Best Time to Visit Bhutan

March to May, September to November

Months to avoid: June to August (monsoon, trails muddy, mountain views obscured, some roads wash out)

Recommended stay: 7-10 days

Plan Bhutan for March to May, September to November. Give it 7-10 days. The window to avoid is June to August (monsoon, trails muddy, mountain views obscured, some roads wash out).

What the season gets you

• Tiger's Nest clings to a cliff face 900 metres above the Paro valley floor, the 4-hour hike up earns the view, and the monastery inside is genuinely ancient and active
• Punakha Dzong sits at the confluence of two rivers and was the country's capital until 1955, monks live and work inside, and the courtyards are open to respectful visitors
• The country's development philosophy, measuring Gross National Happiness instead of GDP, is visible in the landscape: 72% forest cover, rivers that run clear, towns that feel human-scaled