. | Tour of the Dragon, a mountain bike race from Bumthang to Thimphu, is listed for 5 September 2027. |
| October | Needs the most notice. | Thimphu Drubchen, 5 October 2027. Thimphu Tshechu, 10 to 12 October 2027, at Tashichho Dzong. Gangtey Tshechu, 13 to 15 October 2027. |
| November | Needs the most notice. | Jakar Tshechu, 6 to 9 November 2027, at Jakar Dzong in Choekhor. Jambay Lhakhang Drup, 14 to 17 November 2027. |
| December | A tshechu this month needs the most notice. | Goenpai Drupchen at Trongsa Dzong, 3 to 5 December 2027. Druk Wangyel Tshechu at Dochula, 13 December 2027. |
Tentative festival dates for 2027 (PDF, marked updated 14 February 2025)
How do the festivals sit on a private route?
Paro Tshechu, 18 to 22 March 2027, is the one to read first if you want the west in spring. The note on seeing it with one guide, rather than a crowd plan, is Paro Tshechu 2027. The 7-night sample that holds Paro, Thimphu and Punakha is here.
October holds Thimphu Tshechu, listed as 10 to 12 October 2027. February holds Punakha Tshechu, listed as 16 to 18 February 2027. November holds Jambay Lhakhang Drup in the Choekhor valley, listed as 14 to 17 November 2027, which is the valley on the Trongsa and Bumthang sample. Four nights in one Paro lodge, with no pass, is One valley.
Does the government fee change with the month?
For US dollar paying visitors, the Department of Immigration lists USD 100 per person per night until 31 August 2027. The same FAQ lists USD 200 per person per night for visitors other than guests from India. A night in March 2027 and a night in October 2027 do not share that incentive automatically. The proposal uses the rate in force for your dates. The fee is separate from the from-price of USD 8,500 per person, 7 nights, private, two sharing. Flights are extra.
Department of Immigration FAQBhutan Sustainable Development FeeWhat 7 nights include
How do you choose dates?
Send the month you can travel, who is coming, and whether a tshechu matters. I reply within a day on WhatsApp +975 17 40 05 49. A useful note names the person travelling. An assistant can write.
Questions about timing
When is the best time to visit Bhutan for a private trip?
March, April, October and November need the most notice, and so does any tshechu you hope to attend. A 2021 Tourism Council of Bhutan plan says visitation is highest in spring and autumn, and that Bhutan is also promoted as a year-round destination. If your dates are close, write anyway. WhatsApp +975 17 40 05 49. Source: https://www.dlgdm.gov.bt/storage/upload-documents/2023/7/26/gMzudrANU7.pdf
Which 2027 festivals sit on the west and central routes?
Paro Tshechu is listed as 18 to 22 March 2027 at Rinpung Dzong. Thimphu Tshechu is listed as 10 to 12 October 2027. Punakha Tshechu is listed as 16 to 18 February 2027. Jambay Lhakhang Drup is listed as 14 to 17 November 2027 in the Choekhor valley. Dates are tentative. Source: https://www.btcl.bt/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/tentative_festival_dates_2027-1.pdf
Does the SDF rate change with the month in 2027?
For US dollar paying visitors, the Department of Immigration lists USD 100 per person per night until 31 August 2027. The same FAQ lists USD 200 per person per night for visitors other than guests from India. The fee is separate from the Soeling from-price. Source: https://visit.doi.gov.bt/help/faq
Where should you read next?
Luxury Bhutan trip cost7 nights: Paro, Thimphu and PunakhaTrongsa and BumthangOne valley in ParoPrivate guideParo Tshechu 2027