March is when the year begins for most visitors to Bhutan. The cold lets go, the first rhododendrons come into flower late in the month, and Paro Tshechu, the best known of all the festivals, is held in March or April.
- Good for: paro Tshechu, in the years it falls in March; The first rhododendrons; The Bumdra, Tsaluna and Druk Path treks.
- Less good for: cold nights in camp; Crowds around the festival.
The weather in March
In March Thimphu averages 19°C by day and 4°C at night, with 20 mm of rain on about 4 days. Punakha, a thousand metres lower, averages 24°C and 11°C. Days are mild and mostly clear, and nights are still cold in Paro, Thimphu and Bumthang. The first showers appear: Thimphu has about four wet days in the month.
| Valley | Day | Night | Rain |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paro | 18°C | 4°C | 22 mm |
| Thimphu | 19°C | 4°C | 20 mm |
| Punakha | 24°C | 11°C | 17 mm |
| Bumthang | 15°C | 2°C | 34 mm |
Averages for the month: the highest and lowest temperature of an ordinary day, and the month’s rainfall. It is colder on the passes and at any camp on a trek. Figures from the National Center for Hydrology and Meteorology, whose stations are at Paro (2,406 m), Thimphu (2,310 m), Punakha (1,236 m) and Jakar in Bumthang (2,470 m).
Festivals in March
When Paro Tshechu falls in March it is the event of the month: five days of masked dances at Rinpung Dzong, ending with a great thongdrel shown before dawn. The festivals that begin in March on the official list:
- Chorten Kora (second day): 8 March 2027, Chorten Kora, Trashi Yangtse
- Gasa Tshechu: 16–18 March 2027, Gasa Dzong
- Gomphu Kora: 16–18 March 2027, Gom Kora Lhakhang, Trashi Yangtse
- Talo Tshechu: 16–18 March 2027, Talo Goenpa, Punakha
- Zhemgang Tshechu: 16–18 March 2027, Zhemgang Dzong
- Paro Tshechu: 18–22 March 2027, Rinpung Dzong, Paro
Festival dates follow the lunar calendar and move each year, and the list is the Department of Tourism’s tentative one. The whole year is in our festival calendar.
Trekking in March
The lower treks open in March. Nights in camp are cold, and the higher routes wait for April.
All eight are set side by side on our page of Bhutan’s treks compared.
Where to go in March
Paro, if the Tshechu falls this month, and the western valleys in any case. Late in the month the first rhododendrons are in flower.
Good to know
Spring is one of the two busy seasons. Flights to Paro and hotels fill early, most of all around the Tshechu, so book well ahead. What to bring is on our packing list.
Trips for March
- Paro Tshechu Festival Tour (8 days)
- Bumdra Trek (7 days)
- Druk Path Trek (11 days)
Tell us your dates and we will say plainly what March is like for the trip you have in mind.
Other months
Bhutan in February comes before, and Bhutan in April after. For the year as a whole, see the best time to visit Bhutan.
Weather averages are for 1996 to 2017 (Punakha from 1990). Festival dates were checked against the official tentative list on 12 October 2026.