September is the turn of the year. The monsoon ends, usually in the second half of the month, and the air it leaves behind is washed clean. Thimphu Tshechu, the capital’s great festival, is held in September or October.
- Good for: thimphu Tshechu, in the years it falls in September; The start of the autumn treks; Clear air after the rain.
- Less good for: rain in the first half of the month.
The weather in September
In September Thimphu averages 26°C by day and 15°C at night, with 74 mm of rain on about 12 days. Punakha, a thousand metres lower, averages 29°C and 19°C. The first half can still be wet: Thimphu has about twelve wet days in the month. It stays warm, and once the rain ends the mountains stand out sharply.
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 September
When Thimphu Tshechu falls in September it fills the capital for three days. The festivals that begin in September on the official list:
- Tour of the Dragon (mountain bike race): 5 September 2027, Bumthang to Thimphu
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 September
The autumn season opens, and seven treks are walked from September. The Snowman is walked in September and October only.
- Tsaluna Trek
- Dagala Thousand Lakes Trek
- Druk Path Trek
- Soi Yaksa Trek
- Jomolhari Trek
- Laya–Gasa Trek
- Snowman Trek
All eight are set side by side on our page of Bhutan’s treks compared.
Where to go in September
Thimphu, if the Tshechu falls this month. Otherwise anywhere, and the later in the month the better.
Good to know
Come in the second half if you can: the start of the month is a gamble on the weather. Around the Tshechu, hotels in Thimphu fill early, so fix your dates by the festival. What to bring is on our packing list.
Trips for September
- Thimphu Tshechu Festival Tour (8 days)
- Druk Path Trek (11 days)
- Snowman Trek (29 days)
Tell us your dates and we will say plainly what September is like for the trip you have in mind.
Other months
Bhutan in August comes before, and Bhutan in October 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.