Weather in Bhutan
The February weather will be crisp and occasionally frosty, particularly in the high altitude of Gangtey, with the nights quite chilly, but the days mostly pleasant. Whatever you give in on on the temperatures is made up with the typically crystal clear vistas of the Himalayas. You all will need to bring layers along to wrap up or layer down based on the temperatures and activities.
July, Aug – I understand you all have concerns regarding the weather. To date we have had a very mild rainy season with lots of blue sky and sunshine. Hard to say what the next few weeks will offer, however the summer months typically offer partly sunny mornings, light late afternoon showers and off and on rain overnight. We do occasionally get a few days of drizzly weather, but typically nothing that would be inundating and impede travel or sightseeing. Beauty of this time of year is the lush, green of the landscape and dramatic low lying clouds that stretch across the valleys, giving a mystical feel to the destination.
The weather in May typically offers warm pleasant days and cool nights. May is a beautiful time with arm daytime temperature ranging from the low 70s to high 80s, with the nights cool in the high 60s to low 70s. The mountain vistas are at times covered with partly cloudy skies, however the landscape is rich with the flora in full bloom and the farms alive with fresh crops and activity. It is good to bring along a few layers and a fleece jacket to allow you to dress up or down based on the morning/evening and general day temperatures. I would also suggest a good hat and gloves should the mornings be chilly. Lip balm, sun screen and a good pair of sunglasses are essential. As for footwear, a pair of light hiking boots is best, however a good pair to trainers will also suffice. I would also suggest a light rain jacket or poncho should we by chance have an early spring shower.
As early September being a good time to visit, this period is still under our “rainy season”, which is by no means a monsoon, but rather typically days of partly sunny mornings, the possibility of light showers in the afternoon and heavier rain overnight. We can get a few days of drizzly weather, but nothing inundating and it’s usually a mix of sun, clouds and light rain. Its quite a dramatic landscape that time of the year with clouds coming deep down into the valleys bringing forth the meaning of the “Kingdom in the Clouds”, the rivers are stunning, raging torrents and the farms and countryside is rich green with lots of activities in the fields and an amazing array of birds and other wildlife.
The temperatures in early October are mid 50s to mid 60’s by day and 40’s to 50s at night. Skies usually crystal clear, however we can at times have a few passing light showers left over from the summer monsoons.
The weather in November is usually quite pleasant with crystal clear cobalt blue skies, with day temperatures running 14 – 20C while the nights drop down around freezing. We can have colder and warmer days, and the temperatures vary from valley to valley. What you would require is good layering allowing you to layer up and down as the day progresses, and a good hat and gloves are recommended. The nights you will be in the lodges so there is no concern there about having to face the mountain chill.
The weather in mid August typically offers sunny mornings, light afternoon shower and heavier rains overnight. Its actually a lovely time to visit with comfortably cool temperatures, clouds that dip deep down into the valleys giving meaning to the name The Kingdom in the Clouds, dramatically raging rivers and rich, verdant landscapes with busy farms and a buzz through the countryside with all the activity. The markets are teaming with beautiful produce, interesting fruits and vegetables and an incredible array of mushrooms, all amongst the colourful hustle and bustle of the local shoppers. In all, a magical time to be in Bhutan.
The April weather at present is running with clear mornings, with a few clouds by afternoon. We have had a few spring showers which in no way are hindering guest activities – if anything, offering a freshness to the air and landscape, and all the flowers are bursting with colors….magnolias and rhododendrons are all in full bloom.
The temperatures are running from 23 – 28C by day and down to 8C at night. Gangtey can be a bit chillier at night and we had frost on the ground there in the morning 2 days back.
I would suggest light clothing with good layering available. A light fleece jacket should suffice for the cooler mornings and evenings. A good hat, lip balm, sun screen and sunglasses all a must. Please remind them the dress in the lodges is casual, so no need to pack anything fancy! When out visiting monuments they will need to wear long pants and have their shoulders down to mid upper arm covered.
