Dear Mr Ampersand: When is the best time to go to Bhutan?

Dear Mr Ampersand,

I am completely and utterly bewitched by the idea of going to Bhutan. The mountains! The monks! The mystery!

But when is the best time to go? I want misty mornings, golden light and perhaps a small spiritual awakening - but I’d also prefer not to get caught in a monsoon or freeze mid-hike.

Yours,
Misty-Eyed in Marylebone

Dear Misty-Eyed,

Oh, Bhutan.

That shy, high-altitude jewel tucked between the Himalayas and a philosophy degree. A place where the air smells faintly of pine and incense and even the stray dogs look spiritually advanced.

I understand the bewitchment entirely. It is the only country I know where you leave feeling like a better person, despite having done little more than hike, drink butter tea and ponder impermanence while trying not to fall off a cliff.

Now - when to go?

The Golden Window: October to Early December

This is Bhutan at its dreamiest:

✔ Crisp, clear days
✔ Glorious views of the Himalayas
✔ The rice fields have turned a brilliant burnished gold, monks are swishing about in burgundy-coloured robes and the skies are so blue you’ll think someone’s turned the saturation filter up too high

There’s also fabulous festival energy - like the Paro or Thimphu Tsechu, with masked dances, trumpets and enough spiritual drama to impress even the most cynical Londoner.

If you’re after autumnal light - soft, amber, a little forgiving - this is your moment.

Mid-December to Mid-February: Bright skies, log fires, fewer tourists

This is, in my view, one of the most underrated times to visit Bhutan.

Yes, the nights are cold. But the days? Often bright, dry and gloriously crisp - with crystal-clear views of the Himalayan peaks, few crowds and a serenity that feels deeply earned.

Think: lunch on a sun-drenched terrace, Courchevel-style, followed by a hot stone bath and a fire crackling in the hearth. The air is still, the light is clean and the silence is spectacular.

Perfect for travellers who want beauty without bustle and don’t mind packing an extra jumper or two.

Spring (March to May): For Wildflowers and Whispered Bliss

Spring is lush, floral and gentle - like Bhutan has slipped into something silky and gone full Romantic poet.

✔ Rhododendrons blooming on the hillsides
✔ Weather pleasantly warm
✔ Views of snow-capped peaks remain visible

Ideal if you like your hikes dotted with wild orchids and your enlightenment served with a floral note.

Monsoon (June to Early September): For the Brave (or Slightly Mad)

Everything is wet. Trails are slippery, landslides are frequent and thunderstorms rumble through the valleys with great regularity, giving Bhutan the moniker Land of the Thunder Dragon. 

Landslides give mountain roads an operatic unpredictability and your guide’s umbrella may well become your emotional support system.

Final Whisper

Whenever you go, Bhutan will rearrange you. It has a peculiar magic - quiet, profound and slightly mischievous.

It doesn’t shout its beauty. It just is. And if you time it right, you’ll experience something rarer than good weather: clarity.

Yours somewhere between a stupa and a hot stone bath,

Mr Ampersand

If this has stirred something in your soul (or simply your suitcase), explore our Bhutan itineraries here.

Think mystical valleys by day, Amankora fireplaces by night, Six Senses serenity when the spirit calls for stillness and COMO’s minimalist chic when you’re ready to rejoin civilisation - just slightly more enlightened than when you left.

Bhutan awaits. With fluttering prayer flags, fortress-monasteries and woolly yaks.